I NEVER LOOKED BACK

BY   D A V I D    P A M    M C Q U E L


My friend Rhonda Cocroft-Powell asked me about my testimony of salvation, funny enough this is the first time someone online asked. Indeed I realized I have not blogged my testimony of salvation yet. It was immediately an inspiration and I began to script in my mind. I have a reach legacy of salvation left behind by my parents.

The Barkin Ladi Revival of 1958

Christ Apostolic Church in Nigeria is not connected to the international American apostolic ministry. It was birthed from an encounter the late apostle Joseph Ayodele Babalola (1904-1948) of South Nigeria had in 1928 when he was a driver with the British colonial Public Works Department. It was an exceptional encounter there is no space to describe here.

As a result of his ministry which was turning tens of thousands weekly from idol worship to Christ, his followers came together and urge him to start a church. Hence, Christ Apostolic Church was born.

The church spread throughout Nigeria and came to Jos my region then in 1958. In the spring of that year, a young man Stephen Akiling has left the village in Kulere and came to Barkin Ladi the centre of tin mining in Jos. Looking for something to make a living, he found a block industry and began to earn wages, he was 18.

An unusual phenomenon was happening. One evening closing from work there was a rumours of strange happenings by a pool in the heart of the small town. He approached and found two young missionaries from Southern Nigeria. These guys in their mid-20s were audacious to claim God works miracles.

Not only did they claim but the prayed on the water in the pool in the heart of the town and asked the sick to dip themselves inside the water. Surprising enough, healings happened. People started stream from surrounding towns and villages and they were all healed.

Prominent was the letter the medical director of the Barkin Ladi general hospital send to the missionaries, giving them seven days to leave town or face the law. All the patients in his hospital had stream to the revival, they were all healed and left the hospital empty. The missionaries wrote him a reply giving him seven days to leave town.

A few days later, he received a letter of transfer from the regional health management board.

Stephen Akilling who I know personally, and was my pastor from 1976-1982 narrated these accounts in his old age. He went home to be with the Lord on 31^st December 2017.

The young Stephen went ahead from there feeling the calling of God in his heart, to preach the gospel in all the surrounding towns and villages. By the anointing of God upon him he started praying for the sick, the mentally ill, the barren, the paralyzed, the lame and even the dead. He had countless miracles in his ministry.

In was directly as a result of his ministry that my parents found the Lord. This was the background on which the married and raised their children.

MY PARENTS BACKGROUND

My parents were all born to two separate ethnic groups in idolatry. They had no idea of anything called salvation. Dad grew up to be a drunk of a young man. And according to him, he would smoke two packs of cigarettes a day (hard to believe). Mum grew up on the other side in a pagan home and married a pagan in her teach. Her job was making local liquor Burkutu. By that, her husband was among the privileged men as he had free liquor for him and his chain of friends.

Dad was drunk was evening after heavy drinking and fell into a ditch. He had a deep cut on his leg. He was shocked that he didn’t immediately bleed. The drunkenness clear because of the impact of the fall. Then almost 20 minutes later he saw a drop of blood, and it was black. Suddenly there, he knew his life was short, he needed a change. That was the last day he either took alcohol or smoke.

Mum had a friend visit her. She tried to persuade her to go to church. Their little town, Bokkos had two churches. She proposed to my mum to choose one. The options were clear, one church had a dispensary, if you are sick they’ll offer you medical care. The other church, if you are sick they’ll pray for you and you’ll be healed. Mum said she wanted the prayer and healing church. She attended her first service. Two points stood out, the preaching of repentance and the healing of the sick. She never left the church till she took her last breath decades later.

Dad married but his first wife died at childbirth. Mum’s husband sent her parking if she wasn’t making liquor for him and his friends. Two unfortunate situations brought the chance for them both. They got married and before getting married made a commitment to build a godly home and raise their kids in the fear of God. They also pledge to tithe all their lives and raised their with kids with Jesus as the doctor of the family. And all these they did to their last breath.

GROWING UP

In my parents home, both within and without, there were a few themes that were the trademark. Church, prayers, faith healing.

All of us kids grew up knowing Jesus as the healing. The first time I saw a tablet was at eleven. But I saw healings and miracles from the first time I was aware of society.

I know that no one is perfect. I am writing this in all humility that I never saw my dad make as many mistakes that I can’t count. He was a man that feared God, and obeyed most, if not all that he learned from God’s word. He was a very disciplined man. His greatest strength was living his faith. Apart from a few times he shared in our family morning worships, he never sat us down to teach the bible.

Must was a patient nurturer and teacher. She taught us what the bible says, what values the family upheld and why we did. She was tough  with words but calm and great communicator of the word.

Both of them didn’t attend formal education which was very rare then. They couldn’t read the bible but the believed and taught us. Although dad was into tin mining and knew enough for calculate his business finances.

THE HEALING HERITAGE

I have heard many people argue about whether healings happen or not. I don’t honest waste my time in such debate. I know if you have never seen something, it is hard to believe.

I am almost 48 years old and have all my life have never gone for any medical attention except once when at 17 I went for a tooth extraction. I was brought up from day one to know that Jesus is the same Yesterday, today and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8)

If you don’t believe in healing or you’ve taken an eraser to correct your bible, that’s perfectly fine with me as long as you don’t rub that unbelief on me. I have lived my life free of the authority and dominion of sickness. Your disagreement with me is of no consequence.

I believe Jesus is same. In fact, I understood Jesus heals before I understood that He save.

CHRISTMAS CONVENTION

Three months before Christmas of 1981 my two older brothers left for school into the big cities, I was in Primary 3 then. My dad said to me, just barely 10 years old, that I’ll the family pastor now. That meant I would be preaching every morning Monday through Saturday. Such a huge responsibility.

It was not up for negotiation. Besides I was the most literate kid left at home since my parents were not. I cannot remember the specifics of my 10 minutes’ sermon each morning but all I know is that after my first week, I was well on my way in sharing God’s word, being the family pastor.

The Christ Apostolic Church Students Association was a very active evangelical and Pentecostal force within and without the church. It was a place of great encounter. Students from secondary schools and colleges on break use the vacations to go deeper in God. The invite each other to minister on Christ, salvation, sanctification, baptism in the Holy Spirit, healing, deliverance and spiritual growth.

My elder brother prayed me to salvation. He is a missionary today and has been for almost 30 years. He prayed day and night and I knew he was praying for me. I credit him with the most effort for the salvation of my soul. I first attended the 1981 convention.

On the third day, I cannot remember the speaker and cannot certainly remember what was preached. But I can remember that my heart burned under the full weight of my guilt. I didn’t even realize that I got up from my seat, I just remember when the altar call was thrown, that I was standing on the queue at the front to receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour.

That morning by the grace of God I received forgiveness and salvation through faith in the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Since then, I never looked back.

It is important to note that although through parental grooming, I could share God’s Word, yet I only got saved when I opened my heart to Jesus to receive him in my heart.

Everyone religious or irreligious can receive Christ today and find salvation, the free gift of God.

If you believe God sent Jesus to die for you and that you believe God raised Jesus from the dead, repeat this pray in honestly:

Father God, thank you for loving me.

I believe in the sacrifice of Christ.

I receive Jesus in my heart

To be my Lord of my entire life.

Thank you for saving me

From this day forward, I live for you

For the rest of my life.

Thank you for saving me.

I am a child of God by the mercy of God.