Abuja - A Light to the Nations!

Abuja - A Light to the Nations!
News from the Global Leadership Prayer Summit,
held in Abuja, capital city of Nigeria, January 2017
United in a Global Vision
Nigeria was the host nation for the sixth Prayer
Summit of the Full Gospel Global Forum.
 Members of the Global Forum are ‘closely knit,
but loosely associated’ in the original vision given by God to
Demos Shakarian, founder of the Full Gospel Business Men’s
Fellowship International.
 This Fellowship has now evolved into many national
groups that share the original vision and mission to reach men in all nations for Jesus
Christ; calling men back to God; helping believers to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and
grow spiritually; training and equipping men to fulfil the Great Commission; providing an
opportunity for Christian Fellowship; and encouraging greater unity among all people in
the body of Christ.
 The Global Forum thus aims to provide a platform for networking, mutual
support, encouragement and co-operation. It is an expanding ‘information hub’ between
like-minded organisations, such as the FGB (Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship), BMF
(Business Men’s Fellowship), FGB Gatekeepers and many similar national groups.
 The Forum website is: www.fg-gf.net
1 pages of news and pictures
Please scroll down to see the following six
Inspiring Testimony dinners (pictured above, and below), during
the Global Leadership Prayer Summit in Abuja.
The Global Prayer Summit in
Abuja City, in the heart of
Nigeria, was an immense
blessing - well planned and
brought together with great
love and unity of heart
Architect Ifeanyi Odedo,
National President,
FGBMFI-Nigeria
Azike Diribe, Chairman,
Full Gospel Global Forum,
Steering Committee
There were many decisions
for Christ among visitors
who attended the Saturday
Outreach Dinner at the
Sheraton Hotel in Abuja.
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Blessings and
breakthroughs
make Abuja a light
to the nations!
The Fellowship in Africa’s largest
nation is seeing astonishing
achievements, reports Rodney
Radcliffe, secretary of the Full
Gospel Global Forum
The Sheraton Hotel, Abuja,
venue for the 2017 Summit
O
ur Nigerian brothers and sisters in
Christ conveyed a true “David
Spirit” as they prayed and planned for
the recent Global Leadership Prayer
Summit (GLPS) - trusting God to see this
strategic event become a reality, despite
many challenges along the way.
With warm, open and humble hearts of
praise to God, abundant generosity was
experienced by all who attended the
2017 GLPS in Abuja.
Everything was so well prepared, with
evidence provided of the astonishing
achievements in the Lord of FGBMFI
developments in Nigeria - now the
most populous nation in Africa with
186 million people.
W
ith many thousands of members
across the nation, there are
around 3,500 active chapters in place.
They have set up training, discipleship,
prayer team development, leadership
building, advance seminars, fire teams,
youth, and outreach at all levels of
government. Extensive, well-presented,
training materials have been developed
covering these areas.
Twenty-seven airlift outreaches are
already planned for 2017, including to
the Middle East.
A new FGB headquarters building is
being built in Abuja, the capital city
located in the centre of Nigeria.
Jacob John (UK) and other
Jacob John
and of
other
delegates
at one
the delegates at one of
the
Testimony
Dinners
in Abuja
Testimony Dinners in Abuja
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In all, 22 nations - African and non-African - were represented at the Africa Convention at the National Stadium in
Abuja, prior to the Global Prayer Summit. Over 20,000 people attended the main meetings - see picture on Page 6.
Continued from page 3:
The 23 leaders present
from other nations, such as
Ghana, Costa Rica, USA, St
Croix-Virgin Islands,
Canada, Singapore,
Germany and the UK, came
to see and understand
more about the battles that
our Nigerian brothers
needing entry visas have
had to fight, to reach the UK, Costa Rica and
Singapore at earlier Prayer Summits. This has often
resulted in rejection of visa applications and subsequent high costs. We thank God for their vision and
perseverance to support us all so well at previous
events in London, Costa Rica and Singapore.
Prayer Summit followed soon
after African Convention
The anointed Global Prayer Summit in January 2017
followed only ten weeks after an outstanding
FGBMFI Nigeria Africa Convention in November,
2016. The theme from Luke 19:13 was 'Occupy till I
come’, and the meetings were held in the National
Stadium in Abuja.
Twenty-two nations were represented at this great
Convention, with visitors from African and nonAfrican countries. More than 20,000 people were
present at the main evening meetings. Hundreds of
people surrendered their lives to the Lord Jesus
Christ for the first time.
Unity - ‘One in Christ’
Obstacles overcome
The Abuja Prayer Summit was such a blessing!
We even had armed escorts to and from the airport
and were invited to go through the diplomatic
section for visa approval after arrival at Abuja
International Airport. No dangers were at all evident
on our journeys in Abuja or through the GLPS.
Efficient and friendly security was in place at the
Convention Hotel and through the GLPS. Great
hospitality was experienced at the FGBMFI National
President's home. Through the day of prayer and
fasting, God brought all together, with a deep and
greater sense of being one in Christ.
Later, at the Global Prayer Summit, FGB and BMF
leader representations came from the North, South,
East and West of the globe.
Most delegates shared stories of visa and travel
obstacles they had to overcome. Their realisation
that God ordained them to be there caused each to
trust God for the breakthroughs - for example, a
number of visas came through near the day for
travel, two being rejected on first submissions!
It seemed that a spiritual battle had to be fought
and won. All who submitted visas in home countries
arrived in Abuja to participate in a wonderful,
anointed, 2017 Global Leadership Prayer Summit.
Three hundred were at the outreach banquet on
Saturday evening with many salvations.
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Continued on next page
Large numbers attended each of the Testimony Dinner events in Abuja
Marketplace outreach
Continued from previous page:
Charles Aladewolu, FGBMFI Nigeria, converted from
a Muslim background, was the main testimony
speaker. Koo Oon Theam, FGB Gatekeepers,
Singapore, was the main speaker on the first evening.
