INTERVIEW: The World Direly Needs Christ Now, Says, Pastor Joseph Chike

IN MARCH (2003), the Diocesan Pastor of Port Harcourt, Pastor Joseph Chike, fielded questions from Charismatic Signs at his Aba Road office in Port Harcourt. In this our first  published interview with a Diocesan Pastor, Pastor Chike spoke with candour and wit  on the early stages of the Movement, its vision, their first encounter with the Watchman General Overseer in the early 1980s, and much more...Excerpts:

Could you please recall how you came in contact with the General Overseer of the Watchman Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement, and, by extension, the Movement?

    I think it was in early 1981.  By then I was in the Charismatic Renewal Movement at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Ebute-Metta, Lagos. Before I came in contact with him, I had developed this hunger and desire to know God; hunger for the pure Word of God. The Charismatic Renewal in those days was just a smokescreen and because of the knowledge we had begun to acquire about the Bible, we had become tired of what was being taught there. 

Pastor Joseph Chike

So there was a day, at the St. Paul’s Catholic Church compound, I stood somewhere and prayed unto God asking Him to send us a teacher, a teacher of the Word.  Because whatsoever we were being taught in the Catholic Church, we had become tired of them and it made no impact on our lives. Indeed, there was this desire, a vacuum created, that needed to be filled with the Word of God.  So I made that prayer, just a simple prayer, a straightforward one. Right now, I still can recall the very spot where I stood and made that prayer. Well, little did I know that God answered that prayer? He then sent His servant from Enugu. At Enugu, the Lord had told him to return to Lagos, and specifically to Ebute-Metta.  So, the day he came to the Charismatic Renewal meeting, I was the person moderating that day.  It was our manner to welcome newcomers warmly and to introduce them to other members.  So at the end of the meeting of that day, we welcomed him as our custom is; but we didn’t know the stuff he was made of.

As a new comer then?

Yes, as a new comer!  (Laughter) He was very quiet and humble.  Then at the end of the meeting, I went to him. I asked him where he came from, in what part of Lagos he was living. Then he told me that he was living at Amuwo-Odofin. And I said, No! That place is very far from here. I then advised him to join the Charismatic Renewal at Amuwo-Odofin. But he said no, that it was at Ebutte-Metta that he wished to fellowship. At that time we didn’t know the mission he had. So he continued to fellowship with us and remained very humble and quiet. And at that initial stage, he didn’t discuss anything with anybody.

In those days, every evening we would be at St. Paul’s Ebute-Metta, because we were very zealous.  Also, after his day’s work at G. Cappa at Oyingbo, he would also come to St. Paul’s. We didn’t know what he had in mind.  So he continued to interact with us, and to observe us. So, one day, at fellowship, I asked him to help us say the closing prayers. The prayer he made that day was very unusual to us (as Roman Catholics).  We were so touched that those of us who had a burning desire for the pure Word of God, knew immediately that he had a different spirit.  That was how he won all of us over.  We immediately followed him and we became friends, interacting with him. But he was still observing us. Then one day, he asked me to visit him.  I took some of the brethren and we went to where he was living, at Amuwo-Odofin.  He began to tell us about the vision, but at that time we knew next to nothing about vision. Later, I invited him to join the Core Group, and he joined us. One day, we asked him to prepare a topic to teach us during fellowship.  So he prepared a topic and delivered it at the meeting that day.  It was a pure salvation message, which we had never heard before!  It was quite different from what we were used to.  That was how many people were born again. So after that, I said to him:  You will be teaching us from now because you have something higher than what we have, and that thing you have is what we need.

