“Thank you Lord for this day. Lord trouble my troublers. Many have risen against me. There is no help elsewhere but you. The lifter of my head. For though Oh Lord art my shield, My Glory and the lifter of my head. Thank you for lifting me. Make way for me, direct my footsteps this day. Amen.”

That was my prayer that early morning when I woke up from my sleep that morning. I had finished from Federal Polytechnic, Idah Kogi state two years back. I was done with my NYSC and seriously searching for job, yet have not gotten any. Many who promised me were disappointing. Not even a reasonable job. Its either a sales boy or restaurant that pays N7,500 monthly that I was seeing. I was not ready to take those jobs.

And that was why I prayed that God should lift my head up more than my contemporaries.

As I arranged my house, preparing to go out that day for job hunt. My phone rang. I checked who was that and it was my cousin, Friday who leaves in Kaduna. I was surprised because he doesn’t call me. And his number was just occupying space on my phone. We spoke last 3 years back.

I picked the call and we talked. He said he was a now a pastor and working for their church with a good pay. He asked what I was doing since I finished my service. I told him I was still searching for a job. He said if I will like to work for their church there in Kaduna, I told him I don’t mind. He said I should join him that I was going to enjoy the job and the place, Kaduna. After dropping the call, I was so happy that I have gotten a job in the church. I believed I would be favoured because I am a good Christian. I was happy without knowing the kind of job it was. But I shah was relocating to Kaduna. My mum came back from the market and I told her everything and what my cousin said. Well, She had no choice than to give me her blessings.

The next morning, I left for Kaduna. I arrived Kaduna and met Friday in good condition. He welcomed me so well. He was staying in a one bedroom self-contain. His house was really beautiful with pictures, posters of Jesus Christ dominating his parlor walls. He was indeed a complete bachelor. He has almost every home things a bachelor would. From refrigerator, Home theater, T.V and many things. I didn’t hesitate to ask him where he works that paid off so largely. He brought out a take away pack of food. He said I should eat first and after that, we would discuss. I opened the pack. Indeed God had answered the prayer I prayed the previous day morning. He has lifted up my head. The pack contained fried and jollof rice with 2 chicken laps. I began imagining. Staying with Friday would be fun. So that would be what I would be enjoying. Friday gave me a canned malt to step the food down. Maybe as time goes on, God will further lift me up to be eating full chicken.

After the food, we began discussing. I couldn’t believe what he told me his job was. Because with his house, he was living like a king. He said he only works for their church, “Baba God’s chosen church.” The church has 7 dedicated paid prayer warriors. So their pastor, Elder martins pays them N50,000 monthly just to fast 6am-6pm twice a week and continuous prayers for the church and the pastor. That was their work. As Friday explained, I was just dazzled because I have never seen that kind of church where people are just hired specifically to pray every day. Friday laughed when I said that. He said that means I was not exposed, I should go to places like Lagos, Abuja, Portharcort and many big churches. Some of the prayer warriors that follow some big pastors around are being paid. Their work is just to come to church every day to pray, from 8am-4pm from Mondays to Fridays, then Wednesdays and Thursdays are for fasting, 6am-6pm. Waiting on the lord for the pastor and the church. All that is just for God to sustain the pastor and for a continuous miracle that is happening in the church. And Friday said their church was the happening thing in town.

Well, I wasn’t much interested in his own shah. I want to know where I belong. He said the church is recruiting “evangelism soldiers.” They are recruiting about 20 in which he said he had submitted my name to the church administration. I was very happy when he said he had submitted my name to the church admin. He said, each of the 20 people would be bringing at least 6 people in a month to the church and make them remain. My face changed when he told me would be paid N10,000 each every month for the job. Chaiii, I wasn’t expecting such an amount. And if I can bring rich wealthy people into the church, the church would increase my pay. “Its too small nah,” I said to Friday. He laughed. He told me as time goes on, he would help put me into his own level of prayer warrior. I thought about what Friday said. I could still do another job with this one. And perhaps and Friday’s own was full time and mine is per time.

