Evang. Olumide Bankole
Volunteer
Celestial Church of Christ is an African Instituted Church founded by Rev. Samuel Biléhou Joseph Oshoffa on 29 September 1947 in Porto-Novo, Benin through a divine order. The Church is well known with Parishes, Dioceses all over the world particularly in Benin and Nigeria with its International Headquarters in Nigeria.
The name of the Church, ‘Eglise du Christianisme Celeste‘ in French, ‘Celestial Church of Christ‘ in English, and ‘Ijo Mimo ti Kristi lati orun wa’ in Yoruba was revealed by the Holy Spirit through a Alexander Yanga who was one of the early followers of Rev. Samuel Biléhou Joseph Oshoffa healed by him through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Yanga was in a trance for seven consecutive days, at the end of the seventh day, he reportedly saw the name of the church boldly written on the rainbow. He accordingly asked for a piece of chalk and, looking at the rainbow, wrote the name of the church as shown to him, Eglise du Christianisme Céleste, which means “Celestial Church of Christ.
After this divine revelation proclaimed the name of Oshoffa’s religious movement, his followers soon began to identify themselves as Celestians
On the 29th of September, 1947, in the deep mystery of the divine appearance, during prayer, of the winged angel bathed in intense light, word came from God to the Founder:
“It is the wish of God to send you on an errand of preaching to the world. Many nominal Christians there are who, when confronted by difficulties and problems of this world, they run after fetish priests and other powers of darkness for all kinds of assistance.
Consequently, on their death, they cannot see Christ because, by their action, Satan has left his spiritual mark on them. To assist you in your work so that men may listen to and follow you, miraculous works of Holy divine healing will be carried out by you in the name of Jesus Christ. These works of divine healing and God’s spiritual mark on you will testify to the fact that God sent you”.
