Ven. Reverend Amby Ukachukwu, is the General Overseer of Gospel Voice Ministries Incorporated, based in Awka, Anambra State. Recently, he was invited to Chapel of Power Ministries (Beautiful Gate) in Surulere, Lagos, to minister during. In a recent interview, the dark complexioned man spoke about his life and ministry.
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Journey into ministry
My mother shared with me that when she married my dad, they were blessed with female children for several years. She said that before she gave birth to me, people were making mockery of my dad, calling him all sorts of names, that his compound was filled with female children. Eventually, she made a vow unto God that if God blessed her with a male child she would dedicate the child unto God's service.
After my education, I entered into business, the business was quite prosperous. I travelled to Hong Kong , Japan and other Asian countries.
Along the line, the doors began to close up against me. Things were not moving the way they were. The summary of it was that I was faced with hardship. Eventually, one of my friends said we should go to a place called Okija to consult an herbalist for success.
We spent all our money, to get the rubbish prepared by the herbalist. The very first day I patronised an herbalist, it landed me in prison because police held us on the way from Okija. I can't tell you my experience in the prison. I never knew it was another world altogether.
The inmates asked for my passport with visa and why I entered their midst. At 13.o'clock, according to their language, they brought me out and dealt with me. It was then I knew that charm cannot lead anybody anywhere. After that, I started patronizing herbalists, I visited a lot of prayer houses and eventually, God granted me salvation and thereafter God called me into a full time ministry. Ever since, God has been faithful to His word.
Coping with ladies?
God has seriously dealt with me. At first, it wasn't all that easy. As a matter of fact, it wasn't easy. If you don't want to "toast" anybody, they would want to toast you. They see pastors as "Goldfish", because of the anointing upon their lives. But when you make up your mind to do anything, the grace of God would be sufficient.
Vision
I entered into full time ministry in 1987. The spirit of God gave birth to the church I'm pastoring on November 2, 1992. Then, I was just about six months old in my marital life. From there, God started blessing and prospering us. As at now, we have our churches scattered all over and we have our associate pastor in Netherlands .
I won't say everything is a bed of roses, but I must confess, God is living up to His word. When we started, friends and relations mocked me. Some friends said the witches in my town were after me, because they can't imagine me leaving my business life to handle bible and microphone as a career. In fact, hunger almost killed me, but I knew within myself that the call of God was upon me because I wouldn't have survived what I went through. I don't even like recounting those hard times. All the same, God is faithful.
My friends deserted me. But today, they heard and saw what God is doing through my T.V and radio ministry. Our T.V and radio ministry is very popular in Anambra State .
There was a time Awka was sold into idol worship. They were known for that. I must tell you, when I went into the place newly, it wasn't easy. There was a time I tried to run away. I came to Lagos and secured a place. Somebody paid for my private apartment at Ilasamaja. People started coming.
One day, the spirit of God called me and said He has sent me to Awka to work there and that Awka is my port of call before I can touch the whole world. I tried to be stubborn, but at the end of it, I'm still in Awka. I can tell you categorically today that Awka now is for Christ. The grace of God is sufficient and by the grace of God, we are in 13 countries outside Nigeria .
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