BELIEVERS ASSEMBLY (EVANGELICAL) NIGERIA AT 55 CONVENTION

HOW WE WERE MOCKED AS MUSHROOM CHURCH BY ORTHODOX CHURCHES

– PRELATE PROF. ISAIAH ISSONG

One of the fastest growing indigenous Pentecostal Churches in Akwa Ibom State, with branches spreading across Nigeria into overseas is The Believers Assembly (Evangelical) Nigeria, Inc (BAN). Founded through the apostolic grace of Prelate Prof. Isaiah Issong, a former soldier, banker and public servant, the Church which began 55 year ago in a room at Ikot Umo Essien, a small agrarian community in Essien Udim, near Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area; now boasts of a beautiful 10,000 sitter Cathedral in Uyo.

Fired by his zeal for soul-winning, Prelate Issong later established a branch at Ikot Ekpene, from where it grew into Uyo and other places in Nigeria and beyond. Today, BAN has become a global phenomenon, impacting thousands of lives, families, the State and nation.

On December 13, 2024, several branches of the Mission will converge at the headquarter’s City of Hope Cathedral, Uyo, for a three day 55th Annual Convention, tagged, “The Finished Work Of Christ At Calvary.” It was this theme that intrigued Quest Inspirational team to enquire of the reason behind such a theme at a Christmas season when other churches are harping on the virgin birth of the Saviour.

EME ARTHUR – OSO, Editor, had a brief interview with Prof. Issong, who is also President General of Fathers In Faith For Good Governance, Vice Chairman 1, Akwa Ibom Christian Leadership Advisory Council (AKSCLAC). His response is incisive and engaging, as presented here:

It is intriguing that during the Christmas season, you title 2024 Annual Convention, “the Finished Work Of Christ At Calvary.” What motivated the choice of this theme?

Christmas or Christ – mas, whichever you want to choose, has to do with the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, which builds up towards the same season which corresponds with his death at Calvary; we combine both and celebrate as Christmas.

This season depicts the time of his birth and also ends up with his death, after 33 and a half years, the same season, with his death at Calvary. That’s the motivation for the theme of the convention. So, both the time of his birth and the time of his death coincide as Christmas.

I would want people to really go back to the beginning of the Gospels, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life,” John 3:16. Also, John 3:36 “He that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him”.

Really, I want people to reconsider their state of being and their state of living. The first is the state of being, the second is the state of living. They must live as born again children of God. The state of being, the state of living is what motivated me.

This is going to be the 55th Annual Convention of the Believers Assembly. Can you tell us some of the significant challenges during the early years of the church and how did you overcome them?

Yes, indeed we have faced some early challenges. In every achievement, there must be some obstacles at the initial stage. And that is why I stand with the philosophy of the American televangelist and author, Robert Harold Schuller,

“Tough times never last, but tough people do.” Our early challenges came from majorly the traditional Orthodox churches. I repeat, our major early challenges came from the traditional Orthodox churches who were absolutely, furiously, angrily against the term born again.

Traditional Orthodox churches didn’t want to hear the term being born again. They were also against the raising of hands, the clapping of hands, shouting of hallelujah and speaking in tongues. They were traditionally angry with us because of the term being born again. Those were the early challenges. Including even my biological mother.

How did you overcome all these challenges?

Well, by prayers, supplication and fasting, the Lord gave us the grace to overcome after well over 10 to 15 years. We were mocked as mushroom churches by orthodox churches. But by consistency, tenaciousness, we overcame, as we kept on studying the word, enduring the persecutions, the afflictions, studying the Bible and believing victory in Jesus’ name at the end of it, they all disappeared. And today, those who were our persecutors have taken over the many aspects of the ministry they were against.
How was Believers Assembly started?

Well, formerly, or originally, let me say this; it was in the room of one Evangelist, Nathaniel Umana, in his mother’s house at Ikot Umo Essien. It was by then known as Ufok Akam Urua Edet. (The House of Prayer at Edet market), Ikot Umo Essien, because the house was quite close to the market.

We started then, not as a church, it was a mere prayer and evangelistic group, where we were moving from house to house, street by street; evangelizing. From Ikot Umo Essien, then to Ikot Ekpene, that was in the early 1970. Then we started worship service on Sundays as a church, because I was no more comfortable going back to my old denomination that I left since that 1970 when I gave my life to Jesus. So by 1973, we decided to start holding Sunday services on Sundays, Bible study classes on Tuesdays, midweek services on Wednesdays, prayer meetings on Fridays, and Sunday services on Sundays.

That was the beginning of the explosive growth. And then around June of that 1973, myself and my late brother named Etuk took the crusade to my hometown, Ndiya. That was officially a second-main branch, second-main branch after Ikot Umo Essien at my hometown.

At my hometown, I faced series of persecutions from the traditional Orthodox churches in my area, plus even my biological mother, because of the miracles they used to witness during our meetings, as a lot of healings and deliverance used to take place. They suspected that we were using the Sixth and Steventh Books of Moses to command and do some invocation. It continued that way until I moved from my hometown to Calabar, where I had both the admission into the university, as well as having an appointment in the same university.

So we continued that way. I was the explosion of the whole thing. Then from Calabar, I came back to this part, and we continued with evangelism, bit by bit, bit by bit. We started establishing branches here and there, until a little drop of water becomes a mighty ocean as it is today.

What has God revealed to you about 2025?

2025 comes with a Prophetic theme, My Year On The Other Side.
With this prayer involved, “Oh! my Father God, take me from where I am to where you want me to be.” If I have to say furthermore, 2025 is going to be a year that the God of signs, miracles, and wonders has intimately and personally assured me to turn the joys of all our enemies into shame and sorrow. I repeat again, 2025 is going to be a year that the God of signs, miracles, and wonders has intimately and personally assured me to turn the joys of all our enemies into shame and sorrow.

And such enemies may be man, woman, boy, girl, animal, angel, demon, moving and unmoving creatures, powers, principality, thrones and throngs, rulers and leaders of the unseen and unknown dark kingdoms. All of them, the Lord will turn them into shame and sorrow. Because the Bible says the enemies we are seeing today, we shall see them no more tomorrow.