One of the most respected and renowned God’s generals, Apostle Anselm Madubuko, is ecstatic – and the reason is obvious. His ministry, Revival Assembly Church (with headquarters in Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos) is 26 years old. Not just that, like one of our banks, the soul-winning Pentecostal church which took off amidst the storms of June 12 election crisis has continued to remain big, strong and reliable. YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, AZUH ARINZE, on Tuesday, December 6, 2016, took him up on the journey so far as well as the next level for them. Excerpts…
Revival Assembly is going to be 26 this December. How does that make you feel?
Well, a 26-year-old man is ready for life (General laughter). I got married at 26, so we have seen the church come of age. But most importantly, I thank God for the lives that have passed through here, that we’ve touched. So, we are thankful to God.
What format is the celebration going to take? Are there special activities lined up for that day or will the day just come and go?
Yeah! We just have a weekend (December 17 and 18, 2016) to thank God with the wife of our late father in the Lord, Archbishop (Mrs.) Idahosa. We are looking forward to having her because we’ve not seen her in a long time. The late husband (Archbishop Benson Idahosa) was the father of the ministry; he was with us before he died. So, it’s like a home coming for the family.
Other than Archbishop (Mrs.) Margaret Idahosa, who are the other servants of God ministering?
We have just her, but we are gonna have a kind of Thanksgiving Service on Saturday; more of worship and prayer. We’ll have worship songs and so on.
Are there known gospel acts that will be coming to spice up the celebration? Or just the in-house Higher Dimension Choir?
Yeah, our New Higher Dimension Choir will be performing, but just as a backup. The truth is that we are not celebrating anybody, we are just celebrating Jesus.
The journey so far, how would you describe it?
It’s been wonderful, good times, bad times. But looking back, it’s just like yesterday. And I thank the Lord that through it all, we are still standing.
So, what will you describe as the most spectacular thing that has happened in the last 26 years?
Still the same thing – lives changed. Every life that’s saved, that answered the altar call. I’ve seen people start off as kids, 8 years, 9 years, now they are big people. You know the power of the gospel with lives changed. And they have carried that life all through. For me, every moment that somebody gives his life to Jesus Christ is a miracle. It’s the same way I felt 26 years ago, that’s the way I’m feeling now. For me, every changed life means a spectacular moment.
What’s going to change about Revival Assembly after 26 years?
We are just like what Apostle Paul said: When I was a child, I talked like a child, now I’m gonna do no more as kids, but as a man. When I become a man, I put away childish things. We are gonna see more maturity, we are gonna see more impact…
In the last 26 years, were there times you felt like giving up?
(Laughs) – It’s normal. If I could find God, I would have offered my letter of resignation (General laughter). But I couldn’t see Him to offer the letter so I have had to hold on and keep trying. But it’s been worth it; it’s been worth the trouble.
What would you describe as the greatest thing that God has done for you and the ministry in the last 26 years?
The fact that we are still relevant. I’ve seen some churches come up and die, fizzle out; but God has kept us relevant.
What’s been the success secret of Revival Assembly in the last 26 years?
Just God’s grace! Just God’s grace has kept us through those moments when it was as if things were falling apart. By His grace, He always pulls us up again and brings us back on our feet. For me, I look at the 26 years and I’m like whaaooh! It’s like yesterday, because I can still see everything. I remember almost every of our service (laughing) in that 26 years!
Other ministries, no doubt, also started alongside Revival Assembly 26 years ago and today they are no more. Where do you think those ones got it wrong?
I don’t know! You know we all have our different assignments. So, I can’t speak for everybody. We are called to reach different types of people at different times and nobody knows the mind of God. So, the one that looks like they are down can come up again. And like I said, it’s His grace; it’s His grace that has kept us all through these years – the good, the bad, the ugly, the wonderful, the terrible. As a ministry, you deal with all kinds of people – good people, friends, family, colleagues, disappointments, lies, intrigues…You see people you invested in just wake up and come against you. That’s the most painful aspect of it. The most painful aspect of ministry is betrayal – people you thought were your people, people you could give your life for, all of a sudden, they choose to become enemies due to some lies, some misconceptions; people never really caring to find out the truth, people acting on what they hear; taking their decisions most times on fabrications and lies and it’s amazing. You see, man makes ministry hard. Not the devil. Man!
God, obviously, has been nice to you and the ministry in the past 26 years. What more do you want from Him, going forward?
Going forward, I’m looking forward to a stronger ministry. Something stronger than what we thought existed. Like I said, I want to touch more lives, change more lives, change destinies, raise a vibrant people who are making impact for the kingdom.