Soul winning was Idahosa’s primary concern. He also received other degrees from the International University in Brussels, Belgium.Īrchbishop Benson Idahosa and his wife Margaret Idahosa were blessed with four children. Idahosa earned a diploma in divinity from Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas, which he attended in 1971, a Doctorate of Divinity in 1981 from the Word of Faith College, New Orleans and a Doctor of Laws degree from Oral Roberts University in March 1984. He held positions in numerous organizations including the college of bishops of the international communion of Christian churches and the Oral Roberts University in Oklahoma. In addition to filling the position of archbishop of Church of God Mission, he was also president of All Nations for Christ Bible Institute, president of Idahosa World Outreach and president of Faith Medical Centre.
Many of the ministers he supervised pastored churches of 1,000 to 4,000 people. More people confessed Christ as their Saviour, and more healings occurred as he prayed for the sick.Įxpansion of His Ministry and His Credentialsīenson Idahosa, the archbishop and founder of Church of God Mission International Incorporated with its headquarters in Benin City, Nigeria established over 6,000 churches throughout Nigeria and Ghana before 1971. The room was filled with the presence of God as Benson fell to his knees beside the bed: “Lord, wherever you want me to go, I will go.” He prayed on through the night, renewing his vows to God and interceding for his people who were yet to hear the message of salvation.Īfter his call, Benson launched into ministry work preaching from village to village the gospel of Jesus Christ with great power and anointing. “I have called you that you might take the gospel around the world in my name, preach the gospel, and I will confirm my word with signs following,” said the voice from heaven.
He was called to the ministry in a night vision from the Lord. As a young convert he became very zealous in winning souls and in conducting outreaches in villages around Benin City. Thus, young Benson became the first Bini member of Pastor Okpo’s small congregation. He was converted by Pastor Okpo on a football field one Sunday afternoon while playing soccer with his teammates. His conversion was dramatic and his calling supernatural. He later took correspondence courses from Britain and the United States while working in Bata Shoe Company. His education was irregular due to the poor financial status of his parents. He was rejected by his father, sent to work on a farm as a servant and was denied education until he was fourteen years old. When he was eighteen months old he was left on a rubbish heap to die. As a result of his constant illness his father ordered the mother to throw him in the dust bin. He was a sickly infant who was always fainting. The child had come back to life! (Benson Idahosa)īenson Andrew Idahosa was born in Benin City on Septemof Apoor pagan parents. I turned to the corpse and called it by name, “Arise in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Oh Glory to God! The corpse sneezed, heavily, alas. With strong faith in the Lord, I called on the Lord to restore the child back to life. With great enthusiasm, I walked into the room and up to the bed. “Will you permit me to pray for the child and bring her back to life?” The man was startled, but he agreed. “The God whom I serve can bring your baby back to life,” I told him. I walked boldly up to the father of the dead child. The corpse had been cleaned and prepared for burial. After about five hours of hard searching I found a compound where a little girl had died a few hours before. And flying around on my bicycle in those days, I went through the city of Benin in search of a dead person to raise to life. Classic DACB CollectionAll articles created or submitted in the first twenty years of the project, from 1995 to 2015.Īs a young Christian, I once heard my pastor say during a morning service that Christians could raise the dead in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.