12 April 2013 by Donna Uning CM –
In his last visit to Kuching this year, Pastor Gbenga Kotila stayed for about a week, bringing the Good News to the people of Kuching and other interior places. I first met Pastor Gbenga at St. Helen’s Church, Serian back in 2010. He was speaking at the church with Rev Trevor Tinda during an evangelistic rally. He has been to Kuching several times after that. During his visit in March, I got a chance to catch up with the busy pastor over lunch.
How did it all started (coming to Kuching)?
Pastor Gbenga: Emmeline (from Excellers Network, Kuching) was in Limbang at the time. I met her at her brother’s church when I was evangelizing at the LEC. I also went to Miri, Bintulu and Lawas.
What brought you to Malaysia initially?
Pastor Gbenga: One of my friends was cross posted from Shell. He invited me to his church and I conducted healing rallies in Miri in 2005.
Tell me about your ministry and how it all started.
Pastor Gbenga: I do diverse aspects of ministries. But, I have a passion for nation building. In making that happen, the focus is on the church. It is God’s commission to reach everybody with the message and truth.
I want to tell people to overcome their fears, live out their purpose and walk in God’s understanding. Every man has a grace and they need to function in that grace that God has given them. God did not create any useless man. Every man is useful to their generation. Step out and become great against all odds.
After giving my life to Christ, I followed what the bible says. God did not say be an apostle to preach or be a teacher to preach; He says to everybody, preach the gospel. I see a need, I meet it. I organized programs in campus, colleges and meetings. Later, I discovered it was a calling from God in my life.
God spoke to me to raise an army of change that would bring transformation in their community and become assets to their generation. I will raise assets for me. That’s how I commence. That’s what I’ve been doing in the past 23 years.
Tell me about your church in Nigeria.
Pastor Gbenga: I’m a full time pastor with Center of Reality International Church in Nigeria. There are other pastors there too. There are close to 200 people in the church. I also conduct leadership training and youth empowerment programs.
You wrote a book, “You are Not Born Empty.” How did this come about?
Pastor Gbenga: My book came about by inspiration. There is no empty man. Everybody has a substance deposited by God. I discovered a lot of people don’t know that. You need to acknowledge whatever is in you. I discovered a lot of people are dying with the substance in him.
The wealthiest place is the graveyard. People will read this book and they won’t add to the graveyard. They will live out dreams and visions. A lot of people die with their vision, or taking knowledge to the grave. God has to raise another person to do it. If you are loaded, you will be needed. You can’t be loaded and not be needed.
You also talk about mind formation. What is mind formation?
Pastor Gbenga: You can never be transformed without your mind being formed. You have to be informed with the right information.
Romans 12:1-2 says, Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.
When men fell, he started living by his sight. His eyes opened. What affected our mind are our eyes opened. God has to get those eyes back to him. Focus must be on Him. The process is gradual. People define vision as the picture of their future. Vision is more than that; the picture is the starter to get to your head. The vision is the starter for the journey you embark on. The devil wants to take your focus away from your vision.
Who is Pastor Gbenga, the person?
Pastor Gbenga: A person. I’m me. My greatest joy is to see people become who God wants them to be. That’s why I’m committed. My missions in life are in two scriptures:
Isaiah 60:15, “Although you have been forsaken and hated, with no one traveling through, I will make you the everlasting pride and the joy of all generations.”
Isaiah 58:12, “Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”
These two scriptures do not determine what I do; my mission in life is expressed in these. I like to see people who see themselves as nobody be somebody. I like to see people live out their destiny, work out their future and step out into their tomorrow.
How’s your family? Tell me about them.
Pastor Gbenga: My wife Olayinka is a pharmacist. She lectures in the Premier University, Nigeria. My two children are Courage, 10 and Awesome, 8. They are all in Nigeria with me.
What is your vision for Sarawak?
Pastor Gbenga: I believe that Sarawak is the gateway for God’s revival to Malaysia. Malaysia is the gateway to the whole Asia. To have a sustainable transformation, the leadership needs to respond to the act of God. Everything rides on the leader and falls on the leader. If your leader does not have the right perspectives, the move of God cannot work.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Note: Pastor Gbenga had ministered in the Northern parts of Sarawak and in rallies Limbang. Apart from rallies, he also attended many meetings at different churches in Kuching. Pastor Gbenga also ministers in Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong.
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