Ministers of God should reach out more to the poor—Bishop Samuel

Those who know what affluence, wealth and ministry connote will immediately be attracted at the mention of Bishop Blessing Samuel, the presiding pastor of Royal Place Ministries International. A philanthropist and a pragmatic man of God with an awesome prophetic grace, the Delta State born pastor had the vision to expand the kingdom of God. In this interview, he spoke about his calling, challenges and his work of work.

You are one of the Nigerian pastors making waves in the United States of America, what is your secret sir?

The secret is God and affecting the lives of those who have love and passion for the gospel. Through that many lives have been transformed through preaching the word of God in ministry with miracles, signs and wonders following. We tagged this year as our Year of Sweetness and Settlement.

What are your major challenges in the U.S.?

As a result of what God is doing through me, many are becoming envious and jealous. At a point, my co-pastors gang up against me but that did not deter me from moving forward because God is in control.

How did you get into the ministry?

My salvation experience and call to the ministry was unique, itinerant, and a divine visitation. I was born with sickle cell anaemia and lost my father in 1994. Now, I am enjoying God’s wealth and divine health who healed me from sickle cell anaemia by changing my blood group to A A. Despise my bitter experience while growing up, I did not lose focus or got discouraged. It’s quite a long story but in all we are more than a conqueror. By the grace of God, I have been in the ministry for about 29 years now. It has made me a renowned minister of God with Apostolic unction of healing, accurate prophecies with solutions and a deliverance minister. I am also a solicitor and facilitator by heaven’s mandate.

What are the vision and mission of your ministry?

My vision is to expand the kingdom of God, build and raise leaders and end time army, teach people the reality of redemption, human empowerment, touch lives by the power of the Holy Spirit and to prepare the saints for the second coming of Jesus Christ and plant churches in 120 countries of the world. I have 7 branches, three in Nigeria, One in Houston, New York, Michigan, and another branch is kicking off soon. There are great testimonies everywhere.

Recently you came to Nigeria for a charitable work, can you please tell us what informed your charity activities?

It’s a passion from my heart and it’s due to my personal experience in life. Growing up was not easy for me, I went through a lot. When God decides to bless me, I felt I should give back to the society. While I was growing up, putting on good wears and shoes was difficult for me. I was not privileged to go out like some others. Now that God is blessing me gradually, I made up my mind to put smile on people’s face. What I am doing today is out of past experience and out of love for God and humanity. It’s still part of ministry and ministry is about changing lives and affecting people. I am doing the work of God and also fulfilling my dreams. I do a yearly program called Festival of Fire in Texas, Houston, and I invite Nigerian Gospel Artists to come and bless the people of America with worship which means I am very proud of Nigeria, it’s still my country. This year Festival of Fire will be coming up in May, the likes of Steve Crown will be ministering and others.

When did start charity work?

I have been doing this all my life; showing love to individuals and widows. It’s just that I have not been doing it publicly but I decided this time around we should take it to another level and it will be on every year till when it reaches thousands of people across the globe.

What would you consider your ugliest experience so far?

There was a time I came back from the United Sates and was driving through Ikotun axis, Lagos. Out of my kind gesture I decided to help some group of people I saw who needed help. I got down from my car, immediately I removed money from my pocket, thieves came from nowhere, collected all the money with me, my jewels and all I had with me. It was a terrible experience but that didn’t stop us from the good work God has assigned us to do. It was one of my ugly moments.

Who are the beneficiaries of your charity work?

When we started, my target was the orphans, the less privilege and the orphanage homes. I extended it to the widows and widowers and now I am reaching out to everyone who is unable to eat, majorly on the single parents and the older people. We are doing this to help and take them out of the streets. The vision is broad. We are reaching out to everybody who needs help.

You also visited schools and gave them materials. Why schools?

