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| Pastor Lanre Olufemi |
The Editor of CAC NEWS, 'Gbenga Bankole caught up with the Student Leader of 2019 Pastoral Training, Pastor Lanre Olufemi who is an Evangelist at CAC New Covenant Assembly, Lagos. Pastor Olufemi speaks on his experience at the training, solar power project successfully delivered by the set and some interesting issues. EXCERPTS!
How has it been since you started the programme?
We give thanks to God. It has been an exciting time and a time of revival. It has been a time of refreshing in the presence of the Lord and I really want to give thanks to God and the leadership of our church for conceiving this programme and also ensuring that the curriculum is well arranged, especially in meeting the needs of would-be Pastors. I cannot but say this that during my time here, a lot has happened. We discovered that many who claimed to be called without really having that experience of salvation got saved here. So it is something worth commending the leadership of the church for, especially the curriculum, the teaching on salvation, forgiveness and restitution and sanctification.
Using yourself as a yardstick, what has the programme added to you and everyone?
Like I said, this programme has really revealed to us what ministry is all about. We know that salvation comes first, then when God calls you, you also must be prepared and equipped. We have also learnt how to go about ministry. Not that I do not have experience, I have been an Evangelist for over 10 years now. The programme has revealed to me that there are certain things that can make God to use somebody and there are certain things also that can make God to substitute that person. For me that is the take home.
Looking at your colleagues here and as their leader, can you boastfully say or be optimistic that the future is bright when it comes to ministers of Christ Apostolic Church?
I want to believe strongly that the future is really bright for Christ Apostolic Church if they continue on this path of giving robust training for would-be ministers and also ensure that the curriculum is well prepared. The future is bright for Christ Apostolic Church and our ministers. Our ministers are full of passion and zeal but there is also an element that needs to be combined with it in the area of knowledge.
So looking at the programme from the first and second semesters, in what area do you want the Authority of CAC Worldwide to improve ahead of next year's training for would-be Pastors?
What I want the Authority to improve on is to convert this training to a college and it should be a well equipped and structured college whereby you can be sure of continuity. College runs like a cycle, but the authority will determine when to receive candidates and how to go about the details. It will be a good one if this training is transformed into a full-fledged college
Are you trying to say that there should be a college for would-be ministers?
Yes.
In other denominations, immediately one graduates from their theological school you are going to be ordained and not going to pass through another training for another year. Some people have the opinion that why can't we also be ordaining our ministers immediately they graduate from our seminary. What is your take on this?
I won't fault the approach of other denominations because they must have a reason of following that approach. But CAC is a very unique church, if we look at the history of seminary you can see the transformation from pastoral school to CACTS. I think combining theological knowledge with the practical training we get here will make us formidable. I am not being boastful, if you want to compare ministers with the grace and anointing of God upon their lives our ministers will rank among the best but the area where we are failing is the area of knowledge. We must device a way whereby our ministers can upgrade themselves. And also, having theological knowledge combined with pastoral training which is more or less about the practical application of theory learnt in seminary, that is what we do here, the teachings are practical and that will continue to make us stand out as we follow this trend.
Looking at your lectures from first to the second semester, can you identify any unforgettable lecture day that you were so blessed and tell us the title of the message or lecture
I can say there are occasions not once and I can mention them. That is why I said this programme is unique. We started with the orientation week when the training commenced. After the orientation week lectures started and we received lectures about salvation, impartation, the Holy Spirit and many more. Those teachings were extraordinary. The lecture on salvation was out of this world. There was a lecture on sanctification and forgiveness. People responded to these teachings, confessing the things they had done wrong and made peace. The impact of the messages can't be overstated.
There was this particular teaching about God having substitute. We learnt not to always parade ourselves like we are all in all. So we have extraordinary teachers like our father in the Lord, who is the General Superintendent of this church, Pastor S.O. Oladele. His teachings were spirit filled. I don't actually know how to place it. He is a man that God has endowed with extraordinary knowledge. Baba Famuyide is also there, Baba Oladokun and my mentor and Pastor, Pastor Tope Dada, and many more extraordinary gifted teachers who have sacrificed their time and resources to ensure that they impact our lives.
As the student leader, what is your message to your colleagues?
My message to all of my colleagues is that they should go to the field and apply all what they have been taught.
Where do you see them in the nearest future?
In the nearest future I see my colleagues setting the bush ablaze. I see them making waves for Christ.
Tell us about the solar power project that your set embarked on and successfully delivered
For that we give all glory to God. God really blessed this set with people who have passion for the growth and development of this church in different ways, be it spiritually or physically. Also, our fathers are wonderful people. We came up with different ideas but at the end of the day, Baba Famuyide advised us to look at the solar energy aspect, but we were looking for ways of making a difference. When he mentioned that I thought in my mind that this is the way to go. So after then we just set the machinery in motion to see how to actualize it. And by the grace of God here we are, we have the solar power in strategic positions in the camp. We have it beside the hall and also along the access road that leads to JABU in the second gate. We also have one directly positioned at Ariran river and also one at the security post and car park inside Oba Olasore Hall.
We have three being positioned at the back of the alter to give light when its night. We have three also at the other wings of the hall. We have three also in front of the Guest House. All solar power poles are strategically positioned to give light whenever there is no electricity.
What is your message to the authority of the church and your lecturers?
I want to thank our President, Pastor Abraham O. Akinosun, a man of vision and a great man of God. He is a silent achiever. I have known him for years in Itire when he was District Superintendent of then Itire District under Baba Okpaise. He was the one that officiated at my wedding. When he assumed that mantle of leadership we knew that something great would happen and we are seeing them already. We give thanks to God for his life. And for our baba here, Baba Famuyide; he is a father of students. He relates with us just like father and children. There is nothing we can't discuss with Baba. We love not only Baba Famuyide, but all our Babas and we thank God for their lives. They have impacted us and it is our prayer that the Lord will continue to be with them. We also appreciate JABU, the Vice chancellor and The Registrar. We value and appreciate their impact and input into our lives.
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