MY NEW MANDATE – SENIOR PASTOR MADUBUKO

Founder of the Revival Assembly, Ogba, Lagos, Pastor Apostle Anselm Madubuko, has said that his vision is to rekindle the fire of evangelism in people like never before.

The senior pastor, who has just concluded the eighth edition of its annual conference tagged: AZUSA at the Revival Miracle Cathedral, Cocoa Road, Ogba, recently said his mandate is to wake up the sleeping church to wait for the coming of the Lord because He is coming soon.

Madubuko also spoke on his passion, ministry, prosperity and the nation's polity. Excerpts:

How I came into the ministry
I didn't want to be a pastor in the first place. I graduated as an architect in 1982 from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). Along the line when I got saved, I knew that was the end of my practice, but I did not want to accept it, because I love to design and all that. The Lord spoke to me to start this work. I wanted to be an evangelist but I did not go to Bible school. I didn't know anything. So, I did not know what to preach. So, I ran from the call. It got to a point that I could not run any more.

So, on December 16, 1990, the ministry was inaugurated. Even after it was inaugurated, I did not want to give up my profession because I was not sure it will work and there was no assurance that my wife and children will be fed. So, I kept my profession. After three months, it was glaring I cannot keep both. God spoke to me and said: 'You can't trust me to take care of you.' With time, things got sorted out and became much better.

My passion
I am not here because of material things. I am here to know God. I am here to be used by God, especially in the area of evangelism. Right now, evangelism and commitment are like things we no longer talk about in the church. It's all about my miracles, my this, and my that. God wants to send a revival in our hearts that will rekindle our love for him. Our love for him is what gets us to work for him and do the things that are pleasing unto him. That's my passion. My passion is to see the church work for him more than ever before inspite of what we are getting back or not getting from him. God has done a lot for us. We are saved. We can't buy salvation. I was preaching on Sunday and I said: 'The man I owe everything to is the man that led me to Christ.' If in 1983 when I got saved he gave me a brand new car, today, I will not be driving that car again because it will be outdated. What he gave me is eternal, and that is what we should give everybody. We should give salvation to everybody and not physical things. If you are busy for God, He will bless you because he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.

My mandate
My mandate is to wake up the sleeping church to wait for the coming of the Lord. He is coming soon; that is the truth. Every Christian should begin to look for souls and evangelise as directed by God. I'm called to the church of God to lead people to the kingdom of God and not my kingdom.

AZUSA
AZUSA is actually an Indian word, that means blessed miracle and the story is actually interesting. Many years ago, there was a young Indian girl God used to heal an old chief. The chief regarded the deed as a blessed miracle and started calling the girl AZUSA. Then in 1906, there was a revival (that we are still part of today) on a street called AZUSA Street in California in the US through one blind-eyed man called William. It's amazing how that same AZUSA came to be the street where God chose to visit. That revival touched the whole world. AZUSA is simply a reminder that the church needs a revival. At this last one, many ministered including Gboyega Shitta, David Ibiyeomie, Patricia Shirley, my wife, Pastor Connie Madubuko and I.

Pastors and prosperity
Prosperity is part of the Bible. Prosperity is important, but they should not lay emphasis on prosperity. We need to pay our bills. God will take care of those things because the scripture says, 'My God shall supply all my needs according to his riches in glory in Christ, Jesus'.

As Nigeria's gospel ambassador to the eastern European countries

That's my place actually. My heart is in Russia. My heart is in east Europe because I see what God has done and the hunger in the people and their desire to serve God. The response and the evidence of the gospel are fantastic. I'm not just an apostle because I like the title. That is my assignment. An apostle is the sent one. I'm sent by God to build the people up. The pastoral work is not my main calling right now. I've been a pastor for many years. Then, I could afford to sit in a place and do what I use to do.

Challenges
When I began to travel, the church frowned at it and almost everybody left, but they now understand my calling and they know they are not here because of me. There is a price to pay for obedience. Many pastors don't want to travel because they don't what to lose their seat. It's about the kingdom of God and not about the local assembly. You know when you start to travel, you will begin to lose membership, but I believe the bigger picture at the end of the day is worth it. What I see God do outside cannot be quantified. Some people have to travel three days to attend our conferences. People cross over from Russia and underground churches in Vietnam. People buy the tapes and share it while some transcribe into local languages. Coming to the church because of the pastor has to do with a mind that has not been regenerated. The church should be detached from the pastor and build a solid relationship with the owner of the church, which is Christ.

Impact of church on the nation's polity
When we present real Christianity to the people, it will affect the nation. The problem in Nigeria is that we are preaching a people-friendly message. We are preaching so that the people can be happy. We are not calling a spade a spade. I believe that when the people begin to preach the uncompromising word of God, which has enough power to change life, it will bring about a revolution. Today, there are lots of prayer contractors; those, who want to pay to be prayed for. It's like today people want to be deceived.

For example if someone who has heard the real gospel becomes a senator, then it will show. But if people who have not heard the real gospel become whatever they want to become, nobody feels it. That's why those who claim to be Christians who are in authority have no influence because they have nothing to give back.

Definitely, those who have a calling should be tutored. I subscribe to that .We need to understand what it takes for a Christian to be in politics and how a Christian can remain a Christian and not compromise. What I see in this country is that for you to be in politics, you have to be in a cult. So many Christians have a problem. That's the challenge. You don't have to bow before a shrine to become a governor or commissioner. You must be able to stand out and make the difference and everyone will know that you are a Christian and you can take God by his word. Politics is a calling. If you don't have the callings don't go there. If God calls you, he will give you the grace to execute your calling.

CAN leadership
I'm happy that Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor is the new president of CAN. I hope that will give CAN a voice, a focus and impact.