religion
The Real Reason I Left Islam for Christianity
The Real Reason I Left Islam for Christianity
By Apostle Raphael Adebayo
I wasn’t always a Christian. In fact, until July 7, 1998, I was a devout Muslim—a committed member of the Jihad Committee of the Muslim Students Society at Obafemi Awolowo University from 1983 to 1988. My roots ran deep in both Yoruba traditional religion and Islamic teachings.
But that day—July 7, 1998—everything changed.
A Role Model’s Death and a Crisis of Faith
I was living in Arlington, Texas, when I heard the devastating news: Alhaji Chief M.K.O. Abiola, a man I greatly admired, had died under tragic and controversial circumstances. He was my role model—a beacon of leadership and courage.
But his end shattered something inside me.
> “How could someone so loved, so respected, be abandoned in his final hour—especially by those within his own faith?”
I began to question everything. The silence and inaction of fellow Muslims around Abiola’s death left me disillusioned. I felt the love of power and money had overtaken faith and solidarity. In that moment of spiritual disillusionment, I made a vow:
> “I will not pray as a Muslim again—unless I can find clarity about this man’s fate and the silence of his brothers.”
A Divine Encounter: From Disillusionment to Discovery
That vow began a journey that would lead me away from Islam—not out of hatred or rebellion—but out of an earnest search for truth, love, and meaning.
On December 2, 1998, after returning to Nigeria for a short visit, I encountered Jesus Christ in a personal and undeniable way. I decided to give Him six months—just half a year—to prove He truly possessed the love, power, and compassion I had heard about.
It has now been 27 years.
And I’m still walking with Him, stronger and more fulfilled than ever imagined.
From Seeker to Servant: Embracing a New Mission
Through the encouragement of my wife (then my fiancée), I joined The Redeemed Christian Church of God in February 1999. There, my hunger for God grew like wildfire. I immersed myself in the Word, served faithfully, and was soon appointed Head of the Men’s Fellowship, then Head of the Prayer Department.
I became convinced of my divine calling.
> “For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested: to destroy the works of the devil.” – 1 John 3:8
I believed I, too, was called to confront and destroy those same works—especially the most cruel of them all: poverty and homelessness.
America’s Hidden Crisis: The Poor Among the Rich
Having lived in America for several years, I was shocked to see extreme poverty and homelessness—not in developing countries, but in the so-called “richest nation on Earth.”
I saw men and women sleeping under bridges. I witnessed people prostituting themselves for survival. The scenes reminded me of Agege and Oshodi in Lagos.
> “How could this be happening here? How could the wealthiest land be home to the most forgotten people?”
I realized God wasn’t just calling me to preach in churches—He was calling me to the streets.
A Birthday to Remember: Ministry to the Homeless Begins
On December 25, 2003—my 41st birthday—I stepped out in obedience. My wife, our baby daughter, Pastor Obed Dimkpa and his family, and a few others joined me on a mission: to celebrate with the homeless.
We held a church service at a street corner—Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and Malcolm X Blvd in Dallas, Texas.
That day, 18 people gave their lives to Jesus. My spirit leapt. My wife embraced the vision. We started buying fried chicken and handing out meals while sharing the Gospel.
A Door Opens: Tuesday Outreach Becomes Church
In February 2004, God opened a miraculous door. The MLK Jr. Recreation Center offered us a space every Tuesday evening. Just four weeks later, a Nigerian-owned chicken franchise began supplying all our food for free—and has done so faithfully for over 21 years.
After just three months of outreach, my wife said:
> “This isn’t just outreach—it’s a calling. If you want to plant a church for the homeless, I’m with you.”
We searched for a location but found none—until a visiting minister, Mrs. Cynthia Chase, made a radical suggestion:
> “Why not try a funeral home? They’re usually empty on Sundays.”
It sounded crazy. But it worked.
On May 30, 2004, we held our first Sunday service at Eternal Rest Funeral Home in Dallas.
By August 1, 2004, we moved into a rented space at 1705 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, which eventually became our permanent church building in 2014.
