Meet a Christian: Ade

Please tell us a little about yourself and how you became a Christian.Ade & Christine

I am Ademola Adebayo (known as Ade). I was brought up in what I now know as a non-Christian home, though my parents were religious.  I first heard a distorted gospel when I was 6 years old. My aunt told me about God and the devil. She told me that good people will go to heaven and bad people will go to hell. At that age, I knew I will never be able to be good enough, because I knew how bad I was. I was then taken to Sunday school where again I never heard the gospel, though as I grew up, I began to hear that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world. I believed it, but I did not know what it meant for me as an individual person and what I needed to do to be saved. Then when I was about 19/20, I answered the “altar call” and said the “sinner’s prayer” at a church meeting.  Looking back, I cannot remember any gospel being presented about sin, the holiness of God and the fact that I deserve to be punished for my sins. Then in 1999, I got to watch a Christian documentary about apostasy in the church. This is what God used to send me to my knees to seek salvation. (I have since watched the same documentary about 2 years ago, and I could not believe that amount of doctrinal anomalies that it contains. It shows that God is able to use imperfect means for His purpose). Then I came across a lovely brother in 2005, who taught me about regeneration, justification, and other wonderful biblical doctrines.  That same year, I came across a reformed bible ministry on secular TV called Word Pictures. These 2 providences of God gave me the opportunity to learn more about God’s word. Over the years, I have continued to grow stronger in the faith.

Who had the greatest influence on your theological development/Christian Life?

 Dr Peter Masters. He has taught me most of what I know, through the London Reformed Baptist Seminary.

What is the most helpful Christian book you have read?  The Sovereignty of God by A W Pink.

Tell us about a favourite Bible verse or passage. Deuteronomy 29:29, and Romans 12:12 (both are joint favourites).

The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. Deut 29:29

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer. Romans 12:12

Can you share something about prayer. Prayer is a wonderful means of grace that daily reminds me how completely dependent I am on God for everything. Though my prayer does not change God’s mind, it gives me an opportunity to tell God how much I adore Him, and how much I am thankful to Him. It also enables me to settle my accounts, by confessing my sins, and asking for His forgiveness, as well as the power to overcome sin.

Would you like to share something about your Bible reading/quiet times? I am currently studying the book of Acts. Today (07/03/2016), from Acts 17 verses 18 and 19, I learnt how man through his finite wisdom is unable to find answers to the 3 basic questions that every human should seek to answer. These questions are where did I come from? Why am I here (that is living in this world), and where am I going when I die? The Epicurians and the Stoits were unable to answer these questions.

Do you have a special hymn? Hymn 75, which is a deep adoration of the sovereignty of God.

What has been a particular time of blessing for you? Watching a 15 hour teaching on the sovereignty of God by Word Pictures in 2011 has turned out to be a blessing.

Have you experienced a particular time of trial? We (my wife and I) have had varying trials in relation to our 4th son Joshua who is severely autistic. Knowing that God works all things for good has been a great source of encouragement to us. Amazingly, we have known God in ways that we would never had known him without Joshua’s condition.

How does your faith affect your daily life? My faith IS my daily life. That is, my daily life revolves around my faith.