1st August, 2021
Pastor David Ibiyeomie of the Salvation Ministries in Port Harcourt has revealed the reason he established his church in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.
Ibiyeomie spoke on the theme “Supernatural Turnaround Through Hosanna Praise Part 1” in the first service.
He said he settled for Port Harcourt because he found that his father in the Lord, Bishop David Oyedepo, was already dominating the Lagos area.
“When this Ministry started. I said my father is in Lagos dominating but for here, I will dominate. Somebody said but this Church has branches. I said mine is not a branch but the Headquarters.
“My father’s Headquarters is dominating in Lagos, So, a branch cannot dominate mine which is Headquarters. When you don’t take over as a child of God, it is an insult.
“Can you come to Port Harcourt and won’t hear of Salvation Ministries? Even those who hate us know this. It is not of our own doings but God’s doings.
Ibiyeomie also thanked God and the Hossana Praise for the heights the church has attained since he founded it.
“When this church started, we printed 20000 copies of handbills and in that seminar, nobody came. 20000 copies of handbills should at least bring 1000 people but it was not so, no new member, no first timer.
“This Church has been without signpost at a time, yet crowd enters here and you wonder where they are coming from. So, it is not your signpost but His publicity. If God does not advertise you, nobody will patronise you”, he said.
‘When this church started in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, where we were located was not a Highway. People told us that why did we put a church in a hidden place. Before we came, people put churches in highways.
“It is not your location but God’s publicity. People will come from Aba in Abia State, Calabar, Abuja just to worship here.
“A man told me then that he flies in from Abuja every weekend to worship in the church. It is not how close your business is but God’s publicity. You can be at the corner and people will still come when God is involved.
“Hosanna Praise compels multitude to follow you. Mathew 21:8-9 Great multitude went before and after Him.
“People will be waiting for your products to arrive in the name of Jesus. John 12:32. When we lift God up in praise, he will draw men to Himself. If people are not coming to patronise you, is that a business.
“All you need to do is to give God high praise for you to get your high place. Don’t ask your neighbor do you like my dance. Your concern is dancing to please God. If you do anything, you need God’s help for it to be known”.
David Ibiyeomie, who was born in October 1962, attended Bible school training at Bishop David Oyedepo’s Word of Faith Bible Institute (WOFBI).
After completing the training, he started a house fellowship with his family in Victoria Island, Lagos.
He later moved to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he started Salvation Ministries (Glorious Chapel) on April 13, 1997, with a little over twenty members in attendance.
In July 1997, the church relocated to a larger plot of land. As of 2017, Salvation Ministries averages about 50,000 attendees every Sunday at its headquarters.
In February 2011, Salvation Ministries started 14 satellite churches in one day, with all running five services each.