Lagos PFN Inaugurates New Executives …new Chairman, Yemi Davids assured of unity, renewal, and impact

The President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, (PFN), Bishop Francis Wale Oke, has led other members of the National Executive of the fellowship, including the State inauguration chairman, Archbishop Joseph Imariabe Ojo, the National Treasurer, Rev. Sam Aboyeji (G. O., Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria), to formally inaugurate the new 12 members executive and 21 provincial chairmen of the Lagos State Chapter of PFN at a well attended ceremony held at the auditorium of Covenant Nation, Iganmu, Lagos.

The inauguration ceremony of the new executive themed, “New Dawn …soaring beyond limits”, was moderated by the Chairman, of the Planning Committee, Rev. Dr. Eric Ighalo, and coordinated by the State Inauguration Chairman, Archbishop Joseph Ojo, who dissolved the out-gone exco, and the 21 state provincial councils, and advised the new executives to function in a way that would make PFN relevant in the society, and should cooperate with the umbrella body of all christian organisation and blocs, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Speaking during the administration of the oath of office on the new executives, Archbishop Ojo said, the Lagos State body of the fellowship had been praying for a new dawn, and with the inauguration of the new executives, the era of the new dawn had come to soar beyond limits.

He urged the new executive to focus their four-year tenure on the fellowship mandate of evangelism, humanitarian works, and unity of purpose in the body of Christ. He said, “PFN, as an umbrella organization of the Pentecostal Churches in Nigeria, and the infusion of a fresh breath of unity by the new executives would attract the Holy Spirit to use the body to do greater exploits.”

Ojo advised the new Lagos State Chairman, Pastor Yemi Davids to work as a chief servant and serve with diligence, “You are a chief servant in PFN, you are to serve and not be served. In your ministry, you are permitted to use ‘I’ but in PFN, it’s ‘We’. It is a collective responsibility, to share the labour and also the glory. Not seeking personal glory”, he said.

“Under God, you are to uphold the unity of the body of Christ under your supervision. Under God, you are to uphold the standards of faith. Under God and oath, you must function to unite all Pentecostal assembly and other bodies of Christ in the state and in Nigeria,” he declared.

The President of PFN, Bishop Wale Oke speaking at the inauguration, said, unity is essential for the development and growth of the fellowship, and the church of Christ. He encouraged the new leadership to embrace unity and foster fellowship within the Pentecostal body in Lagos State.

“I was reliably informed that the PFN Lagos State has been praying and fasting for a new era. The new era you have been praying for is here. Let’s come together, close the old chapter, and move ahead. We are in the era of former and latter rain together. Lagos PFN, you are entering a season of unprecedented abundance and it will flow in every church through the fellowship and restore to you the year the locust and cankerworm have eaten”, he prayed.

While leading Rev. Dr. Mercy Ezekiel, and Rev. Sam Aboyeji in praying for the 12 new executives and the 21 provincial chairmen, Bishop Wale Oke said, the new exco jobs were a call to service and urged them as stewards of the church to achieve desired goals.

Lagos PFN new chairman’s inaugural and acceptance speech

In his inaugural and acceptance speech, the new Lagos State PFN chairman, and the Senior Pastor of Global Impact Church, Pastor Yemi Davids, said its inauguration, a year before the PFN 40th anniversary, was inspirational with great expectations from them, as the new exco. He stated that the focus of his administration’s four four-year agenda would be church unity while stressing that a divided house cannot make an impact.

“We are going to work hard on reconciliation of aggrieved parties, we are going to work on the unity of the church as the Lord gives grace. We will work on those who are hurt by the process, and we will make the PFN’s impact felt in Lagos by carrying out community projects that would change lives in the society”.

He outlined areas of focus to include; reconciliation, renewal (spiritual), relevance, resourcefulness, and re-visioneer, saying that the new dawn season is especially unique as PFN hits the 40-year milestone.

“We believe PFN needs to focus on the reality of the name Pentecostal. It is not a Pentecostal Political Party; it is a Pentecostal fellowship. So, we need to come together in love to make an impact in our society and live up to our billing”, Pastor Davids said.

During a press conference after his inauguration, Pastor Davids said, the new leadership’s agenda includes high-powered communication, executing community projects, correcting the media narrative and public perception, reaching Pentecostal churches who are non-active members of PFN, and renewal of PFN’s vision.

He further explained that the proposed Pastors’ Congress scheduled for October 21 at the Household of David, was to build bridges, fellowship and familiarize with one another in line with the renewal of PFN’s vision.

Speaking on the measure to prevent a future succession crisis, Davids said, “One of the things that will help us with the crisis is adequate communication, and lots of efforts are going into the reconciliation process. We will encourage everyone to play their part to help reduce the future crisis”. 

“When a family is together, it is difficult to misunderstand one another, but when the family is divided, you will misunderstand the simplest form of communication. This team of new exco will go on the standpoint of humility. honouring one another’s view, and we believe, the crisis will be a thing of the past.”