RUMUKWURUSHI – THE MIRACLE OF THE RAIN, AND DELIVERANCE FROM SOLDIER ANTS:

Fieldwork was very, very stressful spiritually and physically and equally dangerous. It required great courage, strength and sacrifice, a price only very few were and are prepared to pay. God’s over-riding presence was with him and his Ministry and He confirmed His presence with them through salvation, miracles and deliverances of thousands of people. He was moving at such a pace that within five months they had covered seventeen village groups outside Port Harcourt and its suburbs, and in less than one year they had recorded over ten thousand converts purely from village evangelism. These figures they published in their August newsletter that year. But there was no excitement in his heart. His aim was to evangelize the land within three years which in itself was a lofty aim when one considered the difficult terrain in which he was to labour. There were hundreds of islands and villages in the State with millions of people that needed to be saved. To him ten thousand was a paltry figure when compared to the millions of his people who had not even heard the gospel not to talk of being saved. The number even paled the more when placed beside the crowds that the Lord had shown him in the vision of his call on 3rd March 1970. The burden of fulfilling the vision was heavy on his heart and he did not want that vision to be diverted by man’s figurative calculations. He wanted to go on preaching until he could preach no more.

He therefore had to discourage the gathering and publications of numbers and statistics lest they began to believe they had achieved much for God and become proud and self-conceited. When God gave him the vision, His last words to him were, “I have chosen you but be humble”, words which he has always said he would never, never forget. The desire of Apostle Paul, ―…I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus‖ (Philippians 3:13 – 14) was his desire. And so he pressed on his team and they continued to pursue their goals with great zeal and favour, and the work moved on.

RUMUKWURUSHI CRUSADE

Two spectacular things that God did for them in Rumuokwurushi were, withholding the rain on their behalf, and protecting them from being bitten by soldier ants. That period was rainy season and in Rivers State it does not just rain, it pours. When they arrived in Rumuokwurushi it rained during the first three days of their campaigns. It did not stop them from holding their Crusades but many of the people could not attend the Crusades because of the rains. Also, it was farming season and they had to be away in their farms all day. Their farms were far away from their homes and they had to trek long distances daily. This meant that by the time they came back home it was either they were too tired or it would be too late for them to leave their homes.

When Numbere discovered the reasons for the poor turn-out to the Crusades, he publicly made a decree that there would be no rain on the Crusade grounds. And as the servant of God decreed so it was. God held back the rains from the Crusade ground while heavy rain fell in the rest of Rumuokwurushi and its environs. The people would come back from their farms soaked and drenched with rain only to come within the vicinity of the Crusade ground and find it completely dry. This miracle brought crowds to the Crusade ground, many gave their lives to the Lord, and many were healed and delivered from occultic bondage.

On one of the days it did not just rain, there was a storm. The only accommodation they could get in Rumuokwurushi had been a market shed right in the middle of the market square. They had had to use the Ministry cloth banners to drape round the stakes of the shed to form a wall. The storm came with a heavy wind, heavy rain and terrible thunder and lightning strikes. The cloth walls were torn away by the wind, the Crusaders and everything they had were all soaked with rain, and the ground, which had been their bed was flooded. They stood in the middle of the shed huddled together as the rain pounded away on every one of them. It was in the midst of this storm that the cause of this breach in the wall of their divine protection was discovered. Unknown to the men, there had been a disagreement among three of the girls over food. As a result the girls had had a terrible row. All along, Numbere had never ceased to warn them of the need for all of them to be in one accord so that Satan would not have a point of entry through which he would come in to attack them. When Numbere heard about the row he was so angry with those three girls that they became frightened and ran out right into the rain in the night.

This now brought a new dimension to the whole episode. The entire surrounding was thick bush except for the AMORC (Rosicrucian) Lodge that was nearby. Like the father that he was, Apostle Numbere’s anger now turned to anxiety about their safety. He had to run after them in the dark stormy night, calling after them. It was now Evangelists Tamunoigbani and Ibama’s turn to be angry. They could not see why their leader had to run after the girls; certainly not after the untold suffering and embarrassment their misbehavior had caused the team. Eventually, he found them and brought them back and they all prayed together. The crisis now over, they spread their wet mats on the wet and muddy ground and they all went to sleep, as usual lying across the mats to create more space for one another.

Fancy sleeping under such conditions! The Lord gave His children sleep and protected them while they slept even as it is written in His word that, "When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet...I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety… for so he giveth his beloved sleep” (Proverbs 3:24, Psalms 4:8, Ps 127:2b)

That fateful day had been a market day so the rain had washed foodstuffs such as garri, leafy vegetables and pepper into their shed “apartment”. That night, while they slept on their wet mats on the cold muddy market ground, soldier ants came and invaded the whole market including their shed. The ants built long columns all over the floor, but when they came to the mats on which they were sleeping, they burrowed under the mats and continued their columns after the mats. Not one ant climbed the mats!! What a divine protection that was! They woke up in the morning to find out that they were not only surrounded by those terrible ants, but that they had actually slept on top of them. Evang. Tamunoigbani decided to step out of the mat. He was immediately stung by some of them so he quickly stepped back to his mat. It was a sure sign that that was no ordinary situation but God’s divine protection.

There they were in the cold and mud, the shed littered with the foodstuff that had been washed in by the rain with the accompanying odour, and now soldier ants whose stings could be fatal. And there they were, sleeping in such a terrible environment, just to take the gospel to their people. God in His infinite love and mercy did not allow those ants to attack them and make an already bad situation worse. This sure was a case study of what disunity could cause among brethren.