My coming to Nigeria was very impactful. I touched many lives. Like what I said, my growing up wasn’t easy even as an adult I wore one shirt and trouser for two years. I grew up in Ajegunle, Lagos. It was difficult for me. Most times when I see children with tattered uniforms, I just have this compassion in my heart. I decided to start with the kids encouraging them because education is the key. When you teach them to get them educated, it reduces crime in the community. Some of them want to go to school but because if there is no book, bag, no good uniform they can’t go to school. I decided to start from there. We went to two schools. We gave them some bags, books, sew them new uniforms, and we also supported the teachers financially in the little way we can. We put smiles on their faces; they were so happy and I am fulfilled because no one can tell among them who might be the president tomorrow.

Is it a one off event?

No, it is not a one off event. It is a vision God gave to me and it is very huge. It is not limited to Nigeria alone it is a mission for Africa to reach out to all African countries but we are starting with Nigeria then we move to other cities, states and countries.

How do you fund your charity activities?

For now, it is personal. I fund it myself though I have people that support me here and there but there is no particular body or organization that is supporting us. When you start something like this, you will shoulder it yourself first, then, other people will begin to come in.

How does this charity work connect to your ministry?

To me, ministry is charity, ministry is giving and ministry is reaching out to people. Last year, I came back from the United States, I was sitting at the reception of the hotel I lodged and I saw a young beautiful lady. It was obvious she came to meet a man and this lady was supposed to be in school but she couldn’t further her education because of money, she decided to go into prostitution. Where I was sitting, the spirit of God ministered to me to help this person. I called her and asked her what she was doing here, she started blabbing with words, I knew she had a problem and she needed help. To cut the story short, I went to see her parents, paid her school fees, paid their house rent. I gave her parents money to establish a business, I was fulfilled. That is what I do all the time and that is what our ministry is all about, ‘Impacting kingship and banishing slavery: slavery of the mind, physical slavery and any other form of slavery. Like I said, to me, ministry is reaching out, charity is reaching out.

How fulfilled are you? Were you able to discover the major needs of the poor in Nigeria?

First, I am very much fulfilled. I am doing this not because I have so much money to throw around but it’s out of passion. I am doing this because this is the work of God. Preaching on the altar and not able to help our members or our community is not ministry. I discovered that what we are doing is not enough, it’s just like giving people fish, you can never satisfy them, except you teach them how to catch fish. I intend to have a training school, something that will make them realize their potential and make money for themselves, that is the vision. We can’t keep giving them food, how long am I going to give them? When we empower them, they will be able to sustain themselves. This is just for a start. I also have a vision to set up hospital to make it free just to make an impact.

Will you advise fellow ministers of God and other privileged individuals and corporate organizations to come to the aid of the needy in the society?

The Bible says Jesus went about doing good and that is the ministry. Ministry is all about doing good to people. What is the gospel? Gospel means good news. So, we are telling people good news and if you check the ministry of Jesus, He didn’t just keep them for days, He taught them the word and fed them. When you teach people the word with an empty stomach, it is a problem. I am advising and encouraging ministers of God not to forget where they started from. Many of them started very poor but today they are up there. You must not be too successful to forget your root. Always remember where God picked you from, that is why I told God that if wealth will make me proud, make me poor, that is my own personal vow to God. I encourage men of God out there, don’t just preach the word only, try the best you can to empower people. Ministry is not preaching on the altar, ministry is about affecting and changing lives, not just by words but by physical demonstration of love by giving.

In Texas, the Mayor of Houston gave me a proclamation acknowledging the work we do, because we are able to make impact, helping and assisting people in our own little way. In America, I have given over 25 cars within a space of two years. Here in Nigeria, I am paying thousands of rents, taking care of thousands of people. Sometimes I give my last, go back home sleep without food and nobody will know. They will believe I have it in abundance. Ministerial work is a selfless work. Every minister out there should not only think about themselves alone, they should take the ministry from the altar to the street and also try to reach out to people. With this, the world will be a better place.

For a better society