Sure of their call into ministry

By HELEN TARAWA
WHEN God calls you into ministry, He will equip you with the power and anointing (ability) to carry out His work, according to Acts 1: 4-8.
“Do not move until you are filled with the power of God,” says Senior Pastor Peter Solomon, founder of the Debeini’s Living Waters (DLW) Ministry in PNG.
March 23 this year was the 40th anniversary in the ministry of Pastors Peter and Carol Solomon.
The Solomons have two daughters, Priscilla and Abigail, and a grandson Israel.
A few days before their anniversary I sat with Papa and Mama Pastor, as we often call them, on that Friday morning March 20 at the DLW Church in Gerehu Stage 1 where they told me their story.
From Banak Village, Dagua, East Sepik, Solomon started his ministry when he gave his heart to the Lord on March 23, 1980 under the first general superintendent of the Assemblies of God (AOG) Pastor Jacob Ganba.
In June the same year he went to Ilingita Bible College in Maprik and trained initially for six months but continued for another two years (1981 and 1982).
He and Pastor Carol got married at Lowon Village, Dagua on May 29, 1982.
In 1983 he came to Port Moresby to attend the Institute of Evangelism run by the Christian Revival Crusade at Tokarara.
After six weeks the AOG leadership asked him to move to Gerehu Stage 2 to attend Bible college as a pioneer student.
“There were challenges in the ministry and I did not have any money to pay for my school fees or anything. Even for school fees, I did part time work at the service station,” Ps Solomon said.
“I had to collect bottles to sell and pay for our daily needs; at least a K1 or 50t at that time. Back then it was a lot of money for us and yet I couldn’t even find 20t or K1.
“Sometimes when we were at the bus stop and saw empty bottles lying around, we would send our daughter to pick them up for us because we were too embarrassed to do that,” he said.
The pastor couple were both emotional as they poured out their hearts about how life was for them at that time.
They left their home behind with all their rich resources because they felt God had called them and they wanted to serve him.
“We did not know anyone while we were at the Bible college but because of God’s calling upon our lives, a family supported us,” he said.
In 1985 Solomon was asked by AOG senior pastor Emmanuel Fave to start a church in Konedobu as part of his practical training.
He built the church in the Ranu Guri area next to what is now the G4S security company headquarters.
“I had a van and it was like a carriage to my small family and I. We used that bus to commute back and forth, load instruments for church service and we sometimes slept in it.
“We did printing using that bus to raise funds to build that church.
“Because of the call of God upon our lives we were able to build the church,” he said.
Solomon said an official from the Department of Primary Industry (DPI) at that time who was a leader at the AOG Church in Gordon gave approval for the use of the facilities.
The church is still operating to this day but they are now using the scout hall in Hanuabada Village, he said.
After three years of Bible college Solomon graduated in 1985. The following year he took up a pastoral position at the AOG Church in Gordon.
Four years later in 1989 he was told to leave. That same year he started a church at the YWCA Hall at 2 Mile called Church of Praise (COP).
In 1990 he joined the Christian Outreach Centre (COC) Church.
The following year he went to Brisbane, Australia for a ministry training programme for two months and upon returning he led the COC fellowship at the Administrative College, now known as Pacific Institute of Leadership and Governance (PILAG) in Waigani which had a congregation of 10 adults and about 15 children.
In 1993 Solomon was told by the college director to leave.
Within the same year he found a place at the University of PNG to hold fellowship. It was during that time that a student unrest occurred and several people were injured and vehicles burnt.
In 1996 he was asked to leave the university so he moved to Gerehu Stage 1 where he put up a makeshift building for church service.
From 1996 to 2000 they continued to fellowship in the makeshift building. In 2001 the construction of the current church building started.
In September of 2002 the church building was officially opened by the International President COC Ps Neil Miers.
“Before we put up the church in Gerehu we were doing fundraising activities. But we continued to pray and God answered our prayers.
“A Chinese businessman built the church and now we have a good building and healthy church, we don’t have any financial problems.
“That’s the price we paid, everything you do in business you must be willing to pay the price to make money.
“Likewise in ministry you must also be willing to pay the price to be successful and it’s not easy.
“Life is tough so it is important that before you do anything you must know if God has called you to do what you want to do.
“That’s what I’ve learnt in life; don’t step out unless you know without a shadow of doubt that God has called you.
“To start something from nothing, the pain we went through to build the ministry to where it is now is something only God knows. He knows our hearts.
“Ministry is full of challenges. As I said, if God has not called you don’t step out. When you are called by God he will sustain you.
“I know God has called me because wherever I went I was successful.
Serving God is challenging and if you know that God has called you he will take you through.”
No one to turn to
Solomon said when they started their ministry they never had a mentor to advise and counsel them but they were able to go through thick and thin in their calling.
“We have become mum and dad to a lot of our people in the ministry and God has allowed all these things to happen so we can pass on what we have to our children.
“You can never encourage people if you have not gone through those situations,” he said.
Solomon said the lowest moment in his life was when they were at Bible college and had no funding support.
“It was tough but God opened doors for us. We felt down when our child cried when other children had food and we couldn’t even afford anything for her.
“Back then tinned fish was about 20 toea as well as bus fare but that money was very hard to come by.
“Looking back to those 40 years we have come through, that’s what life is and that’s what ministry is.
“If you know how to build a ministry you will know the struggles and the pain that go with it.
“My advice to pastors today is: Some pastors are called to serve other pastors or work under them. Only a few are called to take the lead.
“If you feel that God has called you to take the lead, step out in faith and God will back you up. If you are not sure stay where you are serve your pastor who is in charge,” he said.
Solomon said building something for God was not easy. You don’t build through money power, you build through the call of God on your life
“I don’t have records of people who I have touched but from the few that I know, there are pastors who have been under my ministry who are pastoring Lutheran churches today.
“There are pastors in the Pentecostal churches and the United Church who are Bible college principals that I know of today and there are many more.
“There were many people who were part of our lives under DLW ministry and have gone out and are successful in their respective ministries today,” Solomon said.
Speaking from a father’s heart, Solomon acknowledged God’s calling upon his life saying that throughout the years he had never considered turning back.
Together with his wife Ps Carol who stood by him in prayer and support he has come this far with 40 years as a servant of God. Their faithfullness to the work has culminated in the founding of the DLW Ministries in the country
From humble beginnings they both knew what it meant to wait upon the Lord and to be sure that they were truly called into ministry.

• The Solomons also run a Bible college called School of the Holy Spirit which will be featured next week.