By David-Chyddy Eleke
Rhema Church, Awka, a branch of Rhema Church Worldwide, which is headed by Dr Amaechi Nwachukwu, has a culture of embarking on monthly evangelism, and the exercise that has long become a way of life for the members of the church who usually troop out for the exercise every last Saturday of the month or the first as the case may be.
This singular exercise whose sole aim is to bring converts unto Christ has become a veritable tool in wooing in unbelievers to Christ, but has been further been taken a notch higher with the introduction of medical outreach, food-for-the-needy and divine healing programmes, making the exercise a four-in-one programme.
With Dr Amaechi Nwachukwu – a renowned philanthropist, teacher and surgeon as the head pastor of the church, one can not afford not to experience sound teaching, great philanthropic works and others while attending the programmes. As Chief Medical Director of Princeton Specialist Hospital and Orthopedic Center, a well known centre in Awka, it is just natural that he combines his craft as a medical doctor with his faith in God to dish out healing, while using his talent as a university teacher to ensure quality teaching that will provide clarity about God’s word.
Last Saturday, the church’s evangelical team held its monthly evangelism programme at Ukwu Orji area, behind the old Anambra State Government House, right inside the fruit market.
The programme afforded listeners the opportunity of sound teaching of the word of God, but being a philanthropist and medical doctor, Pastor Nwachukwu working with volunteer members of the church provided attendees succour through the distribution of various food stuffs.
As the saying goes – faith without works is dead. For Rhema Church Awka and her pastor, Dr Nwachukwu, it is not enough to simply preach the gospel to a brother in the cold, and admonishing them to try and keep warm, without providing blanket.
So, beyond providing spiritual food (word of God), the church checked the physical well being of those who benefited from the word of God through medical outreach, which involves conducting medical checks on them and providing drugs. Not done, the church also distributed food item to fulfill the biblical quote that faith without works is dead.
Last Saturday, after listening to teachings, the attendees were so happy to also benefit through health checks, and later took home some food items. Some of the beneficiaries who testified about the programme confessed that there was no better way to be blessed.
A trader in the square, Mrs Beatrice Eze said: “This is the real way to preach God’s word. I have been enriched by the teaching of the gospel, but I want to say quite frankly that being able to undergo medical check is something I’m very happy about. Added to that, I am going home with a loaf of bread too. I thank Rhema Church, Awka and I pray that God will continue to enrich them.
In previous programmes, the church has taken its outreach to Ifite (Unizik back gate), Eke Nibo, Ezumezu Square Amawbia, and several other spots within Awka metropolis, spreading the gospel in a way that assuages the spiritual and physical needs of Christians, but most importantly adding to the body of Christ.
This gesture has remained very worthy of emulation and has left those who have encountered it testifying to the uniqueness of this method of preaching the gospel.