They temporarily lost their divine protection as a result of discord. You can imagine what would have happened to them with the ant invasion. They would all have been stung to death but God in His mercy intervened and restored them after their repentance, confession and forgiving of one another. After this incident the campaign continued and ended successfully. They established a Fellowship in an uncompleted two-storey building in the village. The converts were so hungry for the Word of God that they did not mind the environment. During fellowships some would sit on blocks, some would stand outside leaning on their bicycles for support, and many more would stand without anything to lean on, yet they all were happy to be in the presence of the Lord.

Culled from "A Man and A Vision" by Nonyem E. Numbere. For inquiries, visit our bookshop.

OUT TO THE FIELD

Having inundated Port Harcourt with the gospel and established a bubbling fellowship there, it was now time to launch out to the deep, what Evang. Numbere termed “Field work”. The “Field” consisted of first, Port Harcourt suburbs and then the rest of the old Rivers State. But how was he to do it? Such a work required a leadership that would be definitive and constructive in its planning.Majority of the population were in the rural areas where the people lived below poverty line. They were so remote from civilization that they had no radios or televisions. The only way to preach to them was to get to them physically. He was determined to take the gospel to them no matter what it would cost him. But he was not going to be a spiritual armchair general; sitting back at home and sending others to go where he could not go himself. He was going to lead his team to places where others dared not go. He therefore decided to assemble a “Field Team” for his evangelical outreaches to the rural areas. 

He also set up an Administrative team, which was to remain in Port Harcourt to man the home-front and back up the field team spiritually and financially. Not that there was much by way of finance though, for his financial supporters were mainly teenage students and the unemployed. He believed that the Church should be involved in the personal lives of people especially, the poor. His ministry was therefore not going to be based on evangelism alone. He desired to fulfill the Scriptures in every aspect of his service to God. He set up a Welfare Committee as a special unit of the Administration to enable people channel their resources to the field team and to the destitute. He then asked each and every one of his workers to pray to know which of the two groups the Lord wanted them to serve in: the field team or the home front, which he called “Base”. That name has stuck with us so that till today every Headquarters of the Ministry is called the “Base”, be it at the zonal or national level. This was in January 1973.

FULFILLING THE VISION: RURAL EVANGELISM

He got a map of the old Rivers State (now Rivers and Bayelsa States), and on 9th March, 1973, with his team of dedicated young men, women, boys and girls; he set out for a systematic evangelization of the whole area. The field team consisted of a few volunteers who were convinced that God had called them into the Field. There were only two male volunteers namely, Fubara Ibama and Nelson Orugbani (now Mpakaboari Tamunoigbani). The rest were ladies namely, Lolo George (late), Kate Bamson, Alberta Abbey, Iloye Major, and Patience Ikula. As time went on, more people joined them in obedience to the call of God. Amidst much persecution, opposition and difficulties these brave young men and women moved to every nook and cranny, to the downtrodden, underprivileged and forgotten people of the numerous islands and villages of Rivers and Bayelsa States. 

It is difficult for one who does not know the topography of the Rivers and Bayelsa States to appreciate the hazards involved in those journeys. These two states are situated in the Eastern Delta of River Niger. The northern part often referred to as the upland region is made up of small towns and villages most of which are inter-spaced between thick equatorial forests. There were hardly any roads so that many of the villages were virtually inaccessible. The south, which is the Delta proper, consists of several hundred islands, with creeks running in between mangrove swamps and rivers and seas emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. 

When Apostle Numbere started his missionary efforts, Nigeria was still in the immediate post-war era. Generally, the few roads that had been there had all broken down and were mere dirt tracks, which were usually muddy and impassable during the rainy season. The suburbs of Port Harcourt namely, Nkpogu, Elekahia, Rumuomasi, Rumubiakani, Rainbow Town, Rumuokwurushi and others, were not the towns they are today. They were villages and were hardly accessible. Even in Port Harcourt, the State capital, most of the roads were in a terrible state. You can imagine what it was like to travel in the State. 

In the early 1970’s when Apostle Numbere set out with his team to the field, there were very few engine boats and speedboats and they could not afford to rent any since they had no money. They had no money, they had no sponsor, they hardly had any clothes, no vehicles, not even a bicycle, and he knew nobody in those villages. They moved out by faith, travelling for three months at a stretch, spending at least one week in every village. They carried no beds with them. All he could afford were two mats, one for the men and one for the ladies. The two mats were insufficient for them and to create sleeping space for all they had to lie not lengthwise but across the mat with their heads and trunks on the mat while their legs stuck out on the bare ground or floor.

At that time spiritually, Rivers State was a region where the powers of darkness reigned supreme, so they were in for a stiff battle. Apostle Numbere and his team had no manuals on spiritual warfare, they had nothing by way of physical comfort but they had one thing–they had a Vision and they had faith in the One that gave them the Vision. Willing to die for the gospel, Numbere and his team faced many hazards working night and day, under rain and sun, trekking through forests and mangrove swamps with their loads on their heads, travelling in hand-pulled dug-out canoes and open-boats, daring the winds and waves of the sea, and fearing neither man nor beast. Sometimes they had to trek through dried up creeks to reach a village, only to return to a swelling creek from an inflowing tide. That meant they had to wade or swim across depending on the water level. They never cared about whether the weather was conducive or inclement for their travels or crusades. Sometimes the devil tried to use elements of the weather such as lightning to attack but God always delivered them. They had power and authority over the elements of the weather, such that if rain or storm or wind or waves came up against them during their Crusades or in their journeys, they would stand and face that weather, and rebuke it. Those elements would obey them and stop and then they would continue with their crusade or journey. Their exercising such authority with resultant effects led to the conversion of many.

