The History Of The SCOAN.

The SCOAN

The physical structure of The SCOAN has gone through different stages. Each stage served a purpose! Before moving to our present position, The SCOAN has had three previous locations. The roof of the first church was blown off by a storm, the second church was washed away by a flood while the third church also collapsed due to severe weather conditions. Shall we say all these happened without God’s knowledge? No. In every situation, God is still saying something. Today, The SCOAN is an architectural masterpiece located in the heart of Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos

History

All The Way Long

The First Church

There is an unseen hand in the affairs of every man of faith. God is the unseen hand that brings everything to pass.
As a Christian, whatever situation you are in, do a proper reflection. I mean sit down and reflect on life itself and you will discover that nothing happens for nothing, nothing comes by chance.
The Synagogue, Church of All Nations did not just come by chance – it was as it should be by divine will. Right from the start, God Almighty has been the divine driver behind our fortunes and the inspiration behind the whole set up.
We want to take this opportunity to acknowledge how He has intervened in our affairs all the way long. If God had not overcome for us, there would be no need to tell this story…

Everything Big Start Little

God has set a time for everything: a time to be born, a time to grow, a time to face persecution, a time to overcome and a time to show the proceeds of victory.
If you look at life, you would see that everything big starts little. A mighty cathedral starts with one brick. A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. You were once a tiny embryo in your mother’s womb, but today, see how big you have become.
Luke 13:18 – Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches.”

The First Church

A Christian home does not come by luck. It is not a thing of chance or accident. You don’t just find yourself in it; it is something you have through conscious effort or genuine willingness. So also, The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations that you see today did not just happen, it was built.
Many years ago, a small gathering of eight members came together to hold their first meeting in a humble shelter in a squalid, swampy jungle, in the location of Agodo-Egbe in Lagos, Nigeria. For everything God created, He allotted a specific and definite purpose. The purpose and mission of the church was simple and clear – to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).
As time went on, it became increasingly clear that T.B. Joshua was not just an ordinary pastor, preaching ‘ordinary’ words and doing ‘ordinary things’. Right from the onset, he has believed that serving God is not doing what many do but doing what the best do.

“Everyone has a calling. If you follow the direction of your calling, you will surprise yourself, you will astonish yourself – you will make a difference in your world.”

The Second Church

Clear evidence of outstanding miraculous occurrences began to arise. The lame began to walk, hopeless cancer patients were lifted from despair, desperate situations were turned to scenes of life, joy and peace. On seeing the extraordinary power of God in the life of this man, one cannot but ask questions: ‘Can this be true in our days?’ ‘Can a human being perform such feats?’ ‘Is the Bible still true for us today?’
Anointing does not work through plans, methods or machinery. It works through suitable men. T.B. Joshua is simply utilising the power that has been given to all believers (Luke 10:19). “ Jesus is disappointed that men lack the necessary faith to release the power that has been given to them.”God has no hands but our hands to do His work.
Right from day one, the focus in The SCOAN has never been on the healing but on the Healer, whose name is Jesus Christ. As T.B. Joshua always says: “I am not here to introduce you to healing, but to the Healer .” The only genuine reason for receiving is salvation (Matthew 6:33).
He says: ”I am not the healer. I know the Healer. His name is Jesus Christ. It is not my work but my faith in His finished works. It is God’s strength that is made manifest in my weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

Church of All Nation?

The Third Church

God had planted a vision in the heart of T.B. Joshua. Some would think it strange for a church of just a small number in a humble area in Lagos, Nigeria to be prophetically named a church of all nations but for the vision in the life of T.B. Joshua. The name given to the church is testimony to the prophetic insight given to Prophet T.B. Joshua and his calm and determined focus on that vision.

“Your future must move into you before you can move into your future.”
This dream was known to him alone. No one else believed his dream nor even understood it. His vision was his direction. He allowed that dream to be his best influence rather than the opinions, advice and criticisms of others around him.
“If your mind agrees in your relationship with God, what your circumstances look like, what you see, what people say or do concerning that relationship cannot affect it.”

Prophet T.B. Joshua knew that the service of the Lord is a thing of the mind, and your mind will always ask you to do something uncommon, rare and different. For you to have what you have never had before, you must do what you have never done before (Matthew 14:28-31).

Synagogue?

Some might wonder, why ‘Synagogue’? The Bible says Jesus entered the Synagogue and sent out all that were not of Him, all those things that He had not planted. As it was, so it is. As He worked in the Synagogue of old, Jesus is still working in the Synagogue today. The Son of God healed and still heals all kinds of sickness and disease. What is happening today is just an extension of what happened then.

