Learn To Appreciate Those God Uses for You – Pastor John Debo
Dr John Adebowale Adeyemi, well known as Pastor John Debo, is a dynamic minister of the gospel and a revivalist, with prophetic gifts. He is passionate for transforming lives through the revelation of knowledge and power of God’s word.
For three decades, he has transverse many ministries, where he served and worked as a minister, and resident pastor before being led to start his own ministry. He is the founder and presiding overseer of Glory Impact Apostolic Global Ministry, Magboro, Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
He celebrated his 30 years in the ministry with the church annual convention thanksgiving, and public presentation of an insightful book, You and Your Familiars, a book exposing unfriendly friends and hidden enemies within.
In this interview with Gracious Akintayo, he shed more light on his Christian journey, ministerial calling, and mentoring. Enjoy;
How would you summarise your 30-year journey in the ministry?
I thank God for His faithfulness and grace. It has been a glorious journey without regrets, and God has been faithful. Despite the challenges, God always proved Himself. I have never been disappointed, and I’m grateful.
When you started 30 years ago, did you think you would reach this level?
When I started 30 years ago, I only believed I was doing what God had called me to do, and I think He will take me wherever He wants to. I have a goal, a vision, and God has been faithful. I have not been there yet, but I will get there by God’s grace.
How would you describe your journey into the ministry?
It has been from glory to glory, and God is moving me from one stage of glory to another, and it’s getting better. We are entering into the realm of greater glory after these 30 years.
What was your parents’ reaction when you went into the ministry?
My parents had a prophecy when I was born that I would be a minister, but they didn’t like it. They are afraid. I wanted to be a lawyer. But when God says, He doesn’t want me to do any other work than the ministry’s work, I struggled, thinking, maybe when I work in the secular, I will retire to come and do the work of the ministry after retirement, God said, no, if I do that, I will regret it, and I said, no, I don’t want that. I had to submit. At the age of 20, I began to follow Pastor Joshua Adewale Alokon (of blessed memory), and from there, I entered the seminary. God has been faithful.
What’s your advice to young ministers on fatherhood, discipline, and mentoring?
In ministry, you must have a spiritual father to father you. You must also have a mentor you can look up to, who will check you, encourage you, and guide you. These I have enjoyed from my father in the Lord, Apostle Wole Oladiyun, he has been there since God connected me to him, my ministry took a turnaround, and there was a shift.
To the younger generation, they must not be lone-rangers; there must be a fatherhood to account for, and they must have a mentor to go far in life and in ministry.
What advice do you have for the younger ministers?
Unfortunately, the younger generation of pastors are not patient; they want to start today and become big tomorrow. They are impatient and don’t want to wait, whereas the ministry is all about patience and a gradual process to grow. It’s all about impact, and not material acquisition, fame, popularity, or money; those things are not why they are in the ministry. They should not chase material things and worldly possessions, they will get more of those things if they genuinely seek to serve God and He genuinely calls them; they must be patient.
What do you have to say in your latest book?
You and Your Familiars: The book is loaded, and I started writing it some years ago. It exposed unfriendly friends and hidden enemies within. With my experience in the ministry, I have discovered that people matter, and that the people are the very closest to us. They are our family, I’m not talking about family as spirits, but about family as human beings. From our family members, friends, and church members, we have to live with them with wisdom. Not every battle comes from demons.
Most of the battles I encountered are people close to me in ministry: backstabbing, backbiting, and lies. In the book, I warned people to move among people around them with caution, not to be suspicious of them, but to know them, and not be committed to anyone, no matter what they are giving or doing, because they are still human, and if you commit yourself, you will be disappointed; they will show you their human aspect.
In summary, people should always appreciate those whom God has used to assist them in climbing. You are nothing without people.
