Professor Daniel Olukoya: MOUNTAIN OF FIRE AND MIRACLES MINISTRIES (MFM)
When the story of Christianity is told many years from now, it will certainly not be complete without mentioning a global movement which started in a seating room in Yaba, Lagos among a group of aggressive and upwardly mobile prayer warriors of the CAC extract led by a young academician from the prestigious University of Lagos which soon took the world by storm so much that even their mockers acknowledged it by naming them ‘Fire on the Mountain’. In truth they were the origins of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries.
Professor D.K Olukoya, the Founder of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) has made a mark in the Prayer and Deliverance Ministry both in Nigeria and globally through missions as a Reverse Missionary. In 1977, the vision that led to the establishment MFM was received by Daniel Kolawole (D.K) Olukoya, a student of the University of Lagos, while sleeping in his one-room apartment in the Boy’s Quarters of a house located on Herbert Macaulay Way, Yaba, Lagos State Nigeria. Church Gist. The Church was founded by Dr. D.K. Olukoya in 1989, twelve years after the vision was received.
Narrating the vision in Dr D.K Olukoya’s words “I was sleeping in my one-room apartment in the Boys Quarters of a house located on Herbert Macaulay Way, Yaba, in 1977, when I heard a sharp voice. I then woke up and walked towards the door. But I did not see anybody. Again, for the second time, the voice came and as I wondered who it was, the Holy Spirit said: ‘son remember the call of Samuel’. I stayed without movement and the voice began to speak. Then God started giving the covenants and messages that led to the establishment of the MFM.”
D.K. Olukoya was born in 1957 to a retired police officer father and a petty trader mother, Mr. and Mrs. Olukoya. He had his primary education at Saint John’s Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Primary School, Akure, Ondo State Nigeria and when his family moved to Lagos State, he was enrolled to complete his studies at Saint Jude’s Primary School, Ebute Metta. Church Gist. D.K. Olukoya excelled in both institutions. He then proceeded to Methodist Boys’ High School, Broad Street, Lagos State where he became born again, finished with Grade One Distinction and was the best student of his set.
In his quest to further his education, he proceeded to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) where he studied Microbiology. In 1980, he came out with first class degree honours making history as the first from the department since her establishment in 1962. Church Gist. After graduation, he gained employment into the teaching profession and was subsequently employed as a Research Assistant at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos State.
D.K. Olukoya is deeply inspired by the Ministry of Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola (of blessed memory). His love, devotion and passion for God right from his youthful days was outstanding notwithstanding his academic exploits and that D.K. Olukoya would become a mighty tool in the hands of God to serve as a vehicle of deliverance for his generation began to manifest very early in life. Church Gist. He continued to do exploits for God through evangelism and songs, until he left for further education in England.
D.K. Olukoya travelled to the United Kingdom under the Commonwealth Scholarship to the University of Reading, where he obtained Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics in 1984. Church Gist. Despite the difficulty of the subject, he excelled as a result of his academic brilliance and was probably the first Nigerian to obtain a Ph.D. in this area of study.
His exploits in his chosen field made him pressured to remain and work in Britain, but Dr. D.K. Olukoya, who was focused on God’s plan for his life, returned to Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos State and equally served as a lecturer and external examiner to many universities including UNILAG and the University of Benin (UNIBEN).
In 1989 on a Wednesday, the Ministry took off in his living room with a prayer group meeting attended by 24 people. After that prayer meeting in 1989, there was a need for subsequent meetings as the power of God was evident with verifiable miracles which began to happen in the lives of the people in attendance. Church Gist. The resultant increase in attendance at the prayer meetings led to their moving to a larger location at 60 Old Yaba Road, Yaba. At the new location, the attendance grew more, necessitating yet another relocation and the prayer group purchased an abandoned slum at 13 Olasimbo Street, Onike, Yaba near the second gate of the University of Lagos – This is where her International Headquarters is presently located. Church Gist. The name ‘Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM)’ was revealed to Dr. D.K. Olukoya in the place of prayer. The Ministry had her first service on 24th April 1994.
In 1999, the 200-acre property known as the ‘Prayer City’ was built. Prayer City is located at Kilometer 12, Lagos – Ibadan Expressway close to the Redemption City. The Prayer City was an answer to the ever-growing number of worshippers. Major Church programs such as Power Must Change Hand (PMCH) was moved to the Prayer City. Church Gist. As far back as July 2000, prayer is said to go on 24 hours daily in the Prayer City. The Prayer City is also reported to hold gatherings of some 400,000 monthly and up to 1 million worshippers every January during her Power Must Change Hands (PMCH) meetings.
MFM international Church branches first started in the United Kingdom. In September 2005, MFM Milton-Keynes Branch was established as a branch within MFM UK, with Pastor Kehinde Olajide as the ordained Pastor, who later moved to Florida to open a branch in Tampa. Church Gist. The Milton-Keynes branch initially met at the Emerson Valley Community Center and later moved to MK1 Business Center in Bletchley. In 2008, the branch moved to MK2 Business Center in Denbigh, Bletchley. The Church kept expanding by the grace of God and finally moved to SA-8 Buckingham House 1st Floor, Second Avenue Denbigh, Bletchley, in 2010. This is the current venue till date and the Church has been increasing massively.
Under divine direction, the Ministry kept growing and began to have branches in every state capital, local government headquarters, senatorial district and locality in Nigeria. Her base in the Southwestern part of Nigeria has a stronger followership than all other regions. Church Gist. MFM Church Headquarters in Nigeria, until her explosion of branches in 2007/8, was reported to be one of the top three largest single congregations in Africa, with an attendance of over 120,000 in single Sunday services. Others include DLBC and LFC.
Her membership worldwide as of 2009 was reported to be over 1.5 million. There was a spread in branches in the UK and branches were opened in Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, among others with the branches growing to over 50 branch Churches. Church Gist. From the UK, the branches moved to the United States, Canada, the rest of Europe, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia. The Church also has a large Church in France with branches in Paris, Lyon and Beanfon, etc. MFM currently has a presence in all the Continents of the World.
Dr D.K Olukoya also engages in Crusades outside Nigeria where souls are won and Church branches are being strengthened. Church Gist. Crusades have been held in Ghana, Italy, Canada, etc. In June this year, Dr Dr. D.K Olukoya paid a surprise visit to two branches in France where he prayed for and blessed the Congregation. The Great Deliverance Crusade in Houston Texas is scheduled to be held on the 18th and 19th of January 2025. The MFM TV has also been established to reach people across the World.
Currently, over 1,000 Church branches have been planted in Lagos State and many more all over Nigeria. MFM has spread to reaching over 140 countries of the World. Church Gist. God has enabled the Church which recently celebrated her 35th anniversary, to rise from Nigeria to the World!
Sources:
MFM Websites
Professor D.K. Olukoya’s Facebook Handle
MFM Milton-Keynes Facebook Handle
Church Gist Archive
Pastor Of The Week By Leke Beecroft
The Nation’s Newspaper
Dr D.K Olukoya’s Sermon
#ChurchOfTheWeek
#DKOlukoya
#MountainOfFireAndMiraclesMinistries
#ChurchGist
