With prayers, Nigeria can overcome its challenges — Oladapo Moses

Pastor Oladapo Moses is the Presiding Officer of The Early Church, Oke Owa, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State. In this interview, he speaks about his calling, his ministry and issues affecting the church generally. Excerpts:

 

We learnt you were a pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God. Today you are the General Overseer of your own ministry. How did you start?

That’s the work of God Almighty. He has been talking to me through different ways, asking me to start my own ministry but I was reluctant initially. Eventually I left RCCG in 2011.

My people and I then secured a very big hall at a house belonging to one Mr Odunsi, a retired Customs officer at Oke Owa, in Ijebu Ode. Then, we didn’t have the money. We were asked to pay a rent of N20000 per month which was N240,000 per annum. But the money was miraculously paid by one of us, Pastor Albert Ikhane, our 10th Anniversary Planning Committee chairman, who gave us the money.

Immediately I left the Mercy Parish of the RCCG, about 75 percent of the church members also left and came with me to my new church. I remember, after a year and two weeks, a letter came from the RCCG Provincial Headquarters Ogun 2, inviting me for reconciliation. When I was going for the meeting, I went with my new church members and we told them we were satisfied and comfortable at the Early Church.

At our rented hall, we spent two years and a month and then we started building our church around May 2013. We completed the church building within seven months. That’s how we left the rented hall. Let’s not forget that we started with only 55 members at the first service on the 29th of December 2011, but by the second service, the number rose to over 85.

 

Do you have any regret that you were, as you said, forced out of the Redeemed Christian church of God?

Glory be to God Almighty. Sincerely, Jesus fought for me. I don’t have any regret and Almighty God will never let me ever have any regret for leaving the church.

 

God must have used some people to support The Early Church and make it much easier to start off?

Certainly God used His people to elevate the ministry to this level. Let’s thank God Almighty and all members of The Early Church. They did their best.

 

What makes The Early Church stand out?

The motto of the Church is “Caring and Sharing for the needy.” Every first Sunday of the month we give out foodstuffs such as rice, beans, yam, plantain, noodles and other stuffs to the underprivileged because fingers are not equal.

We have been doing this since this church started. I will like to say Glory to God Almighty, and since we started this ministry, we have not recorded any death. No burial; only child-naming, house warming, promotion in our work places have been our lot. Glory to Almighty God.

In our ministry we comply with the will of God, pray and fast. As a rule I don’t engage in criticising our leaders in the faith openly because we hold them in high esteem

 

What was the reaction immediately you rejected the invitation to return to RCCG?

Normally, some detractors tried to convince me not to leave, saying that I would fail if I should go. But I told them I trust the God I serve. He will be with me and He did. God did not disappoint me. Glory be to Almighty God.

 

The country is not at peace due to security challenges even when government has tried every means to tackle the problem. Could this be classified as punishment from God for our sins?

I don’t think so. Our security challenges could be overcome. We only need to continue to pray for our leaders to enable them do the right things and have the will to do the right things. Anything going on well needs prayers to support it. The reverse case also needs prayers.

 

What’s your view on improper and immodest dressing in churches?

Talking generally, it is very bad and not Christ-like. All those doing this should stop because it is a great sin. In my own church I don’t allow that. I condemn wearing of short skirts and I will direct people to Isaiah 3 verse 24. Everything is stated in that chapter; we should all start a life of preparation for the second coming of Jesus Christ because He will soon come.

 

In 2020, COVID-19 affected the church and the country negatively, just as the church also stepped in to provide succor to the people. As a prominent cleric, what were your contributions towards helping the underprivileged at that time?

As the Presiding officer of The Early Church, Oke Owa, Ijebu Ode, when the news of the epidemic broke and lockdown was introduced to contain the problem, we started a series of prayer sessions with my other pastors to preserve our people from the pandemic. We also did the little we could so that our people could move on with their lives despite the harsh economic situation of that time.

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