In a world that is bedeviled by a diminishing supply of character and the thinning of the vast possibilities that courage makes available, nothing appears to be more heartwarming to encounter men and women who embody and embolden these traits. In the last ten months, the world has watched with intense amazement at the steady rise— with commensurate resourcefulness, administrative capabilities, humane conviviality, godly disposition and an untiring sense of benevolence—of Mama Evelyn Joshua, the woman in the synagogue.
Since she took over the reins of leadership following the demise of her husband and founder of The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Prophet Temitope Joshua, the vibrant Mama Evelyn has not stopped to prove the naysayers wrong in their mindless expectations to see one of the biggest gifts of God to Christendom, frizzle out. The SCOAN has remained indomitable in the face of both physical and satanic oppositions. The reason: the power and grace of God; the invincibility of the leader, Mama Evelyn Joshua; and an untiring army off Christian faithful largely composed of the SCOAN members and family scattered all over the world, and the Emmanuel TV partners.
In September, 2021, the church announced: “It is now God’s appointed time, to the glory of God, for the SCOAN to soldier on with the divine assignment under the guidance of God and the human leadership of Mrs. Evelyn Joshua. We urge you all to join us in prayers as we wish her God’s guidance and divine wisdom in her new God-ordained role.” Today, the SCOAN’s current laudable realities resonate truly with the statement made by Mama Evelyn Joshua when she addressed the church last year. According to her, ““I am not your general overseer; my dear husband and our dear father, the prophet for generations, senior prophet T.B. Joshua, remains the founder and general overseer of the SCOAN.
“Like my beloved husband used to say, ‘Let love lead’. Today, I represent the symbol of that love, even as he continues to reside by the right hand of his maker. I am only a servant who, under the leadership and direction of the Holy Spirit, will team up with you all to direct the affairs of this great ministry.
“The SCOAN cannot be without you — all the members, partners and friends of the ministry. So, this now serves as a clarion call for you all to rise as an army of God as we push this great commission forward.
“We will work together, pray together, fight the fight of faith together, win together so that we can all inherit the everlasting home together.
“I know that we have all missed the congregation of our brethren for the past one and a half years, but let me assure you that as God leads, we shall all soon converge again and worship God together as a family. So, watch out!
“There is no gainsaying the fact that I and the entire team, we need your prayers, support, encouragement and advice all at this time. The duty is much, the burden is heavy, but we will all cast them unto Jesus, who has already given a promise of his help.” Since then, she has been guided by the unchangeable promises of her savior and the unrelenting trust in the legacies of her husband. She has demonstrated loyalty to the course of the great commission. Loyalty in this day in age seems rare, but it is something to be honored and regarded highly. Loyalty is not just the act of being faithful to one’s partner, but the act of being faithful regardless of the circumstances.
Ruth exhibited this greatly through her life. In the Book of Ruth, we are told that Ruth had been widowed, as had her sister-in-law. Their mother-in-law, Naomi, was grief stricken, but released the women to return to their father’s homes if they wished. Orpah decided to leave Naomi, but Ruth took a different approach.
Today, the results at the SCOAN speak volumes of the industry and sense of commitment of Mama Joshua. She is clear about the ministry’s goals. She believes she has a right to dream and achieve her goals. This also gives her the inner strength to go through hurdles with an open mind and seeks to learn and grow. A higher vision for life is the foundation for all this. She evaluates herself to identify her strengths and areas where she needs to develop. She makes efforts to work on converting her limitations to her strengths, be emotionally resilient and not be bothered by critical remarks or adverse conditions. Today, she epitomises the best of us and mirrors God’s grace and power. She has stabilized the ministry, providing leadership and capacity where they most matter. It is a new vista of matchless possibilities and God’s best. In the last ten months, God has been clearly visible in the ministry of Mama Evelyn through signs, wonders, and the performance of the incredible. The miraculous has not stopped happening; the power of the living Christ still rests on his own. She has continued to jealously guard the rich spiritual legacies left by her husband. Today, Christendom is richer by presence and passion for God’s kingdom, mission, and purpose on earth.
In the area of philanthropy which was one of the hallmarks of her husband’s ministry, she has not stopped following in his footsteps. This she has demonstrated through many platforms and fora. Today, Mama Joshua has raised the bar in ministerial decorum, administrative resourcefulness and a competence that reflects the core values and rich doctrinal principles of the Christian ethos.
Oyetimi writes via joyetimi2002@gmail.com
and then