The situation was worse in the riverine areas. Transportation was still very much clumsy and expensive like it was in Numbere’s childhood days. There were no bridges linking one island to the other so that the only means of transportation was by water using hand pulled canoes. A few years later came the era of speedboats which are still available till date. But these speedboats are nowhere near the boats used in technologically advanced countries. The Nigerian speedboats are open boats and whenever it rains, passengers are covered with a big tarpaulin (canvass) sheet while the driver puts on a raincoat and stands in the rain to manoeuvre the boat. Those sitting at the sides of the boat would then hold the sheet down while the rest of the passengers would push it up with their hands so that they would not suffocate. They would then travel covered up like cargo and at the mercy of the driver, the only one seeing where they are going.

They often had to trek for miles to streams or water holes, which served as sources of water supply for both human beings and wild animals. The people would go to fetch water in the early hours of the morning or in the afternoon while wild animals would come at night to drink the water. Sometimes as in Nonwa, there were only shallow wells of muddy or slimy water. In some places there was no water except the salty sea water in which case they would pray over it, then drink it, use it to cook, bathe and wash their clothes. To enable them drink it, they would add a little orange squash to the sea water. They drank from these sources without fear believing that God would protect them from water borne diseases, and He did.

They had little or no victuals to sustain their lives. They only had meals when the Lord provided. Many a time they had to go without food and such periods they converted into fasting and prayer time. God did not allow them to die of starvation.

Numbere had to go through all these difficulties to take the gospel to his people.

Culled from "A Man and A Vision" by Nonyem E. Numbere. For inquiries, visit our bookshop.

GREATER EVANGELISM CRUSADE! GREATER EVANGELISM CRUSADE!!

As mentioned before, after Geoffrey obeyed the call, the Lord led him not to Rivers State, but to Northern Nigeria where he sojourned for three years living in Birnin Kudu, Kano, Gumel and Wudil. His stay there could be likened to Paul‟s stay in the Arabian Desert.

GUMEL - LIFE AS A TEACHER

While he was in Kano, Geoffrey obtained a teaching job in the Government Teachers Training College now Advanced Teachers Training College), Gumel. A Muslim enclave in the far desert North of Nigeria, Gumel (now in Jigawa State) was next to Maigateri, a border town between Nigeria and Niger Republic. It was to this Northern wilderness that the Lord sent His servant. The Northern wilderness turned out to be a training ground for him just like Pa Elton had said. There the Lord appeared to him several times, teaching and preparing him for the great task ahead. He was a pioneer staff of the College, teaching English Language and Mathematics, the only Southerner and the only Christian there.

CONVERSIONS, MIRACLES, PERSECUTION
The presence of the Lord was mighty with him. He led many souls to the Lord especially Muslims, and God confirmed His word through signs and wonders. Anyone who came in contact with him was sure to be touched by God one way or the other. With his Muslim converts he started a home Church in his living room. Their first service was held on 28th February 1971, with seven converts in attendance. Founding the fellowship was not easy or smooth sailing. It required great faith and commitment. Eventually his persistence yielded fruit and he was able to have a stable fellowship, which grew steadily. As they grew in number, they decided to move into Gumel town itself. So on 20th June 1971, they held their maiden service in the Gumel Township. Some months later Geoffrey was transferred to Wudil (another wilderness town). But the Lord would never allow His Church to die. Not long after that, Bro. Ogundeji was transferred to Gumel T. T. C.! He now took charge of the young Fellowship. Eventually, Geoffrey handed over this Church to ECWA and it became their Gumel Branch. Many years later it became the Headquarters of ECWA in Jigawa State. The nucleus of this big Church was that home fellowship which Apostle Numbere started and handed over to them thirty-six years ago.

Geoffrey was busy serving the Lord and teaching his students when one day in July 1972, the Lord told him to leave the North for Rivers State, his home State, within the next two days. The day of departure was a sad day for all of them. Christian brethren, especially his converts, were there to see him off at the train station in Kano. It was like St. Paul’s final parting with the Ephesian brethren (Acts 20:36-38). They hugged and hugged him and wept and wept. And as the train moved, they waved and waved and sobbed and sobbed, many of them running alongside the platform until the train finally moved out of sight.

THE STREET PREACHER

Apostle Numbere does not and has never used orthodox methods in his approach to the things of God. Always depending on the Holy Spirit, he has many a time used unorthodox ways to reach out to souls. This in the early days of his Christian life and ministry used to bring a lot of condemnation from the Christians of those days who lacked understanding as to the move of the Holy Spirit. That was Geoffrey Numbere, the soul-winner. He has always placed a premium on the salvation of the souls of men, for the value of a soul is the Blood of the Son of God.

It was in that same manner that he started his Mission, when in 1972 he came down to Rivers State. He did not seek for any known conventional system in order to spread the gospel. Initially most of his preaching engagements were on invitations by a few Christians here and there to minister in Secondary Schools and sometimes in the Scripture Union where he used to attend fellowship.

