Navy School in Offa, Kwara State is a popular institution. But another institution directly opposite the school is also well known in Offa. It is the Gospel Village, a settlement managed by Gospel Unlimited; the ministry whose sole concern is to equip the saints and strengthen the work of God in the hands of believers.
Gradually but surely, the ministry which is being run by Professor Duro Adegboye is fulfilling its vision of equipping the saints and strengthening the body of Christ. It is indeed a marvel to see the infrastructure in the village multiply as evangelists from all over the country come to the centre for quarterly training and exchange of ideas and fellowship.
The site which has about 12 different structures including lecture rooms, hostels for men and women and residential buildings has turned out to be a veritable ground for churches and ministries to hold their programmes and retreats.
About 12 years ago when the foundation of the first building was laid in the 14 plot-space of the ministry, many had thought the dream of the founder was a tall one; moreso that he does not run a church where weekly income from tithe and offering is guaranteed. But as he kept faith with what the Lord had commissioned him to do, God in his mercy kept expanding the work.
From a bungalow apartment which was Professor Adegboye’s first accommodation the number of buildings in the ministry ground has increased giving room for more accommodation for participants at the quarterly conference of the ministry. Indeed nobody who saw the place in its former shape that would not thank God for the expansion work. The first few years of the ministry in Offa were trying times. It was hard to get water, the facilities were not only inadequate but not too convenient.
But today things are looking up. The vision which started like a mustard seed over fifty years ago is getting a firm footing in Offa, Kwara State. Before now, the quarterly conferences were held in event centres, hotels and some make shift accommodation. Prof Adegboye was in the north for many years doing ministry. He had stayed in Abuja for a rather long time carrying out the task of evangelization and training of ministers. Many had urged him to start a church but he did not heed to such temptation since according to him God had not called him to start one.
He remained in the Anglican Church but has since been impacting believers in various denominations. His itinerary for the year is always jammed with invitations from across the country and outside. But with the evolution of the camp ground the work of training and equipping evangelists and ministries is getting better. The facilities on ground makes it easier for people to come and stay and benefit from the wealth of experience the president of the ministry has gathered over the years. The ministry has a recording studio and also hopes to enhance its publishing unit.
The uniqueness of the site is that the place is completely a product of faith in the awesomeness of God and His capacity to meet ministry needs when we rely on him. On different occasions, Professor Adegboye a former dean of the Faculty of Science, Ahmadu Bello University who resigned his appointment several years ago with the university to do missions has shared testimonies of God’s miraculous interventions.
One of the reasons the facilities on the camp are released to church and ministries for their programmes at virtually no cost according to Adegboye is because God has been the one supplying the needs of the ministry. Prof. once told this writer that “it’s difficult for me to start placing demands on churches who want to use the facilities here for their programmes because God is the one who has been supplying the needs of the institution and ensuring that we are able to put together the structures you see here. So there is really no reason to boast about anything or make merchandise of it. God lays in the hearts of different donors and they come and support what we do here.” He said.
Recently the missionary evangelist who caught the vision of every believer a soul winner in 1962 took to the Facebook to thank The Carpenters Church one of the churches that have taken more than a passing interest in what God is doing in the Gospel Village.
He wrote, “On behalf of the Gospel Unlimited Foundation, Family and Friends, we will continue to Praise the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY and Thank the Members of The Carpenters Church for their all-round support.
“Their last Sacrificial Gift to us has been used to complete the new 300 seat capacity Pavilion and equip it with Superb Sound System. We will now be using the Pavilion for our 4 Quarterly Soulwinners Training Conferences, while Churches, Ministries and Fellowships will use the same Pavilion for their various Conventions, Conferences, Workshops, Receptions and Time-with-GOD. First Marriage Ceremony is slated to take place at the Pavilion this December. Praise the LORD and Thanks to The Carpenters Church. MARANATHA.”
Apart from the carpenters Church several other individuals and churches have been very supportive of the work in Offa. The implication is that more pastors and missionaries are being trained while the body of Christ is being blessed with a wonderful facility that enhances fellowship among various ministries and churches.
1 comment
More Grace house, I really love what the platform is doing, may the good God Bless you!