Bishop Francis Wale Oke tells the story of how he abandoned his degree upon graduation from the University of Lagos in a Facebook post to mark his 38 years in ministry:
On the 17th of May 1982, the day I completed my final examination as an engineering student of the University of Lagos, and submitted my thesis, I returned to my room, 422 Makama Bida Hall, to give thanks for seeing me through my university education.
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After giving thanks, I was still on my knee meditating in my scripture portion for the day when word of the Lord literally jumped out at me.
By now I am very familiar with God speaking to me clearly from the pages of His word.
“Lovest thou me more than these? Feed my lambs….
Lovest thou me? Feed my sheep.
I knew what the Lord was asking for.
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Corporate organisations had come to our department to recruit surveyors for their services with mouth watering offers.
I must now turn the offers down because I love Him more than these. The Lord reminded me of my July 1977 commitment ( to enter His call full time on completion of my University education) in a cocoa farm in one remote of Ile Ife village, and told me the time had come to yield to the call.
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By this time I had been serving as a lay preacher in my home fellowship, CAET in Ibadan; I had been serving as a Bible Study leader under Pastor Adeboye in His CRM;I had served as the Bible Study secretary of Lagos Varsity Christian Union, the largest campus fellowship of about one thousand students for one year, and its President for two and a half year.
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Now the Chief Shepherd had come to draft me into His service twenty four seven for the rest of my life. I struggled. I cried. I stood on my feet and paced up and down the room. It was a Monday and my room-mate was still in the examination hall.
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I cried out to the Lord, and laid my entire life on His altar, for whatever He chose to make out of it.
It was my turning point, and this was my covenant with my Lord Jesus.
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Beloved,
You can make a difference in your generation.
Arise now, You are God’s battle-axe at this hour.
#100MillionSoulsForChrist