The last Reinhard Bonnke Farewell Crusade in Lagos and final African crusade can be described as beginning of another decade for massive evangelism. The farewell crusade started with great outpouring of the spirit, deliverance and salvation.
Top Christian leaders across Nigeria and other African country with other international guests attended the 5 days impactful and historical crusade that celebrate 50 years of Evangelist Bonnke’s ministry in Africa and the formal handing over of baton to his successor, 36 years old Evangelist Daniel Kolenda. Also in attendance of the historic crusade were his wife, Anni Bonnke and their children.
The first night of the crusade that was broadcast across the nation and around the world on social media as well as beam live on, many Christian Television outlets, witness Evangelist Bonnke preaching a powerful and clear evangelistic message to the mammoth crowd that had thronged the venue of the crusade. It was joyful to hear him preach the Gospel again in Lagos, 17 years after he preached in Lagos.
The 5 days crusade recorded about 2 million participants and delegates who turned out to be part of the historical crusade. Apart from remarkable harvest of souls, the memory of countless miracles and healings and deliverance that took place, the 3 days morning session of fire conference for ministers and church workers was an awesome experience that will remain precious and linger on in the memory of participants.
A major highlight from the farewell crusade was special presentation to Reinhard and Anni Bonnke and the preaching of the Gospel by Evangelist Daniel Kolenda with the formal passing of the torch to Evangelist Daniel Kolenda in the presence of all that were in attendance and the world. The atmosphere was emotional, inspiring and touching with the presence of God highly manifested. In the evening of that same day, Evangelist Daniel Kolenda preaches the Gospel and Reinhard Bonnke prays for the baptism of the Holy Spirit for the entire crowd.
The Bonnke crusade has become a unifying force for the church in Nigeria. It is hoped that this cooperation and unity of purpose will be extended to local evangelists and the wall of denomination will be totally pull down in Nigeria.
…appoints a successor
After leading an astounding 60 million people across the world to Christ for 50 years, Reinhard Bonnke, 77 has in a healthy transfer, passed the baton of his ministry, Christ for All Nations, to 36-year-old preacher Daniel Kolenda.
After Prophet Elijah was dramatically taken up to heaven in a whirlwind and fiery chariot, his gift and power for working miracles immediately transferred to his apprentice Elisha. Elisha received a double portion of the prophet’s miraculous anointing.
And just as Elijah found Elisha plowing in the field before he called him into his ministry, Bonnke found Kolenda plowing through piles of mail as a postal clerk at CfAN’s headquarters. Kolenda had taken the job to supplement his income as a church-plant pastor and provide for his family.
Unlike Elijah, who knew beforehand that Elisha would succeed him as the prophetic leader of Israel, Bonnke didn’t know immediately that Kolenda, who is of no familial relation, would succeed him. God revealed His plan over time.
In this modern and Westernized Christianity, where individualism is a supreme virtue, successors are either disregarded as unnecessary or feared as a threat to the incumbent leader. But, Reinhard Bonnke have proved that, this biblical example of transference of God’s gifts and calling still relevant today and also in operation within Christ for All Nations (CfAN)—the evangelistic ministry he founded more than 43 years ago.
Bonnke, now 77, who has recorded an indelible mark during his years of evangelistic crusades in Africa and developing nations step down as head of CfAN and has appointed 36 year old Daniel Kolenda to continue as his successor with the harvest that is so dear to his heart..
With the healthy transfer of leadership that took place in Lagos during his farewell crusade and witnessed by about 2 million crowd, including top Christian leaders in Nigeria, foreign delegates and others across the globe through broadcast. Bonnke turned the reins of his ministry to Kolenda, who will continue when he would have passed on. In the past years, with Bonnke shoulder-to-shoulder mentored, disciple, tutored, lead and equipped Kolenda to preach the gospel to millions of people. The transition and handing over process enables Kolenda to establish his name by travelling and preaching side-by-side with Bonnke to fulfill the ministry’s mandate of spreading the gospel to the nations and to effectively make “hell empty and heaven full.”
The ministry has international offices. Besides the Florida headquarters, there are offices in Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Nigeria, South Africa, Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong.
The ministry also has an international television program called Even Greater and produces the Full Flame Film Series to ignite a passion in believers for evangelism. In addition, it runs a School of Fire, an evangelism curriculum in which students who meet specific criteria can get through Southeastern University.
Daniel Kolenda, an outstanding fifth-generation preacher and evangelist with a message of salvation have been preaching since age of 14. The graduate of Southeastern University, Lakeland, Fla., and Brownsville Revival School of Ministry in Pensacola, Fla. knows how to throw the net out and how to pull it back in. His emergence will usher in a new dawn of great revival among young people around the world. No doubt as CfAN’s new leader, married with three children, Kolenda has large shoes to fill.
The Christ for All Nation (CfAN) remains an evangelical ministry with agenda for souls and this also will be Daniel Kolenda’s agenda. Bonnke’s confidence in Kolenda is complete with conviction that Daniel has the same burden for souls to be won, carries the same anointing and message of salvation. He had tested, tried him and found him to be the right man. This is why, with all his might he gave him all the backing to continue what God has started through him.
Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke has gloriously run his race and finishing it well. He passed the touch, the power and impacted the anointed for greater works. He will remain active in the ministry’s board and will not stop traveling and preaching the gospel.
