GOD’S BEEN FAITHFUL: CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF OUR FOUNDER PASSING

We celebrate 10 years of the home call of the Founder and first Chairman of our church, Harvesters Evangelistic Ministry. It is important to me that you understand that this program is not only about this doyen of our Church but also about God’s faithfulness to His Church. We recall our time spent with Rev. Gregory Ola Akin and the feeling is so surreal… so it has been 10 years already? We are celebrating 10 years of God’s accomplishments, not our own. Psalm 115:1 says, “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

I would want to remind all of the following: . It’s appropriate to mourn. In Acts 20, we find Paul telling the Ephesian elders that he would no longer see their faces again (v. 25). After hearing the news, Luke records that there was much weeping (v. 37–38).

Similarly, when Moses died, the people of Israel wept and mourned for thirty days (Deut. 34:8). It is appropriate to mourn. With great sympathy, Jesus tells us to “come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). He doesn’t chastise us for feeling burdened. He invites us to carry our sad hearts to him.

Similarly, when Moses died, the people of Israel wept and mourned for thirty days (Deut. 34:8). It is appropriate to mourn. With great sympathy, Jesus tells us to “come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). He doesn’t chastise us for feeling burdened. He invites us to carry our sad hearts to him.

In 2015, the Church began a series of activities to honor the memory of our Founder and First Chairman. Following Rev. Gregory Ola Akin’s contributions to and impact on the church, the Harvester’s Evangelistic Ministry on Sunday 28th February 2016 renamed the Harvesters Cathedral after him as a memorial. The Harvesters Cathedral has since been known and called the OLA AKIN TEMPLE!

Today we are climaxing the yearlong celebration of our cherished Founder and First Chaiman’s passing with this great program. The 10th anniversary commenced on 28th October 2023, which was declared as the Founder’s Day by the church and was celebrated nationwide! Thus, 28th October every year has been designated as Founder’s Day in our church. On 20th November 2023, which was exactly the 10th year of Rev. Gregory Ola Akin’s passing, a brief but solemn wreath-laying ceremony was held at his graveside at Ayeduase in Kumasi. This attracted a sizeable number of people from all walks of life. While the loss is still acute and the wound is still fresh, the promises of God remain precious. Our testimony is our late Founder and First Chairman has left us a great legacy and God has made us to adore his goodness.”