"Pastor Fm, I need to see you o", I heard someone called me as I was about leaving the church to my office located just at the back of the auditorium.

Pastor Fm was the nickname I got from members of my new church, most of them especially the youths - my agemates- never called me by my real name. I remember the day I was transferred to the Church, the congregation seemed lively and fun to be with as they worshipped and danced joyfully during the praise and worship segment.

Everything changed when I was introduced as the new Pastor in charge of the Church. Deacon Peace had said, "Beloved, join me welcome our new Pastor, Pastor Femi Ayodele"

At first, shouts of joy had erupted from every side of the congregation. As I made ny way to climb up the altar, I was full of smiles and happy about the warm reception I got. But I was accosted by a muscular usher as I got close to the altar, the guy was so big that his stance alone could give heavy weight champion John Cena a cold feet.

"Yes, what do you want?"

"I'm going up stage" I replied to him.

"Going up stage to do what? Do you think they just climb the stage anyhow here? You better go back before I bundle you outside"

"I...", Thank God for the timely intervention of the deacon, the bouncer was about to lift me up in his hands.

"Please, let him come up, he's the pastor"

I could see shock on the usher's face as he left the way for me on hearing I'm the Pastor.

"Halleluyah", I said as I took the microphone from the deacon who left the stage.

I got no response from the congregation.

I continued speaking, "I'm glad to be here today, God has sent me here and I know he wants to do wonderful works through us. We... "

The murmuring in the crowd increased greatly, I began to hear several voices.

"Ooooh! Where is the Pastor na? It is the Pastor we want to see, not his son"

"Wetin that small boy dey do for altar na? Abi him think say na play dem dey play for there"

"Chei, shey na the new Pastor be that?" A haggard boy at the middle stood up and said. "Oh boy, this one na Pastor swagger o, him swags even pass my own self"
Everybody laughed

"Praise the Lord" I tried to get the attention of the members but to no avail as they were discussing as if they've just seen an Angel drop from the sky. Most of them were you used to having old and middle aged men as Pastors so were surprised when a young man in his early twenty was introduced as their new Pastor.


The next Sunday service wasnt any easier, lot of old and middle aged folks didn't come to Church. They couldn't submit themselves to being pastored by someone who was their son's or grandson's mate. The ones who came to Church to church were the young guys and girls who invited their friends to come and see the new "Pastor with swags".

I began the message that day after an argument with the sound engineer, Bro Kenny, a pot bellied man who was snoring in the sound room even after the sound went off.

"You see, when I gave my heart to Christ, it wasn't that easy but now I'm glad"

"Heyyyy! Pastor, shut up for dia." A funny looking guy from the back said. "If you don give your heart to Christ, which one you con dey use dey pump blood? You beta go collect am back before you paii(die)".
The congregation laughed.

"You see, what I mean is that you give your life to him, submit yourself to him"

"Shut up jor, nor dey talk nonsense. Shey God na my lecturer? Or I be assignment wey I go submit myself" he hissed and walked out of the Church.

That day, I had a sleepless night. I wanted to call my general overseer and plead with him to transfer somewhere else maybe a student's fellowship but I discarded the thought. God knew I would face these challenges before he sent me here, I comforted myself.

I prayed all through the night and was full of power from above, the next day I went on evangelism. Calling for both the young and old to give their hearts to Christ. Most of them were amazed, most young boys they had in the village only lived a life of fun, non of them had time for the gospel. I began to win some people who were inspired by my confidence as a young person.

On the next sunday, the church was full to capacity; mostly of young people and a dozen of middle aged ones. I was preaching about the power that God has given us to cast out demons and heal diseases.

"When you know who you are, you can heal people of diseases by laying hands on them, you can cast out fowl spirits"

"Fowl spirits ko, chicken spirit ni" I heard some group of boys say as they stood up and left the congregation. "Don't worry, you will cast out fowl spirit now"


After some minutes, they returned with a notorious lunatic, people say he had been on the streets for ten years. Only God knows how they were able to bring him calmly.

"You see that boy?" One of the young boys spoke to the mad man pointing to me. "Na im say you dey mad o, oya go show am pepper"

"Pastor, oya cast out demons o" the boys laughed as the madman roared and charged towards me with an iron rod in his hands.

I was thinking the huge usher would stop him from coming up but was disappointed as he gave way also wanting to watch what I would do.

I almost peed in my pants as the madman came closer with anger in his eyes . The first thought that came to mind was pulling off my shoe and taking to my heels. But I heard God say "my son, I've given you the power to do all things"

I stood and pointed to him, "In Jesus name, be calm"

The lunatic stopped and knelt down, I moved closer to him." In Jesus name, I command you evil spirit to leave this body now"


The lunatic let out a loud cry and rolled on the floor after which he became calm and stood up, obviously healed of his ten years madness. The crowd was silent, it was a kind of silence I've never had since I began pastoring the church, they never believed that the madman could ever be healed as he had been taken to all healers and herbalists in the land.

That day when I made an altar call, hundreds of people came out most of them weeping as they said the salvation prayer including the young boys who brought the lunatic to mock me.

The old and middle aged men returned to Church, bringing their children along and advising them to be friends with me. Since then, the church had moved on and we splitted into three more branches within a period of two years.



"Pastor, lets go to your office, I need you to give me a piece of advice" said Ekene, the young man who had tackled me about submitting to Christ during the second service.





+++++++++++++++++++++++


Happy Val , I love y'all

Happy birthday to my Friend , Oluwafemi Ayodele

Visit my blog to read more stories

http://youngicee..com/2015/02/the-trials-of-pastor-femi-ayodele.html

Tried to make it short but it can't go shorter than that


Cc:

prettydiva89
harmonyemerald
fembleez1
Onemansquad
cheskabiney
missmossy
labaski
aprilwise
mimikathy
julietakk
kingphilip
ayodijex
missfavity
mhiztemmie
therealbabe
stuff46
faithomoh24
sirfrederick
KOLITE93

Oyinprince:
Tried to make it short but it can't go shorter than that


Cc:

prettydiva89
harmonyemerald
fembleez1
Onemansquad
cheskabiney
missmossy
labaski
aprilwise
mimikathy
julietakk
kingphilip
ayodijex
missfavity
mhiztemmie
therealbabe
stuff46
faithomoh24
sirfrederick
KOLITE93

am here

wow happy val past femi

Ermh, the whole idea was awesome. I loved the storyline [ it's fiaction] and i guess it can't happen real life cause the whole congregation can't be illitrates

btw God for allow the madman nab you before showing that he was with you. Lol

Great one here too oyin. I loved it.

Oyinprince:
Tried to make it short but it can't go shorter than that


Cc:

prettydiva89
harmonyemerald
fembleez1
Onemansquad
cheskabiney
missmossy
labaski
aprilwise
mimikathy
julietakk
kingphilip
ayodijex
missfavity
mhiztemmie
therealbabe
stuff46
faithomoh24
sirfrederick
KOLITE93

Nice....Thanks

How do you say 'great story' in japanese?

Wat a gospel story..i luv dat, i wil lyk 2 b a pastor one day *winks*

stuff46:
Ermh, the whole idea was awesome. I loved the storyline [ it's fiaction] and i guess it can't happen real life cause the whole congregation can't be illitrates

btw God for allow the madman nab you before showing that he was with you. Lol

Yep sure fiction sir.