Although The Cross Christian Centre has witnessed a meteoric growth in 15 years of its commission of raising leaders who will worship God in truth and in spirit, its senior pastor, Pastor Ezekiel A. Atayero in this interview with Christian Benefits, says the fast-growing teaching and prophetic church at Akute, Ogun state, is set to raise an altar of grace unspeakable for greater exploits into God’s kingdom at this year’s 2024 Altar Convention of the church holding October 9-13, 2024. Excerpts.
Please, how would you like to be introduced?
I am Pastor Ezekiel Adeleke Atayero, Senior Pastor, The Cross Christ Centre, Akute, Ogun State
Briefly, tell us about your background
I am a son of a prophet. My father, Apostle Moses Adeyokun Atayero was a prophet He died 36 years ago. There are some hidden truths about my calling, which I may not be able to share now in this medium. My children are aware of the truths.
Will you please share with us how you came into ministry?
First, when I was working in Port Harcourt, River state, many years ago a friend of mine from my home town Ilesa came to Port Harcourt to clear his vehicles. We were both selling Tokunbo vehicles then. He told me a particular woman prayed for him and he travelled to Germany. He advised me to also visit the woman whenever I come to Ilesa. When I came to Ilesa and visited the woman what she didnt tell me I wanted. Intstead, she told me about my calling with some things relating to my father. The woman actually knew my father as a popular man of God in our town but she didn’t know that I am his son. When she told me about my calling into ministry I was angry because all that was on my mind was traveling to Germany.
Why were you bent on traveling to German instead of coming into ministry?
Even my friend who introduced me to the woman didn’t know my intention for wanting to travel to Germany. My intention was to make my family wealthy. I was determined to do any deal; neat or dirty just to ensure my family becomes wealthy. I was even ready to do drugs trafficking to make my mother and siblings comfortable, and to help people because I love helping people. So, I was disappointed and angry when the woman was telling me about my calling into ministry. There was also a blind prophet in our town who often asked of me from my sister. The same day I visited the prophet. I had never met him. He didn’t know me personally. I didn’t know him at all. Surprisingly, when I got to him he called me by my name and said he saw me in the midst of white people ministering to them. I left his place angrily because he was also telling me the same thing about my calling into ministry. I had never wanted to be pastor. I wouldn’t like people calling me pastor.
How did you eventually accept your calling into ministry?
It took a long time before I accepted when I started hearing God’s voice telling me he wants to make use of me. I raised some excuses to God in order for him to reject me as unworthy. I told God he wants to use a club boy; someone who had engaged in lots of negative things. I wasn’t a cultist. I wasn’t an armed robber. I wasn’t a killer. But I was a chronic womanizer. I patronized prostitutes. I did all manners of wrong things. I later realized that when God is interested in a man no excuse can debar him. At a point God threatened to cripple me and transfer his grace upon me to another person and I would submit to the man until I yield. At this point fear gripped me and I told God, I’m ready. However, I asked him, who will take of my wife and children now that I have accepted to serve you? And he made a covenant with me that he would make provisions before the need arises. So, in the journey of this ministry whenever any need or challenge arises, I tell God remember your covenant. I have been enjoying that measure of covenant walking and working relationship with God.
From your experience what is the place of covenant walking relationship with God?
It is unfortunate that many minsiters of God entered into calling without God’s covenant backing their calling. I often remind God he forced me into this calling. So, wherever any challenge arises I will remind God of his covenant backing his calling upon me, and he provides immediately. To succeed in any calling having God’s covenant backing it is very key
Specifically, what is the mandate of your calling by God to ministry?
The first mandate is to raise leaders who will worship God in spirit and in truth. The second is a global mandate for crusade to raise End-time generals. This is the aspect of the mandate that birthed NAGATA. It is an arm of the crusade to raise End time leaders. By the grace of God that has been working profoundly. All our pastors pass through our School of Ministry. This year God told us to start a Bible School. By the grace of God we will start the Bible school this September 2024.
What are the gifts Good endowed you for this mandate?
God gave me prophetic gift. When we started the ministry in 2008 I was a worker in parish of the the Redeemed Christian Church of God until God said I’m not a Redeemed member. He said he allowed me to walk through the Redeemed Christian Church of God as a passage to my own ministry, which is prophetic and it may not find full expressions in the Redeemed Christian Church of God . I hear God when he speaks. I started hearing and seeing visions from childhood.
