CPM declared Camp City open with Wisemen Convention
Anthony Iwuoma
Christian Pentecostal Mission International, CPM, has officially thrown its camp in Ogun State open with the biennial International Wisemen’s Convention.
The epochal event was organised by the Pentecostal Action Team, PAT, as church’s men are known. It kicked off on Tuesday, May 21 at the expansive camp located at at Km 56, Ayetoro Bus Stop, on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Themed, Men of Unlimited Blessings, the carnival-like event drew a mammoth crowd from all over Nigeria that thronged the CPM Camp City, adorned in different uniforms.
The worshippers were welcomed by the General Overseer of the church, Rev. Dr. Mercy Ezekiel. The Amazon declared the programme open and declared that it would be hugely successful.
So far, prominent speakers that have delivered lectures at the ongoing conference, including Rev.Sam Olubiyo, Senior Pastor of Triumphant Christian Centre; Dr. Chidi Okoroafor, former General Superintendent of Assemblies of God Church; Dr. Uche Ogah, President of Master Energy Group, and former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, and Prof Gbami Onakoya of Babcock University.
Olubiyo, who spoke on the theme of the convention surmised that the key to unlimited blessings is obedience.
According to him man was originally made for unlimited blessings before the encroachment of sin, causing man to struggle thereafter. However, he added that Jesus came to restore man to blessings.
“Blessing empowers for riches. Abraham was so poor he lived in his father’s house, even as a married man until God’s intervention and blessed him in all areas of his life. You’re walking out of poverty and after this Convention unusual prosperity will come into your hands.”
Olubiyo pointed out that God’s intervention in the life of Abraham could not have been possible if Abraham did not obey God’s instructions.
“The key to the blessings is obedience to God and superior authority (Deut 28). God told Abraham to leave, he obeyed; God told him to circumcise his menfolk; he obeyed; God told him to sacrifice Isaac; he obeyed. Obedience brings you under irreversible, oceanic blessings. Obedience is the gateway to blessings (Genesis 26). Isaac obeyed and remained in the land and sowed and reaped, even during famine.”
The man of God added that obedience would be acceptable only if it is total, done willingly, promptly and sacrificially.
Dr. Chidi Okoroafor also picked his message from the theme but zeroed in on wisemen, action and dominion.
According to him, blessed is that church whose men are active but church whose men are sleeping is like iced block.
Citing Genesis 1:26, 28, he noted that man was made to be in dominion, which meant he had no limits to fruitfulness.
“If any man has lost his dominion, it shall be recovered. It shall come spiritually. Don’t mind what your forefathers did. They came late. Originally you were blessed. Divinity blessed you; your village land cannot annul it. The problem is we don’t know God. We fear village idols more than God. It is because you don’t know the power of your God that you fear the threats of old evil men in the village. After this programme I see the rising of unknown faces. Time for hiding is over. You are a national material; don’t die a local champion.”
Okoroafor also stressed the need for loyalty to the church.
“Love your church. You’re too old to change church. You will dominate your environment; you were created to dominate. It is when you dominate that you’ll become fruitful. Whatever happens is comma, not full stop. Comma means sentence continues. We are not here for sympathy fellowship,” he said.
“Dominion means sovereignty or control, to rule, be in charge, have authority, command and operating in the anointing. We were originally created to have dominion over our environment and circumstances. As you depart from this conference, your circumstances can no longer cage you. You will have dominion in business and environment.
“CPM will no longer be a visitor in any environment. You cannot be neglected. You are a sweet wine. Stop wasting your years. You shall be filled with action. You are image carriers of God. God created you to be his representative. I don’t care what Eve did or how the snake came but the man to whom that God gave dominion succumbed cheaply. That’s why we have issues. We have the Israeli-Hamas crisis, Boko Haram and international terrorism because man failed to have dominion.
“Sarah came with the Egyptian method of prosperity. May circumstances not allow you to go where angels fear to tread. Beware of voices, and the voice of Sarah. You can easily overcome voices but the voice of Sarah is difficult. She is somebody you can’t say no to. The mind is an open window. You cannot say evil thought will not pass through your mind. If Abraham had the evil thought on his own, he could have overcome but coming from Sarah, he fell. The day he listened to Sarah, Osama bin Laden was born; Israeli-Palestinian problem was born. From the day man lost dominion, he started dying, which was not in the original plan of creation.
“Nevertheless, one man came to restore man’s dominion (Romans 6:14) so that sin shall no longer have dominion over man. Who are you, unedited? Clothes cover a lot of things. When someone dresses up, it is the edited version until you go home with him to see the rubbish cloth covered.