So, when we started giving him teachings on regular basis, opposition came from the Core Group members. They said his teachings were not Catholic teachings. But we continued following him. One day, Fr. Cooney, the parish priest, called me and advised me to beware of Aloysius [Ohanebo]. They trusted me, because at that time, I was the Catechist, and I was very vibrant and zealous for the Catholic Church. But he continued to teach us nevertheless. And even though we had opposition from among the Core Group members, we still desired to have him teach us every time.  We decided to establish a forum that would not be headed by a Core Group member. And we called it:  Movement For Total Repentance, and we usually met after every Sunday evening mass. Also, we called it Come And See. So, we obtained permission to use the Social Centre of the parish. And there, as we gathered continually, he continued to teach us and taught us through to salvation.  Many of us were born again and our eyes were opened.

So, he became our darling; and we followed him; we didn’t know him from Adam, but we followed him because of the qualities we saw in him. That’s how he continued to teach us and guide us. And when there was uproar in the Church as a result of our meetings and his teachings, they banned us from using the Social Centre for our evening meetings. Then, fortunately for us, two weeks before we were banned, I had got a flat at   No. 5, Ojo-Oniyun Street,Ebute Metta; so, we moved straight to that my flat, with about 15 people or so.  That was in May 1983.  He started teaching us everything, exposing all the deep truths of God. So, that is how we came in contact with him and by extension embraced the vision.

Pastor A.C. Ohanebo (Left) Arrives For The Opening

Ceremony Of 'Mbaise On The Hill' - A Two Weeks 

WCCRM National Evangelistic Outreach Held In Mbaise,

Imo State, Nigeria  In April 2001. Right Is Pastor Joseph

 Chike, Diocesan Pastor, Port Harcourt.

At the initial stage when the vision was shared, were there some fears?  Because when you look at what the vision entailed, I mean, confronting such a   large institution ... seeking to get it revived, and all that?

There were no fears per se, but we were at a loss as to how this small group of people can execute the vision. But we believed him. That was one thing that was going for us. We believed our teacher and the teachings from the Scriptures. Yes, we believed him. We never doubted him. Though there was still that slight fear. When we looked at the whole ecclesiastical order, we sometimes wondered how this small group of people could really execute the vision. But he kept on imparting the vision into us, until our eyes were opened to the living truth.

Okay, let’s look at the foundation; certainly there must have been some special qualities in the people that were there at the beginning ... in short how was it in the beginning?

     In those early days, we had things in common.  Every person bought the vision. Our eyes were set on a single target; we didn’t look at any other thing.  Some of us were business people. But the vision became our rising thought and our sleeping thought. We were ready to forego anything in order to achieve the vision. Indeed, the entire membership at that time had one single purpose. There was nothing like inordinate ambition.  We flocked together as brethren. There was total trust, no suspicion whatsoever.  So, whatever virtues we had in those days, that made us what we were, they were the qualities we imbibed from our leader.  He was humble, selfless, honest, and sincere to the core and had a desire to make heaven himself.  He tried so much to inculcate these qualities in us. He told us about the danger of failing to perform, that if people perished because nobody warned them, that God will require their blood at our hands.  

 

In This 1999 File Picture, Pastor A.C. Ohanebo (Middle)
Welcomes The Representative Of The Minister Of Education
 To The Opening CeremonyOf Logos International Secondary
School (LOGISS), Awo Omamma, Imo State,Nigeria,
On Saturday, 16 November 1999.

So nobody felt that whatsoever he owned belonged to him; we were just like the believers in the early Church.  We were so given to the vision. Indeed, our knowledge that the person we were following was a very honest person, sincere, humble and righteous helped beef up our confidence.  Our pastor used to tell us in those days that we should not be dismayed because our persecutors are  people who do not pray, but we pray;  they don’t have the truth, but we have the truth; they are not living right, but we live right.  Indeed, God would always be on the side of the righteous.

What is your counsel now to younger Watchmen?

