Briefly, in 1967, that
was about the beginning of the Nigerian civil war, I was a soldier then,
while at night in the war front, I had a vision. It was a call form
God and the voice said three times, Can you do my work in this place?
and I answered, yes. My response and reaction to this vision led to my
voluntary resignation from the Army which became possible through my
commandant, whom I found favour in his sight after narrating the vision
to him through the Lord Jesus Christ.
God began to work in me as I found myself getting out of all unrighteousness and embracing the truth, fear and love of God which led me to become a peace maker instead of a fighter. That same year I was led by God to the Ukori Preaching Society along the Mckiver Road, Warri where I was made the secretary of the group a month after. Among the members of this group were Evang. Peter Ukori, Evang. Gius Tebite, and many others. In early 1968, I received another vision. This time I was in the midst of so many people and near us was a heap of crosses and there stood a man called Evang. Collinus Adam Igbudu who was empowered to give the crosses to whom so ever he wishes. Seeing that I was new in their mist and the people out numbered the crosses, I decided to walk away; I was called back by the Evangelist and given one cross. This was to be the symbol of the duty I was to perform for God.
This vision gave birth to the Agbassa Prayer Meeting in my house at Okenes compound at Agbassa. Philip Igben, Mary Bazunu and others which space would not allow me to mention their names here were members. Later on some other members joined. In one of our prayer meetings, the Spirit of God urged me to hold an open air Crusade. I shared the inspiration with the group and we mobilized and the open air Crusade was held in which many were converted. The Agbassa Prayer Group grew stronger in grace and works of the Lord. Periodically various Churches like the Anglican Church Ukpiovwin, Baptist Church Oginibo, etc invited us for Revival Services.
There were other good development that took place through this Agbassa Prayer Meeting, Odion Prayer Meeting started. Many referred to both prayer groups as God-dowells Group.
There was the Anglican Adam Preaching Society (A. A. P. S.) under the leadership of Evang. Collinus Adam Igbudu, whom I have not met physically. Later in the same year, 1968, the Ukori preaching society, which I belong, merged with the A. A. P. S. under the leadership of Evang. Collinus Adam Igbudu. This led to the dropping of the name Ukori Preaching Society. The leader of that group, Evang. Ukori, was made the leader of the A. A. P. S. Warri group.
In1970, I was made the Assistant leader of the Warri group of the A. A. P. S. and God also lifted me to be one of the major speakers of Crusades organised by the A. A. P. S. in 1974, I had a very strong urge in me to go to Iyokiri for a Missionary work. This urge which later became a burden in me was shared with Pa. Alfred Ukori who advised that I should appeal to the A. A. P. S. for sponsorship since the Agbassa Prayer Group was not financially strong enough and lack the required manpower to execute the Missionary work. In the appeal, sixteen members of the A. A. P. S. came forward to assist. They include, the singing group of the Anglican Church, Ofrukama which set sail to Iyokiri. This became my first Missionary Journey. It was on our return from this Missionary journey that the A. A. P. S. named us Christs Missionaries. Thus the name Christs Missionaries was born.
The Missionary work was not without odds. As a Christian, you must be prepared for the worst. While we were carrying out our missionary works in some of the villages we went to evangelize, we were severely beaten, arrested, tried and driven out. But despite these odds, the work of the Lord continued. From 1976 through 1977 was a period of temptation as allegations and counter allegations were flying in the air against us. Some members of the A. A. P. S. Warri Group, as a result of either jealousy or some other reasons best known to them, wrote allegations against us, the Christs Missionaries. That led to our leaving the A. A. P. S. Warri Group. That also would have been the end of that group but for the quick intervention of Evang. Collinus Adam Igbudu who saw that the allegations were false and urged us to come back to the group. Seeing that this could be the hand of the devil, we obeyed and returned to the A. A. P. S. Warri Group.