But his fiery zeal could not be contained by mere preaching engagements. He decided to strike out to the field. He did not seek for any rich man to sponsor his Ministry. Since his people had kicked him out to the streets, the streets became his first mission field. He cared not for earthly possessions or achievements. The only possessions he had in this world were a T-shirt, a pair of trousers, a pair of slippers or shoes and a raffia bag containing his Bible and tracts and they were all on him! He did not have any source of income, nor did he know where his next meal would come from. But these things did not bother him. He had the call, he had the vision, but he believed that “Having a vision is not enough; there must be a commitment to act on the vision - A MISSION.” He had therefore come to Rivers State with a Mission, the Mission to raise up the faces of men and women in Rivers State to look up to Jesus to receive eternal life like he had been told in the vision.

He was so consumed with zeal and so committed to his Mission that he wanted everything in him including his very clothes to preach the gospel. He therefore got an artist to inscribe the words, “JESUS IS LOVE” and “REPENT” on the front and back of his T-shirt respectively. In his scanty outfit and with his raffia bag slung over a shoulder, he struck out to the streets of Port Harcourt preaching the gospel with great passion. He would stand at street corners, or in car parks, bus stops (stations), market places, or by public buildings such as civil service secretariats and banks, and compassion would grip his heart at the sight of multitudes of people moving about in those places. He would begin to cry as he realized that many of those people were going to a Christ-less eternity. He would, with tears in his eyes, tell them about Jesus Christ, His love for mankind and their need to be saved.

You can imagine what a spectacle he must have been with his poor dressing, his tearful face and his “strange message” of being “born-again.” As should be expected, many rebuffed him or simply ignored him, for whoever saw a man, an African man for that matter, weeping publicly? “Men do not weep” is a common saying and belief here. And for what purpose was he weeping? Not that he was weeping because he had lost one dear to him but he was weeping because he wanted people to repent. Wherever had it been preached before that salvation was through Jesus Christ and Him alone? And what kind of young man was this, that instead of going to school or finding himself some gainful employment, he was spending his time weeping and preaching to people to repent from their sins?. “He must be mad”, many conjectured. Some looked at the “mad” young man with pity, thinking that his enemies must have bewitched him “What a pity” they said, “Such a handsome young man! Who must have done this to him?” They queried.

In spite of all these reactions, a few, mostly teenagers believed his “strange” message and joined him, for there was a sincerity and intensity in his eyes, which could not be easily ignored. Also a few Scripture Union members left the Scripture Union (SU) and joined him. They testified that it was his sincerity coupled with the leadership quality they had noticed in him even at that early stage that had attracted them. Naturally, a number of SU members were angry with him over this development, but some later came to understand and accept his call.

On Saturday, 9th of September 1972, in the course of an all-night prayer meeting, in Port Harcourt with these young believers, the Ministry of Greater Evangelism Crusade was born. Apostle Numbere heard the name; “Greater Evangelism Crusade” repeated a number of times by the Lord in his ears. In excitement he shouted “Greater Evangelism Crusade!!! Greater Evangelism Crusade!! I’ve got the name – Greater Evangelism Crusade!!! Greater Evangelism Crusade!!!” He then shared the message with his prayer partners who were bewildered as to the meaning of his sudden outburst. Thereafter the group adopted this “Greater Evangelism Crusade” to be the name of the Ministry. Some of those who were present in that prayer meeting were Elder Eluan E. Akpana, Evangelist Fubara Ibama, Bro. Ben Iloh, (who later became the first deputy leader of the Ministry) and Sister Iloye Major. Some days later the Lord gave the motto, “TO KNOW JESUS AND TO MAKE JESUS KNOWN” to Apostle Numbere.

And precisely on the 6th of December 1972, he was on his knees praying when the Lord gave him the emblem of the Ministry. – THE GLOBE (THE WORLD) WITH THE CROSS SPANNING IT AND DROPPING ON AFRICA WITH NIGERIA IN THE CENTRE. The Vision of the Ministry was clear - Greater Evangelism was to have three main phases in her Mission. The Ministry was to span over Nigeria, Africa, and the rest of the world. Since the work of the Ministry was to start in Nigeria, Apostle Numbere decided to add the name, “Nigeria” in parenthesis to the name God had given to him and so the Ministry began as Greater Evangelism (Nigeria) Crusade. His plan was that whenever the Ministry got into any country, the name of that country would be inserted in parenthesis into the name of the ministry. For example, if they got to Ghana, the name would be Greater Evangelism (Ghana) Crusade. The name Greater Evangelism (Nigeria) Crusade thus became the name of his Ministry for many years.

During the 1975 Conference, the Holy Spirit revealed independently to Bishop Reeves and Apostle Kayo that the Lord had given Greater Evangelism a world-wide scope and that the Ministry should not be confined to Nigeria alone. On Sunday 15th of April, 1975 (the last day of the Conference) during a joint meeting of the Board of Directors and Council of Elders, these two men of God still led by the Holy Ghost, moved a motion that there be a change of name to reflect the world-wide scope of this ministry. It was like the Council in Jerusalem of the first Century Church replayed. The joint council, having confirmed that indeed this motion was of God passed the resolution. By this resolution, the name, “Greater Evangelism (Nigeria) Crusade was changed to “Greater Evangelism World Crusade” and the Director of the Ministry became officially recognized as the International Director of the Ministry of Greater Evangelism World Crusade.

