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TB JOSHUA AS YOU NEVER HEARD HIM SPEAK 
Sunday, February 3, 2008
By JOSSY IDAM
Prophet T.B. Joshua, founder and GeneralOverseer of the Synagogue Church of AllNations, is an enigma of sorts. Over thedecades, the 44-year-old, bearded “man of God”, as his followers fondly call him, hasquietly, steadily lived by his conviction. Hislife as he revealed to Weekly Spectator inan exclusive interview, revolves around thepropagation of the Word of God.
 The massive, beautiful edifice of his churchheadquarters, The Synagogue at Okota, a Lagossuburb, has sent eyes enviously roving andtongues wagging. As though saying, ‘eat out yourhearts’ to the jaundiced critics, heads of statesevery now and again drop by. The President of Gabon, Omar Bongo was there a couple of weeks ago. But the portalsof the Synagogue are also open to the lowly rejects of the society. Widows and dwarfsthrong the place. The church caters for them without reservation.But the building, according to him, is only 75 percent completed. With its state-of-the-art studio and equipment, he told Weekly Spectator that he would allow the public touse the place for Christian-related activities when completed: “Gospel artistes cancome to perform here. Marriages, crusades and seminars can hold here”, he said. The prophet’s largeness of heart appears to stoke and even weave controversyaround him. Late last year, Pastor Christ Okotie, a notable Pentecostal church ministertook a swipe at him, saying that Prophet T.B Joshua and his followers will go to hell.Commenting on that in the interview with Weekly Spectator, Joshua simply said:“Integrity can’t be probed. When it has to do with the name of a person and church…when I begin to be a judge, who will judge me on the last day? God allows persecutionto preserve us for redemption. He even allows name-calling to prepare us for a newlevel”.Healing and prophecy are perhaps his forte. On Sunday, January 13, 2008, whiledelivering a sermon that was later telecasted on the church’s T.V channel-Emmanuel,he accurately predicted, the Heathrow plane crash. He told the congregation to rise upand pray on Wednesday and ask God to spare the balloon that flies in the air and itsoccupants.He further told them to make sign of the cross on their foreheads and stretch theirhands and do same for people not present and ask God to “shelter them under theshadow of His protection”. Few hours after, the British Airways plane, Flight B.A 38from Beijing, China, crashed. With the exception of three passengers who had minorinjuries, the 138 passengers in the Boeing 777 survived the crash. Excerpts of theinterview:
 
Many important persons and heads of states always sneak in here. What dothey want from you?
 They don’t sneak in. There’s no way they will sneak in here with a presidential jet. Thegospel of our Lord Jesus is light. And you cannot light a candle and hide it. It will surelyattract both the privileged and less-privileged people. It’s two-sided.
 You accurately predicted the Boeing 777, Heathrow plane crash. Would yousay the passengers were spared because of your prayer and that of yourfollowers?
I would like you to watch the tape of that revelation. I said: ‘let the will of God bedone’. I said it five times. I told members of the church present: ‘rise up for prayers,let the will of God be done’. I saw it and told people to pray to avert what would havebeen a major disaster.
In the same vein, what’s your forecast for the country this year?
I have the messages. I’m just taking it in bits. By tomorrow morning, I know God willstill speak through me to speak to the whole world. I have about 30 messages for thenation but I am taking them one after the other. I even saw the killing of Benazi Bhuttoin Pakistan.
Why don’t you bring them out make them public at once?
No. When I get a message, I begin to ask God if we can do something about them. If there are some that prayers can change I say it to the world. As for what God has forpeople this year, I would have released them since January 1st, but the ones that canbe changed is what we are asking God to show us. But very soon the paper will beavailable. I want to advise the world. When the Bible says, ‘watch and pray’, what itmeans is before open your lips with faith in your heart, look around you and helpthose in need.
The heads of state and statesmen who visit you all the time, do you everadvise them to be upright and humane in their dealing with their citizens?
 That’s what is exactly expected from a man of God. Anyone who comes to see theman of God should expect to hear the voice of God. And God says live right.Righteousness exalts a nation and sin brings reproach.
How’s your typical day?
 Jesus is the world to me, my time, my day, my love, my joy. Without him, I will fall. Idon’t have any time I could call my own.
When do you wake up – if you ever sleep?
I‘ve said it all. Jesus is the world to me. Let no man boast. It’s not the work of righteousness which I have done but according to his grace. He manifests his strengthin my weakness.
 You are a pastor, a husband and father. How do you juggle those roles?
When Jesus sends you to carry out a mission, the people that will help you- your wifeand children, your evangelists, He will prepare them for the journey. Once you are aman of the people, not a man of man, he will bring people who will help you.
Nothing is heard of your wife. Is she part of your ministry?
 Yes, she is. God’s time is the best. He’s working out the answer slowly but surely.When it’s time, she’ll be on board.
Sometime last year, another man of God, Pastor Chris Okotie was quoted to
 
have said that you and your followers will go to hell. Did you read the storyand what’s your reaction?
 You know, I respect integrity. Integrity can’t be probed. When it has to do with thename of a person and church… when I begin to be a judge, who will judge on the lastday? Let me put this way: sometimes, God allows a controversy. He uses that tostrengthen our desire for him. He uses persecution to preserve us for redemption. Heeven allows name-calling to prepare us for a new level.
Why informs the name of your church –Church of Synagogue of All Nations?Is it that your church will eclipse other churches of the world, or are youconvinced that yours is the only church God has ordained for the world?
No (laughing). When we say Church of All Nations, it’s a vision given to me, that thechurch will touch all the world. A tree cannot make a forest. We have ministers of Godthat the Lord is using to fulfill that promise. But the Word of God is like a house. Someare sent to lay the foundation, some are sent to lay the bricks, some come to roof andplaster the house. So, no single person can build a house. Everybody needs to knowhis own portion in the assignment. This is the portion given to me. I’ll carry it to thewhole world.
Other Christians call their place of worship ‘church’. Why do you call yours‘Synagogue’?
If you read your Bible very well, Jesus entered the Synagogue and said to peoplebuying and selling: ‘Get out of my father’s house, it’s a place of worship’. He chasedthem out of the place.
So, you’re taking it from a Jewish tradition?
 There’s nowhere in the Bible that Jesus entered and said: ‘This is my father’s house’,apart from the Synagogue.
This place, Synagogue, is massive. You must be very rich to do it. How did ithappen?
Whatever money can achieve must not be glorified. Let’s glorify what money cannotachieve the anointing of God. When you talk of money, unbelievers too have money.Let’s talk about the things we can’t achieve by power and might. That a man built thebiggest church in the world is not an issue, not something to be excited about. Thepeople of Satan also have money to build a big place and worship him.
Still on the building-the Synagogue, how long did it to be erected, what’s itscost and is it true it’s only 75 percent completed?
I’ve said it all. Let’s not glorify man. Let’s talk about the source of money-GodAlmighty.
This is your headquarters, how many branch do you have in and outside thecountry?
We have it here. We have branches in Benin City, Port Harcourt, Jos, Akure and so on.We also have in South Africa, UK... And there’s hardly a country that is notrepresented here.
 You have a world-class theatre, stage and state-of-the-art equipment. Whydon’t you call gospel artistes to come here and perform?
Well, the Synagogue Church of All Nations is not for members of this church alone. The place is still under construction. When we finish, I’ll place it on the Internet thatwe can use it to conduct Christian marriage. Gospel artistes, men of God who want todo crusade and they are looking for a safe place, they can come and take the key and
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