From the Streets to Transformation
Today, the area once considered one of Dallas’s roughest neighborhoods is changing. Some call it gentrification—but we know it’s something more:
> “We’ve seen addicts healed, prostitutes restored, and the homeless empowered by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
This isn’t just my story—it’s God’s story through me.
A New Book: A Call to Action
I’ve captured this 21-year journey in my new book:
Moses, David, Jesus: Pastors to the Poor, Homeless, and the Needy
Like Moses, God sent me to bring deliverance.
Like David, I was called to serve those in distress, debt, and discontent.
And like Jesus, I’ve been anointed to bring good news to the world.
Apostle Johnson Suleman: Firebrand of Faith, Prophet to the Nations, Voice to a Generation
By Femi Oyewale
In the beginning, there was just one man with a burning vision. Today, that man has become a global force whose voice thunders across continents, whose prayers ignite miracles, and whose mission is transforming destinies worldwide. He is Apostle Johnson Suleman, the fiery Restoration Apostle, the humanitarian preacher, and the global trailblazer reshaping the Christian faith for a new generation.
From Auchi to the World
Born in Auchi, Edo State, Nigeria, Apostle Suleman’s rise from humble beginnings to international prominence is nothing short of remarkable. What started as a divine calling has now evolved into a global mandate, reaching millions through Omega Fire Ministries International (OFM).
His story is the classic tale of vision meeting conviction—of a man who dared to believe God not just for himself, but for nations. From a modest congregation, OFM has spread like wildfire, with branches in Africa, Europe, Asia, the Americas, and beyond.
The Man & The Mission
To know Suleman is to understand passion—passion for God, for people, and transformation. He lives by one mantra: populate Heaven, depopulate Hell.
His pulpit is a battlefield, his voice a trumpet, his words a sword. Through his fiery sermons, prophetic declarations, and healing crusades, countless men and women testify of divine encounters—cancers healed, destinies restored, impossibilities overturned.
But beyond the pulpit lies the heart of a humanitarian. Suleman’s mission has always extended beyond preaching. He funds scholarships for the underprivileged, empowers widows with homes, sets up businesses for struggling families, and supports countless orphans. In times of crisis, he has sent relief materials across regions, proving that true ministry is not only heard—it is seen.
The Impact
Step into one of his crusades, and the atmosphere tells its own story. Stadiums overflow. Multitudes gather, hungry for hope. From London to Houston, Dubai to Johannesburg, crowds testify to healings, deliverance, and restoration.
Through Celebration TV and other digital platforms, Suleman’s voice penetrates homes, villages, and cities, giving access to millions who may never step into a physical church. His boldness in confronting social ills and speaking truth to power has also established him as a fearless voice beyond the church walls.
The Global Moves
Apostle Suleman is not just a Nigerian voice—he is a global phenomenon. His recent international crusades draw audiences in their tens of thousands, breaking barriers of race, culture, and language.
From prophesying to presidents to laying hands on ordinary citizens, his message is universal: God still speaks, God still heals, God still restores.
Each global tour solidifies his place as one of the most influential Christian leaders of the 21st century. He is as comfortable commanding a crowd in Chicago as he is in Accra, as bold in Paris as he is in Abuja.
The Legacy in Motion
Apostle Johnson Suleman is more than a preacher—he is a movement. A man consumed by vision, driven by compassion, and equipped with an anointing that refuses to be confined by borders.
From Auchi to America, from pulpits to palaces, from widows to world leaders, his impact is undeniable. And as the Restoration Apostle continues to blaze trails across nations, one thing is certain: his legacy is still unfolding, and his global moves have only just begun.
Apostle Suleman Heals Super Falcons Player, Nkor Blessing, of One-Year Leg Injury
An international female footballer formerly with the Nigerian Super Falcons national team, Nkor Blessing, has testified that she was healed of a 12 months-old leg injury by God’s power through the anointing power of Apostle Johnson Suleman of the Omega Fire Ministries (OFM) worldwide.
