REPORT OF THE BEREAN INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES MINISTERS AND CHURCH WORKERS CONFERENCE 2025

Once more the annual ministers conference of Berean International Ministries took place in Aba, Abia State being the African Headquarters. Afterwards there was an outreach to three other chapters outside Aba. In Aba the event took place at our usual place a hall in Terminus Hotel, Azikiwe Road annex at the Dr. Sam Mbakwe Conference Hall.

   Nothing is as usual whenever our Pastor/Teacher and President of Berean International Ministries climbs the stage to teach the word of God. It is all shocking surprising suspense throughout and like a near impossible puzzle unpredictably enigmatic wonder spectre. You will be forced to open and close your Bible investigatively in wonder mood asking yourself in soliloquies whether it is the same Bible you have been studying and preaching to others from and feel acquainted with. He is indeed a light bearer. The erudition, scholasticism involved in his hermeneutic exposition of words, sentences, verses and text contexts is so convincing that you get lost with time listening to him except for the sake of security consciousness in the townships nowadays. If it were in the village areas as it has been nobody wants to leave but keep asking for more.

   And this time he came dwelling on the third person of the Godhead on the touch of THE FILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. One outstanding reason he stated for the choice of the subject as led by God being that at the final gathering of the saints after Rapture we shall face judgement of all our works for to be rewarded accordingly. But that the Lord shall try every mans work by fire and if it is not burnt up shall be rewarded. That the only works to be rewarded are those done under the filling of the Holy Spirit else they were mere philantropism. By implication, the filling of the Spirit is the fire that makes our works in the name of the Lord to receive rewards. If it were not so the believer would just be in heaven with no decorations of any sort. The equality for believers in heaven as on earth is salvation by grace not of works which we have done only. But reward for works brings a distinction as pictured by 1 Cor.15:40-42a NIV 1984 edition. And I quote,” There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies,’ but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another.The sun is one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another, and star differs from another in splendor. So will it be at the resurrection of the dead”. 

   Who will not want a great splendor at the day of rewards? So work by the filling of the Holy Spirit for that to happen. He made us know it is rather correct to say the filling of the Spirit than with the Spirit seeing he is a person not a somewhat liquid. Do not be drunk with wine but be filled of the Spirit. The two are plainly contrasted. Knowing the Person of the Spirit will give us the consciousness of learning how to understand his leading and be under his filling to defeat both the old sin nature and Satan who is battling with the Spirit to dominate and control us.

   Paul contrasts being filled of the Spirit with being drunk not to teach prohibition of drinking as some teach abstinence from this text of Eph.5:18-21. So it means that drinking wine doesn’t prevent a believer from being filled of the Spirit as taught by some and even use it to judge who is a true or false christian. If so, why would our Lord turn water to wine for people to drink? Paul says don’t get drunk because it produces or leads to debauchery. Debauchery belongs to the class of drunkards. It debilitates, debases, demoralises, breeds wildness and wastefulness, all sorts of disorder of sinfulness. Drunkenness makes you to get angry to loose yourself. Instead lose your control to the Holy Spirit to control you. It’s a concept of ‘be filled of the Spirit instead’. Being filled of the Spirit means that the person’s inner being being directed or controlled by the Holy Spirit and it is the only cure for carnality in every form. After all which true believer would wish to be known as carnal unless one who is self deceived and deluded? It is a command. 

  To be filled of the Spirit is the same as to live by the Spirit. It is another way of saying it. Even when the Apostle Peter stated things we should add up to our faith to attain stability in godliness as listed in 2 Pet.1:5-7, a thorough investigation into the same shows that he is saying be filled of the Spirit in another way. All to be able not to obey the old sin nature and Satan the Devil but walk in holiness. Same concept can be seen at the back of the statement of our Lord when in John15:5-7 he said, “….For without me you can do nothing”. The person who is under the control of Christ is one who is filled of the Holy Spirit. In the Greek way of thinking which concerns itself with the kind of action and it’s end, and not in the tenses of past, present and future as in our English language; Paul is telling the believers that they should begin with the filling of the Spirit and continue to do so.

   He also taught them how to do it. He never said that they believer should be continuously filled of the Spirit. To teach that is to teach there is a believer who does not commit sin. The reason for the argument is that nobody can commit sin while being filled of the Holy Spirit.The human body in incapable of being filled 24/7. Any such claim of total sanctification is fallacious and a fabrication of erroneous teaching and it is sin in itself already. Just as Paul side,” Do not be drunk with wine”, they do not drink once and keep drinking. Instead they drink repeatedly after certain intervals of other activities. So is the filling of the Spirit. We found no specific command in the Scripture for anyone to get the Special filling of the Spirit that produces spectacular results. We are concerned therefore with the Normal Filling of the Spirit as Paul commanded.

  This is the guaranteed victorious key of how to overcome temptation and in resisting the Devil in temptation as our Lord did during his fast of 40 days and 40 nights. Note that he moved into the wilderness being filled of the Holy Spirit and was tempted of the Devil. He fought under the filling of the Spirit. With these messages we were armed for the spirit filled life from Monday 28th to 30th April, 2025.

