Apostle Stephen Atolani Pius, General Overseer, Eden Chapel, Igando, Lagos, has enjoined fellow ministers of the gospel to bring God’s first love back into the hearts of the people in this End time. In this interview with Christian Benefits, Apostle Pius, a former chairman of Igando zone of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), also shares how a Catholic priest, Bishop Alaba Job, charted his route to ministry, reveals why many churches in Igando are struggling, and explains the secret behind the exemplary bond between him and his beautiful wife. He also explains the significance of people going to Mountain tops for prayers. Excerpts.
Please, let us meet you sir?
My name is Apostle Stephen Atolani Pius, the General Overseer, First Estate World Outreach (Eden Chapel. I have been in ministry for about 40 years now and privileged to serve under some great servants of God.
Briefly, can we have a look at your background?
My mum is a member of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC). From there she joined a white garment church. My father was a Roman Catholic. So, originally, my family was Roman Catholic. At a time I was an altar server in the Roman Catholic.
Tell us more about your experiences in the Roman Catholic Church
One was my encounter with Archbishop Felix Alaba Job, then the Archbishop of the Ibadan Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church when he visited our parish and called me out from the midst of the congregation. When I came out, he asked me to bend down and kiss his prietly ring, and I did. The following week our parish heads said I had to report to the seminary for kissing the Archbishop’s prietly ring. They said I must become a priest because I kissed the Archbishop’s ring. That day marked the beginning of my journey to the priesthood.
Before then was there any previous prophecy that you would become a priest?
Before then, my mum had received a message of revelation before my birth that I would be a servant of God. When she got to know about my becoming a priest in the Roman Catholic church she wasn’t happy because it would forbid me from having a wife and children. But my father was indifferent to my becoming a priest in the Roman Catholic. As a result of this we left the Roman Catholic Church and joined a white garment church.
How did this journey climax at your founding First Estate World Outreach Ministry?
First, when I came to Lagos by revelation the Lord led me to the first church I joined in Lagos. The first day I attended the church during a revival meeting, the host pastor said there was a person here who just came from Ibadan; that person is a prophet. I identified myself and then served in that church; a white garment church, somwhere at Surulere, Lagos, till the Lord gave me another revelation in which He said to me, “It is time to set the world free from all the negativitiesand struggles of life that Satan has planted in man. I am sending you to bring my people back to their first estate.” This is the revelation that birthed First Estate World Outreach Ministry. The first estate is Eden. That is why we also named our ministry Eden Chapel as the church arm of the ministry. So, God has sent me to bring His people to their first estate through the word of faith.
What are the gifting the Lord endowed you to fulfill this mandate?
I am gifted in the word of knowledge and in the word of wisdom. I am also gifted in the working of miracles and the interpretation of tongues.
Since when has First Estate World Outreach Ministry (Eden Chapel) been in existence?
First Estate World Outreach Ministry started 26 years ago in my house. However, before the ministry started, I pastored at Christ Pentecostal Fellowship Mission (CPFM) as my last place of service before Eden Chapel.
What are some of the church programmes in line with its mandate?
Eden Chapel is a place where God’s move manifests in diverse ways. We have prophetic, prayers and teaching programmes. Eden Chapel is a place of destiny transformation. There are numerous testimonies of what God has done in the lives of people to this effect.
Share with us the humble beginnings of Eden Chapel before its glory blossomed.
There is no glory without a story just like there is no general without a scar. We invested our personal resources to run the church. On Sundays many people come to church with their personal issues, make their contributions and return home. But within the week everybody disappears and the loads fall on us (my family). Many people believe that even if they are leaving the church it is our ministry. So we take responsibility for whatever happens in, or to the ministry and continue the work.
In 26 years, what is the spread of the church today in terms of branching and global presence?
By the special grace of God aside the headquarters church here in Igando, Lagos state, we have a branch each in Owo in Ondo State, Ogun state and a fellowship center in New York, USA.