Culled from "A Man and A Vision" by Nonyem E. Numbere. For inquiries, visit our bookshop.

THE VISION AND THE COMMISSION:

On Tuesday, 3rd March 1970, at about 7:45 a.m., Geoffrey was about to go for his lectures. He knelt down by his bedside, as had become his practice since he became born-again, to commit his going out into God’s Hand. Prayer had now become part of his life for his belief was that, “The greatest privilege I have is that I have God to talk to through the death and resurrection of my Lord Jesus Christ”. Immediately he knelt down, he was caught up in a trance and here is his story:

"The Lord Jesus appeared and stood by my left side. Together we were rocketed like a space ship into the first heaven. At the prompting of the Lord, I looked down. I saw spread before me a vast open plain. The entire plain was filled out with people. They were so many there was no space in between any two people. They were all jam-packed (crammed into one space) and they were all in a stooping, kneeling position, with their faces on the ground like the posture of Muslims in prayer. Without saying a single word, the Lord took me up into the second heaven. The horizon extended; so did the plain. Again another crowd of people much more than the first in the same posture! At this point, frightened by the sight, I broke loose from the Lord and started running away from Him. The Lord did not run after me. He allowed me to run the much I could until I was tired. Then the Lord stretched out His hand from where He stood and as one would a forklift, picked me up and placed me by His side. Together we shot up into the third heaven. Now the higher you go, the farther you see into the horizon. At this point the crowd was simply unimaginable, with all of them still in the same kneeling face down posture.

The Lord spoke to me to look again at this crowd, and pointing at them, said “These are all my creatures that are perishing. It is not my pleasure that as many as these of My creatures should perish”, He said. I then asked Him, “What would you want me to do?” “Go, raise their faces that they may look up to Me and that they might live”, He replied. To another question as to where I should start from, the Lord replied, “Anywhere”. And concluding, The Lord told me, “I have chosen you, but be humble."

One lesson he learned from this was that if the Lord is calling someone and the person is on the run, He would adopt one of two attitudes. He could go get you like He did with Jonah or He could let the person go, like He did with the rich young ruler. In Numbere’s case God went after him, not by running after him but by allowing him to run until he became tired.

As he came out of this vision, he discovered he was still on his knees in his hostel room. He looked at his watch. It was 8:45 a.m. One full hour had lapsed and he had missed his lecture. This vision and commissioning was not a fleeting vision that he could easily forget. It had taken one full hour! He got up from his knees and sat down on his bed pondering over the vision over and over again. The Holy Spirit gave him no rest. It was the vision all over his mind. The vision gripped his heart and soul. He could hardly do anything else as the vision burned in his heart. He was fasting that day but the Lord would not allow him to pray on anything else. In his memoirs of this experience Geoffrey wrote,

"And the Lord showed me and I was afraid for the multitude. But he asked me to start anywhere I went and wake every soul for they were like sheep stacked up in a pen with their heads buried down and I could see no head of any of them up. But I am to go and wake them up and raise their heads to look up to God for it pains the Lord that such great numbers of His creatures should perish. And He has promised to be with me always, and I saw streaks of fire balls go ahead of me. And the Lord would not allow me to pray for the reason for which I was fasting but showed me this gathering over and over again for He has promised to look into my request but His charge is more urgent. And I stared on the work. And He asked me to be humble for He has chosen me."

His heart went out to those souls he saw in the vision. How could he possibly ever forget the crowds of people he saw perishing without Christ?  He kept on seeing those crowds over and over again. He thought of the millions and millions of people who did not know the Lord Jesus Christ. He thought of those who were in the Church like he was and who had not yet known this truth, which he now knew, and his sympathy went to them. Every ambition he had in this life paled and died before this vision. His ambition to get degrees in Geology or Petroleum Engineering, died. In those days in Nigeria, the sure way to get a job and live well was for one to obtain a University degree. Geoffrey’s ambition was to get a good result so he could get a good job and care for his mother and siblings. All his ambitions and desires paled beside this vision. They just died! He completely lost all interest in his academic pursuit.

He knew that his days in the University were over for God had a different course for him. But how was he to leave? He was the hope of his family. God knew what to do. The Lord created circumstances around him so he could not continue with his education and he had to leave the University at the end of the session and get into the Lord’s work.

Culled from "A Man and A Vision" by Nonyem E Numbere. For inquiries, visit our bookshop.

THE PROPHECY

In 1970, when Geoffrey was in his third academic year, the University of Ife moved from Ibadan to the main Campus at Ile-Ife. By then he had gotten the Rivers State Government Scholarship so that paying school fees was no longer a headache. He now had more than he needed to fuel his academic ambitions. Everything was moving just fine.

Then one day, Pastor S.G. Elton came to minister in the Campus Fellowship. Pastor Elton was an elderly British missionary residing with his family in Ilesha in the then Western Region of Nigeria. Elton had been an engineer, a broadcaster and a royal confidant, living in a sixteen-bedroom mansion. In the eyes of the world he had everything going on for him but before God he was just a sinner lost without Christ. Then one day one young lady came and preached the gospel to him. He was convicted of his sins and received Jesus as his Lord and Saviour, he became born-again. That young lady was to later become his wife. He once jokingly said that he compensated her for leading him to the Lord Jesus Christ by marrying her.

