BUTLERS, Nevis - SCORES of Nevisians are taking their sick relatives and friends to revival meetings at Eden Brown Church of God where visiting Nigerian evangelist Dr. Fred Omoruyi is preaching that if they truly believe, God could heal their diseases.
Several persons, including two with impaired hearing, testified that they received physical healing after the evangelist had prayed for them.
Dr Omoruyi, who is based in the Bahamas and the USA but travels widely to various parts of the world, said in an interview that there is a difference between religion and good news.
“People know about churches and the doctrines of churches but the good news that Jesus is bringing, many have no clue. They do not know the depth of the message of redemption. It is only when you know the message of redemption that you can receive all the benefits of redemption. A lot is not taught. People are not exposed to the whole message of the Gospel. Jesus comes to save and to deliver. Once you understand that simple message, there is nothing Jesus cannot do.”
The evangelist said the church was growing faster in developing countries than in the Western world.
”In the developing world, people have limited alternatives. In Africa, when we get hold of the word of God we go all out for it.” He said in developing countries believers pray fervently: “They have all-night prayer sessions. They fast for 40 and even 90 days and, as a result, the preaching of the Gospel is followed by signs and wonders.”
Dr. Omoruyi disclosed that he is a witness to God’s performance of many miracles during his preaching engagements. One day while preaching in Chicago, he said that he noticed an usher who had hearing aids.
“I noticed an usher, a huge guy; he had two things dropping from his ear. He caught my attention. He had hearing aids with a chain dropping down. I asked him if he could not hear without them. I said Jesus did not create you with a hearing aid. I asked him to take the hearing aids off. He took them of and was healed.”
The visiting evangelist said the key to church growth is prayer: “The largest church in America is an average church in Nigeria. Americans are going to Africa to find out how the church is growing. Technology is good but African churches do what the bible says; they pray and they believe in signs and miracles.”
Dr. Omuruyi said he became a born again Christian while in Nigeria after a child was raised from the dead.
“The only way I got saved in Africa was when the dead was raised. I went to the young man who had prayed and asked him how it happened. The child had been dead for many hours and the grave had already dug. I asked him, ‘how did you do it’?”
He was only 16 at the time of the incident.
“I was in high school. It was during holidays. I got back to school. I read my Bible. My borrowed bible was like food. I was preaching, talking about Jesus. I did not see any other Christians in a school that had 3,000 students. A Christian student joined our school and we started a Christian group in the school. Later, after school, I went to a bible college.”
In 1984 Dr. Omuruyi became a full-time evangelist.
Asked what his message is to a world faced with recession, he said it was not a new thing in the world.
“People are not sure of what is going to happen. In America, the greatest nation in the world, people are coming to a point where they are not sure of what is going to happen. My message is that God has not changed. The economic crisis is not new. There has been recession, there has been drought and famine…there is no lack for those who seek God.
“God who gave the raven bread to take to Elijah, the God who prospered Isaac in time of drought is still our God. Christians should not fear the oppressive news. Those who are being laid off should look up to God. This is the time to be more creative. Many people have prospered in hard times because of their faith in God.”
He continued: “I am telling people to go back to the book of Acts. Study the book of Acts. God who manifested himself in the book of Acts will act on your behalf. Find out how God blessed the early church.”
Asked whether he was prescribing “Prosperity Gospel”, he said his understanding of prosperity is being able to manage wisely the resources God has given to the world.
“As we prosper in our soul, we will prosper in our body and materially. Poverty is a curse. The only thing God promises is prosperity. If you read Deuteronomy Chapter 28, the Bible says He will bless you in your going out and your coming in. Blessings will pursue you and overtake you. Nature demonstrates if we do not give, we cannot receive.
“You may not have the cash, but there is always something to give. That is usually the problem with somebody trapped with poverty. They are always looking to receive. They are not giving. Solomon said in Proverbs three that we should honour the Lord with our substance.”
Dr. Omuruyi concludes his preaching engagement tonight.
