Igbeaku Orji
Like philosophy and psychology, science has equally failed to proffer solution to man’s myriad personal challenges and battles. From Socrates to William James, philosophy had sought in vain to provide reliable pedestal for victory over sin and its debilitating effect on man, his environment and relationship.
For thousands of years, even in the midst of the gospel light and exposition, man still gropes in the darkness of morality, religion and tradition with the associated entanglement and bondage. Man has preferred bondage rather than the bonding that God offered through Jesus Christ as the ultimate comprehensive Solution.
One may ask, has philosophy any workable prescription for anger? Has psychology proffered any effective solution to divorce? Has science any answer to sickness and death? No. How, for instance, do we achieve peace – from the individual to the society? The much coveted Joy has eluded many lives, in the midst of wealth and insatiable acquisitions, the inexplicable greed and debauchery, even against acceptable social conduct. Yet these and more are existential realities confronting man and distorting his perception of life and the original intention of God. It will still be futile to strive within the limitation of the human moral capacity to please God or attain these virtues because the natural man, in his natural state, cannot please God. It is impossible to bypass God, in his explicit terms, to grab or plunder his treasure trove. God’s love for man is incomprehensible. But man must accept and approach God on His own terms.
In his infinite love, God did not abandon man to his fate to fight the odds, swim against the tide of billowing current of existence and pursuit of a fulfilled life, but has always, in all dispensations and epochs, made an escape route, an exit door, from the overwhelming inhibitions incarcerating him to the endless struggles, frustrations and eternal perdition.
The global gospel campaign, also known as the Global Crusade with Kumuyi, GCK, is one among many accesses to God’s mercy, goodness and love. It brings the gospel to every creature in the Kumuyian dialectics of simple, straight and short delivery with concrete and fundamental knowledge of scriptural insights. From a humble background, God has lifted his servant, Pastor, Dr W F Kumuyi, to global arena of honour and renown as heaven’s ambassador with a message of reconciliation to humanity. He presents the total gospel but with uncompromising emphasis on holiness, without which no one shall see God. Holiness, to Kumuyi, is the unfailing anchor of a productive and fulfilling christian life, ministry and relationship with God.
His, is the peculiarly transformative gospel that deals with the heart of man as the spring of character and actions. The man, his intents and desires, can never be right until his heart is right.
The Aba Crusade, with the theme: ‘Glorious Transformation through Christ,’ was significant in many respects. It was coming two years after the botched July 2022 edition was rescheduled. But more importantly, it came at a time in our national life when Nigeria was at crossroads. Economic and security challenges had combined to overthrow the faith of many, while those who do not have faith have yielded to and accepted any means of survival, no matter how crooked, as extenuated by the circumstances. It came at a time when evil is glamourized, when wealth is worshipped and when people want to set their own standard of worshipping God. It was the most appropriate time to seek a glorious transformation for heart renewal and recovery of all lost spiritual assets, through Christ.
Inspired by an intense and unwavering conviction of the veracity of the gospel to address every need of man, Pastor Kumuyi’s pungent, pure and penetrating messages, presented in his characteristically distinctive alliterative rhyme and rhythm, led many to self and spiritual rediscovery for which they will remain eternally grateful to God.
Kumuyi, the founder and General Superintendent, Gospel Spokesman and Gentle Shepherd of Deeper Life Bible Church told participants on arrival at the Aba Mega Mall what to expect in the 6 day crusade. Abia, God’s Own State, will not be an exception to what God had done through the Global Crusade, he said. He said God had honoured himself with unimaginable miracles in scope and magnitude with the instrumentality of the Crusade. He said all the arms of the Christian community including the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, were involved in the Crusade even as Rev Ojo Ojo Uduma, the State CAN chairman and his counterpart in PFN, Bishop Chikezie Elekwa, were present.
Those who have followed the trend of the crusade would admit that there is hardly enough time to listen to the verifiable and instantaneous miracles/ testimonies. The first night of the crusade miracles began to happen even before the ministration of Pastor Kumuyi, the convener. A man testified that he got his healing when the guest music minister, Brian Davis, rendered a song in Igbo, ‘Imeela Chineke.’
The message of the first night, ‘The Unchangeable Power of God’ and the Ministers Conference, the next morning, set the mood for the rest of the Crusade with the thematic preoccupation of presenting Jesus as the ultimate answer to man’s varied challenges – spiritual and physical, the Saviour and Healer. For instance, the Pastor argued that only a transformed heart will produce a transformed life, insisting there is no possibility of a transformed heart without Christ. Again, only Jesus and through His name can divine healing be obtained as exemplified by the encounter of Peter and John with the cripple at the Beautiful Gate in Acts chapter 3 verses 1 – 10. The messages received heaven’s affirmation with instantaneous miracles. The Ministers were challenged to desire and demand fresh anointing for exploits in the power of the Spirit.
The Youth Impact Academy in which the youths were taken aside for a special life transforming encounter led the young people to decisions for excellence and stardom. In a message titled, Living Like Profitable Stars in Our World, the Prevailing Stars were counseled to shun ruinous pastimes and emulate some Bible characters like Samuel, Timothy, Andrew, Ruth and Saul of Tarsus, which spelt STARS, to connect with Christ for impactful life that will transcend ethnic and religious boundaries. With his life story, how God lifted him, against all odds, to the present position of preacher and evangelist, he challenged the Youths to imbibe the I can do spirit and trust God for favour.
As the Crusade ended on Tuesday its impact will definitely linger for a long time. The Christian community, Abia State and the world, once again, will not be the same.