He spoke about bringing the kingdom and power of
God to the marketplace. Nine impactful testimonies
were shared on the second evening. Various nations
and leaders were prayed for, and God's leading was
sought throughout the day of prayer and fasting
A number of people responded to the Gospel message
at a Saturday afternoon marketplace outreach. Two
Spanish businessmen in a Nigerian restaurant were
astonished to encounter Spanish-speaking Costa
Ricans, who led them to the Lord. The two men were
selling water treatment equipment in Nigeria. God had
his plan for them!
Global Forum appointments
Chico Fallas stood down from his role on the
Steering Committee of the Full Gospel Global Forum
(FGGF), where he has represented Central and South
America. Daniel Gadea, who helped prepare the
excellent GLPS in San Jose, Costa Rica, was elected
in Chico's place.
for their key contributions since the formation of
FGGF. Rodney Radcliffe was elected at the Abuja
GLPS to cover these two roles. Azike expressed a
warm welcome to Rodney.
Future Prayer Summits
At the FGGF Steering Committee meeting it was
discerned that the next GLPS should be in either San
Diego or Dallas USA from 25th to 27th January, 2018.
It will be co-ordinated by FGBMFA and BMF USA and
FGBMF Canada. Anticipated weather in January has
led to the selection of a southern USA location. Europe
is the expected location for the GLPS in 2019.
Following the 2017 GLPS a very successful seminar,
entitled ‘ Making Disciples in all Nations’ (MDN) was
held, led by brothers Khoo Oon Theam and
Georgie Lee from Singapore, for some 170 leaders
at the request of FGBMFI Nigeria.
All overseas leaders present at the 2017 Abuja GLPS
thank the leadership of FGBMFI Nigeria for being such
an inspiration and envisioning blessing. In particular,
thanks are extended also to the Convention team,
GLPS LOC, led by Boss Mustapha, FGBMFI National
Vice President, International Outreaches, Nigeria.
Azike Diribe, chairman of the FGGF Steering
Committee, thanked Chico for all his faithful service
and welcomed Daniel on to the Steering committee.
Peter Spreckley and Stuart Cripps stood down
from their respective 2016 roles as FGGF Steering
Committee representatives for the UK and Europe and
as Secretary, due to a sense of calling to focus more
fully on the needs of FGB UK and Ireland. Azike
Diribe wrote expressing all thanks to Peter and Stuart
Prominent landmark: Abuja’s City Gate
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Above: a cross section of
the large audience at the
2016 Africa Convention
at the National Stadium,
Abuja, Nigeria
LEADERS HONOURED
Four African leaders of the fellowship were honoured with
plaques for their pioneer roles in FGBMFI in Africa.
They included:
Dr Gerry Kibarabara (Kenya), first African International
Vice President for Africa under Demos Shakarian
Dr Kwabena Darko, (Ghana), International Secretary,
1996-2009.
Elder Sam Mbata (Nigeria), Founding National President
FGBMFI Nigeria, International Vice President West Africa,
1999-2007.
Engr John Njao (Tanzania), Founding President FGBMFI
Tanzania.
Pictured above is the FGGF steering committee chairman
reading the citation for Dr Gerry Kibarabara.
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In closing . . .
some words
of gratitude
M
any believers in Nigeria will
remember with thanks the late
Bob Bignold, former President of
the Full Gospel Businessmen’s
Fellowship in America, who is
pictured, top right, speaking at one
of the largest ever Conventions in
the city of Lagos.
Bob Bignold (above, right) shares his testimony at one of the
packed meetings at a National Convention in Lagos.
Below: Delegates from Nigeria and other nations at the first Global
Prayer Summit in London.
Bob was promoted to glory last year. We
recall here his words to us at the Global
Leadership Prayer Summit in London
three years ago. He told us he felt that
“the Global Forum has come of age . . .
I have also sensed that all national and
organisational pride and ownership has
vanished. Our organisational names
such as BMF, FGBMFA, FGBMFI, FGB,
FINHEC, FGBGS, and so on, are merely
addresses to locate us geographically as
to our nation and culture.”
Bob, (pictured below) once said he was
“old enough to remember the first
FGBMFI airlift to London, nearly 40
years ago.” He liked the idea of the
GLPS going to Central America, Asia,
Africa, North America and Europe,
always subject to seeking God’s direction. He
also noted that God
“begins to put things
together years in advance” - as he called
how Azike, a fellow
architect, had been
designated years ago to stay at Bob’s
home with 10 other men from Africa
when the Fellowship had a camp meeting for more than 1,000 men in Seattle.
“Thus a foundation of friendship was
born!”
Today we praise God for Bob’s life - and
for countless others across the nations
who have shared the Vision “to know
Christ and make Him known.” This
seems a good moment to also thank
others, who like Bob, have had foundational roles in the Full Gospel Global
Forum. Space allows us to show only
a limited number of people, but here,
pictured right, are just a few . . .
J
ust a few of the many men who have shared the vision with
us and /or served with the Steering Committee of FGGF: top
row, Azike Diribe, FGBMFI Nigeria, chairman of FGGF Steering
Committee; Peter Spreckley, FGB UK and Ireland; Douglas
Raine, FGBMFA; Ifeanyi Odedo, FGBMFI Nigeria; Blake Morris,
FGBMF Canada; Stuart Cripps, FGB, UK and Ireland.
Next row - Dr Hugo Chan, FGBMFI Hong Kong; Rodney
Radcliffe, FGB UK and Ireland; Steven Turnbull, BMF, UK;
Bill Keith, BMF, USA; Francisco Fallas, FINHEC, Costa Rica.
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