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As I read the review of the book "Creative Thought and Personal Growth" by Dennis
D. Hunt, by Goke Ilesanmi in the Financial Standard newspaper of November 22, 2004, I pause to ponder over what
I read and try to relate it to real life situations.
For the past 10 days (ended yesterday Sunday, November 21, 2004) I've been attending a church convention put together
by a revered man of God Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and the entire members of his church Word of Life Bible Church Ajamimogha
Road in Warri, Delta State on the invitation by an acquaintance whom I contacted through the telephone while trying
to raise a request for the troubleshooting of my system.
She was the helper at the helpdesk that provided solutions to my IT problems. She was also to be a planter of seed
in my life and as I write, I must confess that she made a great impact within the short time I've known her. Her
approach and attitude to work reassured me that she was in control and a product of a high profile,
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cutting edge consulting firm. She had the expertise and the human intelligence and I worried no more.
She did it! I was full of gratitude with enough "thank you", and "may I know your name please?"
---(silence) then, "Awelle"*, came her voice, contemplating if she should go ahead to tell me and probably
sensing if I may not be a phone-toaster. "Thank you Awelle," I finally said. "You're welcome",
she said. I hung up.
The next week, my follow up call was not for system troubleshooting, but to speak to the "lady with the solution".
Something, I couldn't explain, in her stands out. Someone else picked the handset speaker and after "�how
may I help you?" I requested to speak to Awelle. "What's the nature of the problem?" the person
on the other end dutifully asks thinking it was official and I said, "Sorry, but I need to be on to Awelle".
To cut the long story short, we (I and Awelle) got talking and in the next few days, she'd invited me to this convention
I earlier talked about.
Straight talk: I'm not one for religion/religious activities. Occasionally, I attended church services on invitations
either to clear certain airs or to gain something of interest. In this case, it is my desire to get a girlfriend,
especially among the class of people with whom and where I may get necessary leverage to achieve my goal in life,
as I believe that working with the best brings out the best in one.
Jack Field & Mark Victor Hansen in their book "Dare To Win", 1994, quoted Charles "Tremendous"
Jones as saying, "Five years from now, you'll be the same person you are today except for the people you meet,
the books you read, the tapes you hear". They say the people you meet should excite you, inspire you, and
make you grow. They said we should aim to meet people. Meeting people who have lived different lives will enrich
you immensely. They so much believed in this that they had to write down the names of those they wished to meet
in their lifetime.
*Some names have been changed
There is the popular saying: "show me your friend and I'll tell you who you are". Much as this may seem
true, great teachers like Robert T. Kiyosaki also believe that it is sometimes appropriate to keep people who are
failures and social misnomers around one. This helps to keep you focused, makes you learn from their mistakes and
who knows, you may be the tool to the turning point in their lives. To him, trying to affect their lives positively
does not make you a failure too.
Though the lady, at the helpdesk, may be a prospective tool to an end, positively. So at the instance of her invitation,
I did not hesitate. And so for ten good days, I endured the tight condition - trekking some of the time, missing
my dinner, and had little time for my personal affairs because I just needed to keep seeing her and the convention
provided the chance.
When I was young, I was very much into church. Our whole family went to church. But the evils perpetrated by religious
institutions turned me off. One of such was when an old man in his 80's in my neighborhood was displaced of his
home and land by a religious movement so they can erect their church building on the old man's land. This they
did without any form of compensation to the old man. They had the power and some of their members were in government.
I always wondered why church elders were so petty. Interdenominational pettiness thrived. How could the Protestants,
if God was all loving, think of the Catholics as so bad? God was such a grand idea, but the church was so petty.
I loved how I felt role-playing 'Jesus' on the Nativity on Christmas Eve and also on the Crucifixion during Easter
in the church back then. But church had become so shallow to me.
When I finished high school and got into the polytechnic, I read Eze Ebisike and Bertrand Russell and I decided
I was an agnostic. I wasn't sure that God existed or didn't exist.
Something keeps redirecting me to Him. And the next paragraphs of this opinion will show my experience at the jubilee.
When I arrived for the service, I was astounded to see so many elegant, chauffeur-driven cars and jeeps bringing
in the congregants. With the aid of the GSM, I was able to locate Awelle without much ado. And man, she wasn't
a bad idea! More on that in another piece.
Once inside, I found that the environment was a strange combination of lavish opulence and tasteful reverence.
More than three thousand (by my rough estimate) filled the auditorium (International Gospel Centre) to overflowing.
I was a poor lone man at heart visiting a predominantly
born-again church. I was loved, cheered, given a sit and welcomed with refreshment. I felt rich and important.
No one knew or cared that I was broke and had just about =N=50 in my pocket. There was a feeling that everyone
was growing and knowing spiritually. But not financially. I had mixed feelings.
When the Papa Ayo spoke, he ignited my spiritual spark plug. He provided me with exciting new insights into the
power, mercy and grace of God. I discovered that my present financial state had put my mind in a tight corner.
I needed practical steps to get out the rat race. I wanted to be free financially and be able to give freely from
the depth of my heart�to some charity or non-profit movement. He made me acknowledge the fact that God is rich.
