My rise from grass to grace – Pastor Chris Ekeh

Pastor Chris

I’m  Pastor Chris Ndidi Ekeh. I hail from Ngor-Okpala, in Imo State. I was born in Lagos but  grew up in Enugu. My father was a cook . He used to cook for the whitemen  while we were living in Lagos. We later moved to Enugu  where I had my early education. While growing up in Enugu, I joined the Scripture Union as well as the Evangelical Fellowship arm of the Anglican Communion.

To God be the glory, Enugu was a good place for me to discover myself  as a child. Honestly, I was not born into a rich home. While in Enugu, my father  became a cook at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology.education.  My siblings and I were left to face the challenges of life. As a child, I found myself struggling to acquire basic education. Due to my love for education, I was able to see myself through my primary education. I had to push wheel- barrow  in Enugu main market popularly known  as Ogbaete in order to pay my school fees.

While I was in school, I was very close to God. At 16, I gave my life to Christ under the Scripture  Union. The then Principal of the school, Uguwuaji Secondary School, saw me  the first time and was fascinated at my composure. He told  my mother who accompanied me to the school that,  “This is the kind of child I would want to admit  into my school.”  I later became the founder of the Christian Fellowship in that school. That was where my ministry started. I was ministering to my fellow students as well as my teachers.

Interestingly, while I was doing the work of God in school,  my fellow  students were compassionate enough to save their ‘lunch money’ in order to pay my school fees.

Believing in personal development

I believe in personal development. While I was pushing wheel barrow, I was determined to make it in life. I would sit at a corner, imaging myself interacting with the high and the mighty in the society. I didn’t know I would reach where I am today. As a result, I’m never ashamed to talk about the road I have travelled in life. There are some people who believe that Rome was built in a day. This is my 23 years as a servant of God.

The call of God

At a very tender age, I loved the things of the Lord. At  8 years, I had started following my mother to the House of God. Then, I didn’t know what it really meant to work for God. But in 1991, when I gave my life to Christ, I discovered that the call of God was upon my life. I was deriving joy in doing the work of God; preaching, praying and winning souls for Christ.Confirming that the call of God was  upon my life, while I was staying with my uncle in Ilorin, Kwara State, a crippled man saw me along the road, and told me that the call of God was upon my life.

Equally, a mad man saw me few days later  and shouted  “ I see God in you, don’t come close to me…”That was when it was clear to me that something was missing in my life. Following this development, I returned to Enugu after spending two years in Ilorin. While in Enugu, I was preaching one day when God used a strange woman who was touched by my preaching to open the way for me to attend the Victory International Bible School, in Enugu. After my gradua
tion in 1997, I relocated to Lagos in 1999, in search of fulfillment of God’s purpose for my life.

Coming to Lagos

While in Lagos, I was stranded because I was coming to stay with my uncle. Unfortunately, I was given a misleading address. So, when I arrived Mazamaza area of Lagos, I heard some people speaking my local dialect, and I  approached them. Later, they took me to the Victory Christian Church. I stayed at the church for some time before I returned to Enugu. Fortunately, I prayed for somebody in Enugu, who later decided to bring me to Lagos again. I stayed around Apapa area before God gave me the vision to set up this ministry. In my church, we believe in the transformation of life. When you step into my Ministry, you can’t remain the same again.

Challenges of setting up a church

I was confronted with the challenges of not being able to express what I feel inside of me – the revelation I was having  then. I faced the challenges of expressing it. I also faced the challenge of people not being able to understand me. I had a desire to measure with people  but I couldn’t for certain reasons. Life itself gave me some serious training. For you to succeed in life, you must be humble and teachable. I learnt a lot from people around me. I don’t criticise  people, I try to encourage them. I read a lot beacuse knowledge is power.

What  life has taught me

Life has taught me that hardwork coupled with commitment and being faithful to God would always help you to realise your dreams in life. Commitment, sincerity and humility are the key to success in life. In my ministry, people have this perception that it is a reality church. I will tell you nothing but the truth. We neither   worship money nor personality. When you are doing the work of God, there are people who will be out to encourage you as well as those who  would want to discourage you. But the decision to stand out in life is totally yours.. Source