Annual Glory Conference 2024

Glory Conference 2024 started with a Workers’ seminar facilitated by Pastor Dr. Tosin Oladipo. He spoked on Power for Service with the scriptural text taken from Acts 1:8. While introducing the topic, he defined the two key words in the topic namely Power and Service. In defining the two terms, he defined Power as the dynamic ability to cause something to happen or to cause changes while Service was defined as the passionate and sacrificial pursuits of the fulfilment of God’s purpose with our time, treasures and talents. He went further to explain that the purpose of God is to see that all men come to saving knowledge of salvation that is Christ Jesus and be established in the church. He made the congregants that the church is the agency for the fulfilment of God’s purpose on the earth and that our reasonable and acceptable service must be connected to the structure of a local church, emphasizing that disciples are made in the community of Faith.

Furthermore, he reiterated to the congregants why serving is important. In establishing the importance of service, he made the congregants understand that serving is our life purpose (Matt 8:35, Acts 13:36) and that they are merely existing and not living until they learn how to serve in the purpose of God. Also, he told the congregants that service makes them more like Jesus (Matt 20:28). While explaining this, he made the congregants realize that one of the signs of maturity is service. Furthermore, he explained that service is the highest use of our time and resources on the face of the earth (1 Cor 15:58). In addition, he told the congregants that the proof of their love for God is shown through our service. He encouraged to see their service as unto God and not unto man and as such, our service must be driven by their love for God. He made the congregants understand that service is the secret to greatness in the Kingdom. He explained further that true greatness does not come from title but from service. He emphasized that true greatness comes from servanthood, living for others. As one of the reasons why service is important, he told the congregants that serving God has unmatchable dividend on earth (Mark 10:29-30, Exo 23:25), because God will never owe any man. He concluded the importance of service by emphasizing that the only thing that is rewarded in heaven is our commitment to the purpose of God.

While building on the second key word in the topic - Power, Dr Tosin gave reasons why power is indispensable for acceptable and effective service. In introducing the reasons for power, he started by making the workers realize that the purpose of God cannot be executed without His power (Acts 10:38). He emphasized that God’s purpose cannot be accomplished with the arm of flash.  He made the workers realize that God’s purpose is Kingdom against Kingdom (Matt 12:25-30) and that when kingdom comes against kingdom, it takes power to overcome them. Another reason for power, is because it takes power to generate result (Acts 19:13) as power brings an end to struggle. He made the workers realize that Kingdom endeavor without power is just a mere show, knowing fully well that they are called to Edification and not entertainment. He concluded on the need for power by reiterating that God’s power is what adds extra to man’s ordinary and super to man’s natural.

In explaining what the workers need to do to have God’s power, he made them realize that the power of God requires their emptiness as the purpose of God is carried on the shoulders of empty men. Also, he made them understand that deep, unquestionable hunger and thirst is indispensable if they are to be endued with power. He told them that there are things they must lose to gain God’s power (Phil 3:3-11) since a man that will carry God’s power will have no claim to any right whatsoever. He admonished the workers to reflect on what they are carrying presently that they need to drop, what they need to unlearn to be able to carry God’s power. He emphasized that if the workers empty themselves, they will provide a vessel for God to use. Furthermore, he explained that God’s power requires spending quality time in God’s presence on a regular basis (Acts 4:13). He reiterated that the only thing we cannot afford to lose is the presence of God and encouraged the workers to make carrying and having the presence of God a priority.  In addition, to be endued with power, the workers have to be passionate and compassionate about the transformation of mankind as God’s power is sometimes released in exponential level through Kingdom partnership. Also, the workers made to understand that God’s power requires continuous walk in obedience, reiterating that obedience in the Kingdom as commanded and not as convenient. Besides, the workers learnt that God’s power operates by love, is triggered by faith, requires focus, is transferable, contagious and can be received by contact through impartation (1 Sam 10:10).  He reiterated that one of the problems of our generation is distraction. The seminar was brought to a close by the NO – Pastor Taiwo making the workers understand that they are just another boat available for God’s use and hence indispensable after which he prayed for workers present in the seminar.

