By Alltimepost.com
Founder of Fire of Life Church in Brockton, Massachusetts, USA, Apostle (Mrs.) Naomi Osagiede has said that her evangelical ministry was dedicated to building the leaders of tomorrow by investing heavily in tools that would help them lay the foundation for successful future.
According to her, the church has established the children and youth departments, among others, to fulfill this mission, adding that part of the efforts towards preparing the children/youths for the future include regular seminars with focus on necessary skills to enable them deal with the challenges of life.
Apostle Osagiede was speaking recently at the occasion for the celebration of the church one year anniversary, her birthday and master’s degree graduation. The occasion, which took place at the church, located on 66 Spark Street, Brockton, Massachusetts attracted people from all walks of life.
She said the purpose of the occasion was to give glory to God for all that have happened in her life.
As founder of a successful business – the Beyond Health Care Franchise, she told the congregation that it was never her intention to establish a church until God called her, adding that all she wanted to do was business; visit the homeless shelters, the widows and meet with people to pray and preach the word of God.
Prior to her calling, she continued, she was pre-occupied with her business, traveling the length and breadth of the United States, with the intention of establishing a branch of the business in each state of country, but that she had to hearken to the voice of God to go into full ministry.
“The Ministry is not my business, It is God’s business,” noting that in the world of business “you can fire anyone, but not in the work of God.” The Ministry, she said placed a heavy responsibility on her shoulder which she had to accept.
Such responsibility, according to her, came with enormous challenges she had never before confronted. Apostle Osagiede however thanked God for equipping her to deal with such challenges as they came.
She also thanked the elderly women of the church, whom she praised and described as prayer warriors whose collective efforts, day and night helped to deal with the challenges of the ministry.
“The fire of life just began,” she stated, saying that Fire of Life Church would take the gospel of God around the world and disclosed that branches have been established in Benin City, Nigeria, Ghana and that one was in the offing in Kenya.
The occasion started with a moment of silence in memory of her late mother and brother. She paid glowing tribute to her mom, whom she described as not only loving and kind, but a great source of inspiration to her.
Apostle Naomi enjoined the congregation to embrace a dream or discover their dream and follow through no matter how old. “If you have a vision go for it, do not let anything distract you. Everyone is born with a vison,” she said.
In his sermon, guest speaker, Apostle Emmanuel Nkum from Ghana took his speech from Matthew chapter 5: verse 13 to 16 and genesis chapter 1: verse 1 (Let there be light and there was light).
The speech was divided into three parts, namely: my beginning, my impact, my destiny, stating “there is no beginning without God.”
“There is no beginning outside God, every beginning is a struggle, but when you find beginning you find your grace.” He said the ministry was about to attract strange attention. “This ministry is a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden,” Apostle Nkum noted.
The thrust of his sermon was the need for human beings to live a purposeful, exemplary and productive life – one that is seen in the eyes of God as true service to humanity.
He commended Apostle Osagiede’s efforts, saying she was called by God to serve because she was already doing something and implored all to emulate her in finding things to do to the glory of God.
His words: “God does not call somebody who is doing nothing. When you are called you are already working and Naomi was called because she was already making impact in people’s life.”
“If you have refused to make an impact you have chosen to remain poor, predicting that the Fire of Life Ministry “will have flags in every nation of the world.”
He called on all people to give their best in anything they do. “Give your best to life, never entertain mediocrity. If your life is about something; if it is about destiny, it is an assignment, it is a movement. If you must work, you must work with impact, otherwise you are a monumental waste.”
Speaking further, he underscored the inherent risk and danger in the work of a ministry, saying: “the people you helped might be your worst hater,” but that God will reveal such people and dispose of them.
Among several religious Minsters present at the event were Pastor and Mrs. Winston Trott from cape cord; Pastor Olukayode Olumide of the Corner Stone Overflow Center, Salem Massachusetts.
They each had brief words to describe the event: According to Pastor Trott, “what happened is a manifestation of God,” while Pastor Olumide described Naomi as a pragmatic servant of God who put in her best as a Sunday school teacher at the Redeemed Christian Church of God and when she was in the Bible college, where he was her instructor.
Highlights of the occasion included the cutting of cakes representing the purposes of the event.
The founder of Victory World Church in Canton, Massachusetts, Pastor Keith Banks Obanor was represented by his wife, Sogie Banks Obanor, and son Joey Banks Obanor, a psalmist who gave a rendition of inspirational gospel songs that brought the huge audience to a standstill.
Also on hand to perform were Fire of Life Little Angels who sang some gospel songs as well as the church choir service band that entertained the audience throughout the occasion. The congregation prayed, danced and praised God, followed by feasting on different kinds of food.
