Christ Crusaders’ Deliverance Ministries’ healing and deliverance programme every Wednesday is a haven of miraculous freedom from all manners of difficult conditions and afflictions. Apostle Festus Adewole, the senior pastor of the Alagbole Akute, Ogun state-based power ministry reveals to Christian Benefits in the below interview why a multitude of people from as far as Ijebu Ode, Shagamu, Ajah, Ibeju Lekki, among other far distances throngs the weekly programme aimed at setting the captives free from satanic bondage. Excerpts
How will you like us introduce you sir?
I am Apostle Festus Adewole, the Senior Pastor of Christ Crusaders’ Deliverance Ministries with the headquarters at Alagbole Akute, Ogun state.
Please, share with us your salvation encounter before your call to ministry
I became born again at The Apostolic Faith on January 1, 1987. There, I grew up in the faith and became very zealous for God’s work. In my thirst to further know and serve the Lord more, I joined the Gospel Faith Mission Int’l (GOFAMINT) in 1990. I attended the Bible school of the church for three years. I served as a worker in the church. I was later posted to one of the church’s branches at Alagbole Akute, Ogun state. I pastored the branch for three years. In my quest for going into full-time ministry as a pastor; by the leading of the Lord I joined Savior’s Chapel on January 19, 1996 as the first resident pastor. I pastored the church for two years till February 1998 when the Lord spoke to me to start my own ministry. I had the vision of the ministry right from when I was in Bible school, but the Lord said I should be patient; when the time comes He would tell me to start. So, we started Christ Crusaders’ Deliverance Ministries in 1998.
What is the specific mandate of your call to ministry?
The mandate is setting the captives free. Specifically, it is a deliverance mandate.
Tell us the gifts God endowed you to fulfill this mandate
As a power ministry commissioned to stand in the gap for people, God endowed me with the gifts of discerning, prophecy, healing and deliverance.
What are some of the church major programmes in line with its mandate?
One is our healing and deliverance service every Wednesday, 8am-11am. A throng of people; from far and near attends this weekly service. Some come from as far as Ijebu Ode, Shagamu, Ajah, Ibeju-Lekki and different other places in Ogun and Lagos states. Shortly after the service each Wednesday I hold a personal counseling session for those who need divine direction or solutions to their challenges.
Share with us some outstanding testimonies from this particular programme
We are averse to making noise about testimonies in this church lest we attribute the glory to ourselves. For hundreds of people; from far and near, attending the service every week shows that there are testimonies bringing them to the power service. Without attempting to sharing the glory with God, we have had several testimonies of fruitfulness of many couples after several years of waiting for a child; including 10 years, 20 years and 25 years. Aside, we have had testimonies of salvation, deliverances, restoration, breakthroughs and diverse healings, including chronic insanity cases, terminal diseases and other terrible cases. God has called us to stand in the gap for people. There are some battles one cannot fight alone. A prisoner cannot free himself except by someone.
Tell us about the humble beginnings of Christ Crusaders’ Deliverance Ministries
I have a principle that I will never ever beg, or borrow to serve God because God is too big for me to beg, or borrow to serve Him. We started the ministry on this principle in a three-bedroom bungalow. We used the parlor for the church; a room as the church office, another room as prayer room and the last room as bedroom. When God increased us we erected a canopy in front of the building to accommodate us. I also have a principle that if God truly calls He will prove it. I told God if you truly told me to come to Akute, proof it by giving us a landed property. By the second year, the Lord bought a plot of land for the church; and from there to this massive property.
You were raised in two of Nigerian notable and reputable churches; The Apostolic Faith, and the Gospel Faith Mission Int’l (GOFAMINT). How are these two churches imparting on your ministry?
I have a great joy that I passed through these two notable and reputable churches. They thoroughly taught me deep biblical principles. When I see some men of God misbehaving; doing all manners of terrible things, I know that such men did not have solid foundations. The Gospel Faith Mission Int’l (GOFAMINT) particularly gave me a very solid foundation that I will forever be grateful to God, and to the church. No challenges in life, or ministry can shake me, because I was properly groomed at the Gospel Faith Mission Int’l (GOFAMINT).
How long have you been walking with the Lord, and how will you describe your walk with him over the years?
I have been walking with the Lord for 32 years now. My walk with the Lord over the years has been one of a good relationship with him
What are the factors sustaining your relationship with God these past 32 years; haven’t you at some points considered quitting your relationship with him, probably due to some issues of life?
One major factor that is sustaining my relationship with God is covenant. I made a covenant with God. If you are a child of God but you have no covenant with him you are vulnerable to fall easily on the way in your walk with him.
Who were those you looked up to as role models or mentors after accepting Christ 32 years ago?
The Apostolic Faith, where I accepted Christ, then didn’t believe in other churches. So, I didn’t look beyond and outside The Apostolic Faith circle. It was when I joined Saviour’s Chapel that I became free from the issues of religion and traditions, which hitherto limited the scope of my vision. Saviour’s Chapel noticed that I was zealous but without knowledge. So, the wife of the general overseer of the church sponsored me to study at the Word of Faith Bible Institute (WOFBI), where I passed through three stages and the scales of religion and traditions were removed from my eyes. From then I started looking up so some accomplished ministers in different areas of ministry as my mentors in ministry. For instance, I picked Bishop David Oyedepo as my mentor in the areas of faith and prosperity and Apostle Wole Oladiyun as my mentor in the areas of prayer and evangelism among some few other mentors in some other specific areas of ministry.
Despite the massive works at Christ Crusaders’ Deliverance Ministries why did you chose to keep a low profile?
One of my main focuses is I want to make heaven. I am someone who is heavenly-focused according to Colossian 3:1-2, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” So, everything about my life is God and eternal life in heaven. I didn’t merit the least of what God has blessed me. I vowed to the Lord that whenever I became proud he should kill me. I came to Lagos as a houseboy. I was nowhere closed or qualified to be called a man of God. But God looked at me; he picked me from a very terrible background to oversee his work. I look up to Jesus Christ in humility. He was never proud. People hardly noticed or identified him among his disciples and followers.
Recently, you celebrated your 60th birthday. What are you most grateful to God at 60?
I am most grateful to God for my strong relationship with him. The greatest asset of any believer is having a strong relationship with God. It’s only one’s strong relationship with God that will last for eternity. One hundred years to this time all of us would have been long dead. And there’s nothing on this earth that we would leave the earth with. There’s nothing on earth that your names were imprinted that will die with you. This is why it is very important above all things to seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, according Mathew 6:33. So, my greatest victory, fulfillment and foremost priority of my life at 60 is my strong relationship with God. I have zeroed it that no matter how long one lived and for all that one laboured in life, the only thing one’s family with gift one after his death is that box called casket. But if one had a strong relationship with God, after death one will enter into eternity with Christ. Death is our birthday in eternity.