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| President, CAC Nigeria and Overseas, Pastor Samuel Olusegun Oladele |
By Rachael Oke & Oluwagbenga Bankole
As the journey of the new year unfolds, the President, Christ Apostolic Church Nigeria and Overseas, Pastor Samuel Olusegun Oladele has emphasized the need for believers to preserve positive memories.
Speaking during the annual official visit of the president to C.A.C. General Headquarters in Lagos on Sunday, January 12, 2025, the president noted that keeping good memories are ways to remember God’s sustaining grace despite the hurdles of life.
Addressing congregants on the topic "Remember" from the book of Deuteronomy 8, the president posed a thought-provoking question regarding what had been their primary concern while reflecting on the previous year, 2024, emphasizing that an individual's character significantly influences their memories and the way they recall past experiences.
“As we look back to year 2024 and years before that, what should we be concerned with as we look back?” He asked.
“As a man or a woman is, so shall be his remembrance; what you are is what you will remember.” He added.
Comparing life to an empty diary, Pastor Oladele underscored the profound impact of memories.
“Life is like a clean slate or an empty diary; by what you do or what you do not do, you write something on that clean slate of life all the time. Every day by what we do or do not, we make entries into the diaries of life.” He explained.
Applying the example of Jesus Christ and what Pilate wrote about Him on the cross, the president said, “When the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, was brought before Pilate the judge, who condemned Him to death and wrote the inscription of His accusation which was hung on the cross which says ‘This is Jesus of Nazareth, The King of the Jews’. The Bible tells us how the Jewish religious leaders came and began to beg Pilate to change the writing saying that Pilate should not say that He (Jesus) is the king of the Jews, but that He claimed to be the King of the Jews and the answer they got from Pilate was that what he had written was irrevocable.”
“This applies to everyone of us – everyday we write things and make entries into the empty diaries of life by what we do or do not do; we are piling up memories for ourselves which cannot be changed. It is going to be said of us that what we have written we have written. What Pilate wrote that day was read by the Jews and by generation and is still being read by millions of people on earth today.” He noted.
He then urged congregants to reflect on their past and present actions, inactions, and consider the legacy they wish to leave behind.
“If you look back at what you wrote with your life last year, are you happy or sad? That's one thing we need to consider whenever we want to embark on a projects, want to talk, act or join others to do one thing or the other. Think of how you want to feel when you remember that which you want to do now.” He said.
Pastor Oladele cautioned that some individuals may have a distorted view of their past, taking pleasure in recalling their wrongdoing which according to him, is abusing memory.
“We can be wrong in our retrospect; when some people look back, they think with pleasure about things they ought not to have done. They relish the pleasure of sin which they did then; they love it and wish they could repeat that kind of pleasure of sin.” He explained.
He explained that this mindset stems from a corrupted sense of values.
“The taste of some people is so much corrupted that they find a kind of joy in living the past bad life. It is the attitude of some people to let down their drag net into the muddy waters of this world to bring out nothing but rubbish or the ugly part of their lives. That is not what looking back should be.” He cautioned.
“Some people abuse memory by remembering only the losses, troubles, ill-treatment, stagnation, and failures of past years, which is abusing the memory of life” He remarked.
Referencing the main text, Deuteronomy 8:2 again, Pastor Oladele highlighted God’s expectations for believers as touching remembrance.
“This is the point of view from which God wants us to remember. The sorrows and joys of life all work together for our good. The Bible says for we know that all things, not just good things but good, bad, up, down, sweet, and sour, work together for our good.” He noted.
Pastor Oladele emphasized that remembering God's sustaining grace is crucial, especially for ministers who tend to focus on their troubles.
He reminded them that God allows challenges to humble and refine individuals, ultimately leading to triumph and a deeper understanding of their dependence on Him.
“God allows troubles to humble and knock self out, so that you know that you are nothing. Some things you face are capable of killing you, but for the grace of God. Think about the slogan, the Lord is good all the time; it is not just a slogan but a reality in our lives. God does not promise that there will not be gallop on your way, but all the troubles put together should be to the praise of God’s name.” He concluded.
Traditionally, the CAC President, at the dawn of every new year, usually worships at the General Headquarters of the Church at Olowu Street, Ebute Elefun in Lagos Island, on the second Sunday of the year.
In the entourage of the President are
the CAC Director of Publicity, Pastor Ademisoye Alawode, the Special Assistant to the President, Pastor T. D. Asokeji and the Media crew.
Other ministers at the service are the host and the Regional Superintendent of Akinyele Region Pastor S. A. Adedayo, the Regional Secretary and Somolu DCC Superintendent, Pastor E.O.O. Oyedeji, some DCC and Zonal Superintendents in Akinyele Region, all District superintendents in Lagos DCC,, the former Chairman of CAC Savings Scheme, Pastor Ayo Dakobiri, retired Leader of CAC Good Women Association, Deaconess D.O. Adebule, and a host of other dignitaries.
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