Christ Apostolic Church Youth Fellowship (CACYOF), Glory of God Assembly, Akure Ondo state will on Sunday July 8, 2018 celebrate her 20thanniversary. Activities scheduled to marked the anniversary started on Monday July 2, 2018.
In this interview with ‘GBENGA BANKOLE, their Fellowship Coordinator, Mr. Isreal O. Afolayan speaks on their achievements since the last 20years, how the church can prepare the youth for political leadership and other typical issues. EXCERPT!
Kindly introduce yourself
I am Israel O. Afolayan. By the grace of God, I am the Youth Coordinator of Christ Apostolic Church, Glory of God Assembly, Akure. I am opportune to be a student of Meteorology and Climate Science from the Federal University of Technology Akure.
Tell us briefly about CACYOF, Glory of God Assembly
CACYOF, Glory of God Assembly is the youth wing of the church and majorly called the Glorious Youths. The premium the church places on the development of the youth is encapsulated in 3 "Ds" approach of the visioner; Discover, Develop and Declaration.
The mission of the church which is to "strengthen thy brethren" finds ready compliments in the environment in which the church is situated few meters away from the Federal University of Technology, Akure.
When the church started in 1995, some FUTA Students joined and a group was encouraged to form the FUTA Brethren group within the church. After the mantle of leadership fell on a young but dynamically pragmatic vessel in person of Bro. Shola Oladiran (who was later ordained as an evangelist in the church in 2003), the FUTA Brethren group transformed to the Youth Fellowship of the church and thus, he became the first President of the Fellowship and presently the Youth Minister.
The group which started in 1997 with just about 10 students witnessed astronomical growth in 1999 - 2000 with a numerical strengths of hundredths.
The youth fellowship caters for the general wellbeing of young ones in the church including secondary school students and higher institutions starting from FUTA to all other parts of the country.
Tell us about your 20th anniversary
Our 20th Anniversary is a celebration of God's faithfulness over the years and also to have experiences of encounters with God which is one of the major reasons why we decided to make it a week convention and not just a jamboree.
Expatiate more on activities line up to mark the 20th anniversary
By the Grace of God, it is a week convention starting from Monday, 2nd July to Sunday, 8th July 2018.
The breakdown of the programme go thus;
Monday - Prayer Power Night
Tuesday - Word Power Night
Wednesday - Evangelistic Outreach to Ipinsa and Aaye Towns
Thursday - Drama Night
Friday - Worship Music Concert
Saturday - Love Feast, Alumni Reunion, Leadership, Entrepreneur, Marriage and Relationship Talk
Sunday - Anniversary Thanksgiving Service
Who are your invited speakers?
By the Grace of God we shall be having for the week Evang. Shola Oki from Akure, Pastor Mike David (composer of "Je ti Jesu Lai"), from Abeokuta, and Apostle Dare Ademulegun from Akure.
So also, we have the host ministers, Pastor A. E. Arijesuyo (Ph.D) and Pastor & Lady Evang. J. M. Owoyemi (Ph.D).
What has being your major achievement since the last 20years?
To God being the glory so far, he has been our help.
It is on record that the fellowship invited and successfully brought a foreign Missionary (Mama Ruth Elton) to the church as a Guest Minister during one of her programs in 1999 thereby fulfilling an earlier prophecy of the founding minister at the inception of the church.
So also several academic distinctions has been recorded in the fellowship with an average of at least one 1st class graduand at every convocation in FUTA or other institutions since 2002.
The fellowship has also been able to produce great leaders who are currently making marks in their spiritual life, ministries, academics and other chosen career.
These and many more achievements were made by Presidents and executives of past and present tenures.
Majority of the youths in CAC have being complaining that Ministers of His are not giving them chance to display their God given talents. What is your opinion about this?
Hmmm. . . I have two views to this. From the angle of the ministers, I see such minister as one who takes no interest in the future of the church but concerned about the present time in which they feature.
From the angle of such youths, there is a time for your manifestation. When it is the appointed time, nobody can stop you if you don't stop yourself.
What is the way forward?
To the youths, be patient enough to discover the right time and location for your manifestation. And to the ministers, it's high time our fathers began to think about those who will take their places after they are translated to the world beyond at old age.
What is your message to youths who are departing from the church?
Each youth have peculiar reasons why they leave their church, but I know one of the major reasons is that "our church is too local". One question I have for such people is that, when we all leave who will make the changes?
This is our own Jerusalem, let us seek her leadership.
How can the church prepare the youth for political leadership?
I believe that some of the major roles of a Christian youth in politics are to restore purity, trust and unity to the nation. One of the ways the church can help prepare youths for political leadership is to teach them the true word of God and imbibe the administrative lifestyle/skills of our Lord Jesus Christ in them.