When I was a teenager, I was surrounded with adults who were very intentional about my spiritual growth. Bro Gbenga Fatunbi and Bro Akindeyi, the principal of my school, wouldn’t allow me to rest. They did EVERYTHING to make me a better Christian.
Every single day, whenever Bro Gbenga saw me, he’d ask, ‘Did you read your bible today?’. He never took no for an answer. So, I either had to read my bible every day or run away from him. He introduced me to Bro Gbike Akanni. He made sure I read the book ‘Becoming like Jesus’ by Gbile Akanni.
Mr Akindeyi always took us to Deeper life camp meetings tagged ‘Total Impact’ for Leadership Training Programmes. We would sit there for days learning God’s word as teenagers. The camp always had free food and accommodation. Our camp meetings then were STRICTLY for the WORD, PRAYERS and NETWORKING. We couldn’t even do sports or play games. (lol)
If as a teenager, you sat under Pastor Olayemi Victor’s ministry and you can’t pray and fast, you need help! He taught me how to take sermon notes and how to lead prayers. He exposed me to leadership as a teenager when he made me a youth leader at 17. He also baptized me personally, just me alone. I became a church addict because of him. I wouldn’t miss church services then because I was always eager to learn more from him. He practically taught me almost everything I know today about leadership! He would make me sit among daddies with grey hair for Ministers’ meetings when I was 16/17. I still have almost all his teachings from 2008 – 2009. He enrolled me in a bible college too.
Pastor Ben of blessed memory, was my best teacher at the Bible College. He was the first person who took me through the entire Bible. Bible Vision Assembly played the biggest role in my spiritual growth.
Pastor Festus Adewole made me fast for a whole year as a teenager. The altar of his church was our prayer mountain then. When I was in SSS3, I remember one of my friends who was beaten up in the dream by another classmate. He came to school the following day with marks on his back. I took him to the prayer mountain, Christ Crusaders Ministries’ altar, and we spent the whole day, a Saturday, praying aggressively. By the time we got to school on Monday, the lady who beat him up didn’t come to school. We didn’t see her again. In fact, she didn’t write WAEC with us! I haven’t seen her till date. That friend is now a general overseer of a church.
My dad was also one of my greatest support systems as a teenager. He edited my first book which I wrote at the age of 17. He believed so much in me and never stopped telling me to write more. He gave me my first paper Bible: A very big Bible. I used that Bible till my NYSC year.
The role that each of these adults played in my life made me who I am today. Their commitment to my wellbeing gave me a steady foundation for the life I am enjoying today.
As a teenager, don’t despise the adults in your life. You might be tempted to think that you know much more than them because of your exposure to technology and other things. The truth remains that their experiences in life makes them qualified to guide you.
For teenagers that don’t have great role models and support systems around them, ask God to bring such people your way. God is your father and He always longs to answer the cry of our hearts.
If you have been abused by an adult and the experience has made you bitter and angry with all the adults around you, God is ready to heal you from every pain and hurt. Open your heart to Him and allow Him flood your heart with healing.
In the next article, I will continue my story and tell you more about my teenage years.
Till then, keep learning and growing in the Lord.
Olayemi Emmanuel.
folayemiemma@gmail.com