In 1934 through prophecy he was called by God to Africa with emphasis on Nigeria. He did not disobey the heavenly calling; he gave up all things (his social status and worldly possessions) for the sake of the gospel. In 1937 he left his native England for Nigeria where he settled in Ilesha which at that time could be described as a village. At first his home church ruled that the dark continent of Africa was not where a man should take his family and so he should go alone. But after much prayer he and his wife were convinced that God wanted the family together in Africa and so she came down with their only child, baby Ruth. They settled down in Ilesha for the rest of their lives, leading very simple lives as they served God and laboured for His kingdom. Ruth was to grow up to become a missionary too but her call was to the northern part of Nigeria, where she laboured, reaching the unreached in those Northern villages with the gospel.

Pastor Elton had many encounters with the powers of darkness in Yorubaland but God gave him victory over them and he was an instrument in the conversion of thousands of people including native-doctors (witchdoctors). After serving his Mission for seventeen years he was led to start an independent ministry in 1954 through which he could reach out to a wider field. Pastor Elton was a prophet of God and was well known in Christian circles for his prophetic utterances. He was a father and mentor to virtually all the pioneer Pentecostal and evangelical Ministers whom God raised up in Nigeria in the early 1970‟s. He could rightly be called the father of Pentecostalism and Evangelism in Nigeria. He was fondly called “Pa Elton” by most Christians in Nigeria in deference to his position as a Church father.

The spiritual burden of this nation was so much on Pa Elton that he did not cease to call on God day and night for Him to raise up Nigerians that would carry the gospel to their own people. He seemed to have had a special burden for the old Rivers State (now Rivers and Bayelsa States). Talking about that burden several years later in the 1980‟s, he said, “Each time I thought of Rivers State, the immorality there, the powers of darkness gripping the State and holding the people in bondage, there would be such a great burden on my heart. I cried and cried to the Lord to raise up a man for that land (Rivers State)”. And smiling, he continued, “So when I met this young man (referring to Geoffrey Numbere) and I got to know that he is from the Rivers State, I got interested (excited).”

That night, at the University of Ife Campus Fellowship, as Pa Elton was ministering, he suddenly paused and started pointing to somebody in the auditorium saying, “You there! You there!” Everybody started turning towards the direction of his finger to find out who it was. He kept on pointing and saying “That boy! That boy there!” Everybody sitting along that direction, Geoffrey inclusive, started eliminating himself, each hoping he would not be the one. It was like when the Apostles were asking Jesus at the last Supper, “Is it I? Is it I?” Geoffrey never knew he was pointing at him or least expected that he could be the one, so he was very much relaxed.

Finally, Pa Elton got at him where he was sitting, again this time, (as on 11th May 1969) at the very back of the auditorium. “Youuuu!!” Geoffrey almost jumped out of his chair with fright, “What sin have I committed?” he wondered.

Pa Elton was such a prophet of God that he could see through people and tell them exactly what was in their minds. For somebody to be pointed out from the crowd by him could be quite a frightening experience for the person involved. As Geoffrey came out, Pa Elton began to prophesy, ―”Yes, you are a young man from the Rivers State. You, the Hand of the Lord is upon you. God is going to call you and send you to your people. His anointing is upon you, and you shall be a mighty instrument in His Hand.” He then told Geoffrey he would like to see him after the fellowship ended.

After the fellowship, Geoffrey stayed back to see Pa Elton. He repeated God’s message to the young man and told him to come over to Ilesha to see him for further discussions and prayers. Geoffrey however did not take the prophecy seriously for he was an ambitious young man who wanted to have degrees in many fields of life. All he wanted at that time was to get his degrees in Geology or Petroleum engineering, not to be a preacher. He was only a brand-new Christian and knew next to nothing about God calling people to serve Him, so Pa Elton’s prophecy meant absolutely nothing to him. He was too engrossed in his academics to bother himself about anything else. He therefore made no attempts to go to Ilesha to see the man of God.

On his own side, Pa Elton was not the kind of person that would cajole, threaten or pressurize anyone into believing his prophetic utterances, for time and events would prove God’s servant right. He knew Geoffrey did not believe him but he left him with God for the Lord Himself would have to reveal His plans to Geoffrey at His own time and in His own way.

Life continued as usual until in 1970, mid-way in his third academic year in the University, something happened to him which entirely revolutionized his life, and the man Elton and his prophecy now took on a new meaning to him - he received the call to serve God full-time – HE SAW A VISION THAT HE WOULD NEVER EVER FORGET.

 Culled from “A Man and A Vision” by Nonyem Numbere. For inquiries visit Crusaders’ bookshop

"A Basket of Miracles”: that was God's proclamation of the Greater Evangelism World Crusade headquarters through His servant, Apostle G. D. Numbere (Founding father, GEWC). The testimonies in the July 2016 Healing Service confirms this fact once again.

Bro. Godspower Harry’s (Read his testimony here) and Sis Lucy Albert, whose daughter was medically diagnosed to have stones, fibroid and a foetus in her womb in 2014, were clear evidence of His abiding presence.  Sis Lucy, whose daughter had experienced severe pain as a result of the stones and fibroid in her womb, chose to believe God’s word concerning the temple and brought her daughter to the temple to pray concerning the situation. Miraculously, God took away the stones and fibroid while the baby remained safe. It might interest you to know that this baby weighed 4.5kg at delivery and the mother did not have surgery.