And when I sow a seed, I have sown infinite and abundant grace. Amazing! Wow! I could feel the spirit moving within
me. And during the jubilee I had a direct experience of God. I knew without any doubt that God is with me. I am
so lucky.
You see how funny life can be. I found myself flowing with the convention though with some reservations and careful
observance of the happenstances in there. I always wondered how much emphasis was placed on "breakthrough"
- financially, on the job, business, marriage, barrenness, cars, houses, traveling abroad, and so forth; all to
be achieved only when a seed in form of offerings, donations, as high as =N=1m to as low as, with little mention
and only as a last resort, =N=50.
I noticed the frustration on the faces of those that didn't have that much who are in some cases advised to "go
and borrow" to sow a seed in order that they may be blessed in return. In such circumstances, in my mixed
feelings, I wondered if God may accept my 'Marshall's mite' of sometimes =N=5, oftentimes =N=20, and once in a
great effort =N=50 as a pledge. In order that I may not lose favour in the sight of God, I redeemed it in two days
time and trekked home after service. And once, I gave nothing. However in each case while everybody showed their
seed, raising it up, I wonder why, I clinched mine tightly in my palm and while people stretched and dropped their
seeds, I dipped my hand into the seed-offering box not wanting anyone to see what I sowed. I was always in conflict
when it gets to this stage of the service.
The convention had impact on me especially in the reaffirmation of the power of the Almighty God. And I loved Him
the more. I looked with awe how people flung themselves to the ground under the influence of the anointing of the
Holy Spirit. They never get injured. Could they later feel internal pain at home? It seems the Holy Spirit is in
the dome-like auditorium. For the first time in my life, I prayed the firebrand kind of prayer and believed in
the potency of the prayer. I prayed against poverty, and the spirit of unbelief. I prayed for financial and emotional
intelligence, change of job, good health, and a significant other. On one occasion, I remembered that the assistant
general manager in my office was always picking on me and tried to frustrate me, so I prayed that if he was a storm
blocking me from my destiny I destroy him. If he's not, I also prayed, for a better and improved working relationship
with him and indeed, anyone else.
I scrutinized every word and action I heard and saw. It showed that my wonderment manifested so that Awelle kept
pondering if I'm not pretending. She observed instances where I felt aloof to the whole drama, where if everybody
were asked to do a thing, I'd be seen sitting and looking at those doing the instruction. She wondered if I doubted
the men of God and their prophecies.
Outside doubts, I respected the best qualities, the 'unique selling points' and the use of psychology by these
men of God. From the amiable and loving Papa who has Mama as his staunch fan and spiritual support, I remember
them with great fondness and respect, to the intellectual and gentle Pastor E.A. Adeboye, on the true meaning of
Amazing Grace, to the powerful Dr. Morris Cerullo, the man with the shout
that pierces the walls of hell, to the forceful and optimistic Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke, I love this man's faith
in Nigeria, to the firebrand Pastor Abraham Chibundu, the miracle worker, to the respected Dr. Omobode, Warri's
warrior to the wide-reaching, all- embracing Bishop Mike Okonkwo papa of papas, to the corrosive and vibrant Pastor
Osagie, (remembrance like never before) to hmm�, the gracefully positive Pastor Wale Oke; down to gospel musicians
such as the melodious Apostle Ron Kenoly, heavenly singer, Nigerian Sammy Okposo, the new sensation Kefee, the
branama queen, and others. Each had something to offer. Each had a style. Each came with a mood and drive. And
each was spirit-filled. And when I consider the money pumped into the organizing of the convention, I want to agree
with those of them who used their best skills in urging the congregation to sow seeds worth millions of naira.
I saw God in them.
It was a jubilee full of lively events It was never boring. And all through the meeting, one thing remained constant
- breakthrough. At times I wanted to disagree with some of them at the vagueness of their prescriptions of 'how
to' attain breakthrough. P-U-S-H: Pray-Until-Something-Happens. Believe in miracles, sow seeds and expect miracles.
Miracles in better jobs, promotion, and pay rise even when that one or employee lacked the competence, emotional
intelligence to continue in the work; and financial intelligence to achieve financial freedom. I believed that
miracle would come to you if you were prepared to grab it. Other expectations include testimonies of husbands/wives
for spinsters/bachelors, buying cars, and all that.
Creative thoughts? Belief? Faith? Prayer? But all with very little or no practical suggestions or guide to acquiring
wealth and riches. I thought the above should go with work and competent expertise. I wonder where the words of
Robert Kiyosaki, Robert Schuller, Dennis D. Hunt, Dr. David Oyedepo, Rev. Sam Adeyemi - one of my mentors - etc
have gone to. I believe that if we think success and growth and believe in the positive principle, then the power
that is law is directed to produce success and growth according to our belief. However, may I be quick to say that
practical knowledge is extremely necessary. When it concerns wealth, pastors who want a money-wise congregation
should learn, teach and match their preachments with practical step-by-step guide to building wealth. Without this,
even if there's a breakthrough, it may break loose. If the congregation lacks the emotional and financial intelligence
the church may have a poverty stricken members. How then will the church survive?
Awelle, thanks for the invitation. I'm now born-again. You sowed bountifully.
Marshall C. Ifeanyi
Warri, BiafraNigeria
The Church and Sowing of Seeds
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