So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12
Saturday 21 2014. This was a memorable day indeed for the CAC Outreach worldwide family, a day dedicated to celebrate the 70th Birthday of General Overseer, Baba Fashina. A great man of God revered by most people whom have met him and loved by his parishioners and Spiritual children all over the world.
The night was themed praise night and by the time I got there around 9pm the Church premises was jam packed with a heavenly flow of white Tshirts from the old to the young, it had ‘Baba is 70 today’ at the back and a lime green frontal design saying ‘Baba fashina is 70’, the party was in full swing, with music melodiously delivered with an array of musicians including Baba Ayewa, testimonies and baba’s biography, starting from his humble beginnings to where he is today, the hurdles and obstacles he had to overcome to become who he is today.
Pastor Fashina was described as a very humble man, a man of prayer and spiritually gifted with many talents, who never gets angry, always loving and has the hunger to see all around him develop, spiritually, physically and materially. Not just from the old but the young youth also love him with passion, because of his uncanny ways of coming down to their level and even sometimes jokingly speak their language as they depicted in their drama play dedicated to him.
The Sermon was beautifully rendered by another pastor Asoso who delivered the message ‘It is by Grace’ using Psalm 90:12. Thanking God for the Grace upon Baba’s life to bring him where he is now and what he has done with Gods grace to affect thousands of lives every day of his life.
Amazingly because of his love and respect for the young, most of the youth born in his church remain their throughout their youthful days to adulthood, an attribute hard to find in many Nigerian churches. I remembered the first time I came to the Church, I was shocked to see all these kids kneeling down to greet me, and take my bag, very cultured, very mannered and this is due to Mama Fashina the general overseas wife, whom unbelievably is so humble, she will kneel down to greet all who comes across her with warmth in her lovingly mother nature and if the mummy G.O could be so respectful, sooner or later it flows down.!.
Everyone present were filled with pride to show the world whom their Pastor is. The celebrant and his jewel were both placed in these two gold majestic chairs fit for a king and wore an olive green lace, I was laughing and grinning all through the service as Pastor Fash(as the young will say) and Mama danced to the Christian sax groove. It was truly a memorable day and a reminder to us all that a life of holiness, integrity and wisdom
based on Christ will always be fruitful.
Time after time I have seen ‘men of God’ loose focus of what God’s calling is upon their lives and swap if for a life of greed and a ‘me, myself and I’spirit. They loose all focus of being ‘a servant’ to ‘being a god’ at all cost. They seek position and self gain forgetting that the greatest gift anyone can give is giving themselves. This is an attribute of Baba Fashina, which was shown today as people came out to speak about how he had changed their lives and being a positive impact all round.
I had the honors of meeting this great man of God about 22 years ago, when my friend Chris Adepoju and late wife Stella (RIP) were getting married, He was the presiding minister over their marriage and I found him very fascinating, graceful charming, cordial, funny and very respectful. Over the years I became more and more intrigued by him and his deep insight into unravelling the word of God with such in-depth and simplicity.
Over the years I must have been back to CAC Outreach over 20 times!. Either for their yearly fantastic youth programme that ends with a barbecue party!, or for the Friday night vigils which if you don’t arrive an hour before service times, most likely not get a chair to sit and this is in their massive Cathedral church with a generous overflow seating.
Pastor Fashina is the only man of God that I can quote his sermons year after year, I don’t know why, but I seem to remember them, what he said, his topic etc. He unravels the mystery behind every biblical word and does it wittily that the bible comes alive and you will even be tempted to go back home to re-read the bible!.
I remembered the end of the year night vigil I attended a couple of years back he talked about Jesus being the door to all things. and the title was ‘Jesus is the way’ John 14:6. He made the silliest and the smartest realise their is no quick fix to success or approach to power that through Jesus.
There is an African belief that witches fly through windows or come through walls, as they are invisible to the natural eye.! And Baba jokingly said in yoruba.. ‘Eyin mama, nibo le gba debi, se enu ona ni abi ki nse enu ona’. I laughed so hard, I tell everyone till today!. He will just make you fall in love with the bible.
Last year when I was there, He talk about ‘Jesus is Peace’ John14:27 and he said, if Jesus is not in the equation they peace is left out, because Jesus is peace himself and so all the countries fighting all around the world normally do so because Jesus is missing. Certainly when you look around the world today the Countries fighting are mostly the Non Christian countries.
To a man of God well loved and respected and indeed a life changer to us all, we say Happy Birthday Baba Fashina, may God’s hand of blessing, honour and wisdom continuously rest upon you all the days of your life.
Amen
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