How is it like running a massive church like Eden Chapel in Igando?
If not for the directives of the Lord I would not like to have the church in Igando. Igando is one area renowned for ritual sacrifices. In those days the herbalists from Mushin, Isolo, Eko, Idumota and all other parts of Lagos state usually came to Igando for perform their ritual sacrifices. There was time we did a spiritual mapping of Igandoland and discovered about 123 Ojubo (occult shrines) scattered in Igando land. This is what makes it very difficult for several churches to grow in Igando. That is why several churches are struggling in this environment. If you are not truly sent by God to Igando to plant a church you will either run away or you will be run out of Igando. Nevertheless, it is because God sent us (Eden Chapel) here that we are able to make our marks in Igando. I was formerly the chairman of Igando zone of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) before my elevation to the state level as the deputy director of prayer in Lagos state PFN.
Who are your role models or mentors in ministry?
One thing about me is that I don’t copy. This makes me stand out among other ministers. I don’t do eye-service in order to move closer to people for somes pecuniary advantages or benefits. I believe I can get whatever I need from the Lord. I don’t have any father in the Lord because I wasn’t trained in ministry by any father. I love and respect the elders in ministry, and what God is doing in their lives. The only two senior ministers I related closely with were Bishop Olusola Ore and Prof. Alex Bamgbola who are now late. I love Bishop David Oyedepo. I have been blessed under his ministrations. I attended his Word of Faith Bible Institute (WOBI) and was sent to Liberia on international mission to start a church under Winners but I declined because no two prophets can be in a boat. Today, by the grace of God many of my colleagues are building their houses. Yet, we stood on our own even when there was nothing to fall on; knowing that we are on the ground, so we are not afraid of falling. I also love Baba E.A Adeboye in Nigeria and T.D Jakes in the U.S. Anytime I’m in the U.S I make sure I visit him. By the special grace of God he knows me by my names.
The bond between you and your beautiful wife is very strong and exemplary. What role does she play in your life and ministry that endears you so much to her, and vice versal?
When my wife and I met I first assessed her spiritual standard. From there, I started mentoring her. My wife is one woman who is ever willing and ready to learn. She runs the home and the ministry effectively whenever I travel out of the country. She understands how to handle and run with the vision of the ministry. Of course, sometimes we both travel out of the country together either on vacations or for ministrations.
How do you both run the ministry together without affecting the home front?
Aside the ministry, my wife also runs a business and this does not affect the home and the ministry. She’s into trading of kitchen utensils, importing and exporting. Despite this, she is very committed to the ministry. The strength of our bond is that we both believe it is either God or notthing else. We both believe that anything God cannot do for us let that thing remain. We both believe every other thing is secondary to the vision that God entrusts to us and God has really been helping us. When I ministration engagements recently in Canada, U.K and France my wife was with me. I made up my mind that at least once in a while apart from our family vacation or ministrations outside the country, we are both together alone. Such is the strength of our bond.
You often go to Ori Oke (Mountain tops) for prayers. How does that impact on your ministry?
Going to mountain tops for prayers is a thing of the mind because God answers prayer anywhere. He said, “Call upon me and I will answer you.” He never mentioned any specific place where can call Him. However, mountain top is a place where you get yourself separated from distractions. I ho to different mountain tops for peculiar needs. For instance, if I need mercy, I go to Olorun Kole Mountain. All mountains are unique with specific things, and this has to do with the prophets set over each of the mountains. So, I know the significance of going to mountain tops. In fact, it was on a mountain top that the Lord gave me the vision of this church. On the impact of my going to mountain tops on my ministry, many times I need instruction I go to the mountain top. We run a programme that we called “The Mountain top” which is bringing the mountain to the church. There are times I go to the mountain for three months at stretch .There was another time I planned to be on a mountain for one week but when I got to the mountain, the Holy Spirit ministered to me that my prayers have been answered and I returned home immediately.
