DOXA” is a Greek word meaning “Glory”. The VISION of the Ministry is- To give direction to our generation. And its MISSION is – To build men and women with the spirit of wisdom and excellence who would be grounded in the truth and be beacons for the guidance of this generation with the WORD.
The ministry is anchored on the firm belief that “we prevail through prayer and the word” and that the Word Works Wonders (WWW) in lives more than momentary outburst of anointing.
The Ministry was inaugurated on the 7th of September 1997 at the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) Hall in Bernard Carr Street, Port Harcourt. Today, the Ministry has moved into a ten Plot land on Doxa Church road, off Sir Peter Odili Road, Off Amadi-ama round about, in Abuloma, and has a branch Church in Yenagoa, Capital of Bayelsa state of Nigeria.
Our History
The name DOXA is a Greek word meaning “Glory”. Reverend Tuesday Yogoi Emmanuel, the founder and general overseer got the name while he was praying in the morning on the 13th day of March 1997. He was a Pastor in Church of God Mission Int. Inc; Town Branch from 1982 – 1997 where God spoke to him to start the “Doxa Family Church”
In the month of May 1997, an Elder and three Deacons in the church rose against him. The problem lingered till early June 1997, when they petitioned him to the then Bishop of Rivers and Bayelsa states, province, Rt. Rev. Dr. W. T. Iwo. The Bishop applied God’s divine wisdom upon his life to resolve the issue, and situations returned to normalcy in the church.
After the resolutions, Reverend T Y Emmanuel took time out to seek the face of the Lord for insight and direction on what to do concerning the church. During which period the Lord spoke to him clearly on two occasions to leave the present ministry and start his own ministry. This was not a welcome idea and he was not willing to obey, considering the prospects of being one of the most senior pastors in the whole province with its attendant financial entitlements and positional status, secondly for being the pastor of one of the most vibrant and largest branch churches in the whole of Rivers and Bayelsa states province and having piloted a dream of realization of building a cathedral in the swampy sand field which had defied all possibilities by individuals and cooperate bodies to access the environment. This he accomplished by raising the faith for service of few civil servants that by faithfulness were metamorphosed to mighty soldiers of substance.
Our Vision
To give direction to our generation
Our Mission
To build men and women with the spirit of wisdom and excellence who will be grounded in the truth and be beacons for the guidance of this generation with the WORD.
He thus battled with this fear of the unknown for quite a reasonable time until one day as he was praying for breakthrough for the Church of God Mission, town branch where he was the pastor, the Lord spoke to him that his assignment with Church of God Mission was over, that another person will carry on with it. That He (the Lord) has another assignment for him. The Lord also made it clear to him that if he refused to move, rather than give him break through things will get tighter. This was in June 1997.
From that moment, he surrendered to the will of the Lord. The Lord then gave him a vision to give direction to his generation and to lift men and women from poverty to prosperity. The Lord directed him to share the vision with Reverend Prince David Zilly Aggrey and Bishop Willy Bunting who unanimously confirmed what the Lord spoke to him. This was not easy even after the confirmation by two witnesses. Two things still surfaced: take-off finance and a place of worship. At the time he had six thousand and seven hundred naira only, in his bank account.
At this juncture, he asked the Lord to further prove what He told him by providing a hall of worship and the finance to start the ministry. Several confirmations came from different people and the Lord provided everything needed for the takeoff.
In the month of August 1997, Rev. T. Y. Emmanuel resigned officially from Church of God Mission Inc, where he served for fifteen (15) years. His resignation was the first of its kind in the history of Church of God Mission Inc, because the Bishop himself, Rt. Rev W. T. Iwo came to the church he pastored and sent him forth with prayers. His resignation indeed was honourable, peaceful and emotional; without the usual quarrels, fighting and accusations.
Subsequently, and eventually, Doxa Family Church was inaugurated on the 7th of September 1997 with an initial attendance of about 200 adults and 13 children at the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) Hall in Bernard Carr Street Port Harcourt.
Within the first six years, the church grew numerically to a point where the congregation outgrew the hall. When we decided to run two services, other challenges cropped up; packing space constraints, incessant increase of rent which was made to take effect in arrears. And occasionally, we were pushed out of the hall without notice by our landlords for their meetings etc. These confirmed the need to move.
Though faced with a lot of hurdles, the church acquired the present ten (10) plots of land at Ejuan Lane off Dr. Peter Odili Road; renamed Doxa Road in 2003.
The construction of the temporary building started on the 24th day of July 2003. A porter cabin from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) auction sales was acquired to serve as temporary office for the general overseer. The temporary structure was completed within a short time and the church moved over on the 2nd of November 2003.
At inception, the church was the only structure in the bush. The presence of the church began to attract developments, and it became a reference land mark. As a result of its solitary location, the church experienced burglary and robbery attacks. One of its members was kidnapped from the church at the peak of the Niger Delta Militancy crises. The membership of the church dropped due to various challenges even though bus services were provided.
The temporary structure was later replaced by the current auditorium which was dedicated to the glory of God on the 28th of October 2012 by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.
Currently, the church has a branch in Yenagoa Bayelsa State which was inaugurated on the 3rd of December 2000.
Doxa Family Church inc. runs a school both in Port Harcourt and Bayelsa; Wisxell International Schools which has Crèche, Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Basic 1 – 5.
Through it all, we are here once again to celebrate the faithfulness of God who through thick and thin made his grace abundantly available and has brought us thus far. To Him alone we give all the glory.