Spiritual Trainer

​Meet Manasseh Wakawa. He is one of the most fruitful men I have ever met and his heart for the Lord is expansive.   He is a powerful example of why spiritual trainers are so vital to the Kingdom of God. 

Manasseh ran away from home to find a new life in a bigger city.  Near the age of sixteen, he started working with the government.  In 1971, he happened to be in a large church when a Nigerian government official spoke about those who had departed from following Jesus.  Manasseh’s dad was a pastor and his family full of Christians so he thought the speaker was talking directly to him.  After the message he approached him and said, “It seemed you were talking about me.” The speaker asked him why he felt this way and upon hearing Manasseh’s activities, told him to repent.  Wakawa began going to the official’s home to talk. One day the official showed him the Four Spiritual Laws.  He realized his spiritual bankruptcy and in 1972, he asked the Lord to become his Savior.   Manasseh was so hungry he devoured the word and prayed and soon the Lord blessed him with a solid assurance of salvation.

God called Wakawa to preach the gospel in Nigeria.  He did not have much education and felt inferior.  So, he argued with God that he was not capable of preaching. Still the persistent voice of the Holy Spirit told him to write down his calling and to take it to his spiritual father.   Manasseh obeyed and the government official with joy affirmed his new direction.  As Manasseh actively shared his faith countless people came to Christ, many of whom he then trained.  During this time, a friend introduced him to Campus Crusade for Christ in Jos and he ended up serving on staff with them for five years. Later he attended Lexington Baptist College where he received a B.A. in Biblical Studies in Lexington, KY.  After graduating, he returned to ministry in Nigeria, in Maiduguri of Borno State, a heavy Muslim area where he grew up.  Again, God gave him much fruit.  Furthering his education, he earned a double Masters Degree in Biblical studies (New Testament) and in Christian Education at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ashland Ohio.   Manasseh returned to Nigeria in 1997.  For the last eleven years, he has faithfully led people to the Lord and ministered to them.  What makes Manasseh so incredible is his effectiveness in training.  
 
Meditation
Luke 6:39-40--He also told them a parable: “Can the blind guide the blind? Won’t they both fall into a pit?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
 
The mark of a great trainer is to raise up students who not only learn but are capable of in turn replicating what they have learned. While ministering in Jos, our team was literally “blown away” by the number of spiritual leaders we met who were trained by one legendary figure called Wakawa.  This humble, 56 year-old man has over a 100-trained people serving Jesus in Africa and in the U.S.  He currently serves as the spiritual advisor to the Governor in the Plateau State.   I believe you will be hearing much from him in the years ahead as he has prayerfully agreed to work with us in leading the Leadership Development Team of First Cause!   It is no surprise to us that his favorite Bible passage is 2 Timothy 2:2—“And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
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Please pray for Manasseh and his wife Victoria that God will richly bless them as they follow His mandate to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of[ all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” (Matthew 28:19).
 
Inspiration
We reproduce The Master Plan of Discipleship what we believe.—Robert E. Coleman in 
 
©2008 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)