SHORT HISTORY OF CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH

TOPIC: - SHORT HISTORY OF CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH
TEXT: - Haggai 2: 9

A group of Christians called Precious stone prayed in 1918 that God should send down revival. This group is called Precious stone saw a tract titled. “Sword of the spirit,” through Pastor D. O. Odubanjo
who wrote a letter to Pastor Clark in Philadefia of America to receive correspondence from Faith Tabernacle. The named precious stone was changed to Faith Tabernacle; this is how they became Faith Tabernacle before the call of Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola
.
Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola was born in April 1904 at Ilofa, in odo Owa via Ilorin Kwara State, Nigeria. The day he was born, there was a mighty thunder from the East towards the west, at the age of seven, he stopped her aged mother from eating any thing offered to Idols. He started elementary school in 1914 at Oto – Awori a town on the Badagry road in Lagos State. He got to standard four, before he became Blacksmith apprentice and he learned it for two years, before he became Caterpillar Driver under P W D (Public Works Department), then under the control of the whites, learning to become a Caterpillar Driver. After 15 days of learning how to drive the caterpillar, he was able to drive it without any assistance. After nine month; he became a master in his class. A Caterpillar was first given to him on 1st April 1928 to work on the Osogbo – Ilesha road. June 14th 1928 he was transferred to Akure – Ilesha road. Before the Caterpillar stopped, the Caterpillar that 158 can not push off the road, he pushed it alone by the power of God.

On the 9th of Oct. 1928 about 12 O ‘Clock he was by his Caterpillar by the river Ariran, it was here he heard a loud voice from above like the roar of thunder which called his name thrice saying Joseph! Joseph!! Joseph!!! Leave this job you are doing if not, this year you are going to be cut off from the earth. Like wise the message repeat itself on 11th Oct. 1928. That is how he received the call and he went into fasting and prayer and God fed him with half of a tuber of yam that God used to feed the whole world through his angel during the fasting. And the Sign of the palm tree fronds and the meaning. That is how Babalola joined Faith Tabernacle.

Prophetess Sophia Odunlami (Mrs. Ajayi) she was the one that God spoke to that people should stop using these thing. 1. Cola nut 2. Chasm. 3. Alcoholic drink and palm wine 4. Spoiling the day of the Lord. In holden days any where she preached on this the church would be full of the multitude of people with Zechariah 14. And she was first Prophetess in this land.

The great revival of 1930 at Oke Oye in Ilesha where God raised a death body alive and which marked the end of the meeting of Authority of Faith Tabernacle at Ilesha when they were in second point of the agenda which was healing without medicine that was how God prove himself and the revival lasted for 60 days which there what no one of it recorded as great as the revival of 1930 in the history of Nigeria up till today.

Prophet Daniel Orekoya was called on 17th of Feb. 1930 and God gave him three messages
1. Quench the light of Spirit 2. Stinging and 3. Fornication, he prayed for four days a dead pregnant woman Mrs. Abeo at Oke Bola Ibadan was raised and God delivered her, after three month she delivered a baby girl. Inbetween 24th of Sept. – 4th of Oct. 1930 healing miracle performed by him was on 5,538 people. When he traveled to Warri he met his death through electricity light. Before he died in Ijebu Ode he said disobedient to the Authority caused his death because they did not permit him to go to warri. Before his death, he mentioned these statements 1. Beware of Pride, Doing self will and Disobedient. Because disobedient was the cause of his untimely death. He warned others not to do so.

Misunderstanding in Faith Tabernacle of America in 1925 in which Pastor Clark committed adultery and the Authority sacked him but some groups backed him and he went and found his Church called First Century Gospel. Faith Tabernacle of Nigeria wrote him to follow the Authority but he refused. That is why in Nigeria they changed their name to Africa Apostolic Church, and after this caused a lot of Problems in C M S and the Government for them to have back bone, they have to change their name to
The Apostolic Church because they have their Head quarters at Bradford in England.

They were arrested because of 12 points of which 4 will be mentioned. 1. They were been arrested by police because of giving their life to Jesus Christ. 2. This group of Ministers of God became enemies of Herbalist because their entire customers had gone to church for Healing. 3. Pro. J. A. Babalola became enemy of evil spirit the power of God moved beyond their imagination, every body that had evil spirit came to give their life to Jesus Christ. 4. They arrest Apostle J. A. Babalola not only that, they put him into prison in Otuo town of Edo State for six months. Many suffered for the sake of Christ. Because of this problem that was why they joined The Apostolic Church, after long relationship they break with The Apostolic Church because of Healing without Medicine this make them changed their name to
Nigeria Apostolic Church, when other countries heard, they thought Nigeria left them alone, they wrote Nigeria, because of this, the name was changed to United Apostolic Church. And there was an organization called U A C in this country there a lot of confusion between the letters that were going to church and the ones that were going to U A C that was why the Authority then prayed to know the name of this church before it was finally named Christ Apostolic Church 1942. In the year 1943, they registered it under the Federal Government of Nigeria with Number 147 up till today.
These are the name before we got to final name 1. Precious Stone / Diamond Society Okuta Iyebiye
2. Faith Tabernacle 3. Africa Apostolic Church 4. The Apostolic Church 5. Nigeria Apostolic Church 6. United Apostolic Church 7. Christ Apostolic Church.

God used Apostle J. A. Babalola throughout his life time before he slept in the Lord in Ede Osun State on 26th July 1959. That day was a great day in the history of this mission, before he finally buried in Efon – Alaaye in Ekiti State.

Establishment of many Associations was the cause of crisis we experienced in the year 1990 when Bola Odeleke wanted to become Pastor in this mission and Pro. Obadare had his own called WOSEM ministry under ministry this was the foundation of the crisis but we thank God today every thing is almost resolved.

Some of the achievements of this mission are Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU) and new Prayer Ground opposite the University and the work is in progress, “Royal Shepherds”, Building of new Secretariat at Basorun Alugbua Ibadan e. t. c. Children of God praise the Lord.

Prepared by
Pastor J. O. Afolayan.