CHURCH OF THE WEEK: CHURCH OF GOD MISSION INTERNATIONAL

                              

Church of God Mission International as it known today grew from a very humble beginning in 1962 as a prayer group first named Calvary Fellowship at a shop in Ivbizua Street, on Mission Road. It was officially inaugurated in 1965 by Rev. Edgar Perkins. On October 26th 1968, Rev. Edgar Perkins approached Assemblies of God to release Benson Idahosa then a Sunday School Superintendent to oversee the prayer ministry. The fellowship moved to No. 26, Forestry Road, Benin City with Pastor Benson Idahosa fully in-charge. 

The membership of the fellowship grew numerically, Pastor Benson Idahosa decided to build a church and this began his building ministry. He moved the members to Iyaro Church and on 18th of September, 1974. The church was registered under the Land perpetual succession Acts and Certificate number 1245 was issued. By the time Church of God Mission Iyaro was completed the membership had risen tremendously. The church was declared opened by Papa Gordon Lindsay and Papa Elton.

Church of God’s primary ministry was evangelism-Living to her motto: Evangelism our Supreme Task, the church engaged in street evangelism, open air crusade. Through these activities souls were daily added to the church and everywhere papa went with the gospel churches were planted and solid structures erected.
In keeping with his belief and to accommodate the timing converts the Archbishop laid the foundation of Miracle Centre, Benin City on Saturday 1st December, 1973 and was dedicated on Sunday 9th November, 1975 by Mrs. Freda Lindsay.
The building of Faith Miracle Centre auditorium which many refer to as a marvel was a vision fulfilled. In 1983 in far away Australia the Archbishop heard God told him to build Him a building that will bring glory and honour to his name. The auditorium which is believed to seat over twenty thousand people is the first stadium church in Africa. It was dedicated and opened on 2nd November, 1986. Church of God Mission International has presence in all parts of Nigeria and the world over.

The ministry has developed infrastructures to strengthen her ability to fulfill her mandate (preparing an army to rescue humanity for God. This she had done through the establishment of a viable Bible School – All Nations for Christ Bible Institute), to fulfill the educational need of the people and contribute to building a viral society, the ministry has schools ranging from pre-Nursery (Word of Faith Group of Schools) to the university and also functional medical facilities for all people. The ministry is resolved in her quest to produce whole persons in Spirit, soul and body.
All these could not have happened without a focused, dynamic and spirit filled leaders started by our father Archbishop B.A. Idahosa which is still being maintained and enhanced by his goal getting wife Archbishop M. E. Benson-Idahosa.

Archbishop Benson Idahosa and his wife Margaret Idahosa were blessed with four children.