The physical structure of The SCOAN has gone through different stages.
Each stage served a purpose! Before moving to our present position, The
SCOAN has had three previous locations. The roof of the first church was
blown off by a storm, the second church was washed away by a flood
while the third church also collapsed due to severe weather conditions.
Shall we say all these happened without God’s knowledge? No. In every
situation, God is still saying something. Today, The SCOAN is an
architectural masterpiece located in the heart of Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos.
All The Way Long
The First Church
There is an unseen hand in the affairs of every man of faith. God is the unseen hand that brings everything to pass.
As a Christian, whatever situation you are in, do a proper reflection. I
mean sit down and reflect on life itself and you will discover that
nothing happens for nothing, nothing comes by chance.
The Synagogue, Church of All Nations did not just come by chance – it
was as it should be by divine will. Right from the start, God Almighty
has been the divine driver behind our fortunes and the inspiration
behind the whole set up.
We want to take this opportunity to acknowledge how He has intervened
in our affairs all the way long. If God had not overcome for us, there
would be no need to tell this story
Everything Big Start Little
God has set a time for everything: a time to be born, a time to grow,
a time to face persecution, a time to overcome and a time to show the
proceeds of victory.
If you look at life, you would see that everything big starts little.
A mighty cathedral starts with one brick. A journey of a thousand miles
starts with a single step. You were once a tiny embryo in your mother’s
womb, but today, see how big you have become.
Luke 13:18 – Then Jesus asked, “What is the
kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard
seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a
tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches.”
The First Church
A Christian home does not come by luck. It is not a thing of chance
or accident. You don’t just find yourself in it; it is something you
have through conscious effort or genuine willingness. So also, The
Synagogue, Church Of All Nations that you see today did not just happen,
it was built.
Many years ago, a small gathering of eight members came together to
hold their first meeting in a humble shelter in a squalid, swampy
jungle, in the location of Agodo-Egbe in Lagos, Nigeria. For everything
God created, He allotted a specific and definite purpose. The purpose
and mission of the church was simple and clear – to seek and save the
lost (Luke 19:10).
As time went on, it became increasingly clear that T.B. Joshua was
not just an ordinary pastor, preaching ‘ordinary’ words and doing
‘ordinary things’. Right from the onset, he has believed that serving
God is not doing what many do but doing what the best do.
“Everyone has a calling. If you follow the direction of
your calling, you will surprise yourself, you will astonish yourself –
you will make a difference in your world.”
The Second Church
Clear evidence of outstanding miraculous occurrences began to arise.
The lame began to walk, hopeless cancer patients were lifted from
despair, desperate situations were turned to scenes of life, joy and
peace. On seeing the extraordinary power of God in the life of this man,
one cannot but ask questions: ‘Can this be true in our days?’ ‘Can a
human being perform such feats?’ ‘Is the Bible still true for us today?’
Anointing does not work through plans, methods or machinery. It works
through suitable men. T.B. Joshua is simply utilising the power that
has been given to all believers (Luke 10:19). ” Jesus is disappointed that men lack the necessary faith to release the power that has been given to them.”God has no hands but our hands to do His work.
Right from day one, the focus in The SCOAN has never been on the
healing but on the Healer, whose name is Jesus Christ. As T.B. Joshua
always says: “I am not here to introduce you to healing, but to the Healer .” The only genuine reason for receiving is salvation (Matthew 6:33).
He says: “I am not the healer. I know the Healer. His name is Jesus
Christ. It is not my work but my faith in His finished works. It is
God’s strength that is made manifest in my weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
Church of All Nations?
The Third Church
God had planted a vision in the heart of T.B. Joshua. Some would
think it strange for a church of just a small number in a humble area in
Lagos, Nigeria to be prophetically named a church of all nations but
for the vision in the life of T.B. Joshua. The name given to the church
is testimony to the prophetic insight given to Prophet T.B. Joshua and
his calm and determined focus on that vision.
“Your future must move into you before you can move into your future.”
This dream was known to him alone. No one else believed his dream nor
even understood it. His vision was his direction. He allowed that dream
to be his best influence rather than the opinions, advice and
criticisms of others around him.
“If your mind agrees in your relationship with God, what
your circumstances look like, what you see, what people say or do
concerning that relationship cannot affect it.”
Prophet T.B. Joshua knew that the service of the Lord
is a thing of the mind, and your mind will always ask you to do
something uncommon, rare and different. For you to have what you have
never had before, you must do what you have never done before (Matthew 14:28-31).
Synagogue?
Some might wonder, why ‘Synagogue’? The Bible says Jesus entered the
Synagogue and sent out all that were not of Him, all those things that
He had not planted. As it was, so it is. As He worked in the Synagogue
of old, Jesus is still working in the Synagogue today. The Son of God
healed and still heals all kinds of sickness and disease. What is
happening today is just an extension of what happened then.
Move On As Jesus Did
Old Building of SCOAN
On the instruction from the Holy Spirit, The Synagogue, Church Of All
Nations moved to a large expanse of land in Ikotun-Egbe, in the
outskirts of Lagos. Thousands began flocking to the services as they
heard about the miraculous events taking place there (Matthew 4:23-24).