The following year, 1977, our Missionary tour to Lagos, which was met with, many notable miracles also met with jealousy, which led to allegations being written against us by some members of the A. A. P. S. Group in Lagos. This time, God intervened and the petition was countered by a letter from the Lagos Group that the allegations against us were false. I am sorry to mention here that later in the year, the petitioner died.
This history will not be complete if I do not say how we got the first place of worship which is the site of the former Headquarter of the Mission. While at my resident at Okwagbe street, Essi layout, Warri, one Madam Christiana Popo came to my house sick, I prayed for her and God healed her. Seeing what God has done for her, she went and prepared a new resident for me at No. 5 Ajamogha and urged me to move into the residence. This I did and the address became the 1st fellowship center of the Christs Missionaries. As if it was not enough, after God has stopped all intruders to her fathers land through the power of God working in me, she called me and told me that she wanted to give to me a part of the land to build my personal house there.
In response, I thanked her for appreciating what God has been dong for her and told her that I was not prepared to build yet, and that all I needed at that time was a bigger place of fellowship for the Christs Missionaries, since my house was becoming too small for the people who were attending prayer meeting. This request she consented to and she gave the land to the Christs Missionaries as a token in appreciation for what the Lord has done for her.
Our first worship here in the former headquarter, 70D Ekpen Street, Ajamogha, Warri was held on the first Sunday November 1st, 1981. Two branches were already in operation, the Okpara and Lagos Branches. As the Church started growing, many were called to follow.
As we grew from strength to strength, we all associated together in peace and harmony submitting ourselves one to the other in the fear of God, sharing one anothers burden to the extent of contributing money to marry for ourselves. This made it become necessary for us to have a constitution that will guide us in the smooth running of the administration of the Mission. Therefore in December 1984, the process of getting a Constitution for the Mission started. This led to the dissolution of the former offices and new offices were created and new officers elected into them, in which I became the General Overseer.
This urge to have a better administrative instrument for this Mission has led once more to a new Constitution, which we have today. Finally, I will not fail to mention the primary vision of the Mission, which is BURDEN FOR LOST SOULS. This is the central vision of this Mission and by his grace nothing will stop the accomplishment of this vision by us all Amen.
May God be with you all in Jesus name.
ARCHBISHOP DR. GOD-DOWELL O. AVWOMAKPA
God began to work in me as I found myself getting out of all unrighteousness and embracing the truth, fear and love of God which led me to become a peace maker instead of a fighter. That same year I was led by God to the Ukori Preaching Society along the Mckiver Road, Warri where I was made the secretary of the group a month after. Among the members of this group were Evang. Peter Ukori, Evang. Gius Tebite, and many others. In early 1968, I received another vision. This time I was in the midst of so many people and near us was a heap of crosses and there stood a man called Evang. Collinus Adam Igbudu who was empowered to give the crosses to whom so ever he wishes. Seeing that I was new in their mist and the people out numbered the crosses, I decided to walk away; I was called back by the Evangelist and given one cross. This was to be the symbol of the duty I was to perform for God.
This vision gave birth to the Agbassa Prayer Meeting in my house at Okenes compound at Agbassa. Philip Igben, Mary Bazunu and others which space would not allow me to mention their names here were members. Later on some other members joined. In one of our prayer meetings, the Spirit of God urged me to hold an open air Crusade. I shared the inspiration with the group and we mobilized and the open air Crusade was held in which many were converted. The Agbassa Prayer Group grew stronger in grace and works of the Lord. Periodically various Churches like the Anglican Church Ukpiovwin, Baptist Church Oginibo, etc invited us for Revival Services.
There were other good development that took place through this Agbassa Prayer Meeting, Odion Prayer Meeting started. Many referred to both prayer groups as God-dowells Group.
There was the Anglican Adam Preaching Society (A. A. P. S.) under the leadership of Evang. Collinus Adam Igbudu, whom I have not met physically. Later in the same year, 1968, the Ukori preaching society, which I belong, merged with the A. A. P. S. under the leadership of Evang. Collinus Adam Igbudu. This led to the dropping of the name Ukori Preaching Society. The leader of that group, Evang. Ukori, was made the leader of the A. A. P. S. Warri group.
