Rev. Mike O. Adeyanju
Minister
5, Shodunke Street, Ewutuntun, Mafoluku-Oshodi, P. O. Box 4373, Ikeja, Lagos
08060160480
About Church
Higher Ground Baptist Church came by as a product of the evangelistic efforts of Yaba Baptist Church in the early seventies. Because Baptist Churches were not then many, members were coming to worship from distant places. This motivated the evangelistic drive that resulted in the establishment of many daughter churches and preaching stations at the time.
In the early seventies, Abule-Igbira (now known as Ewu-tuntun) was a growing community such that a handful of members of the Yaba Baptist Church were coming from that end. This prompted the Church to consider opening a preaching station in that community in addition to many such out-posts already established by the church. In 1970, Yaba Baptist church established a preaching station at Abule-Igbira with start-up services held at the premises of Mr. Roland Onifade, a member of Comrades-in-Christ Society, otherwise known as Ewe-Nla Group in Yaba Baptist Church.
As the Preaching Station showed signs of growth and development, the Mother Church assigned Mr. Samuel Ogundeji to lead the Preaching Station in 1978. Mr. S.A Ogundeji’s talent was spotted by Rev. Dr. J.A Olawaye and Deacon T.O Shagotayo when he served as the Youth Week Pastor during the 1977 youth week programmein Yaba Baptist Church.
ORGANIZATION
The church was organized on the 16th November, 1991. The service was performed by the then leader of Yaba Baptist Church, Deacon Fakorede.
THE CHURCH BUILDING
The foundation laying ceremony of the church building was performed by Rev. E.O Bolarinwa of Yaba Baptist Church on the 3rd July 1993. The foundation stone of the Pastorium of the church was later performed accordingly.
THE CHURCH TRYING PERIOD
The church went through some tough times. In1988, a recommendation for an approved plan of the church was submitted through the architect handling the project to the Town Planning Authority at Ilupeju but each time the plan was submitted, there was never a good result. This got to a climax toward the end of 1990, when the Town planners ordered a demolition of almost half of the church building to give way for road construction. It took the intervention of the Mother Church’s Pastor, Rev Dr. J.A. Olawaye who promptly contacted Deaconess Taire, (who at the time was Secretary to the Military Government of Brigadier Raji Rasaki) to step into the matter and it was resolved. Mr. Demola Oladapo promptly followed up the issue by writing the Planning Authority through his company A.A. Awesu & Associate. This company wrote a passionate letter of appeal to the Zonal Town planning office, development control the division IIupeju on 16th September 1991. The appeal and serious follow up gave way for the approval of the plan on 2nd of March 1992 with the approved number DCB/1901/IS Lagos state.
PASTORAL LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH
In June 1993, Pastor Matthew Oyeshola was called to the Pastorate of Ewu-tuntun Baptist Church. He was inducted into office on 15th of October 1994. It was during his time that works on the Church building and Pastorium started. His stay with the church was however very brief because upon some challenging circumstances, it became expedient for him to leave the church. He left the church by December 1995.
The former Leader, Bro Samuel Ogundeji took over the mantle of Leadership of the church again. He led the church for another period of one and a half years until another pastor was called.
Sunday 6th of July 1997, Pastor Olushola Adekunle Adejumo was called to the pastorate of Ewu-tuntun Baptist Church. After few years on the Church, he was recommended by the church for ordination. Not long after his ordination, he was led to recommend that the name of the church be changed from Ewu-tuntun Baptist Church to Higher Ground Baptist Church, a motion which the whole congregation accepted wholeheartedly. Since then, the Church became known and addressed as Higher Ground Baptist church, Ewu-tuntun, Mafoluku-Oshodi. He also led the Church to continue works on the Church building. Rev. Adejumo spent seven and a half years with the church. He withdrew his services from the Church on 19th December 2004 when, upon some crises in the church, that became the right thing to do.
At this point, the mantle of leadership fell again on Mr. Samuel Ogundeji who at various instances in the past had provided leadership for the Church when there were no pastors. He led the Church till December 2011 when the church decided to call another pastor.
1st December 2011 marked the begging of another era in the history of Higher Ground Baptist church (formerly Ewu-tuntun Baptist church). Pastor Michael Oluwole Adeyanju, a vibrant, visionary, and promising young pastor officially took over the mantle of leadership of Higher ground Baptist Church. He resumed fully on 24th of December, 2011 and was inducted into office on 11th August, 2012. Since he joined the church he has been matching his words by actions and there have been remarkable improvements in some areas of growth in the church. After few years in the church, he was recommended for ordination and was ordained on 6th September, 2014.
The Higher Ground Baptist Church is a Church built upon Jesus Christ, the Rock, and the gates of hell will never prevail against it. Though the Church has gone through many turbulent seasons as a body of humans, its continued existence and vibrancy is testimony to what Jesus Christ does in the fellowship of his people. The Church is marching on. To God be the Glory.