BENEVOLENCE DEPARTMENT

The Benevolence Department of the Household of God International Ministries (‘BD’) is one of the Departments set up by Rev. Chris Okotie, the Pastor, mainly to cater for the needy and the poor (predominantly the widows, widowers, orphans, unemployed) in the Church that are registered with the BD and other members of the Church who due to one adversity or the other are unable to make ends meet and are registered temporarily as beneficiaries, until such a time as they can do without the provisions.

The provisions ministered by the BD are various food items, clothes, shoes (new and old) for adults and children) and sometimes finances (when such resources are available) are provided and prayers are offered for medical treatment, rents,school fees and healing. Members of the Church contribute the financial and material provisions ministered by the BD and on every 1st Sunday in a month envelopes are distributed by the BD to church members into which church members are to put money for the poor and needy. It is the Cash Collection Sunday for BD. These provisions are ministered by BD twice a month after services on the 1st and 3rdSundays of every month save that in December the two ministrations are combined into one to have a ‘bumper’ ministration which gives the beneficiaries a lot of food and cooking ingredients for a merry Christmas and New Year celebrations. After each ministration, members of the BD hold their business meetings where they deliberateon different aspects of its assignments and decisions are taken on how to carry out the duties of the BD and move the BD forward.

To become a member of the BD, one must have been attending the Church for not less than 6 months, one must havetaken the Church as his local assembly, must be someone who has a flair and passion for giving and for the poor and one who has the mental attitude of a benevolent minister. He must also be born again and spirit-filled and undergoes training. Although admission is free and the service is voluntary, the service rendered is with a high sense of responsibility, maturity and seriousness.

For a convenient administrative purpose, the BD iswell organized and structured to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in the performance of its duties. A Head of Department (HOD), an overseer (Bishop) who is assisted by an Assistant HOD, oversees the BDwhich has some subgroups namely: Interview 1 Interview 2 and Interview 3, Registration, Food and Clothes (adult and children) and Secretariat Subgroups each of which subgroup is headed by a sub-group head who is assisted by an assistant subgroup head. The Interview 2 and 3 subgroups interview those intending to benefit from the Church and if they meet the criteria, they are handed notes to go to the Registration subgroup to have their names entered in the Register of Beneficiaries but not more than 6 members of a family will be registered. The duration of the registration varies from one month to several years depending on the gravity of the adversity of the member and how long it takes him/her to overcome the challenge. A registered beneficiary is entitled to all the provisions available and armed with a tag given him/her by the Registration subgroup, he/she will proceeds to the Food and Clothes subgroups where he/she collects food and clothes and shoes of his/her choice and size. Interview 1 subgroup which is headed by the HOD handles the complex cases of needs and those involving finances, scholarships, medicals and monthly allowances given by the Church when funds are available although in strict terms, only food, clothes and shoes are ministered. The HOD also interviews and admits those intending to become members of the BD.

The BD also coordinates and partially finances the hosting of the Church’s annual national event tagged G.R.A.C.E. (God’s Riches At Christ Expense) Programme held on the Sunday before Christmas and during which a KARIS Award coupled with a cash gift of N1m is given to a distinguished Nigerian, cash gift of N500,000.00 each is  made to four Charity Organisations namely Pacelli School for the Blind and Partially Sighted, The Sunshine Foundation, The Strong Tower Mission and The Spinal Cord Injuries Association. The G.R.A.C.E. Programmewas first held in 1990 and the Karis Award given to a Nigerian whose contribution to national development has not been adequately or at all recognized, was first given in 1996.

Since inception the BD had had Rev. Dele George (later Founder of The Stronger Tower Mission and Little Saints Orphanage), Barrister Dennis Ayisire and Mr. Mike Igbokwe, SAN  as HODs and Mr. Igbokwe became its HOD in 1999.

Apart from the above duties of the BD, it also carries out other assignments as may be given to it by the Pastor from time to time.

Bro Mike Igbokwe,SAN.
HOD, Benevolence Department,
21/2/11.