Through song ministration, the Jubilee Voices led us into God’s presence as we worshiped Him, acknowledging Him to be our shield from all the threats of the enemy. God’s word was quick and powerful, brought to us through the instrumentality of His servant, Pst. Isaac Olori who considered Jesus: Our Good Samaritan with Luke 10:25-37 as text.This sermon exposed the relevance of God’s word to our well-being as Christians, and the emptiness in the heart of men, as many interpret God’s word to justify their selfish desires. This was the case of the Lawyer, who posed a question to Christ just to test Him. Nevertheless, we see Christ, ignoring his intent, but critically explaining the need for eternal life. His explanation revealed that personal study and understanding of God’s word is key to eternal life and our relationship with God. Hence, if you lack the revelation of God’s word, you lack the understanding of eternal life, as eternal/abundant life comes by an increase in the knowledge of God after being born again. 

The second part of this message took its bearing from the question of the Lawyer - "Who is my neighbour?" Jesus, using the story of the Good Samaritan highlighted that the rift between the Jews and Samaritans did not hinder the Good Samaritan from rendering aid to the wounded fellow, neither did he see his own journey as more important than the man lying helpless as a result of the robbery attack. Pastor Isaac Olori highlighted that thieves in this context, could signify the enemy who has come to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10), as a lot of persons have been beaten down by the enemy with sinful lifestyles and good virtues taken away.

Although it was the place of the Priest and Levite to render help to this helpless man following their position in society but they neglected him and went about their responsibilities. He further highlighted that these two (Priest and Levite) represent "Religion" and "Law", which have not perfectly aided the well-being of man. The Good Samaritan then represents “Grace” because he had compassion which the thieves, Priest and Levite did not have.

Hence, like the Good Samaritan, Jesus was moved with compassion and so gave Himself as a complete sacrifice for us. He is also willing to suspend anything to reach us. Also, like the Samaritan paid the bills of the wounded man, Jesus paid more than our debt as He purchased us with a priceless price, which is His blood, and deposited His Spirit inside of us (1 Corinthians 5:5) which is a seal of His ownership, hence we are untouchable.

Finally, we trust God to reveal Himself to you as you spend time to study His word.

Join us next service coming up on the 21st of August 2016 at our World Headquarters.

You can also watch our live services via our livestream channel or listen via our audio link.

GEWC, Bori, Rivers State was the venue of the Missions Boot Camp which held on 9th July, 2016. Paying keen attention to the great commission which is the focus of this department, the Missions Boot Camp was organized yet again to further equip Christians and remind them of the task at hand. Bori, is a community in the Ogoni axis of Rivers State, and the Missions team decided to hold this bootcamp to bring it close to the people within and around this area.

There were three sessions and the several topics were covered on Missions. Teacher Honour Kanam who was the first speaker spoke on “Preparing for Missions and Soul Winning” where he emphasized the need to be ready and thoroughly equipped before launching out because the issue is not one to be taken lightly. The second section was handled by Pastor Sunny A. Akpan teaching on the issue of mobilizing men to do work. God needs men to who are willing and ready to this assignment.

While the last session was taken by Evangelist Victor Ejimadu, Chief Missions Coordinator, speaking on “Partnership in Mission Enterprise”. Speaking, he emphasized the necessity of partners in the kingdom business. Getting into partnership with the Most High is the best deal anyone can ever enjoy.

The program was indeed enlightening as all those in attendance were intensely taught and deeply encouraged to be more committed to this course and see God’s blessings manifest all round.

My name is Brother Godspower Harry from Port Harcourt, Nigeria. I have been hearing of the Church, Greater Evangelism World Crusade, since I was a child but had no interest in being a part of the Ministry or any other church. However, after my experience, I now believe God has a plan for my life. My experience was an eye opener to the antiques of the wicked and I share it to the glory of God.

In the month of May, I rented an apartment in Borikiri, Port Harcourt but was hindered from moving in, as the old tenants refused to vacate the residence. After several pleas on my part and refusal on theirs, I decided to forcefully evict them. This was with intense confrontation on their part, as one of the brothers threatened me saying I will have no peace as I stay in that apartment since they left unhappily. This statement got to me and I hit him twice with my hands. This action was followed by a threat that I would see what would happen to me. I took this threat casually since I believed nothing of those sort.

Two days later, I woke up at about 2:00am to use the convenience and found out, I could not move my right hand and left leg. My situation got worse as the day went by, and I sought help from various sources. This included both traditional and orthodox means. Some gave me traditional oil called “Ojuku Oil”, others anointed oil, some Pastors even insisted I payed money before attending to me, one even told me not to sleep in that house again yet my situation only grew worse. I went to several places seeking help, until a friend of mine attending GEWC, advised me to stop moving from place to place seeking solution, and then brought me to the resident Pastor of GEWC, Club Road Branch Port Harcourt, the branch I now attend.

This Pastor counseled and prayed with me. He told me the dangers of not being born again and I wept sore remembering what I had done in my past. He prayed with me and God miraculously healed me; the hand which had swollen began to reduce. Also, I began to sleep peacefully in my house after he prayed for the apartment and dedicated my family and I to God. He however instructed me to ensure that I am always in right standing with God because the enemy will strike again.

