CHURCH OF THE WEEK
The New Testament Christian Mission International was founded in 1982 with headquarters in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, West Africa. The Ministry’s vision is inspired by Matthew 28:19-20 where Jesus Christ commissioned His disciples to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (NIV).
Moses Rahaman Popoola, with his wife Florence Mosunmola, is the founding General Overseer of New Testament Christian Mission International. A native of Omu-Aran in Kwara State, Nigeria, he was born into a very strong Muslim family. His grandfather was a notable Imam. He studied Arabic in his secondary education. He believed by his own righteousness and good works, he could earn and develop his relationship with God. So he grew up as a devoted Muslim. Then in 1968, everything changed through the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ to him. Rahaman had an unforgettable spiritual experience that transformed his life forever. Under a deep hunger and thirst to know God, he prayed for salvation as he put his trust in the finished work of Christ. His heart was set aglow spiritually and God became so real to him. He could talk to God and could hear God talk to him through his spirit. He later received the Holy Ghost Baptism accompanied with speaking in tongues. This changed his prayer life and understanding of the Word of God. He suffered a lot of persecution and was rejected and disowned by his family for over 35 years.
Rahaman’s divine call to ministry came during the years of persecution through several divine encounters with Christ. Specifically is the March 1975 experience in which the Lord appeared to him while he was in the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and called him to take the Gospel of grace to the world. By divine appointment, he met Florence (his wife) in the year 1975 and they married in 1979. Together they began to seek the Lord intensively on daily basis, evangelize and teach the Word of God while they were still working in the Kwara State Civil Service. This gave birth to the New Testament Christian Mission International. He held the Church’s first service in their apartment at Ita Amodu in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria in December 1982 with only few people in attendance. In 1993, he had a definite call of God to leave his career as an Economic Development Planner in the Governor’s office of Kwara State Government Ilorin, Nigeria to preach Christ to the world. He obeyed the Lord by voluntarily retiring from Kwara State Civil Service that same year as Acting Director of Budget and Planning.
The Ministry has steadily grown over the years with branch churches in cities, towns and villages in Nigeria and foreign countries by the grace of God. Pastor Rahaman has pioneered the planting of several satellite and branch Churches together with a team of elders and church workers in the organization since 1982. The Congregation moved from the Ita Amodu location to 3 other different locations before settIing in the present auditorium of about 2,000 seat sanctuary called New Testament Christian Mission International Headquarters, Ilorin located at Salvation Street, off Stadium Road, Ilorin, Nigeria.
Pastor Rahaman passed on to glory on Wednesday 19th January, 2022 and the mantle to oversee the Church was passed on to Pastor J. O. S. Adeboye. He was consecrated and commissioned on 27th March, 2022. The Ministry celebrated her 40 years anniversary from 14th to 18th December, 2022. As part of the 40th Anniversary Celebrations, 15th December 2022 featured visitation to The New Testament Christian Mission Camp. Massive work was going on at the Camp and additional hostel foundations were laid on visitation. Currently, the Church has 21 branches worldwide – 16 branches in Nigeria and 5 foreign branches.
Sources: NTCM Facebook page
NTCM website
Interview with a Church worker
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