“In every church there are four members: members on transit, who can leave because of a careless mistake by an usher; visiting members, who come with spectacles; staff members, who are only interested in business or salary; and irrevocable stakeholders, who are in church not because of what to get but think about the future and survival of the church. What kind of member are you?
“If you change your church, you will encounter new problems. What you have in your church is a familiar problem whereas the other is strange because you are new there. We are in a generation of spiritual prostitution. If you go to a church of only young people, run away because there is none to correct them; or a church of only old people without any agenda for continuity; run. It is the story you tell outside about your church that determines how they look at your church.
“It is when you dominate that fruitfulness comes. There are fruits to harvest. You will dominate the market and office spaces. You shall dominate wherever you set your feet. God will give you an intercontinental product. It is in your dominion that you will be fruitful,” he declared.
Dr. Ogah acknowledged the harsh economic situation but added that there are opportunities that lie in the midst of these, which only courage, wisdom and unshakeable faith in God can bring out.
He insisted that it is essential to rely on biblical principles in financial matters anchored on righteous living.
According to him, we must learn to work hard.
“It does not kill; it makes you stronger,” he said. “Diligence alone is not enough but embrace ethical and moral business practice (Prov 16:6). We are liable to account for how we use our talents. That is stewardship. Never lose sight of this, serve God and help others (2 Timothy 7). Put your hope and trust in God.
Ogah enumerated practical strategies that lead to success.
According to him: “It is essential to develop a business plan and sustainable plan short and long term; Diversity of investment (mitigates risks; always strength in looking at multiplicity of incomes); Continuous learning proverbs; Prudence – guard your heart against greed and expensive materialism; Passionate; Know when market changes and change accordingly; Faith and community (church) and draw on faith in God.”
Despite the complexities of the ever-shifting economic realities, Ogah insisted that they are surmountable by faith in God and commitment to righteous living.
He urged believers to go forth with renewed determination to grow sustainable wealth in a manner that honours God. He emphasised that Christians need to come together to build themselves and the community, which is the church, with eyes set on eternity.
In his lecture along the same theme, Prof Omotayo also insisted that the turbulence could become positive for Christians.
He said: “You must have creative ways to be resilient in a turbulent economy. Device what product to sell and at what price. Determine who your customer is and what he is buying. If what you are selling is not what your customer wants, you are on your own.
“Do you want to wait for the customers to come or go to them? You must understand what your customer wants and how to meet their needs. Know what your customer needs. How is your market changing? Know your competitors, their strengths and weaknesses. Make sure your supplier does not cut you off from your customers. How about your staff? They could become your competitors. Sometimes, you don’t know what your customer wants. Try and provide what your customer needs.
“Monetise your skill. For instance, you can cook for people that don’t have time to cook at a fee. You can also be an events anchor, etc.
“Operate within budget. Never lend any money you cannot give away. Don’t spend what you have not budgeted for. Keep your cost down. Turnover is important. Don’t wait for too much gain in any product you are selling. Go for apprenticeship. Explore sell on return arrangement. Take advantage of govt incentives. You must also plan how your companies can survive after you’re gone. How are you running your business to outlive you?
The professor also suggested certain businesses that can resist harsh economy. Some of such businesses include automobiles, food, beverages, healthcare, children services, mechanic shops, electricians, real estate, beauty products, open market sales, freelancing, ICT support, logistics, courier, hairdressing, tutoring, money lender, funeral service, party, textiles, music, etc.
He further advised to go into businesses that people must need despite economy and urged the nurturing existing customer base; and to become more efficient.
Other speakers included Dr. Patience Chima, who spoke on managing health challenges; Rev. Elias Uchechi of COM headquarters church; Rev Sunny Maxwell, Pastor (Dr.) Raphael Olarenwaju of Mother and Child Hospital, Pastor John Fatoyinbo and Mrs Uju Kasiem, Elder (Dr.) Charles Onyeukwu and Engr Mrs A. Okafor, and Prof (Mrs) Ihuoma Igwilo of the University of Lagos.
Igwilo gave a very insightful teaching on building a Christian home by proper parenting.
The various states led by their pastors and state supervisors turned up at the ongoing convention in their uniforms and presented soul-lifting Programmes, such as sings ministrations, drama, recitations, etc.
The leadership of the PAT, headed by the CoC/PAT chairman, Elder Paul Ngbawa, and the church committee put so much into planning the hugely impactful programme.