As Christ In You Ministries International of Pastor Dare Alade Francis celebrates 19th anniversary this month July 17-25, 2024, Christian Benefits magazine shares its interview encounter with a major guest minister being expected at the anniversary, Bishop Gift Chuks Nnaji of Harvest Fire Int’l Assembly on the impact of his ministry in Oyo town. Bishop Nnaji; an Igbo man from Abia state, runs one of the largest churches in the Muslim-dominated Oyo town since 1987 when he started his minsitry in the ancient Yoruba town. Excerpts.
PLEASE, CAN I MEET YOU SIR?
I’m Bishop Gift Chuks Nnaji, the General Overseer of Harvest Fire International assembly, Oyo; the church arm of Family of God Charismatic Ministries Inc. it also houses World Evangelization Movement, which is our mission outreach body.
WHEN DID YOU START THE MINISTRY AND SHARE WITH US YOUR EXPERIENCE OVER THE YEARS.
The ministry properly took off in 1987 in a room. From there we moved from one experience to another and they are all exciting because we are ordained for those experiences. If we were not, the ministry wouldnt be what it should be. So, we rejoice in all the exposures and the experiences we have had over the years.
WHAT INFORMED THE NAME OF THE CHURCH ARM, HARVEST FIRE INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY?
Before this name, it was Chapel of salvation from 1987 until around 2003/4. Around that period, the Lord spoke to me that the name of the church should now be Harvest Fire Internationa Assembly; possibly because our harvests would come by fire.
WHY OYO TOWN AND NOT LAGOS OR IBADAN AS THE BASE OF YOUR MINISTRY?
My father had strong connections. Most of the presidental liaison officers in 1982 were his friends. I was expecting a church of Public Relations Officer in either NNPC or one of the river basins during President shehu Shagari’s administration. Along the line, he was overthrown and my hope was dashed. A friend suggested that we should go take up teaching appointments in Oyo state. I obliged and was posted to Ilora Baptist Grammar school. The principal rejected me but another principal accepted me in another school at a village called Imini. I later realized that i was accepted in that school for a divine purpose. i found joy relationg with the children in that school and began to share christ with them. I was teaching them nearly all the subjects: English, History, government, CRK, etc. I started a fellowship there and it exploded. After 5 years, God asked me to relocate to Ilora Baptist Grammar School but the principal insisted that I should go back to my state. I began to cry to God. One day God told me that I should go and tell him that if he doesn’t repent, he will die. When I gave him this arning, the man drove me away; and said to me go away with your jesus. Some months later, he drove himself to the hospital and eventually died. When the transfer excersise was conducted, I was transferred to the same Ilora Baptist Grammar school that the man rejected me. I started a bigger fellowship there and the whole school got involved; teachers and students in that school were being being converted and saved. I ran a mojor crusade in Ilora and people from neighbouring communities attended. So, that was the begining of my ministry in Oyo town as the base by divine instruction.
HOW WILL YOU DESCRIBE THE IMPACT OF YOUR MINISTRY IN OYO AND ITS ENVIRON?
One man of God who is also into deliverance ministry and a nurse in Oyo before he relocatedt o Shagamu told me that when I came to town my deliverance ministry gave deliverance ministry in Oyo a different outlook because it went deeper. God started sending me to other ministers in all the orthodox churches in Oyo town. I was ministering to them baptism in the Holy Ghost and demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives and churches. I was running healing services, ministers conferences and revival programmes. A lot of them gave their lives to Jesus Christ afresh and wre filled with the Holy Ghost. Revival Fire took off in several Pentecostal and orthodox churches in Oyo. The pentecostals would have joint meetings at Araromi Methodist Church and invite me to minister Holy Ghost baptism to them.
TELL US SOME OF THE MAJOR PROGRAMMES OF THE CHURCH WHERE GOD WROUGHT MIRACLES
We host anointing service, ATMOSPHERE FOR SIGNS & WONDERS, on the last sunday of the month. We host a quarterly Prayer Fire Conference. it is a seven days spiritual warfare program. Harvest Fire Conference on the third sunday to the next tuesday. Women Fire Congress Once a year. Women Total Freedom Hour, a deliverance program by my wife for the fruit of the womb and other needs. Our annual convension holds on first sunday to the second sunday in November.
HOW DID YOU COURT AND NURTURE YOUR CONSISTENT RELATIONSHIP WITH SOME GREAT MEN OF GOD WHO ARE REGULAR FEATURES IN YOUR CHURCH PROGRAMMES ON OYO TOWN?
It is God’s mercy and divine connection. I believe in timely divine relationshiop. There is something about divine connection. When God connects you, it becomes a treasured relationship. We relate well because our connections are divine.
LASTLY TELL US THE SPREAD AND IMPACT OF HARVEST FIRE INT”L ASSEMBLY GLOBALLY.
My mission outreach is World Evangelization Movement. I have been to some few countries with the gospel assignment. We started this mission outreach when God instructed us to hold a series of crusade in Oke Ogun and we ran that in about 25 towns. From there, the Lord instructed us to move to Ashanti region in Ghana where we held about 26 crusades. After that the Lord took us to Jamaica and Brazil where I ministered in over 50 cities in five years. The Lord moved us to Ukraine and I ministered in several places that Pastor Sunday Adelaja took us. We have also been to Congo, Sao Tome & Principle among others on Healing Africa mission.