Blessing’s testimony was announced by the wife of the servant of God, Reverend (Dr.) Lizzy Suleman, during the ‘My Time Has Come’ healing programme at the ministry’s national headquarters
The female footballer’s joy and renewed passion were conspicuous as she stood before the large congregation to tell her recovery story. While expressing confidence of returning to active play after the one year setback, Blessing recalled during the testimony that the incident happened without contact with a fellow player while she was with the Turkish Gaziantep Asya Spor.
The star footballer was signed on loan by the Spanish club, Deportivo La Coruna, for the remainder of the 2024/25 season.
“I’ve been nursing the injury since last year when I played in Turkey. Amazingly, I had no contact with any of my colleagues in the field, nobody bashed me. I just woke up and we went out for training in the morning. Then I started feeling the pain when we were jogging. That is how it started. I later came down to Nigeria for a break. In Nigeria, I treated the leg but it wasn’t healed. I later had an invitation to Spain. I played in Deportivo La Coruna but I was off-season because of the injury,” Blessing narrated.
Dr. Lizzy Johnson Suleman stated that Blessing was supposed to have participated in the last match but couldn’t because of the injury and she had been nursing severe pains until she attended ‘My Time Has Come’ programme and “amazingly got healed by the power of God”.
The former Super Falcons forward presented to the congregants her x-tray test results used to locate the injury.
“That is witchcraft.” That is wickedness,” said Apostle Johnson Suleman while praying for Blessing after the healing, emphasizing reliance on God’s power through faith and prayer. “I asked her to speak about how she sustained the injury because she said nobody hit her on the field. Nobody hit her leg, she didn’t fall down or get injured through a wrong attack. It just came. That is witchcraft,” the cleric declared, praying that God that has healed her makes her whole and restores all that she has lost.
Revival Intercessors Ministries Celebrates 15 Years of Growth and Impact in Port Harcourt
Revival Intercessors Ministries International, a fast-growing Christian ministry headquartered in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has marked its 15th anniversary with a thanksgiving celebration, highlighting a journey of spiritual growth, humanitarian outreach, and nationwide expansion.
The Anniversary, held in Port Harcourt, was attended by church members, dignitaries, and representatives from various branches across Nigeria. The event served as both a celebration of God’s faithfulness and a reflection on the milestones achieved since the ministry was founded in 2010 by Apostle Samuel Chidiebere Godwin.
Speaking at the event, Apostle Godwin recalled the birth of the ministry on July 25, 2010. “It all started after a divine encounter I had earlier that month. I shared the experience with my wife and later with three other brethren, and together we took the first step. We began with just five adults and three children. Today, we can only thank God for how far He has brought us,” he said.
Over the past 15 years, Revival Intercessors Ministries has expanded its reach significantly, planting branches in several cities and states across Nigeria. The church has also established educational institutions to cater to children and young people, with a vision of raising a generation grounded in both academics and faith. In addition to its local assemblies, the ministry has hosted large crusades and revival meetings in multiple states, attracting thousands of worshippers. According to Apostle Godwin, these gatherings have been marked by testimonies of healing, deliverance, and spiritual renewal.
Beyond its core spiritual mandate, the ministry has actively engaged in humanitarian services through outreach programs and charitable initiatives. The church’s non-governmental activities have included support for the less privileged, medical visits to hospitals, and empowerment programs for families in need. “We believe ministry goes beyond the pulpit. Our mission includes touching lives physically, socially, and spiritually. That is why we have invested in education, community service, and welfare projects,” Apostle Godwin explained.
As the ministry enters its next phase, Apostle Godwin expressed gratitude to God and reaffirmed his commitment to advancing the gospel. “We have never had a better last year — every new year has been greater. Our prayer is to remain consistent in God’s kingdom work. We are trusting Him for greater expansion and deeper impact in the years ahead,” he declared. His wife, Pastor Mrs. Blessing Godwin, joined in expressing appreciation to God and church members for their dedication to the vision.
The Anniversary celebration concluded with praise, worship, testimonies, and renewed commitments from members to continue spreading the message of revival and intercession across Nigeria and beyond.
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