A Blend of Two Worlds!
Joel’s Testimony
Born into a family of four, I happened to be the last son in the family. Entering high school, I was typically a devout Muslim. My parents only allowed me to be reared in the mosque.
Each weekend, I would attend Islamic School situated at Lisaluwa off Ganifawehinmi Road, Ondo, Nigeria, West Africa, founded by Alhaji Bashir, who was the chief Imam of Ondo Central Mosque in the early 90s.
As a devout Muslim, I did my rakats (daily prayers); I celebrated Ramadan. I read the Quran and Hadith regularly in every way. But my devotion was not borne out of love, but of fear, in that we Muslims believed that there is no eternal security for any Muslim. Every Muslim fears the scale of justice which weighs his good deeds against his bad deeds.
Similarly, I was taught that Christianity and Islam were antithetical, stemming from the killing of Christians by the thousands.
I gave my life to Christ when the gospel of grace was preached to me. And having read some disturbing verses out of the Qur'an (via Surah 5:109-112, Surah 3:43-48, etc.), it became evident to me that Jesus is the way.
I was warmly received by the church, while my father disowned me for accepting Christ, as it was about the time for me to travel to Cairo in Egypt for further Islamic studies. His plan also included my going to Saudi Arabia. A couple of weeks later, I won nine souls for Christ while I was still a spiritual babe.
Ten years later, persecution arose from my church, from the Christian leaders, as a result of doctrines teaching that one must marry within the local church, not from other denominations. This is a ploy to increase the membership of a particular church, not the Body of Christ. Church became a bondage. Also, the issue of raising funds for the establishment of more churches became another straw that broke the camel's back for me.
I was shown the back door by the church leaders. Since then, I have been preaching the gospel of Christ's eternal purpose and the Oneness of the Body of Christ.
To sum it up, I met Bro. Henry Hon on a missionary journey to Ile-Ife, Nigeria, West Africa, in August, 2019. Meeting him has been a paradigm shift in my life and ministry. I learned from him what I failed to learn from the institutional churches that I had attended. I got to understand the importance of the Oneness of the Body of Christ—clearly and thoughtfully. I got to know that God will build His Assembly (Ekklesia) - the Body of Christ - not the way it is misunderstood as a regulated place of worship with religious offices and titles. I wish I had met Bro. Henry Hon many years back when I was a newly converted Muslim, but better late than never.
TAKE NOTE! This is not a diatribe filled with invective against a world religion or Churches of any kind at large. I want every believer to understand the IMPORTANCE of Oneness of the Body of Christ (and the Lord’s Ekklesia in any given city…not (just) in any individual church setting (aka, one’s personal ministry in one locality or more) or doctrinal divides (i.e. side doctrines outside of the doctrine of Christ) or denominational perspectives or methods of holiness– I desire what Christ said He would build to be seen and understood more clearly and to present Christ and the whole Gospel more effectively. (Jude 1:3).
God bless the Assembly of Saints all over the world.
Yours faithfully,
JOEL MUKAILA OLATUBOSUN, ESQ.
(OBLA Coordinator, Nigeria 🇳🇬)
Wonderful testimony, brother!
Great testimony of what noing the living Christ can do still in this day and time.John 17