The world-acclaimed Pastor of the Synagogue Church of all Nations, Pastor Temitope .B. Joshua has been in the limelight for the past two decades. He is reputed to be the biggest faith-based philanthropist in Africa and his church is said to be the most visited by foreigners coming to Africa from Europe and Asia. Pastor Joshua is said to one of the most mentioned names in any part of Africa when it comes to Christianity and miracles. However, since the collapse of the 6-storey building housing several foreign visitors in his church, a fresh attention has been regenerated. The catastrophe led to the death of some people, mostly South Africans. On Friday January 02, IrohinOdua team of Editors met Pastor Joshua in his sanctuary. He spoke in an exclusive interview conducted by Deputy Editor Tunde Adeleke and Reporter, Peter Yomi Ogunsona.



In the beginning was the world, and then God gave it form. Can you tell us how you started this Ministry?

It is a long story which I cannot tell you within a short period. What is important is that God called upon me and I heard his words clearly.

What has kept you this far?

Let me just give you a summary. In reality, I’m like you. If there is any difference, it is just the Gift of God which you all know that the most important thing in man is Grace. So, I will not want to go too far so that I will not be boasting. It is just the grace of God.

Succession is usually a problem in life especially in institutions like this. What are the efforts you are making to sustain this ministry after you might have gone in your old age?

I think if there is any issue to think about, it is the discipleship. How the ministry can continue is important to me. It is like for any leader that wants children yet unborn to read about him and see his good work, it is important to have this at the back of your mind. Remember that Jesus raised disciples and the same disciples preached the gospel we are enjoying today. I want you to realize that there are born leaders and there are made leaders. Every born leader must achieve this challenge of succession. There are two set of leaders as stated earlier, we have born leader, and these are ordained leaders. If you are a born leader you must achieve this for your name to remain and sustained for generations yet unborn to lead and to see the truth. This has to be done through discipleship to continue the job after you. I want you to recollect that we have Elijah and there is Elisha. This grace that can only happen to born leaders, not leaders that are made.

A born leader is someone of God who is using supernatural spirit. A made leader is someone who depends on the natural dynamics, depends on natural gift, you know what I mean by human natural gift? When we talk of skills, we talk of education, something we learn by merit like the theory of knowledge. Why the supernatural gift of God is something that comes by grace, so in this case human hand is not employed, human tongue is not employed, that shows that there is divine being in them that is working. So therefore, to now have someone who will take over from you and then who will continue the job after I might have finished the job on this earth that is from God. It is only God that can make this happen. If a person is a born leader, it becomes something that you can just sit down that I want to train people for so that they will be doing what I’m doing, so that you do not wonder that what are you doing that people cannot do? Do you need to train people for what you are doing In that case, that is a made leader people. But when someone can look at you without even coming to you and will do what you are doing, that is a born leader. If you are a born leader, you need to be anointed by God to be able to do his calling.

For a while key men of God have been embedded in controversy, what has come over men of God?

Well, when we say controversy I think in the natural perception, we may see it as controversy, but in philosophy, there is God’s grace in every adversary visited on men of God. Not all are controversy. Issues that come and strengthen your desire for God for instance, that is not a controversy but the issue that comes and pulls you out from the way of the Lord that is what we call controversy. If issues come and instead of it to tear you but improved you that is not a controversy but the issues that that come instead to improve you but tear you that is what we call controversy. Controversy falls you when it destroys you, bur raises you up when such controversies strengthen you in God’s ways. You see it as controversy, a man of God sees it differently. It is not controversy when it does not have negative impact on you good work and when God’s blessings remain with you. So it is not everything that looks so painful that is painful some are aware. God is still talking. He will continue to talk for ever. Can you say Jesus Christ when he was crucified that he had a controversy? Well, it was painful on the outside but if he was not crucified we would not be talking about savior or salvation today.



