By Oluwagbenga Bankole
The Authority of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Nigeria and Overseas, on Thursday, December 4, 2025, ordained 1,296 ministers to serve as pastors in the church.
The ordinands, who had undergone a one-year intensive pre-ordination training since January, were ordained by the President of the church, Pastor Samuel Olusegun Oladele, alongside other senior officers representing the church authority.
Structured evangelism and church planting remain key components of the three-point agenda of the Church President, and this ordination exercise is expected to further strengthen the vision by providing more labourers for effective church planting and evangelism.
The Registrar of the CAC Pastoral Ordination Training Committee, Pastor Samuel A. Adesoji, presented the ordinands to the President for ordination, after which the President administered the ordination rite. The General Evangelist of the church, Prophet Hezekiah O. Oladeji prayed prophetically for the new Pastors after the ordination rite concluded.
The programme was richly blessed by the powerful music ministration of the choir of Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU).
The President of CAC Nigeria and Overseas, Pastor Oladele in an exclusive interview CAC News charged the newly ordained pastors to embrace the sacred responsibility of ministry with commitment, courage and total dependence on the Holy Spirit.
He recalled that the first set of pastors in CAC were ordained in 1931, noting that the need for more labourers has continued to grow as the church expands globally.
“The Bible says the harvest is plenteous but the labourers are few. When I was ordained in 1980, the number of pastors in CAC was less than 700, but the church keeps expanding. Everywhere you go today, you see Christ Apostolic Church in every nook and cranny, in cities and all over the world,” he said.
The CAC President explained that the rapid growth of assemblies has created an urgent need for more ministers to oversee them.
“As the number of churches keeps growing, we need to man them. There is no way we could fold our arms and leave these churches unpastored. That is why we embarked on this ordination exercise. The last time we did this was five years ago, but the church has kept expanding, and there is a need to ordain more pastors for the purpose of evangelism,” he noted.
He emphasized that the ministry is not a platform for comfort, fame or popularity, but a battleground in which ministers must be spiritually equipped.
“The ministry is not about eating and drinking, fame or popularity. The ministry is like a soldier going to war—you don’t throw a party because you’re going to face the enemy. As far as the ministry is concerned, we are fighting spiritual battles,” he said.
Pastor Oladele urged the newly ordained pastors to rely fully on God’s strength.
“My counsel to them is to go in the strength and spirit of the Lord; to go armed, prepared and ready to face the battle. Victory is sure as long as they keep following Christ. Victory is sure over Satan and the host of darkness. They cannot do ministerial work in their own power or strength, but only by the strength of the Holy Spirit,” he admonished.
The General Superintendent of CAC Nigeria and Overseas, Pastor Emmanuel Olatoro Odejobi in his charge to the newly ordained pastors urged them to approach their calling with wisdom, humility, and unwavering commitment to God.
Pastor Odejobi emphasized that ordination is far more than a celebration or an opportunity for pictures and entertainment. According to him, it is a sacred privilege that requires a transformed heart and a deeper walk with God.
“Yes, you must rejoice because of the favour received to be ordained, but do it with wisdom and gratitude. God expects you to move beyond being an ordinary believer to becoming faithful. The Bible says the just shall live by faith," he stated.
He stressed the need for ministers to remain rooted in the Word of God rather than relying on religious routines or excessive mountain visits.
“Hold on to the Word. It is the Word that will sustain you,” he said. “Jesus didn’t receive the Holy Spirit on a mountain; it happened at the River Jordan. Receiving the title of sonship from God is crucial to your ministerial journey," he said.
Quoting Mark 3:13, the CAC General Superintendent highlighted the distinction between being called and being chosen.
“Calling is different from ordination. Many are proud of their calling, but not all are chosen. Among those ordained today, you must ask yourself: will you be among the called or the chosen?”
He urged the newly ordained ministers not to take their ordination in vain, reminding them of the divine reasons for which God calls His servants:
According to him, God calls His ministers to dwell in His presence, to be sent out to preach the gospel, heal the sick, and cast out devils.
Pastor Odejobi concluded by calling the ministers to faithful stewardship, deeper fellowship with God, and total dependence on the Holy Spirit in fulfilling their assignments.
Earlier in his address, the Chairman of the CAC Pastoral Ordination Training Committee, Pastor Gideon O. Oladokun, reminded the new pastors that the calling comes with eternal accountability.
“One day, each of you will stand before the Great Shepherd and give account—not only for your own souls, but for the souls entrusted to your care. Let your daily prayer be: ‘Lord, keep me pure. Keep me faithful. Let me not fail You or Your people.’ Go forth now, not in the attention of man, but in the power of the Holy Spirit. The field is ready. The sheep are waiting. The Master sends you,” he said.
The Ordination Service had in attendance the President, Pastor Oladele and his wife, Mrs. S.K. Oladele, General Superintendent, Pastor Odejobi, General Evangelist, Prophet Hezekiah O. Oladeji, General Secretary, Pastor Emmanuel E. Mapur and his wife, Mrs. Fidelia Mapur, Financial Director, Pastor J.F. Omitinde, Missions Director, Pastor C.S. Fasuyi, Pioneer Regional Superintendent of Odubanjo Region, Pastor S.O. Akinsulure and many others.
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