My counsel is that they should continue to follow our footsteps, eschewing every inordinate ambition, keeping their minds focused on heaven and endeavouring to see that souls are saved.  We were not aspiring for leadership, and there was no love of money at all.  Let their eyes be single, following the vision.  They are even in a better position now, because in those days, we were still very few and the servant of God has not reached this height he has reached now. But he was able to carry us along at that time and we submitted to him, let alone now that God has elevated him to this height. In those days when we looked at the multitude of the unsaved, we were moved with compassion. Our popular Scripture at that time was Isaiah. 62:1: “For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, for Jerusalem’s sake will I not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth”. So my advice is that first and foremost, they must ensure that they make heaven, and secondly, endeavour to take   multitudes to heaven through this our work and vision.

What do you think is the world’s most pressing need now?

The world’s most pressing need is very, very clear and plain, that is the salvation of the billions of souls.  The world is made up of about seven billion people and the entire world lieth in darkness. You see and hear of wars and rumours of wars, man’s inhumanity to other human beings, wide-spread murders. Immorality has become a culture all over the world and these are great sins that will take people to hell.  So what the world needs now is not the United Nation or any of the Unions, African or European, or NATO for peace. No, what the people of the world urgently need now is to accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and then have the peace of God that passeth every understanding.  So the greatest need the world has presently is for people to be saved; they should give their lives to Jesus Christ.

Pastor Joseph Chike At  The Opening Ceremony Of

LOGISS On November 16, 1999

How is the Watchman responding to this need?

I thank God that the Watchman Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement is responding to this need of the world; hence God gave us the Three-fold End-time Project, which will ultimately result in the salvation and revival of the entire world. God has given us to host the annual International Gospel Ministers Conference of the Hour (IGMC), as a forum where our pastor explains God’s programme for salvaging the world in this end-time. I can say that this three-fold end-time project which God has committed into the hands of the Watchman is our response to the need of the world right now.

Thank you, Sir. Now, tell us about Port Harcourt.

We thank God for what He is doing in Port Harcourt. He has made us a lot of promises which we are pursuing with every vigour, faith and patience. He has promised us revival, unprecedented revival! That is what we pray for everyday; there is no day that will pass without us mentioning this promise of an unprecedented revival of souls in our prayers. It is gathering momentum also because God has equally promised us a lot of financial blessings with which to execute the job. God has said that Port Harcourt diocese is going to be the Joseph of the Watchman and we believe the Word that God has spoken through His servant.
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March 2003

REPORTER'S DIARY: Thursday Afternoon With The Diocesan Pastor Of Port Harcourt

PASTOR Joseph Chike was in the company of two other men when I arrived his Aba Road office in Port Harcourt that Thursday afternoon.

The sun was shining at its most brilliant best, warmly bathing the Garden City with its golden rays.  Despite the near-stinging effect of the sun, it was indeed such a bright, beautiful afternoon, one that provoked pleasant feelings and encouraged extra friendliness even towards total strangers.

 Indeed, it was an afternoon well suited for the equally pleasant assignment that had brought me to Port Harcourt that day.

Pastor Joseph Chike During The Interview

The visit to Port Harcourt was a recent idea conceived to serve a most significant need of today.  Indeed, the Watchman Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement has continued to record a tremendous influx of men and women seeking to know God better and craving His intervention in several aspects of their lives.

The pure, undiluted Word of God being continuously dished out from the Watchman Pulpit of Many Colours and the sound, examplary   Christian conduct which the Movement is known for and which it promotes with matchless zeal has continued to constitute great attraction to many sincere seekers of God.

Indeed, tremendous blessings and deliverance have reached many people, even outside the Movement, as God continues to demonstrate to all and sundry that the Watchman Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement is a place He has chosen to place His name, His Word, His Spirit and His power. 

Also, a  couple of years ago, God gave a revelation to the Watchman General Superintendent, Pastor A. C. Ohanebo, on His Three-fold End-time Project, which He, also, has committed in the hand of the Watchman as the instrument He has elected to use to champion the project. 

Pastor A.C. Ohanebo, General Superintendent, Watchman Catholic

Charismatic Renewal Movement

This Three-fold End-time Project has given rise to the International Gospel Ministers’ Conference of the Hour (IGMC) organized annually by the Movement as the forum where Pastor Ohanebo gives series of expository lectures to explain the details of the vision and the modus operandi for its execution as he received it from the Lord.