I saw on the television you prophesied about the Indonesian plane and it came to pass, let us come to Nigeria and again I watched the television about who will cross the bridge and you were talking about the need for people to go back to farming, fishing and the rest of it…..

…cut ins… I said that since last year and now we are looking forward to 2015. It is the reality of our existence today.

Let’s look at the 2015 elections.

I have not made my prophesy public on the coming year. I want others to be saying what they have seen, what God has revealed to them. I do not wish to speak now on that.

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SHIELD?

Let me tell you, some are very personal, and for some, we need men of God to pray against them. What we should know that the year rolls bye based on what you have planted the previous year. What have we planted that we want to reap in 2015 as a nation? Going back to the question we don’t need anyone to prophesy to you on about 70 percent of what will happen in Nigeria, it’s a function of cause and effect. 70% of the issues in this country come 2015 we don’t need any prophet to prophesy for us. It is the remaining 30% that we need prophesy. If I ask you now, what have you planted last year that you want to reap this year? Tell me what you have planted last year that you are expecting to reap, in terms of your spiritual life the situation last year have already affected your spiritual life and it will shape the coming years. It is like the dialectics in Yoruba language that says ti o ba da omi tutu si ile, waa te ile tutu. (If you wish to step on a calm soil, you need to flourish the soil with water-If you want to harvest, you must till the soil). 70% of events of this year, you don’t need someone to be prophesying to tell you even on the issues of the election. But in all, God is has the final say unless you are trying to put words in my mouth …… All laughing

So when are we expecting this prophesy, election is by February?

This coming Sunday, l’ m going to talk about it. I just want my colleagues and men of God to say their own because last year I learnt lessons. Last year when I brought out a prophesy in the New Year eve and the whole thing was misinterpreted. Let everybody say his own whatever message God has given to everybody, let them say it. Sunday is not very far, so if I now say anything different you can now put it on the table and compare at the fullness of time. This Sunday I’m going to talk mostly about the election you are talking about. There are two things that are giving me. On the issue of labour, the standard of living of our people and to let people know what God says. There is also the issue of the election. We should ask ourselves, should evil people continue to live and ruin the country?

If the evil people continue to live, they will continue to have more followers. I’m concerned about the standard of living. There is also the challenge of insecurity everywhere. You can wonder about a street village boy carrying a gun that is more costly than what he puts on, or what he eats, it shows that some people are somewhere sponsoring them. Anytime they arrest a murderer, by the time you look at the person, you won’t believe it when you see how poor the person is, holding a gun that is worth a lot of money. It means there are some sponsors. Sometime, the person either has no one hand or one leg or you look at what he wears, which is not worth anything, you begin to wonder who is the person that is backing them?. This shows that there are people in the dark that are fanning the embers. So, I think the judgment will start at the right place and at the right time

Are you saying that our leaders do not seek the face of God?

…cuts in … I have not said anything like that. Oya, tell me how I have said a thing like that in the cause of this interview? Concerning this people that kill up and down, they can never be good leaders. God’s will shall be done.

What is current position on the collapsed building?

My position is clear, the house of God was attacked. How will I explained the attack? If I was not in this place will you have the opportunity to come?

One wonders why you have not attended to the coroner inquest. Is it that you are too powerful for the government to handle?

I believe that nobody is above the law. Why I say this is because the government of each country is installed by God. It is in the Bible in the book of Romans 13 that any reasonable leader must honour and respect the government of the land because the government is endowed by God so why should any reasonable leader not honour government’s invitation? Even Jesus did. I don’t know if you have watched the video, I suggest you should go and watch the video again.

Did you have insurance for the building?

Here we meet global standards in what we do. You can see that this is an international ministry. Let me put it this way, no temptation can overcome us because God is faithful, always, He is.

Okay Waiting for the prophecies!

first, he say BOKO HARAM

second ; he say BOMB

third ; HE SAY JET
.now. .. EVIL PPL. ..