I started my ministry with zero member —Pastor Ola Oni

Simeon Ola Oni, a legal practitioner, is a Senior Pastor of the King’s Touch Ministries, Ring Road, Ibadan, Oyo State. In this interview with TribuneChurch, he speaks on corruption in the country and the need for clerics to undergo regular trainings with a view to enhancing their knowledge and improving the quality of their ministrations. Excerpts:

How did the journey of establishing King’s Touch Ministries start?

The journey into this ministry has been on for a long time, right from my days at the university, that was around 1991 or thereabout. I became born-again shortly before I entered the university for my first degree. When I became born-again, the zeal to work for God moved me into joining in the Christian fold on campus. I joined the Redeemed Christian Fellowship (RCF) at the then Ogun State University, now Olabisi Onabanjo University. In my fourth year, I became president of the RCF. In my fifth year, I became the overall president of the umbrella of all Christian fellowships on campus, known then as the Ogun State University Believers’ Conference. When I got to the Law School, the pastor in charge of the chapel at the Law School, asked me to assist him with the work at the chapel. When I left Law School and started working at Agbaje Agbaje and Co. in Ibadan, Alhaji Agbaje always referred to me as a pastor. At the time, I was with the Jesus Fellowship Ministry which had headquarters at Indianapolis, United States. I spent 13 years with the ministry and for the last seven of those 13 years, I was the pastor in charge of the Nigerian church. I had received the call from God telling me that I had to move on but I delayed it. In my 13th year with the ministry, I told the head pastor, Pastor Jonathan Obasi Benjamin, about the decision to respond to the divine call. It was really hard to leave because Pastor Benjamin and his wife were so good to me. When I told him, he sought the face of God and days later, he confirmed the calling. After I left the ministry, he has been very supportive and he came on December 7, 2014, to Nigeria and attended the inauguration of the church. My friend, Reverend Albert Oduwole, was also present. We started with zero membership. And that was how the journey began and so far, we thank God for the grace to spread the gospel.

How has it been combining your profession as a lawyer with pastoring a church?

I believe the legal profession and my work as a pastor are interwoven. Just like Jesus Christ did for the woman accused of committing adultery, the work of a lawyer is to give opportunities to those who are offenders to have a rethink. So, pastoral work and the legal profession go hand in hand. No wonder Jesus is referred to as our Advocate – He performs the work of free lawyers. If possible, I would recommend being a pastor for every legal practitioner.

Recently, allegations of corruption rocked the judiciary. What is your take on the development?

On the way the DSS carried out the raids on judges’ residences, one would have said a better method should have been adopted. Although they said they wrote to the NJC and since they got no response, they decided to go ahead. However, when one considers the desired result, one wonders if it was appreciable, considering the sworn oath to uphold justice against all odds. You would notice that the NBA, which initially kicked against the process taken to arrest the judges, later changed position and allowed for investigation, after asking the judges to step aside.

What is the ‘Emerging Ministers’ training programme by King’s Touch Ministries about?

The programme is about training the trainers. We have come to realise that not every person that calls himself a pastor is truly grounded. For them to be grounded, apart from receiving the divine call, such a person needs training. We have heard of many clerics involved in all kinds of nefarious activities. This is as a result of the fact that some of them are not properly grounded. Emerging ministers should undergo training on comportment, how to handle issues, knowing what society expects of them, among others. What the ‘Emerging Ministers’ training plans to do is to teach courses including effective evangelism, effective pastoring, effective teaching, among others. There will be certificate courses, diploma courses, postgraduate courses depending on what the candidate desires. The course will also determine the duration.

Is the training for only aspiring ministers?

The programme is interdenominational and is open to those who are already clerics, within and outside Nigeria. Although the target is emerging ministers, that is, those who are just coming into ministry, those who are already in the ministry can attend. I still learn from senior pastors and I still attend conferences. Nobody is above knowledge, no matter how old or experienced you are, so all ministers, whatever stage you are in the ministry, are involved.

What do you intend to achieve at the end of the programme?

We aim to groom ministers who are confident of preaching the gospel, the fruits of which will be evident not just in what they preach, but also in their lifestyles as well.