This conference has been a great blessing to many pastors, evangelists, Church leaders, missionaries and several ministers from Nigeria and several parts of the world who are embracing the vision in great numbers.  The number of participants to IGMC has continued to swell tremendously every other year.

Given these developments, questions are beginning to be asked by observers and other Christians in several quarters: what is the history of this Movement and wherein lies its strength   that makes it possible for it to stand and tower even in the midst of abounding decay, holding aloft   the time-tested, God-honoured, cherished ideals, life-style and practices of Apostlean era Christianity and propagating same with equal zeal and strength? 

Pastor Joseph Chike

The answer is not far-fetched.  Indeed, the strength of any building is in its foundation.  So, what are those exceptional Christian virtues and qualities with which the foundation of the Movement was laid, and which those very early Watchmen and direct converts of Pastor Ohanebo had learned from him, have continued to abide in, and have  passed on to later generations of Watchmen? 

These same virtues have continued to constitute the Movement’s distinguishing character.  And it is only from those early Watchmen who heard directly from Pastor Ohanebo at very close quarters, who observed him closely, and imbibed the exceptional Christian life and character he lived and advocated who would be in the best position to provide the answers.

This will help older Watchmen to seek further consecration  and closer walk with the Lord in order not to be swept away by the ravaging wind of these last days. It will also serve as an essential orientation to new entrants and some others outside who are coming in contact with the Movement from time to time in order to help them become better Christians and remain in the experience.

At Charismatic Signs, we thought it urgent to go after one of the elders, get these information from him and publish same for the edification of our readers.

So, when I got Pastor Joseph Chike on the telephone and shared these concerns with him and he agreed to talk, I was elated. 

And when I was shown to his office that afternoon, the serenity of the place was a direct contrast to the bustle of human and vehicular activity at Aba Road whose clear view I could still command from his first floor office.

Pastor Joseph Chike And His Wife, Fidelia,  At A
WCCRM National Leadership Conference  At Logos  
International Secondary School (LOGISS),  Awo Omamma,
Imo State, Nigeria, In 2003 

His visitors soon left and we commenced talking. We spoke for about fifty minutes.

It was Pastor Chike who had prayed at a spot he could still remember at the premises of St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Ebute-Metta, Lagos, in the early 1980s asking God to send them a Bible teacher because of the deep yearning of his heart to know God more. 

And when eventually God sent Pastor Ohanebo to that parish and Pastor Chike discovered the stuff he was made of, he embraced his teachings with all his heart.

 He was particularly struck by his humility and exceptional, transparent Christian character. So he was stuck to him. It was also the same with some others with whom he had been in the then Catholic Charismatic Renewal.

And despite the strong opposition that arose from those who were averse to true Christian doctrine and practice, they still continued to meet in the evenings, learning at the feet of Pastor Ohanebo until they were all taught to salvation.

In May 1983, they were shown the way out of the place by those who could no longer stomach their new faith and new lives. At that time, Pastor Chike had found and hired a flat at Ojo-oniyun Street , Ebute- Metta, and his palour became their maiden fellowship centre.

Pastor Chike spoke more. He told me of their selflessness in service   which they had learnt from Pastor Ohanebo, their obedience, lack of inordinate ambition, right-living and strict pursuit of heaven as a singular ambition.

In the next edition of Charismatic Signs, I will publish the interview with Pastor Chike.

It is my belief that we so much need the counsel of these early Watchmen, born out of genuine experience, in other to survive these last days.

Incidentally, the Sunday before that Thursday, Pastor Ohanebo was at the 16B, Elechi Beach Fellowship Centre of the Watchman in Port-Harcourt.  And Pastor Chike in a pre-message remark told the audience that they were  about to hear his pastor and mentor under whose ministry he had sat for over twenty years; the man he yearns to hear always.

