Get to know about Archbishop Benson Andrew Idahosa Biography, Ministry, Wife, and Children. Born on September 11, 1938, and named Benson Andrew Idahosa, was a charismatic Pentecostal preacher who departed from our midst on the 12 of March 1998. His impact on the African continent and the world at large is still felt to date. Behold, the name Benson A. Idahosa is one that can’t be omitted when talking about Christian fathers in Africa. He is the Founder of the Church Of God Mission International. Archbishop Benson Idahosa was popularly known as the father of Pentecostalism in Nigeria. He was the founder of Benson Idahosa University (BIU), Founder/President of Big Ben’s Children Hospital, Vice-President of All Nations For Christ Bible Institute International, among other positions.
Archbishop Benson Andrew Idahosa Biography
His Early Christian Ministry Testimony
With his own words, Archbishop Benson Idahosa said; “As a young Christian, I once heard my pastor say during a morning service that Christians could raise the dead in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I believed it with all my heart. And flying around on my bicycle in those days, I went through the city of Benin in search of a dead person to raise to life. After about five hours of hard searching I found a compound where a little girl had died a few hours before. The corpse had been cleaned and prepared for burial. I walked boldly up to the father of the dead child. “The God whom I serve can bring your baby back to life,” I told him. “Will you permit me to pray for the child and bring her back to life?” The man was startled, but he agreed. With great enthusiasm, I walked into the room and up to the bed. The child was cold and dead. With strong faith in the Lord, I called on the Lord to restore the child back to life. I turned to the corpse and called it by name, “Arise in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Oh Glory to God! The corpse sneezed, heavily, alas. The child had come back to life!“
Benson Idahosa Story
His Childhood
It was on September 11, 1938, that Benson Andrew Idahosa was born in Benin City. History holds that he was born of poor pagan parents. In addition, he was a sickly infant who was always fainting. Due to his unstable health condition, his father ordered his mother to throw him in the dustbin. When Benson Idahosa was eighteen months old, he was left on a rubbish heap to die. In addition to being rejected by his father, he was sent to work on a farm as a servant and was denied education until he was 14 years old. Benson Idahosa received an irregular form of education due to the poor financial status of his parents. However, he later took corresponding courses from Britain and the United States while working in Bata Shoe Company.
Benson Idahosa’s Conversion And Call Into Ministry
The conversion of Benson Idahosa is one that we can class as dramatic. Also, the nature of his calling is one that we can perceive as supernatural. Behold, it was on a Sunday afternoon in a football field that Benson Idahosa was converted by Pastor Okpo. Little did he know that his going to play soccer was going to be a turning point in his entire life. Records hold that while in the field to play soccer with his teammates, Pastor Okpo preached the Good News of Jesus Christ and he openly received it. This led the young Benson Idahosa to become the first Bini member of Pastor Okpo’s small congregation. It is said that as a young convert, Benson Idahosa became very zealous to winning souls as well as conducting outreaches to villages around Benin City.
It is said that Benson Idahosa was called to the ministry in a night vision from the Lord. Reporting what he saw and heard in the vision, Benson Idahosa said that he heard a Heavenly voice saying, “I have called you that you might take the gospel around the world in my name, preach the gospel, and I will confirm my word with signs following.” Behold, the room was filled with the presence of God as Benson Andrew Idahosa fell to his knees just beside his bed: “Lord, wherever you want me to go, I will go.”
After this encounter, he prayed on through the night, as he renewed his vows to God and interceded for the people who were yet to hear the message of salvation through Christ that God had sent him with. After this call, Benson Idahosa went from village to village as he preached the Good News of Salvation through Repentance and the Blood of Jesus Christ. In his journeys, he was accompanied by a great anointing and power. Many were convinced of their sins and decided to change from their evil ways as they follow Christ. Also, many were healed as he prayed for the sick.
Expansion Of His Ministry And His Credentials
Benson Andrew Idahosa, the famous Nigerian Archbishop and founder of Church Of God Mission International incorporated with its headquarters in Benin City, Nigeria established over 6,000 churches throughout Nigeria and Ghana before 1971. Most of the ministers that Archbishop Benson Idahosa supervised pastored churches of 1,000 to 4,000 people. In addition to filling the position of Archbishop of Church Of God Mission, he was President of All Nations For Christ Bible Institute, President of Faith Medical Center, and President of Idahosa World Outreach. The truth is that he held positions in numerous organizations among which was the college of Bishops of the International Communion of Christian churches and the Oral Roberts University in Oklahoma.