The enemy did strike again, and this time, it was worse than the first. I realized I could no longer excrete. Even when I did, it could be measured by a single teaspoon. The discomfort I felt was unbearable. I was referred to a medical centre where I was told that a catheter will be passed through my organs to aid excretion. I hated this idea, since I felt it was for the aged. For weeks I wept about my condition, and decided to call this my friend who had taken me to GEWC. He was more than a brother to me, he supported me through this phase, financially and otherwise, as I had to stop work because of my condition. During one of his visits, he called his Pastor who prayed for me over the phone, and when the minister was done, he also prayed with me and I vomited profusely. He told me to prepare, as he would take me for the Central Healing Service that Sunday, June 19, 2016 holding at the World headquarters located in Rukpokwu. I was hesitant because the doctors had placed me on an hourly injection and my condition made me visit the rest room almost every second, which was quite embarrassing, so I did not want to disgrace myself in church. Despite the situation, he was persistent and even decided to accompany me to take my medication before heading to the Church that Sunday, and he did. 

Immediately we got to the temple, the first miracle that took place was this; for the period I sat in church, I did not feel like using the rest room, as I was calm like never before. Then after the message by God’s servant, Pastor Isaac Olori, an altar call was made for those who wanted to surrender their lives to Christ. I came and surrendered my life to Christ. There, before the altar, I wept sore, remembering all my sins and then asked God to forgive me.

Thereafter, it was time for the healing prayers and we all were asked to come out.  All I wanted was to get to the front of the altar but before I could make my way to the altar, the place was filled. God’s servant asked us to pray for ourselves while he concluded the prayers. As he rounded off his prayers, immediately we all shouted the last Amen, my stomach churned and I immediately felt the need to use the rest room. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me to locate the convenience, when I inquired of its location I realized it was too far. I found a spot and passed out urine freely like never before. When I gained a bit of control, I walked to the convenience and passed out faeces freely to my amazement and till date, I excrete as a normal person. 

Indeed it was God who delivered me and I give all glory to Him.

Read his complete testimony in the next edition of Living Testimonies.

Pastor Isaac V. Olori, International Director, GEWC visited the Rivers State College of Arts and Science (RIVCAS) on 24th June 2016.

It was like a trip down memory lane as the College was his last place of employment before his appointment as the International Director of Greater Evangelism World Crusade. The School held a 3-day Corporate Prayer and Fasting meeting tagged: God of All Possibilities with Pastor Isaac Olori as the Guest Speaker. The latter appreciated the Rector and Management of the college for the invitation. He expressed his excitement about what God is doing and affirmed that the School remains his constituency.

The College of Arts and Science had been operating as a Polytechnic but had not yet been given it's proper status officially, hence the call for prayers. Speaking on the topic: God of all Possibilities (Matthew 16:19), Pastor Isaac Olori described prayer as one of the greatest resources a person can find on earth. In his words, “Prayer moves the spiritual and the physical. As a man learns how to pray and pray aright, he comes to realize that prayer is a tool to make possibilities happen.” 

He explained further the story of Saul in 1 Samuel 9. Referring to the College, he said, “It seems your name was lost, you have been operating as a polytechnic but not answering the name. I want to declare to you today that, that missing ass is found. The story of this College from this day onward will change. The justice of prayer that we will release in this meeting will not only give you the name you are looking for, but will put the desire of the Government upon this place. Those infrastructural developments and so many other things you are looking for you will begin to see."

Referring to Esther, who fasted and prayed to achieve deliverance for Israel and also Elijah, who prayed and  controlled rain in Israel (James 5:16 - 18), he iterated that when you give yourself truly to prayers, you will receive answers, stressing that there is a spiritual "dynamite" that is released when a righteous man prays because the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Pastor Isaac Olori admonished everyone that their lives should change as well because the purpose of the solemn assembly was also for repentance. Praying for them he said, "I pray that God will not only change this College to a Polytechnic but you too will be lifted. By the reason of the prayers that have been made here these three days, those principalities, powers and dominions that are contending will bow in the Name of Jesus Christ and as I join my faith with yours, the impossible will become possible."

Update:

God answered these prayers as Rivers State College of Arts and Science (RIVCAS) was officially declared a Polytechnic on Monday, 4 July 2016.  It is now known as The Port Harcourt Polytechnic (PortPoly or Port Harcourt Poly).

Greater Evangelism World Crusade Sierra Leone held a 5-Day Children/Teenagers National Retreat from 20th to 24th July 2016  at Sierra Leone Base Church, Freetown.

It was an exciting time as over 53 children and 40 teenagers were in attendance from Greater Evangelism  branches in Base, Dworzark, Lumbley, Madina, Kissy and Makeni.

With the theme: "Involving children in making disciples", several seminars, prayer sessions and teachings held. Some of the topics addressed were: The Vision and You; Overcoming Negative Passion; Career and vocation choices; Coping with Social Challenges; Life after School in the Church and society; Music; Power over sin and bad habits; Developing a winning attitude; Dealing with past memories; The need for counseling etc.

Some practical sessions held were tutorials on Dress making, Cooking, baking and decoration. There was also time for fun and an opportunity to showcase their talents with Quiz and talent competitions, film shows, games & sport.

Ministers who delivered these life-changing sessions include: Pst, Mbalu Taylor-Kamara (Acting National Minister), Evang. Emmanuel Rogers (Senior Pastor, Base Church), Pst. Victor Hasting-Spaine, Pst. Sahr Foday. Pst, Alimamy Taylor-Kamara, Pst. Dorothy Coker, Sis. Martha Max Bangali. Bro. Teddy Kamara, Bro. Edward Kally, Bro. Ibrahim Wright-Samura, Sis. Melvina Turay, Sis. Juliana Moses.