Pastor Taiye Olayemi, the general overseer of Ever-Increasing Anointing Ministries, has been teaching extensively on the subject of grace. In this interview with Christian Benefits on the subject, he says God deals with people on the basis of grace, not on the basis of the law, emphasizing that grace is above the law, but it is abused when people do what they cannot do under the law. The amiable teacher of the gospel also explains that the yearly crossover service is a moment of pruning for everyone to align with God’s purpose for their lives in a new year. Excerpts.
How will you describe God’s move at Ever Increasing Anointing Ministries (EIAM) in 2025?
God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He’s always moving, but it’s humans who put limitations on it. He doesn’t withdraw or reduce. It is how aligned we are with Him that determines the move that we see. He’s always constant and consistent.
How can people position themselves to be partakers of God’s blessings at Ever Increasing Anointing Ministries in this New Year 2026?
It is important to look into what God requires of every individual and what He is telling them. There’s always a need for pruning. There are certain things we need to let go of with every new season. You can’t keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. I keep asking God for the grace to let go of things that need to go. There are things you need to remove or subtract and things you need to add.
What’s the significance of the yearly crossover service to you as a minister?
Times have been divided into months, years, and so on, and there is a purpose for every season. In crossing over, there are certain things that need to be dealt with and should not be allowed to cross over as well. They might become a burden if allowed to cross over. For every season, there are different purposes, and some should not be carried into the next. Every purpose has a season, and you must be able to decipher what God wants you to do for every season.
In the last couple of weeks, you’ve been teaching extensively on grace. What is grace in the life of a believer?
There are three dimensions of grace in the life of a believer. We’re in the dispensation of grace, and God deals with us on the basis of grace, not on the basis of the law. Also, Jesus’ death on the cross demonstrated the full expression of grace. While Jesus was on earth, He related gracefully with sinners, and that is what God wants us to do. Jesus is the full embodiment of God’s grace, and that is who we should look up to.
Does grace give room for, accommodate, or overlook a sinful lifestyle?
Many people are conscious of God’s dwelling in man but tend to overlook it oftentimes. God works His purpose and manifests it through man, and it is another form of grace. Grace is above the law, but sometimes it is abused when people do what they cannot do under the law. The problem today is ignorance of what the grace given entails. It takes an understanding of God’s indwelling in man for an individual to accept the grace of God; otherwise, they will keep finding perfection in imperfect men. There is no rule that says we cannot sin, but that doesn’t mean we should. There are two kinds of sins: sin unto death and sin unto correction. The sin unto death is the denial of Christ, while the sin unto perfection requires constant buildup.
Let’s talk about the body of Christ. As a minister, how do you feel whenever you read negative reports about churches or pastors on social media?
I don’t feel anything. I only see the End-time scriptures being fulfilled. Most of the news, either bad or good about churches and pastors, are fulfillment of prophecies. So, all those negative reports about churches and pastors do not surprise me.
How can such negative reports be curbed for the sake of the body of Christ?
There is no way they can ever be curbed. Until Jesus returns, negative reports about churches and ministers will never cease because it has been written that in the end times, all manner of evil practices will be taking place. And as you know, evil practices naturally draw negative reporting in the media generally. So, it’s part of the fulfillment of the prophecy of the last days. So, I’m not caught unawares.
Will you support the regulation of church activities by the government to curtail some preachers’ charlatan practices, including fake miracles and prophecies?
No matter the level of unwholesome practices of some preachers or churches, I will never support the regulation or control of churches by the government. It is the church that should control the government, not the other way around. No government can regulate or control the church. It is only the owner of the church, Jesus Christ, that can control or regulate His church by Himself. Ironically, Jesus is not interested in regulating the evil practices of some churches and pastors. He is only keen on watching both the wheat and the tares growing together until the harvest (judgment day) (Matthew 13:30) to reward everyone according to the works of their hands. Revelation 22:12 says, “And, behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Nobody is qualified to judge any servant of God over any misconduct allegation. It is risky judging or condemning a servant of God over allegations of misappropriation or misconduct because we may not know when the minister had settled his allegations with God and received pardon from Him while we keep on judging or condemning the erring minister. It is only God who can judge or condemn His erring servants and also forgive them without consulting the rest of us. We should leave God to judge His own servants.
EIAM is starting in 2026 with a Diploma programme in the School of Ministry. Tell us about the School of Ministry, its targets, and the duration of study?
The School of Ministry was envisioned to help build more capacity to win disciples. Raising disciples involves education and teaching. The school is an avenue to raise disciples, and there is also a framework for how they are raised. The major aspect of raising disciples is teaching, and it can only be done in school. It consists of two hours of intensive lectures every Saturday, spanning a period of about six months.
Who are the major focuses or targets of the School of Ministry?
The School of Ministry is open to anyone who meets the requirements, which are basically the ability to read and write. It is designed for every believer with a genuine interest in acquiring or increasing their capacity for soul winning and discipleship. The school is not only for ordained ministers, pastors, or church leaders; it is open to every child of God, whether a pastor or not, who desires to increase their capacity for soul winning.
What are the financial implications of attending the School of Ministry?
The major financial commitment is for the handouts. Participants will only pay for the handouts of the lectures; the rest of the program is free. The curriculum of the School of Ministry is designed to meet the modern demands of ministry. It is not a conventional Bible college where the curriculum is often irrelevant to the modern demands and practices of ministry. Most Bible colleges are still teaching obsolete and irrelevant subjects that are immaterial and inconsequential to the demands of ministry work today. Successful graduates will be awarded a diploma certificate from the School of Ministry. The school has engaged some seasoned professors as lecturers for the program.
Will the graduates be certified to start a church immediately upon completion of their diploma program from the school?
There is a possibility for people to be led by God to do so (start a church) while the program is ongoing, but if God doesn’t lead a person to do so, it is inappropriate. The school is designed to upgrade people’s knowledge, not to give them a go-ahead to start a ministry. Every minister must have a calling before starting a ministry. The School of Ministry is duly affiliated with some recognized seminaries within and outside Nigeria. We have two diploma schools in the US. I am the chairman of the board of the seminary in Nigeria to which the School of Ministry is affiliated.