Strange miracles happened during Pastor Ohanebo’s ministrations in Port Harcourt that Sunday.  You can be sure that Charismatic Signs   will not fail to give you every detail of it.

--By The EDITOR

    May 2003
=========


Click Here To Read The Pastor Chike Interview

Salvation, So Glorious

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. (Ps 24:3-5).

BEFORE Sister Francisca Ntali of Aggrey Road Parish, Town District, of the Port Harcourt Diocese of the Watchman Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement yielded her life wholly to God and became a sound Christian, the devil had sought to introduce several complications in her life in order to lock her out perpetually from the kingdom.

She had grown up to realize that some evil spirits from the water had possessed her and had begun to manipulate her life. In the course of time, she gradually became conscious of the fact that she possessed some strange, sinister powers.

When she was offered admission to study Chemical Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria, she possessed incomplete School Certificate papers to enable her enroll for the course. But moved by the same devil that had been  manipulating her life, she obtained a fake one, registered for the course and progressed to become a three hundred level student in Chemical Engineering.

But after responding to an altar call during a Combined Sunday meeting in Port Harcourt not too long ago, Francisca’s life was completely transformed and all her links with evil spirits were broken. She became a brand new creature, a vibrant Watchman, worshipping God happily in Port Harcourt.

Later, Francisca, full of gratitude to God for setting her free, shared the testimony of how God in His infinite mercies and compassion, delivered her. Her testimony:

“God, who is very merciful, has shown His great mercy towards me, granted me salvation and set me free from evil spirits from the water.

My troubles started when I was still in my mother’s womb. I was told that my late grand-father had warned my mother to be careful with the baby in her womb (that is, me) or else the baby will leave her.

I would remember that there was a time when my mother would ask me to read the Bible and I would refuse. At that time, she would beat me. In fact, I did not understand what she was saying.

 But unknown to me, I had some evil spiritual powers. Once, a girl offended me, and I told her that she would see something. The following day, I heard that she had developed boils all over her body or was it small-pox. She then asked my friends to come and beg me, having told them that her problem came after I had threatened her.

 I did several other strange things that convinced me that I possessed strange powers. All these happened when I was growing up.

“It now happened that I got married spiritually to an evil spirit of the water. Whenever I slept, I would see myself being transported to the world of water spirits, and some little fishes, snakes, very big fishes, a strange object that was half-human and half-fish would come to welcome me.

Then the half human-half-half-fish being would come to me and say: ‘welcome, my wife, I have been waiting for you’. But I would quickly reply: ‘I am not your wife’. When I tried to escape, they would catch me and tell me that I belonged to them.

I was not able to escape from them, so, when I woke up, I would start crying. And then, the water spirit would be telling me that I should know that I was her daughter, and that she had been waiting for me. Whenever this happened, and I woke up later, I would start crying.

This continued to happen. Each time I slept, I would see myself enfolded by water, though I would be on dry land. The water spirit would be telling me that I was her daughter and that I can’t escape it, that I belong to their world. Each time I slept, I would only be seeing their faces, and I would wake up to start crying.

When I traveled to my village, my grandmother would refuse to allow me to take bath at the stream because, she was afraid that they might take me away. Each time I wanted to go to the stream, she would insist that somebody to accompanied me. Before long, I started to produce children in the spirit world.

“More strange things happened. A man reneged on his promise to give me money; I told him that he will meet with some misfortune. It happened to him that way.

Later, the water spirit gave me the day and time she will come to take me, since I was stubborn and had refused to come on my own. That day, I refused to enter the house.

Before this time, my mother had become a Christian, and had been persuading me to give my life to Christ. But I would always tell her that I wanted God to give me a special calling as it happened to the people of old. But she would tell me that God called people in diverse ways. After that I began to see visions of the Rapture. When I told my mother about them, she would say that that was God’s way of calling me.

“A day came, and the Combined Sunday Service of the Watchman Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement was holding in Port Harcourt.

