The New Coordinator Of CAC North America, Dr Agbeja Discloses Ministerial Secrets

Dr. Timothy Omolayo Agbeja is the new Coordinator for all CAC in North American. He currently lives in Los Angeles, California in the United States with his lovely family. 

The minister of God has been in the church ministry for numerous years and recently celebrated his 40th anniversary in the ministry. 

In an exclusive interview with Olori Wendy, he discloses his mission and vision of his personal and ministry duties.

What is coordinating/working in the American terrain like?

Compared to Nigeria, it is different, different in the sense that people here in America, the situation here have changed their thinking, their reasoning, their perception, so what may work in churches in Nigeria may not work here, so to work here, you have to first of all, have the understanding of how to relate to our people not looking at the fact that they are from Nigeria so they should act like Nigerians. When they are here, they don't usually act like Nigerians, and sometimes they don't even act like Americans too so they are like in between, but one thing one needs to get used to is, when you are in Nigeria, Ministers are given much honour, the members call them daddy, and mummy, but when you come here, it is different, you see members of all age group call you Pastor, which in Nigeria, we look at it as being rude, but then, when you come here, you have to be able to learn how to step down, you don't have to look at yourself from a superior level, you have to come to the level of the people which is the level of humility, humble yourself in other to be like them, accept them the way they are so they can accept you too and your ministry can be meaningful to them. 

If you are coming from the level of Nigeria here, you will be judgmental, you might look at the people here as being worldly, things that are not accepted in Nigeria is acceptable here. In Nigeria, some rules are don't leave your hair open without coverage, don't wear jewelries like ear rings. It takes sometime for them to see it is not about appearances but what matters is the heart they use in receiving and serving the Lord. 

The people here serve God, but they don't just do it in our traditional way, but serving God is not all about traditions, what He wants is our heart, but ofcourse, we have to be moderately dressed but they capitalize on it more in Nigeria.

 Is this a position you have always envisaged?

All I have ever envisaged is being in the service of the Lord, whatever now comes is okay. I have never strive for any position in my over forty years of the Ministry, but whenever the time comes, they give it to me. In CAC system, you will work as catechist for a number of years before you are even considered to be recommended for ordination. Ministers in CAC don't just become ordained as pastors right away, when you go to the seminary and you finish, you will be working as junior minister under a pastor which is more like a probation for people to watch you and see whether they can entrust the church in your hands, because the moment they ordain you as a pastor, you are now their representative anywhere. In my case, after working for seven years, I traveled to England to further my studies, and upon my return they still put me on probation for over three years, so putting all the years together, I spent 13 years as a junior minister, before I was even recommended for ordination. You are ordained once as a pastor in CAC, and after that, it is promotion by rank, offices like Superintendent, senior superintendent, DCC or zonal superintendent, coordinator. 

I didn't sort or struggle for position in all these stages, when it comes to the time, they will just say I'm due for it. In terms of envisage, I would not say I envisaged, I won't say no either, as I desire to be faithful in the work and hope that one day, God will give me the opportunity to be able to more, because the higher you go, the more the opportunities to do more. 

What are your basic roles as the coordinator, what is your mission and vision as the new coordinator?

I will be fully inaugurated by October, as of right now, I have been proclaimed as the coordination from July 1st this year, but October, the former coordinator will officially retire and we will do the send forth ceremony and I will be inaugurated full fledged for office the following day

I desire that the ministers of CAC in North America will come to a level where they see themselves as God's representatives for real, and they will be doing the job with all faithfulness, sincerity, and more commitment. I look forward to a time when we won't have to struggle or force anybody to do what is necessary, everybody will know what is right and do it which is not really that common even among the ministers. Sometimes, they need some push, iron hand, conditions before they do what is right for them to do. I'm trusting God for a time where nobody will put conditions on anybody, people will just accept their calling and just serve with all faithfulness knowing their services isn't to the coordinator or to the president but to God.

What things would you like to see changed in your denomination?

What I will like to see changed is the ministers becoming what I said, and that can be achieved through teaching. We will embark on general teaching for different offices of the ministers ranks, organize teachings for them to know who they are and to begin to act as expected of their offices, if we do that it will reflect on the membership because a whole lot of games that happened among members is what they saw in the ministers. 

The ministry is not supposed to be a game, it is supposed to be with all sincerity, the Kingdom of God is supposed to be righteousness in the Holy Spirit not games. We shouldn't have it in the body of Christ. 

Is there any other business you are involved in besides being a minister of God?

Being a minister of God has been my calling for over 40 years, I was serving as a sales representative when God stopped me, and God said I should not do any other job except to serve him. So I have been a full time minister.     

Beside the position, will you be pastoring a church?

Yes I will be a pastor, I will be in charge of the main assembly where I will use as my administrative office, I will be the dcc superintendent of that particular section and at the same time be the coordinator for North America.

What's your view about Nigerians in diaspora?

In America, they need to come to recognize God as the only source of their blessing, lives, and success. Many Nigerians come here with the wrong impression that America flows with milk and honey, they don't know that even here, people work and struggle. They need to settle down and keep company with good people because the company of those you first meet can determine where you will end up. So when you start with God fearing Christians, you follow the same path. When people first come, they have eyes but they don't see, who they first meet, are like their guides. 

They shouldn't rush too much trying to be at the top of the world. If they can just follow God, He will always make a way for them if they can be patient, and not end up messing the image of themselves and Nigeria.

 What projects are you embarking on?

We have a project right now, it started with the former coordinator, that is CAC Village, it is a brand new property that needs a lot of development, 65 acres of land with so many buildings on it. I plan to develop it and make it more attractive, so people can love to come there for prayers, bible retreats, conferences. I desire to develop a CAC Bible School there, we have been working on developing a Bible School for a while but facility has been the issue but now we have the facility and we will develop it to a good standard Bible School. A lot of things will still come as the Lord permits. I am believing God to help us with the visions that we have, that CAC will become a household name again in America.