And God Called Lord Kenya

By James Quansah, Pastor 

“FOR CONSIDER your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God” (1 Corinthians 1: 26- 29, ESV).

When it comes to the calling of people into the Kingdom of God particularly those who are divinely appointed to hold ministerial offices in the church, God has His own way of selecting them. He makes men He knows by name to desire the Apostolic, Prophetic, Evangelistic, Bishopric/Pastoral and Teaching offices of the church to be His co-workers to build the church.

We read in the above scripture that God called some people. And He calls people today too. But we learn that many of the people God calls are not wise, powerful and of noble birth according to worldly standards. He chooses people who are considered foolish, weak, low and despised in the world and turns them into supernatural beings to shame those who seem to be wise and strong. 

However, the passage of Scripture does not say that God refuses to choose or call wise or educated people to serve as ministers of the gospel. Moses was a learned and wise man when God called him. The same can be said about Paul; he was highly educated and wise. We will know more about Paul and Moses in the latter part of the article.

But God continues to call imperfect people in our time also so that no one might boast. A few years ago, a Pastor of a Charismatic-word based church in Kumasi remarked that he would never invite Evangelist Lord Kenya to minister in his church. The Pastor thought Evangelist Kenya was unfit to minister, considering his past life. Many Christians in Ghana share the pastor’s view. Interestingly, however, other churches have been inviting Lord Kenya to minister in their churches. 

Evangelist Kenya was a popular award-winning rap musician. Born Abraham Philip Akpor Kenya, the former highlife artiste quitted his music career after he encountered God supernaturally a few years back. According to him, he was ‘arrested’ by the Holy Spirit while on his way to get drugs at his usual joint. He has confessed to being a ‘better weed smoker.” He is reported to have smoked cocaine for 12 years and addicted to alcohol for about 14 years.

But soon after his encounter with God, he gave his life to Jesus Christ and started preaching the word of salvation to win souls especially from the entertainment industry. However, the call of God upon Evangelist Kenya’s life has not been without persecutions including criticisms, rejection, hatred and condemnation. 

A section of the Christendom has not shown him the love he needed. Probably, it did not understand his new found salvation and hardly accepted him. The truth is that humans including some Christians like to criticise nearly everything.  But Evangelist Kenya once noted that, “The church is a home for sinners and so should accept sinners and help them to grow in Christ rather than leave them to their fate.” 

Is there any Christian who was saved without past sinful records? The Bible says in Romans 5: 8 that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Christ died for the sinner. A sinner who sincerely surrenders to Christ becomes a new creation in Christ and all his past immoral deeds are forgiven him.

If Lord Kenya has been saved and commissioned by God to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall we not welcome him with open arms as multitudes of angel rejoice when a soul is won to Christ Jesus, our soon coming King and Lord. If the First Church accepted the Apostle Paul and gave him a hand of help to excel in his ministry, we in Ghana must be happy for the calling of people like Evangelist Lord Kenya and embrace their ministries. 

What would we have done if a blasphemous person who got Christians arrested, beaten and killed or imprisoned turned up one day and said he was a preacher of the very thing he determined to destroy? Saul who was also called Paul dealt wickedly with Christians in his day. He hated and opposed the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. One day, he kept the clothes of violent men who murdered Deacon Stephen (Acts 7).   

In spite of Saul’s sinful deeds, the Lord Jesus Christ called and appointed him to be an Apostle to the Gentile world. “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into ministry; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, an injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Timothy 1: 12- 13).

The Lord Jesus Christ calls some people to serve in the higher offices of the church. He calls them not because of their good deeds, charming personalities or their excellent speaking skills, but by His grace. God’s callings are not based on tribal, gender or racial considerations. It is purely by His grace.

God looked on the earth, and out of His abundant grace and mercy, He saw and called Moses, a man who had killed an Egyptian, and sent him to rescue the Israelites from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 3). Have you forgotten about the apostle Paul? He was a blasphemer and persecutor of the church. He was arresting Christians and getting them beaten and imprisoned yet the Lord Jesus called him from heaven to be His servant (1 Timothy 1: 12- 14). 

If a murderer like Moses and a violent man like Paul were transformed by the power of God to preach the gospel, could not Lord Kenya also be remolded into a useful vessel in the hands of the Holy Spirit? God does not see as men see. He sees in the mirror of His grace, making Him a Father full of love and wisdom. 

James Quansah is the Executive Director of Christ-Conscious Leadership Centre (CLC) and lead Pastor of End-Time Christ’s Commissioners (ECC), Kumasi, Ghana. James is also a journalist by profession. He is married with four children.