  The next day 1st May we of Chinyere’s company moved with him in different buses and cars for the ministration in Obigbo, Port Harcourt Chapter in Rivers State, Nigeria. The people were hungry and waiting for his arrival with the spiritual food. At noon he stepped up the stage with Col.2:6-7 talking of “EXHORTATION TO LIVE IN CHRIST”. The passage is concerned with steadfastness in the faith. Paul told them, ‘Just as you received Christ as Lord….” What does he mean by this? He had taught them that, ” Christ (he) is the image of the invisible God. You know that God is a spirit and not materially physical.   That is how Paul spoke to let them know that Christ is God.  Having received Him so as God come in the flesh, he is Christ Jesus the Lord. So you received him who died and rose from the dead as Lord and lives forever. We are going to be raised and live forever in him.

  Continue to live in him by the same faith with which you received him. But it takes the filling of the Holy Spirit for that to be possible. John 15:7. While growing in knowledge, you be built up as you know Jesus more and understand God’s plan for your life. 2 Peter 3:18. Continue is in contrast to God’s holiness beyond the moral code. Know God through fellowship with other believers, in suffering, avoiding worry, being contented with you have and learning to rejoice always. Holding God by his promises for all conditions of life as revealed in the Scriptures for he never fails. Always being thankful in every situation for that is the Hallmark of Christianity.

   And to Ebem – Ohafia in Ohafia LGA of Abia State we came on 2nd May, 2025. From 1Pet.5:8-11 Prof. Chinyere took the stage to declare a message of “DEALING WITH THE DEVIL.” He reiterated the truth that most of the difficulties of the believer is traceable to the Devil. Seeing that Satan is not only the Chief enemy of God but of the believer in God too. He has but one motive or plan which is to deprive the believer of his life support in God which is Christ Jesus. He labours so much to see that we do not depend on the power of the Holy Spirit whom God has given to help us out. Our Lord Jesus not only defeated the Devil but provided us with everything to be victorious over the Devil in life. They are three players in the battle of life. God, man and the Devil. Man is left with the responsibility to respond to God’s instructions to be able to hand defeat over to the Devil. So we are told to be alert. Peter said it thrice. In 1Pet.1:13 & 4:7; it stands as the opposite of being intoxicated. Well balanced, clarity of the mind which results in sound judgement. Never do anything that will impair your judgement. We have a slanderous enemy. He is fierce and ferocious, roaring, seeking who is taken unawares to bully and destroy. Get balanced in life through correct Bible doctrine. Never do anything you are not sure to be the will of God. Never give in to worry or give up under persecution. 

  Remember whatever challenges you face, your brotherhood in the wide world is facing the same. Yours is not unique. So don’t let them break you. You have a cloud of witnesses who have made it under similar circumstances. It takes being filled of the Spirit to make it. Go for the filling and that you resist the Devil and cause him to flee. Our leader is the same helper Heb.13;8. He is there for your help.

 In Enugu with Akpoga Chapter incorporated it happened on the 3rd of May, 2025. He went in to tell us to “FORM THE HABIT OF IMITATING GOD.” It makes sense for Paul to tell us to be imitators of God since children are commanded to obey their parents in the Lord. And parents are commanded to train up a child the way he should go, and when he is grown up he will not depart from it. If there is any one to follow by imitation, it is God. Having kearny from the error of our first parents in Eden. And the same age old enemy is still here rampaging. As God’s dear children, though he is a spirit and invisible yet has revealed himself in the Scriptures and in the Son. So we have the means of imitating him. Especially in his revealed attributes of holiness, truthfulness, righteousness, mercy, love which are communicable. And that is made possible by the filling of the Holy Spirit under the truth we received in his word. So it can be said and fulfilled, “Like father like Son.”

 It involves steadfast devotion with jealousy for the Lord God.

   Finally, at The Berean International Ministries Headquarters in Ebiogu Federal Housing Estate Ogbor Hill Aba the Sunday service on 4th May was again made beautiful. From praises, hymns through church offering it was the Lord’s Supper after which Prof. Chinyere climbed the pulpit. He sounded a warning bell on the, ‘ NEED YO AVOID RESISTING THE WORD OF GOD.” Based on Heb.3:12-15. 

  Many appear where the word of God is preached but do not mean to take it heart to obey. Learn to hear the word of God correctly before jumping into obedience. Be vigilant. Unbelieving heart is the greatest enemy of anyone. Avoid it. It prevented Israelites from entering to possess the Promised Land. It was not the giants in the land that hindered them but resisting the word of God through Moses the Prophet. Same with The Jews of Christ’s days in the flesh. Avoid it for there is nothing God can do for anyone who refuses to take him at his word. Such cannot be filled of the Spirit. It makes anybody vulnerable to Satan the enemy. Even with the abundant miracles, signs, wonders, mighty deeds and judgement the people of Israel in Egypt and in the way to the Promised Land, they refused to believe and perished. It is not any different. Don’t be deceived, make up your mind to remove the unbelieving heart and be saved.

  With such words he taught, preached everywhere, warning and strengthening the saints in the faith.

  The rest of the ministrations continued in Cameroun on Thursday and Friday the 8th & 9th May 2025 as he travelled over there. With reported 463 people in attendance on the first day. The photographs shall be attached. Including the bulk of books, Bible materials, Widows helped etc.

  We remain grateful to the Almighty God and our Lord Jesus Christ who of his sovereign grace has provided us with such continual godly parenting. It in every way is the living memory of Apostle Paul’s type of ministry recorded in the Scriptures.

  Special thanks to the home church of Berean International Ministries in Bay Springs, Mississippi, United States. To the church board, and workers, and members who are part of this mission sponsorship: And To our Pastor/Teacher, Prof. Chinyere Onwubiko. The Lord Sabbaoth watch over your all and bless you in return in all things through Christ our Lord.

     Pastor Peter Chima reporting.

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