Benson Idahosa

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Benson Andrew Idahosa
BensonIdahosa.jpg
Born
11 September 1938
Benin City, Edo, Nigeria
Died
12 March 1998 (aged 59)
Nationality
Nigerian
Occupation
Televangelist, author
Known for
Father of Pentecostalism in Nigeria
Title Archbishop
Spouse(s)
Archbishop Margaret Idahosa
Children
1 son, 3 daughters
Website http://idahosa.com/
Benson Andrew Idahosa (11 September 1938
12 March 1998) affectionately called PA
PA or BABA by his followers, was a Charismatic Pentecostal preacher, and founder
of the Church of God Mission International with headquarters in Benin City, Edo
State. As the first Pentecostal archbishop in Nigeria, he was renowned for his
robust faith. T. L. Osborn remarked on him as the greatest African ambassador of
the apostolic Christian faith to the world.
Contents [hide]
1
Biography
1.1
Personal life
1.2
Early ministry
1.3
Ministry growth
2
Credentials
3
References
4
External links
Biography[edit]
Personal life[edit]
Born to non-Christian parents in a predominantly non-Christian community, he was
rejected by his father, John, for being frail and sickly. He constantly had fai
nting spells as a child, and on one of his spells, his mother, Sarah, abandoned
him at a rubbish heap presuming him dead. Hours later, he came to, and began wai
ling and was rescued by his mother. He grew up in a poor household. Like most of
the surrounding houses, his family home was a mud house. This reality denied hi
m access to education until he was fourteen years old, when he was able to atten
d a local government school.
Early ministry[edit]
As a youth, he got converted to Christianity by a certain Pastor Okpo, and joine
d his fledgling congregation as one of its first members. He was very active in
evangelizing, seeing many come to Christianity. After experiencing a revelation
from God calling him into ministry, he began to conduct outreaches from village
to village, before establishing his church in a store in Benin City.
By 1971, he had established churches all over Nigeria and Ghana. Known for his b
oldness, power and prosperity-based preaching, as well as an enormous faith in t
he supernatural, he was instrumental to the strong wave of revival in Christiani

ty and marked conversions from animism that occurred between the 1970s and 1990s
in Nigeria. He is regarded by Christians folks as the father of Pentecostalism
in Nigeria, and was the founding President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nige
ria (PFN). Many prominent Nigerian pastors like Ayo Oritsejafor (former Presiden
t of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)), David Oyedepo, Felix Omobude,
Fred Addo, Bishop Mike Okonkwo and Chris Oyakhilome were his protgs.
Ministry growth[edit]
The headquarters of his ministry, Faith Arena is a cathedral that seats up to 10
,000 people. Church of God Mission has branches the world over, from Europe to A
frica to Asia to America. With his main task being evangelism, he launched Idaho
sa World Outreach television ministry (IWO TV), which was a broadcast reaching a
potential viewing audience of 50 million people.
He is reported to have been used by God in performing many miracles, including h
ealing the blind, and raising up to twenty-eight people from the dead at differe
nt times in his ministry. A claim made by Idahosa that he had raised eight peopl
e from the dead was dropped when challenged by the Advertising Standards Authori
ty, who sought evidence that the individuals concerned had in fact been dead.[1]
He was known for many notable quotes including "my God is not a poor God", "your
attitude determines your altitude", "it is more risky, not to take a risk", "I
am a possibilitarian", "A big head without a big brain is a big load to the neck
", "If your faith says yes, God cannot say no", amongst others. Many of his mess
ages on faith, miracles and prosperity remain a classic among Pentecostals.
He had strong links with international gospel ministers like Billy Graham, T. L.
Osborn, Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, Reinhard Bonnke, Morris Cerullo, Oral Robert
s, amongst others; and took the gospel to 145 nations in his lifetime. At the ti
me of his death in 1998, he was reputed as having preached to more whites than a
ny black man, and to more blacks than any white man.
His desire to meet the needs of the total man led him to establish several other
arms of the ministry apart from the church. They include the Faith Mediplex, Al
l Nations for Christ Bible Institute, Word of Faith Group of Schools and Benson
Idahosa University which is currently under the leadership of his son, Bishop. F
. E. B. Idahosa. His wife, Margaret Idahosa is the current presiding archbishop
of the church.
Credentials[edit]
In 1971, he earned a diploma in Divinity from Christ for the Nations Institute i
n Dallas, Texas.
In 1981, he earned a Doctorate of Divinity from the Word of Faith College in New
Orleans.
In 1984, he earned a Doctorate in Law at the Oral Roberts University.
He was the founding president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN)
He was a member of the College of Bishops of the International Communion of Chri
stian Churches.
He was once the President of All Nations for Christ Bible Institute.
References[edit]
Jump up ^ John Sweeney (31 December 2000). "Sects, power and miracles in the Bib
le belt of Essex". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
Founders of Church of God Mission, Worldwide. Available at http://www.cgm-usa.or
g
Garlock, Ruthane (1982). Fire in his bones: The story of Benson Idahosa - A lead
er of the Christian awakening in Africa. Logos Associates, [ISBN 0-88270-451-6]
Dictionary of African Christian Biography - http://www.dacb.org/stories/nigeria/
idahosa_bensona.html
Heroes of Faith Hero: Benson Idahosa - by Shalom from Garki - http://www.myhero.
com/myhero/hero.asp?hero=B_Idahosa_LC_GSSG_nigeria_06_ul

External links[edit]
Official website
Benson Id