I was in attendance and the message entitled: “The Proselytes, The Penitent And The Converted” was given. It was a very moving message.

After the message, an altar call was made. I came out and prayer was made for me. Immediately, I felt weak and it happened as if something was removed from me. My life was changed.

And from that day, I started burning all the worldly things I had in the house. I loved “weave-on”, but I had to dispose of that. I gave my hair a low-cut to show physically that I had commenced a new beginning in Christ.

After I had given my life to Christ, I began dropping all worldly things. I needed also to address the matter of my WAEC results.

When I was offered admission in one of the Universities, I had no complete WAEC papers. So, I had to secure fake results to secure the admission. But now that I have given my life to Christ, I had to withdraw from the University because, I knew that the O’level results I presented to secure the admission were not genuine.

 Presently, I am supposed to be a fourth year undergraduate of Chemical Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. I am happy for the restitution I have made, even though I have no degree now. I know that I am walking in the path of righteousness of God and I am sure of making heaven at last .

Praise the Lord.”

Missing Child Recovered After Two Years

“O sing unto the Lord a new song; for He hath done marvelous things: His right hand, and His holy arm, hath gotten Him the victory” – Psalm 98:1

PRAISE the Lord! My name is Chukwudi Obilite and I worship at the Oshodi Parish of the Watchman Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement, Lagos. I have shared this testimony before, but I promised then that when I eventually recover my daughter, I will bring her to confirm the authenticity of the testimony.

I want to summarize what I had said earlier, that my daughter had been missing since October 8, 2006. When I returned from the IGMC of that year, on a Saturday night, I advised that one of my younger sisters who was ill should be brought to my house. When she came, I prayed for her.

 I noticed the following morning that she was having a running stomach and also vomiting. So, I left my daughter with her to keep her company, while I went to church, after ensuring that she took some medications. But when I returned from the church service, behold, my daughter was no where to be found. She had left the house, missed her way back since we were new in that area, and went too far away from our street in her attempt to trace her way back.   That’s how we lost her.

Sweet Re-Union: The Recovered Child With Her Parents

The search for her began and life became very miserable indeed. Given the kind of society in which we reside, where people look for money by all means, there were fears that something bad may have happened to her. As the search for her endured for months, and yielded no fruit, some fellows began to make some very damaging insinuations against me. They said several uncomplimentary things about me.

Sometimes, when I was led to preach the word of God in the neighbourhood, some people would laugh and make mockery of me, and even go to the extent of alleging that I may have used my daughter for money-making rituals, and that I was using church to cover up my evil. In fact, some attributed my gradual progress in business to some occult influences. I heard all these but kept my peace. And   while in my closet, I would take the matter continually to God in prayer, asking for His intervention.

After the search for her had lasted for about a month and there was no news about her, I went to my pastor and called on him to rise to the occasion. After praying with me, he gave me full assurance from the Lord that my daughter was alive, but added that what he was not sure of was when exactly she would be found. He concluded that it could be a matter of months or years but what he was fully convinced of was that God would bring her back.

Sometime in June last year (2008), during one of our Charismatic Hour fellowships, our pastor informed the congregation that God had said we should be singing His praises. We went into praise-singing and worship and in the course of it, by the word of knowledge, the pastor said that God was going to do something wonderful to a brother. He said the thing would be so great that the brother in question would come out to roll on the floor to appreciate what the Lord had done.

Later in the week after our Charismatic Hour fellowship, my pastor’s wife called my number and informed me of a news item she read in one of the newspapers where my name was mentioned. I hurriedly went for the paper which spoke about my daughter, and that was when the process to recover her began with the authorities. I then traveled to an orphanage in Abeokuta where she was kept and after identifying her, the paper work for her reclamation began.

Interestingly, she was to have been given out for adoption in June 2008, the same month we got hint of her whereabouts, but the Lord worked it out and today she is back home to where she belongs. Praise the Lord!