In1970, I was made the Assistant leader of the Warri group of the A. A. P. S. and God also lifted me to be one of the major speakers of Crusades organised by the A. A. P. S. in 1974, I had a very strong urge in me to go to Iyokiri for a Missionary work. This urge which later became a burden in me was shared with Pa. Alfred Ukori who advised that I should appeal to the A. A. P. S. for sponsorship since the Agbassa Prayer Group was not financially strong enough and lack the required manpower to execute the Missionary work. In the appeal, sixteen members of the A. A. P. S. came forward to assist. They include, the singing group of the Anglican Church, Ofrukama which set sail to Iyokiri. This became my first Missionary Journey. It was on our return from this Missionary journey that the A. A. P. S. named us Christs Missionaries. Thus the name Christs Missionaries was born.
The Missionary work was not without odds. As a Christian, you must be prepared for the worst. While we were carrying out our missionary works in some of the villages we went to evangelize, we were severely beaten, arrested, tried and driven out. But despite these odds, the work of the Lord continued. From 1976 through 1977 was a period of temptation as allegations and counter allegations were flying in the air against us. Some members of the A. A. P. S. Warri Group, as a result of either jealousy or some other reasons best known to them, wrote allegations against us, the Christs Missionaries. That led to our leaving the A. A. P. S. Warri Group. That also would have been the end of that group but for the quick intervention of Evang. Collinus Adam Igbudu who saw that the allegations were false and urged us to come back to the group. Seeing that this could be the hand of the devil, we obeyed and returned to the A. A. P. S. Warri Group.
The following year, 1977, our Missionary tour to Lagos, which was met with, many notable miracles also met with jealousy, which led to allegations being written against us by some members of the A. A. P. S. Group in Lagos. This time, God intervened and the petition was countered by a letter from the Lagos Group that the allegations against us were false. I am sorry to mention here that later in the year, the petitioner died.
This history will not be complete if I do not say how we got the first place of worship which is the site of the former Headquarter of the Mission. While at my resident at Okwagbe street, Essi layout, Warri, one Madam Christiana Popo came to my house sick, I prayed for her and God healed her. Seeing what God has done for her, she went and prepared a new resident for me at No. 5 Ajamogha and urged me to move into the residence. This I did and the address became the 1st fellowship center of the Christs Missionaries. As if it was not enough, after God has stopped all intruders to her fathers land through the power of God working in me, she called me and told me that she wanted to give to me a part of the land to build my personal house there.
In response, I thanked her for appreciating what God has been dong for her and told her that I was not prepared to build yet, and that all I needed at that time was a bigger place of fellowship for the Christs Missionaries, since my house was becoming too small for the people who were attending prayer meeting. This request she consented to and she gave the land to the Christs Missionaries as a token in appreciation for what the Lord has done for her.
Our first worship here in the former headquarter, 70D Ekpen Street, Ajamogha, Warri was held on the first Sunday November 1st, 1981. Two branches were already in operation, the Okpara and Lagos Branches. As the Church started growing, many were called to follow.
As we grew from strength to strength, we all associated together in peace and harmony submitting ourselves one to the other in the fear of God, sharing one anothers burden to the extent of contributing money to marry for ourselves. This made it become necessary for us to have a constitution that will guide us in the smooth running of the administration of the Mission. Therefore in December 1984, the process of getting a Constitution for the Mission started. This led to the dissolution of the former offices and new offices were created and new officers elected into them, in which I became the General Overseer.
This urge to have a better administrative instrument for this Mission has led once more to a new Constitution, which we have today. Finally, I will not fail to mention the primary vision of the Mission, which is BURDEN FOR LOST SOULS. This is the central vision of this Mission and by his grace nothing will stop the accomplishment of this vision by us all Amen.
May God be with you all in Jesus name.
ARCHBISHOP DR. GOD-DOWELL O. AVWOMAKPA
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