Pastor Sam Adeyemi, founder and Senior Pastor of Daystar Christian Center in Lagos, In a video clip he just uploaded online, described how he nearly closed down Daystar Christian Center many years ago and the role of Bishop David Oyedepo of Winners Chapel in preventing him from doing so.
He narrated the entire struggle he went through and how the man of God, Oyedepo stood by him and encouraged him to weather the storm. Read excerpts:
“Many years ago, in the early years of Daystar, when Daystar Christian centre was like 2 years after we started, and I was getting frustrated. I was getting frustrated because there were growth targets that we had set, but we were not meeting the target. So, I went to my mentor, Dr Bishop Oyedepo. I said to him: ‘’Sir, what do you do when you have done everything you know to do about growing the church and the church refuses to grow?’’
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He said to me, ‘’you know this growth thing is a seasonal thing, that is why it is written in the scriptures: ‘’Let us not be wary in well-doing, for in due season, we shall reap ‘’ so, he said when the season comes, the growth will come as long as the farmer continues to put seeds in the soil he doesn’t have a problem because it is a matter of season. When the time comes for him to get the harvest, there is a high likelihood he would get the harvest.
He said but if out of frustration, he stops planting, the seeds, he said when the harvest season comes, God will have nothing to multiply for him. So, he said whatever it is, you have been doing, continue to do it. I will never forget that conversation because of the paradigm shift that it gave me. And that reminds me again of the conversation I had with Dr Oyedepo when I was telling him how he had an event. I was telling him how great it was, how powerful the delivery was, by the guest speaker. And when I was done, he said, can I tell you something? He said; don’t think that you will grow that church on guest speakers. That church cannot outgrow you.
You are the shepherd that God has put over that church. He said to me, “Why don’t you become the person that people want to listen to. I will never forget that statement because it’s one of the most challenging statements I ever heard in my life. oh yes, you hear or you did hearing of other people, powerful speakers, so, you want to bring them to a conference so that they help you attract the crowd. So he said you, you would not have said that if he didn’t know that I have the capacity to do it. He spoke to that potential when things were not happening fast enough.
One day, I said to my sweetheart, Nike, I said come with me let’s go on a retreat, we are going to a guest house, I want to go and ask God whether I’m supposed to be pastoring or not, yes I am getting an invitation to speak everywhere, but the church is not growing. She said: “But you told me God told you to do this” I said I need to ask him again. You could imagine what he said. He said stay back on the job. Imagine if I gave up on Daystar Christian Center, shut it down. In just a few weeks, Daystar is going to be 25, what if I gave up. I charge you today never to give up?”
Pastor Sam Adeyemi is a dynamic pastor, teacher, author and life coach. He is the Senior Pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, Lagos, Nigeria, a church committed to raising men and women who would become role models in the society.
His vision to realise the evolution of a New Nigeria motivated him to establish a leadership school called the Daystar Leadership Academy (DLA) where leadership principles are taught to develop a new generation of leadership for Nigeria and the world in its entirety. He believes that when you build the man, you can change the world.
His presence in the media spans over a decade; he started out with the popular ‘SUCCESS POWER’, a motivational and inspirational programme on radio, teaching life and success principles. Success Power now broadcasts on radio and television locally and internationally.
His dream is to take the Word to every home on every continent across the world.
He is married to Nike Adeyemi, who co-Pastors with him and Ministers leaning to women and children through the Real Woman Foundation.
Daystar Christian Centre was established on the firm foundation of God’s word given to His servants, Sam & Nike Adeyemi in November 18, 1995, to empower individuals to discover, develop, release and maximize our potential in God through the word. By the grace of God, Daystar Christian Centre remains committed to executing this mandate through weekly worship gatherings and community outreaches; and God stays faithful to supporting the ministry by a steady increase in our numbers and impact.
There is a community for everyone, who comes, irrespective of whatever stage of life you are in. There are opportunities to serve and be served, alongside a dedicated team of God’s servants to guide you in your spiritual journey.