Move On As Jesus Did

Old Building of SCOAN

On the instruction from the Holy Spirit, The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations moved to a large expanse of land in Ikotun-Egbe, in the outskirts of Lagos. Thousands began flocking to the services as they heard about the miraculous events taking place there (Matthew 4:23-24).
If the road is smooth, the journey calm and everything is going well for you, be careful. The Bible says narrow and rough is the road that leads to life. That is, anything close to Jesus receives attack. If satan knows you are not bothering his kingdom, he would not bother to attack you. The occurrences in The SCOAN attracted the attention of satan and his agents. Agents of satan were sent to come and put out the light in the life of Prophet T.B. Joshua, but their missions failed. Satan is powerless in the face of God’s armour and power. They came in mass seeking to destroy but were instead delivered by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is simply because Prophet T.B. Joshua recognized that the victory had already been won.
“Whatever I am today is a product of the conviction that victory through Christ Jesus is victory indeed. The rest is history.”

Crowds Fill the SCOAN

Isaiah 2:3 “Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”
As the awareness spread, people of every colour, culture and creed started coming to witness the power of God in the The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations. Countless testimonies continued flooding in as every manner of sickness and disease bowed and submitted to the indisputable authority in the name of Jesus Christ. There is no reason to doubt His sufficiency. His healing, blessing, deliverance are unlimited!(Hebrews 13:8).

Instruction In Righteousness

It was then that another mighty work began in The SCOAN. God Almighty instructed Prophet T.B. Joshua to build a cathedral that would reflect His glory and majesty.
Just as David received instruction to build the temple and Moses received instruction to build the tabernacle, the same God, who changes not, was the inspiration behind the construction of The SCOAN you see today. When you follow Jesus in righteousness, the impossible will become possible for you.
There was only one architect involved in the planning – the Holy Spirit.   When the Holy Spirit talks, we must obey, because changes are beginning.

New SCOAN Under Construction

In a very short space of time, an area without walls and barely a roof was transformed into a mighty cathedral. Hard benches were replaced with comfortable chairs; poor lights were turned to intelligent lighting; fans were exchanged with refreshing air conditioning. The great changes that took place in such a limited time span has become a subject of debate. The will of God will never lead you to where the grace of God is not sufficient to cover you. Glory be to God!
Everyone has received something from God that is capable of being planted. Members willingly sacrificed their time, strength and money to build their church. Everyone played their own role and used the gifts God had given them to contribute to the success of the building.
Just one walk into the church helps to cultivate an atmosphere of faith and a consciousness of Christ’s presence. On all the windows, the galleries and the floor, there are Bible passages and words of encouragement and inspiration to lift your faith. The ceiling also displays many pictures depicting the suffering of Christ and the apostles of old, creating opportunity for sober reflection and self-examination.
“God is in the House through His Word, by His Spirit.”

The Church Today

The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations

Although the physical structure of the church has changed, the vision remains the same. Millions continue to receive the knowledge of saving grace, and to see the undeniable evidence that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.
God continues to use Prophet T.B. Joshua as an instrument of healing, prophecy, deliverance, blessing and salvation. Healings of HIV-AIDS, cancer, paralysis, and of many other sicknesses and diseases occur every week, proving that Jesus is who He says He is, He has what He says He has, and He can do what He says He can.Every Sunday, our live services are broadcast to millions around the globe through Emmanuel TV, and the cathedral is always filled to capacity with worshippers from across Nigeria and the world.
‘Church Of All Nations’: what to some was mere wishful thinking is becoming a visible reality today. The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations is now spreading throughout the globe. Currently, we have branches in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Greece and Ghana. That name was not just given for nothing. God had a plan and purpose. The unseen hand is at work, and we know that this higher hand is leading us to something higher.

“If God gives you a vision and it is opposed by men, do not reduce it; stay in faith in Christ Jesus.”
Where God guides, He provides. Where he provides, He protects. A million thanks are not enough for all He has done!

The Race Continues

“The race is not for the beginner but for the finisher.”
The journey continues. It is not about the messenger but the unchanging message. It’s not about the miracles but the Miracle worker. It’s not about the man, but the Maker. It’s all about Jesus Christ. The eternal message of our Lord Jesus Christ will last forever, even in the face of life’s uncertainties.   This is what we are born for, what we are living for and what we are going to die for.
Wherever the road may lead us, the vision that gave birth to this ministry many years ago is the same vision that wakes us up in the morning, sends us to sleep at night and is preparing us for the journey tomorrow. And what is that vision? One way; one job. The way is Jesus Christ; the job is to talk about Him to others.
Life is a warfare. In a war, there are many battles to be won. Each time God sees you through a battle, it is right for you to say, “Thank You, Lord” and glorify Him. It is a way of encouraging Him to see you through future battles, because there are many battles ahead.

Deuteronomy 1:30-31 – “The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the desert. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”
He has carried us all the way long. This story is not intended to show off, but as a way of glorifying God and saying, “Thank You, Jesus”.
The best is yet to come…