The next day, we went to their church. Indeed the church was a beautiful sight to behold. Huge building, the biggest in the vicinity. Magnificent alter befitting a new generation church. Friday introduced me to the church admin and the pastor in charge, Elder martins. They told me what to do and how to be going about it. Though I explained to Friday that my major challenge was getting to every area in the city. I was still new to the city. Friday gave me some scope and said he would be giving me transport fair to were ever I would go in the city. But I was so good in evangelism.

I wasn’t quite satisfied with the job. But I had to be doing it for the main time till I get a better job or get an upgrade in the church as a paid prayer warrior.

http://www.hovabuzz.com/frontline/974-elder-martins-baba-god-s-chosen-church-and-i

I began my job of evangelism. The first month, I evangelized to over a hundred people but managed to get 5 people to be full members of the church. But I was still paid the N10,000.

As time went on, I discovered that my other colleagues were making more money than me. They go for rich and elites in the city. They convince them to come to the church and make them stay. With that, the church increased their allowance and payment. It became the best strategy that can win new members. Baba God’s chosen church was growing massively with too many rich members. However, I noticed that the church was making huge amount of money but the evidences are not seen on the main pastor, Elder martins. Our church offerings had grown greatly. Tithes has swollen and even seeds sown by many. Yet, elder martins is still maintaining his rented apartment and his Honda accord. No private jet and expensive properties and accessories like some other Nigerian pastors. Well, I guessed he’s trying to leave a humble life like Jesus in the Bible.

The church suddenly bought a land and started building a 65 seater edifice. It was going to be the biggest church in the city and one of the biggest in Nigeria.

I was still receiving my normal N10,000 monthly while my other colleagues in that same evangelism team style, their pay had increased. Friday called me one Friday. He told me that the church may soon dispose some members of the evangelism team because they don’t need their services anymore. He told me I was part of the people to be dropped because I was into the usual style of evangelism, no major strategy. He told me that other people, they don’t only bring rich members, they also make them donate. Infact some who are not ready to join, “Baba God’s chosen church,” some evangelism members make them pay huge amount of money to the church. I asked Friday how the other members were doing it. He said to me that some members of the evangelism team would go out to meet rich fellows, and tells them they had vision about them about evil ahead. They would invite them for prayers to meet the prayer warriors who will further tell them to sow seed before meeting Elder martins. Some of them would go as far as possible to go and investigate their prey’s family, get to know their problems before approaching them.

As Friday was explaining, it looked as if my ears were hearing double of what he was saying. Chaiiii, conmen has finally invaded the church. “You can do your own, if not. You no fit chop.” Friday said to me. He said, that is what many Nigerian pastors do. And they even do more. I thought about what Friday had said. But couldn’t imagine myself going to the extreme of giving false prophesies. I wanted to pull out of the church but the temptation was enormous on me. The huge amount of money, the suit allowance. Nna mhen, if you look at the suits that our prayer warriors are beginning to wear, even Friday. My N10,000 salary for 8 months can’t afford it. Even Friday was benefitting from the events. His dressings had changed. The way he talks as if he’s a king, as if he can even see God.

I decided to take a shot at what Friday said. Me and Friday partnered, we created the strategies we would use. That was how it began with me. We would secretly investigate rich and business owners in and out of the city; get to know their problems and I approach them with it that I had a vision concerning them. Then invite them to Baba God’s chosen church for prayers were they would sow seed.

That was how my bank accounts and pockets began to swear. My dressing sef. I became a corperate evangelist.

Baba God’s chosen church had a meeting. They said they want to expand and recruit fresh pastors. They approached brand new and young churches and asked them to close down their churches and join us in Baba God’s chosen church as pastors. Many agreed and few of them refused. But who would not join the Baba God’s chosen church as a minister when the offer comes with a mouthwatering salary and incentives. And they also get fame because the church had made a name in the city.

After recruiting about 15 junior pastors, by then, our 65,000 seater auditorium was ready. And we moved in. Baba God’s chosen church became the happening thing in the country. Every top Government official would always want to worship with us. But if only people who visits the church knows what is going on behind the scenes.

http://www.hovabuzz.com/frontline/974-elder-martins-baba-god-s-chosen-church-and-i

The word of the Lord is Yes And Amen...... Indeed Judgement will start from the House of God.

All these just for people to read that blog.

nice work of fiction.

Do we have any church that pays its intercessors and evangelists?