Everyone wants to enjoy God’s blessings; but many are not willing and prepared to take up responsibilities and sacrifices attached to those blessings. Only an insignificant few are ready to shoulder those responsibilities. The holy scriptures are littered with characters who missed their blessings as a result of their inability to assume the accompanying responsibilities.
Jonah was a classical example of such characters who missed God’s blessings upon his life for vehemently refusing to heed God’s instructions. Though he eventually carried out the directives, under compulsion, the attached blessings had eluded him.
The few who demonstrated willingness to make necessary sacrifices lived to enjoy the numerous blessings attached to those sacrifices. A classical example of them was father Abraham who, among other instructions, was asked to offer his only begotten son and he obeyed. The blessings were not only enjoyed by his family members, but extended to future generations.
The likes of Moses, Jeremiah and Gideon were somewhat lucky to had enjoyed God’s blessings despite their initial resistance to divine instructions. Thank God they eventually obeyed.
Recently, an Anambra based banker, Dr. Victor Agumadu, would have been among those who missed their blessings following initial resistance to divine instructions. According to him, he would have regretted his actions if he had dismissed repeated voices insisting he must take up the responsibility of building a church of God.
Narrating his experience during the dedication of the church, New Jerusalem church, Ngozika Housing Estate, Phase 2 Awka, by Archbishop, Ecclesiastical Province of the Niger, Most Rev Alexander Ibezim, Agumadu said his decision to embark on the church building project was purely divine.
He said although the gesture was not the first of its kind in his numerous philanthropic projects, that of the New Jerusalem church (which was at batcher level before it metamorphosised to an A/C building) stood out as it took God to convince him to take up the responsibility.
Hear him, “Sometime in January, a friend of mine that lives in the US returned to build a house for his family, very close to the New Jerusalem church. Coincidentally, he was staying in my house to supervise the project.
“Meanwhile, we were aware of when the church was newly planted because our priest would always post some delegates of our church to worship with them.
“I had earlier stopped by to peep into the church compound, but the one of January 28 was different. I had visited the estate to inspect the house my friend was putting up. I drove into the road and parked my car.
“Coming down from the car, I felt a hand tapping me at the back, saying, “turn and go to this fence and look into that compound.” I was like, what is happening, I didn’t come here to look into the church compound. I was here to stay a little with my friend.
“I got down from the car, locked it and was about to drive off, when the message came again, “Go to that fence and look into the compound.” I said okay, let me go near the fence and see what was going on there.
“I looked into the compound and noticed what was sitting here before now as a church of God. I saw an open batcher without a block, not up to 8/12 feet.
“I told myself, I’ve heeded to the instruction of seeing the compound. I went back to my car. On sitting down, the message came again, “when it starts raining, what will happen to these people that call on God’s name inside this batcher?”
“The message kept coming, “what are you going to do?” While I tried to ignore the message, it kept coming again and again. Even while I was supervising my friend’s project with him, the message kept coming; until I called my friend’s attention to the church. “Do you notice this batcher there?” It’s an Anglican Church and people worship there.”
“This was happening on Monday. My friend told me that yesterday, being Sunday, while they were working on his site, he saw about six persons worshiping inside the church. I had to open up to him on what I’ve been battling with since I parked my car minutes ago.
“I told him I’m planning to come back to put a small block round the batcher, so that when it’s raining, people can still worship God there. My friend agreed with me. But immediately I made that utterance, I felt a slight relief within me. It’s like the spirit left immediately.
“Whenever I said I will do something, I don’t go back not doing those things. I came home and shared the experience with my wife. She was so happy and said we’ll return to the church the following day so she could see the church herself as well as the structure.
“We came back the following day as agreed and immediately agreed to commence the project without waste of time. Two days after, that’s Wednesday, I told my friend I’ll be worshipping with the church for their midweek service.
“Of course I went to work that day. Before evening, my friend was already calling me to remind me of my promise, “the church has started, the members are already there o! Are you not coming again?”
“So I hurriedly tidied up with what I was doing, shut down my system and jumped into the car. On approaching the church, I called my friend and two of his colleagues to join me in the service. Three of us worked into the church. That day it was just three women, two children and a priest.
“They were praying when we quietly worked in an picked chairs we sat on behind the three women. After the prayers, they were shocked when they opened their eyes to see three strange male faces in their midst.
“The question from the Priest was, “Who are you people and what are you doing here?” I laughed and introduced myself and my friends. Without saying anything further, one of the women started dancing, that God has built his church.
“After the service that day, I exchanged number with the priest. Later in the evening I called him to inform him of what God laid in our hearts to do for the church. By Friday same week, I got an architect to draw the design which I submitted same day to the priest.
“Same Friday, my wife and I went to the priest house and handed over the plan to the priest, requesting he submitted it to the Bishop for approval so we can commence work immediately. Of course His Grace approved the next week. And that was how we started.
Describing church building project as an investment with unquantifiable blessings, Agumadu appreciated those who played various roles towards the completion of the project, particularly Resident priest, Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Ogbuefi who he described as man with grace.
He continued, “Building a church is an investment. According to the bible, your children children will continue to reap the fruit of such investment. That’s our believe.
“Our service to God, His church and humanity has been our strength. All we do, we don’t always want people to know about it. But we can’t hide our face from this project. To God be all the glory.
“When they say a man has grace, I saw such grace in the Resident Priest. I didn’t know him before, but within two weeks of getting in touch with him, all these miracle started happening. It’s his grace in him that attracted this.
“I was just an instrument that made himself available for God to use. From the beginning of the project till finish, God provided all the money and materials within the four months of its completion.
“I must confess that the building of this edifice was not without challenges, including the falling of the roof after we were done with POP and wiring. The entire roofing materials were condemned. We had to start all over again.
“But I’m happy and fulfilled. Yet there are lots to do for God and humanity. We’re just starting. God’s work is a continuum. You can’t do one and stop.”
Earlier, Archbishop Ibezim who doubles as Bishop of Awka Diocese reminded the parishioners that church is a house of prayer where God is to be worshipped in spirit and truth.
He congratulated the parishioners for being lucky to be first beneficiaries of the edifice, just as he thanked those who played various roles towards its quick completion.
He assured them that their contributions, spiritually, financially and otherwise would not go unrewarded, urging them not to relent as more work were yet to be done.
Also speaking, Resident Priest, Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Ogbuefi described the feat as answered prayers, thanking God for raising the financier who made himself available for the work.
“We met a batcher church, but today the story is now different. I’m so elated and give God praise who made this possible through his servants,” he said.