During the Miracle Service, the NO – Pastor Taiwo Fagbuyi spoke on the topic: A New Name using Gen 32:38; Isa 43:1 and Isa 62:2 as his scriptural references. He introduced the topic by telling the congregants that every one bears a new either positive or negative and the names they bear express their identities. He went further by explaining the sources of name. He said names could be given by parents (1 Chron 4:9) in case of Jabez, by strangers (Exo 2 :10), by relatives and friends (Luke 1:59-64), self or individual (Ruth 1:20-21) in case of Naomi, unbelievers (Isa 62:2-4), Satan (Luke 8: 6-39, 1 Sam 28:7-8) and God (Gen 17:17-19, Luke 1:13).  He told the congregants that many people are bearing names in the spiritual realm that do are not aware of.  He reiterated that a man will manifest the realities of his name and except there is a divine intervention that manifestation/experience will continue perpetually. He went further to tell the congregant that a man will always answer to his name. He told the congregants that God always call people by the destiny He has ordained for them while life defines you by your experience. God names people by His original plan, intention, what they can be. Furthermore, he told the congregants what identifies a man who needs a new name. He said a man who is not save, a man whose realities contradicts his prophecies (Gen 3:27-28), a man who notice a hereditary trait in his life (Gen 20:2, 26:7, 27:18-19), one living in fear (Gen 32:7-11), a man whose reward do not commensurate with his efforts (Gen 30:26-27) and a man ho is helpless to help himself needs a new name. He went further by telling the congregants that God is in the business of changing peoples’ name to align with their prophetic realities. He concluded by telling the congregants what they must do to have a new name. To have a new name, he told the congregants that they have to take responsibility, explaining that the biggest problem of any man is self-delusion. Also, he told the congregants that for them to have a new name, they need to do what Jacob did by approaching God for help. He told the congregants that Jacob held on to God until he got the change that he desired and encouraged the congregants to confess the new name that they desired. The evening session was brought to a close by Pastor Tosin Oladapo who led the closing prayer.

Sunday October 20, the Grand Finale of the conference featured dance presentation from the Chosen Generation, the youth arm of the parish and moment of intense worship session led by the Guest Artiste – Lady Evangelist Dr Moji Alawiye. The NO – Pastor Taiwo Fagbuyi spoke on the theme of the conference – The Glory of this latter House. Picking his scriptural text from Haggai 2:1-9. He introduced the topic taking the congregants through the creation of man, how man lost the Glory due to sin. He went further to explain the construction of the first temple by Solomon, the Glory that filled the temple when it was dedicated. Relating this to why the elders who witnessed the Glory of the first temple were weeping because the glory was incomparable to the temple that was being dedicated in Haggai 2. He went further telling the congregants that God is glorious. He took the congregants through the 3 dimensions of God’s Glory namely Doxa (Radiant, splendor that manifest through creation, God’s glory seen in creation), Kabod (Weight, honor, power and significance that manifest in people) and Shekinah (Glory that manifest because of God’s presence). Furthermore, he told the congregants that everything about man at creation was glorious. He took the congregants through seven things that can happen to a man’s glory. Expatiating on this, he said glory can be stolen (Judges 16:16-20), defiled (Ps 4:2), can be exchanged, transferred and sold (Gen 25:26-34, 48:8-20), can be hijacked or manipulated (Gen 30:25-30), can depart (1 Sam 4:16-22), can be buried (Eze 37:12-14) and finally glory can sleep (Ps 57:8). He told the congregant he has not come to excite them but to tell them the mind of God. He took the congregants through what Christianity used to be in years past and the present state of the church. He encouraged the congregants that there is hope as redemption brings restoration of glory (1 Thess 2:12, 1 Pet 5:10, Luke 15:11-32).  He went further by telling the congregants what they have to do for glory to be restored. Building on this, he told them that God is the owner, giver and dispenser of Glory (Ps 84:11) and for glory to be restored, salvation is a must as man can never get God’s blessing on his own term. Also, for glory to be restored, there is a need to walk uprightly before God (Pro 4:18, Gen 17:1, 2 Chron 16:9). He told the congregants that uprightness brings glory. He encouraged the congregants to be straight, not to be two faced and avoid serving God with pretense. Also, he told the congregants that a life that honors God will experience Glory (1 Sam 2:30). In addition, he encouraged the congregants to demonstrate their love for God through obedience (John 14:23). Expatiating on this, he explained that man lost the glory because of disobedience and the glory can be restored back through obedience. Diverting a bit, he took the congregants through the four levels of obedience telling them that their obedience must be positive (John 2:5, they are to obey God and never complain), prompt, perfect and perpetual. He encouraged the congregants not to cherry pick which of God’s instruction to obey as Satan will always hide behind their disobedience to inflict injury on them. Still dwelling on what to do for the glory to be restored, he told the congregants to value and pay utmost attention to the word of God (Isa 66:2), admonishing them that the only one who comes to God is the one who values His word. In addition, he encouraged them to maintain a life of integrity like Joseph (Gen 45:9-15) if they are to experience restoration of glory.  Furthermore, he admonished the congregants to love the church in practical ways and be an added value to the work of God in the parish. He told them there is place for everyone and encouraged them not to leave their place vacant no be the weak link in the church. He emphasized that the congregants should be available for God’s work both as needed and as gifted. He reiterated that the will of God is not to be prayed about but should be promptly done. He opined that a Christian who filled his spirit man once a week will be a weak Christian suggesting that they should be part of the parish where the grass is green and the bread is fresh and not stale.  The message was followed after with a thanksgiving session availing the congregants to thank God for a successful conference and the conference was brought to a close by the NS – Pastor Dr Tosin Oladapo.