If the road is smooth, the journey calm and everything is going well
for you, be careful. The Bible says narrow and rough is the road that
leads to life. That is, anything close to Jesus receives attack. If
satan knows you are not bothering his kingdom, he would not bother to
attack you. The occurrences in The SCOAN attracted the attention of
satan and his agents. Agents of satan were sent to come and put out the
light in the life of Prophet T.B. Joshua, but their missions failed.
Satan is powerless in the face of God’s armour and power. They came in
mass seeking to destroy but were instead delivered by the power of the
Holy Spirit. This is simply because Prophet T.B. Joshua recognized that
the victory had already been won.
Whatever I am today is a product of the conviction that victory through Christ Jesus is victory indeed. The rest is history.”
Crowds Fill the SCOAN
Isaiah 2:3 “Many peoples will come and
say, R#8220;Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house
of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in
his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from
Jerusalem.”
As the awareness spread, people of every colour, culture and creed
started coming to witness the power of God in the The Synagogue, Church
Of All Nations. Countless testimonies continued flooding in as every
manner of sickness and disease bowed and submitted to the indisputable
authority in the name of Jesus Christ. There is no reason to doubt His
sufficiency. His healing, blessing, deliverance are unlimited!(Hebrews 13:8).
Instruction In Righteousness
It was then that another mighty work began in The SCOAN. God Almighty
instructed Prophet T.B. Joshua to build a cathedral that would reflect
His glory and majesty.
Just as David received instruction to build the temple and Moses
received instruction to build the tabernacle, the same God, who changes
not, was the inspiration behind the construction of The SCOAN you see
today. When you follow Jesus in righteousness, the impossible will
become possible for you.
There was only one architect involved in the planning – the Holy
Spirit. When the Holy Spirit talks, we must obey, because changes are
beginning.
New SCOAN Under Construction
In a very short space of time, an area without walls and barely a
roof was transformed into a mighty cathedral. Hard benches were replaced
with comfortable chairs; poor lights were turned to intelligent
lighting; fans were exchanged with refreshing air conditioning. The
great changes that took place in such a limited time span has become a
subject of debate. The will of God will never lead you to where the
grace of God is not sufficient to cover you. Glory be to God!
Everyone has received something from God that is capable of being
planted. Members willingly sacrificed their time, strength and money to
build their church. Everyone played their own role and used the gifts
God had given them to contribute to the success of the building.
Just one walk into the church helps to cultivate an atmosphere of
faith and a consciousness of Christ’s presence. On all the windows, the
galleries and the floor, there are Bible passages and words of
encouragement and inspiration to lift your faith. The ceiling also
displays many pictures depicting the suffering of Christ and the
apostles of old, creating opportunity for sober reflection and
self-examination.
“God is in the House through His Word, by His Spirit.”
The Church Today
The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations
Although the physical structure of the church has changed, the vision
remains the same. Millions continue to receive the knowledge of saving
grace, and to see the undeniable evidence that Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday, today and forever.
God continues to use Prophet T.B. Joshua as an instrument of healing,
prophecy, deliverance, blessing and salvation. Healings of HIV-AIDS,
cancer, paralysis, and of many other sicknesses and diseases occur every
week, proving that Jesus is who He says He is, He has what He says He
has, and He can do what He says He can.Every Sunday, our live services
are broadcast to millions around the globe through Emmanuel TV, and the cathedral is always filled to capacity with worshippers from across Nigeria and the world.
‘Church Of All Nations’: what to some was mere wishful thinking is
becoming a visible reality today. The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations
is now spreading throughout the globe. That name was not just given for
nothing. God had a plan and purpose. The unseen hand is at work, and we
know that this higher hand is leading us to something higher.
“If God gives you a vision and it is opposed by men, do not reduce it; stay in faith in Christ Jesus.”
Where God guides, He provides. Where he provides, He protects. A million thanks are not enough for all He has done!
The Race Continues
“The race is not for the beginner but for the finisher.”
The journey continues. It is not about the messenger but the
unchanging message. It’s not about the miracles but the Miracle worker.
It’s not about the man, but the Maker. It’s all about Jesus Christ. The
eternal message of our Lord Jesus Christ will last forever, even in the
face of life’s uncertainties. This is what we are born for, what we are
living for and what we are going to die for.
Wherever the road may lead us, the vision that gave birth to this
ministry many years ago is the same vision that wakes us up in the
morning, sends us to sleep at night and is preparing us for the journey
tomorrow. And what is that vision? One way; one job. The way is Jesus
Christ; the job is to talk about Him to others.
Life is a warfare. In a war, there are many battles to be won. Each
time God sees you through a battle, it is right for you to say, “Thank
You, Lord” and glorify Him. It is a way of encouraging Him to see you
through future battles, because there are many battles ahead.
Deuteronomy 1:30-31 – “The LORD your
God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in
Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the desert. There you saw how the
LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you
went until you reached this place.”
He has carried us all the way long. This story is not intended to
show off, but as a way of glorifying God and saying, “Thank You, Jesus”.
The best is yet to come…
CONTACT US
Headquarters
The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations
1, Segun Irefin Street
Ikotun Egbe
Lagos, Nigeria
Postal Address
The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations
PMB 017, Ipaja Post Office,
Lagos, Nigeria, West Africa
+234 (0) 8077679597
+234 (0) 8080800044
Prayer & Counseling
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