It is also worth pointing to the fact that Benson Idahosa earned a Diploma in Divinity from Christ For The Nations Institute In Dallas, Texas, which he attended in 1971. In the same light, he earned a Doctorate of Divinity in 1981 from the Word Of Faith College, New Orleans. He also earned a Doctor of Laws degree from Oral Roberts University in March 1984. Idahosa also received other degrees from the International University in Brussels, Belgium. Concerning Benson Idahosa’s Children, we’ll say that together with his wife, Margaret Idahosa, the couple was blessed with four children.
Benson Idahosa’s Supreme Task
Benson Idahosa had as a primary concern the winning of more souls into the Kingdom of God. With a motto “Evangelism our Supreme Task,” Idahosa fully went into spreading the Good News about our Lord Jesus Christ in Nigeria, Africa, and the World at large. Records hold that Benson Andrew Idahosa ministered in over 123 countries of the world. Note that crusades played an important or vital role in the ministerial life of Benson Idahosa. It is said that he was involved in at least one crusade per month. In April 1985, a record of one million people a night attended his Lagos Crusade. Also, Idahosa established the Redemption Television Ministry with a potential viewing audience of 50 people.
The Things That The Leading Gospel Ministers Said About Archbishop Benson Andrew Idahosa
Evangelist T. L. Osborn, from Tulsa, Oklahoma said: “Many who follow Idahosa’s teaching have been saved from poverty and have learned to plant out of their desperate need and to look to God as their divine source thereby becoming prosperous Christians in their own land. Idahosa rose from the rank of an ordinary man to world leadership as a pastor, builder, counsellor, prophet, teacher, apostle, evangelist,–a man of godly wisdom and of Christ-like compassion, whose ministry has blessed millions the world over. Idahosa was the greatest African ambassador of the apostolic Christian faith to the world.“
Mrs. Gordon Freda Lindsay, president of Christ for the Nations Inc., Dallas, Texas, U.S.A. said: “I know of no young black in all of Africa who is reaching millions as Benson is,–in crusades with hundreds of thousands in attendance, in his weekly nationwide telecast, in his Bible School, training eager students from several nations. He also conducts campaigns in Sweden, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Australia and the United States, where he often appeared on national religious telecasts. His burden for souls, his ministry of healing and miracles, even to the raising of several dead, demonstrates he is especially called of the Lord in these end times.“
Daniel Orris said: “Benin City respects and salutes this great man of God, even at death. I have been with him on visits to many officials, to the governor, to the powerful Benin tribal kings. He moved with God and his people know it. His great miracle cathedral (his headquarters) seats over 10,000 (1981). His Bible School attracts upper class people from different African nations. And they also come from Maurice, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, the Middle East, Europe and other nations of the world–a truly International Bible Training Centre of dynamic faith. People know that Bishop Idahosa preached what he practiced. Dr. Idahosa’s evangelistic ministry has reached nations around the world. He was the first black African evangelist to shake Australia in a massive crusade that got national attention. His seminars have affected Christians and church leaders in many countries. I sincerely salute this man because he practiced among his own people what he preached to the world. Benson Idahosa was a man who believed God’s promises and that God’s miracle provision applies to Africans as well as to Americans. He believed that Africa has a part in God’s work, and Africa will reap God’s blessings.“
Dr. Ben Akosa said: “Benson Idahosa is sought after by everyone in his state, from government officials to beggars. When they posed questions and explained their problems to this man they received instantanous miracle solutions, just as people did in Bible days with God’s prophets. And the people get miraculous answers from this mighty leader of God’s people.“
The Secret Of Benson Idahosa’s Success
With a robust faith, Benson Idahosa stepped out believing God for Who He says He Is. He received God’s word just as it is written. In fact, he took everything that God said in the Bible for real. Benson Idahosa believed and trusted God with childlike faith. This great man of God once said that living a daily life of absolute faith in God is the only secret to great success. Behold, he believed God for everything. “All things are possible to him that believes.” The Archbishop spent quantitative and qualitative time in prayer and studying God’s Word. According to Benson Idahosa, if a person spends time studying the Bible and acting on it, people will come looking for that person for life solutions.
The Archbishop also spent part of his time studying the life and works of other successful people both in the gospel ministry and other life endeavors. He did not only study but also applied what he studied from the life and works of the people in his own life and ministry. Behold, he was very energetic and hardworking. One of the ministers whom he supervised said of him: “I had never seen a person who worked as hard as Archbishop Benson Idahosa. He was committed and consistent and he had confidence in himself. He was very humble and full of godly wisdom.”
Before Archbishop Benson Idahosa departed from our midst in 1998, he was said to be the leader of over 7,000,000 Jesus people worldwide.
You can as well read the Best 20 Powerful Faith Quotes By Archbishop Benson Andrew Idahosa.
