Revd Akintayo Olufunmilade Suulola is the founder and General Overseer of the Scripture Group Mission (SGM). His choice of church Headquarters (Akure) was directed by Holy Spirit about thirty years ago; ever since then, it has been success stories and manifestation of God in the life of the ministry. He speaks with the PATH on the Church 21st Annual Convention, forthcoming 30th anniversary, growth of the church among others.
How successful is the just concluded 21st Annual Convention of your ministry?
To God be the glory, we didn’t know it will be this colourful considering the way things have been in the last seven months but despite that, it was more successful than yester years, I give God the glory.
What is the uniqueness in the convention theme “HIS NAME, JESUS CHRIST”?
When we were about to come into 2020, we went into prayer hibernation, it was there God told us that 2020 is going to be a hot year; it is going to be a year that we cannot live by ourselves alone, we need the super natural hands of God in all our dealings. One name that is sufficient, is the name of Jesus Christ. God has highly exalted Him and giving Him name that is above any other name and at the mention of the name of Jesus, every knees must bow, those in heaven, in earth and beneath the earth must bow; that called for the theme of the Convention. We thanked God for the revelation of His words that came out during the convention.
Assessing this year convention, would you say God has worked miraculously before and during the programme?
Yes, He did. We have so many testimonies from the way the invited men of God divided the words and people were filled with Holy Spirit. Aside this, miracle through prayer section; everything has been colourful and full of testimonies. It was a season of rejoicing for us.
What is the take home from the convention?
To those that attended the convention, they should not forget the seed of the words that have been sown into their lives. The name of our Lord Jesus Christ, they should apply that powerful name into everything they will do and take charge of the remaining part of 2020, definitely, Almighty God will be with them.
In 2021, SGM will clock 30; what are your plans for the anniversary?
Yes, by the grace of God, we shall be celebrating our 30th anniversary next year. It’s going to be a week long program. We are going to celebrate our presence in this land because when God said I should come over to Ondo State, I didn’t know that He has so much for me, the way He told Abraham in the book of Genesis 12:1-3. He said I should leave Oyo to Ondo State, since I got to this place, it been growth, we have developed from one stage to another. In 2021, when the ministry will be thirty, it will be another season of testimonies, laughter and rejoicing.
If you are to count your blessings in the last 30 years, would you say God has been so kind and marvelous to the church?
God has be so wonderful and good to us. We were just in a place when the church was established 30 years ago but to God be the glory and by His grace, we have grown. He has be so merciful to us, we are not where we were yester years back, everybody has grown in different ways, to God be the glory.
2020 is a year full of challenges, what is expected of men of God as the year is gradually fading away?
We are in the Xmas season now, let the people forget the past and thank God for sparing their lives to this moment. As for Ministers of God, we should encourage people to be happy. We should be ready for the last minute rain as we have suffered a lot in the past months.The last month of 2020, it should be our our season of rejoicing. According to the Bible in the book of Ecclesiastes 3v4, there is time to weep and time to laugh, time to mourn and time to rejoice (part B), people have wept and mourned this year and it is now their time to laugh and rejoice. We should encourage people to be happy and trust God for their harvest.
The church organized a special program for men before the year fade out, what is the rationale behind the program?
We want our men to come together and agree. The Bible said, where two or more are together, His presence is always there. When men come together in their tens and hundreds, they pray to God and seek His face against 2021.Our men need to ask for God direction through prayer; the program is just a prayer section with God. With God, all things are possible.
SCRIPTURE GROUP MISSION
History of the Church
It all started as a prayer group in Oyo State of Nigeria in the year 1985. We met to pray at a local authority primary school once in a week. Regular vigils were held at Iyalabake Villa in The Arowona compound of Oyo City. It was not a full functional Church at this time but we simply called it “SCRIPTURE GROUP”. The founder, Akintayo Suulola being an itinerant Evangelist and because of his urge for knowledge, formed the group again in Ado Ekiti, the capital city of Ekiti State of Nigeria where he studied at the then University of Ado Ekiti.
The Ado group moved to Ilaje Ese-Odo in Ondo State, Nigeria and started the first functional Church in November, 1991. The group sprang up anywhere the man of God went. So, it started again in Akure on 21st of June, 1992 (about six months after he relocated to Akure from Ado Ekiti).
By June, 1993, the Church moved to a more presentable auditorium in the heart of Akure town for about three years before we moved again to the present site of our headquarters Church, No 13, Arikawe Street, Opposite former Police headquarters, Akure.
When we started experiencing expansion, we decided by the leading of the Holy Spirit to have branches around Akure and other parts of the Country.
So we had branches in Odokoyi Street, Akure in the year 1995, Ado Ekiti, Igbara-OKe, and Ondo town around the same time.
The Church was taken to Lagos in April, 1996. Ilesha Church started in year 2001, Ibule-Soro and Ijoka started in the year 2002.
It was generally seen as a reoccurrence when in May 2010, during the celebration of the General Overseer’s call to Ministry through the leading of the Holy Spirit willed out two of the Church branches located in Ado Ekiti and Ilesha to the Resident Pastors of the Churches.
