The General Overseer of Calvary Bible Church , Dr. Olumide Emmanuel has said it is wrong to conclude people died untimely when they died at a young age.
He made the assertion on November 30 at the wake keep service for the late founder of Church Growth International Ministries, Dr. Francis Bola Akin John passed on at the age of 59 on October 6 2023. He remains will be interred on December 1 in Lagos.
Emmanuel said the time of a man on earth is determined by the assignment he has been given by God.
He said he arrived at this conclusion when a a young church member of his died many years ago .
While ruminating on the young man’s death, the holy spirit asked him: how old was Jesus when he died ? Why is it that we don’t say Jesus died untimely death ?
That question according to him made him realise that no man can determine untimely death.
He emphasised that the time a man lives is determined by the assignment God gave him adding, ‘Christians should live a life of impact so that by the time they leave the earth they will be welcomed to eternity’
He described the late Akin John as a man of great humility . ‘His teachings are deep. They are transformational . Now that he has gone to eternity, he is now an elder that has left books for us to read.’
While expressing confidence that the late church growth enthusiast is with the Lord he said,. ‘Your assignment determines your time. God will not give us time that is beyond our assignment.
‘Anytime a Christian exit this side of eternity, we should ask ourselves, did he fulfil his purpose?. This man of God came, he saw and he conquered. We are not here to mourn but to celebrate a life of impact,lived for the glory of God. He has lived his life. He has ran his race. He has finished his course.’
He asked, ‘when your time comes will we be able to say you have lived a life of impact. Can you say you have lived a life of impact.’
Church growth international ministries according to him has made great impact that can never be forgotten. ‘I am here to challenge you to live a life of impact. Use today to align with purpose. We are celebrating the books, the life and the impact of a great man’
The wake keep service which took place at the Faith revival Apostolic Church, Egbeda, Lagos attracted top church leaders from across Nigeria including representative of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and a number of Church organisations . Many others joined online including lovers of the ministry in Europe, South Africa and the US