The history of CAC

The CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH is distinctly an indigenous African Church. By its structure, belief and practices, it is an independent Pentecostal Church.

The history of the Churgch is traceable directly to our fore-fathers, namely Oba/Pastor Isaac Babalola Akinyele, Pastor David Ogunleye Odubanjo, Joseph Sadare, Miss Sophia Odunlami and Evangelist (late Apostle) Joseph Ayodele Babalola who was called to the ministry by the Lord on 11^th, October, 1928. Apostle Babalola’s call subsequently led to the great revival of 1930.

Before then, there was the 1918 – 28 Faith Tabernacle era characterised by the formation of praying groups such as the Precious or Diamond Society found in small pockets all over Nigeria. The brethren in control were Joseph Sadare(a.k.a Esinsinade), D.O. Odubanjo, I.B. Akinyele(late Olubadan of Ibadan) and miss Sophia Odunlami.

Majority of the members of the first group of Diamond Society were worshipers at St. Savior’s Anglican Church, Ijebu-ode, where they began meeting regularly for prayers and spiritual guidance in 1918.

Mr D.O. Odubanjo soon developed contact between members of the ‘Praying Band’ and Pastor A. Clark, the leader of Faith Tabernacle in Philadelphia,USA, through correspondence and receipt of tracts and magazines such as ‘The Sword of the Spirit’.

Soon, tension rose between the group and the Anglican Church over such practices as divine healings, opposition to infant baptism, reliance n dreams and visions, abstention from dancing, drumming, debt-owing, drinking of alcohol, gambling and mixing with non-Christians.

Mr Joseph Sadare was compelled to give up his post in the Synod and others were forced to resign their jobs and to withdraw their children from the Anglican School.

But in less than a decade, branches of the group had been established in Lagos, Ibadan, Ilesa, Oyan,Ile-Ife Minna, Jos and Zaria. Their members had also imbibed reliance on the power of prayer, divine healing and the all sufficiency of God.

In July 1930, God brought about a great revival at Oke Ooye, Ilesa through the instrumentality of Apostle Joseph Ayodele Babalola and he was assisted by D.O. Odubanjo, Oba I.B. Akinyele and J.A. Babatope. Others that took part in the revival were J.A. Madayese, A.O.  Omotoso, John Oye, J.B. Orogun and Philip Mabigbade.

Prophet Daniel Orekoya later joined the team.

The Great Revival did not only embrace all the beliefs accepted by the Faith Tabernacle group, but also went further by embracing the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the spiritual manifestation of seeing visions, prophesying, speaking in tongues and dreaming. Consequently upon this, people with diverse deceases were healed in thousands and, in turn, they spontaneously rejected their idols and other medicines. Massive revivals hitherto unknown in Nigeria ensued. Thousands of people surrendered their lives to Jesus.

The Church leaders were later subjected to various forms of intimidations and harassment at different levels of society. The problem made the group to seek the co-operation of the British Apostolic Brothers in Bradford, England. This was made possible by Mr D.O. Odubanjo. And on the 23^rd September, 1931 three missionaries viz: Pastor D.P. Williams, A.Turnbull and W.J. Williams arrived Nigeria as guest of the Church.

In November, 1931, the visiting missionaries ordained the first seven Pastors of the Church who had earlier been ordained by proxy by Pastor A. Clark in America.

The co-operation between the Nigerian Church and the British Apostolic Brothers came to an end during the 1939/40 crisis. As a result of the disagreement over the issue of ‘Divine Healing’, two groups had emerged. The pro-European group was led by Pastor S.G. Adegboyega while Apostle J. Babalola, Pastor D.O.Odubanjo and Pastor (Oba) I.B. Akinyele led the Nigerian group.

Over time the group was led by God to be called CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH. It was there after registered as No. 147 of May 4, 1943, under the Lands Perpetual Succession Ordinance.

During the decades 1940-1960, the Church was subjected to a series of problems. Stiff opposition came from detractors of the church including some of the orthodox churches, most government officers, some Kings and high chiefs etc. There were also problems of internal administration, inadequate training, recruitment of unqualified personnel and weak finances.

However, the following factors later tilted the pendulum in favour of the church; political power had passed to the Africans who were free to embrace the Gospel; the church had produced literate children; prominent men and women who had directly or indirectly benefited from the church then gave it their support.