Church Planter Profile: Feature 1
Meet Moses & Oyebisi Orukatan: Mercy Seat Church in Fargo, ND
I am Moses Abiodun Orukotan born in Jos, Nigeria. I happily married my beautiful wife, Oyebisi Omoladun Orukotan, on August 5, 2006. We have three boys, Edward, Enoch-Adeogo, and Eniola-David. I previously served as an elder at Northland Church Fargo, North Dakota, and now serve as lead pastor for Mercy-Seat Church, Overcomers’ Chapel, a new church plant in Fargo, ND. I also worked with the Nigerian Baptist Convention. Student and Youth Ministries Division before coming to the US.
Philip Wilson, an IMB Missionary in Jos, Nigeria, who came and worked with the student ministries division of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, led me to Christ during our Baptist Student Fellowship Northern zonal conferences in Jos in 1989.
In 1850, former soldier Thomas Jefferson Bowen arrived as Nigeria’s Southern Baptist Convention pioneer missionary. He arrived at Badagry on August 5, 1850. From there, he went to Abeokuta. His first convert was a woman, Oyinlade. T. J. Bowen, on July 23, 1854, conducted the Convention’s first baptism. Today, we have more than 19 million Baptist churches in Nigeria.
As we begin this mission here in Fargo, North Dakota, in the name of the Lord, we believe that the seed sown shall germinate, bear fruit, and remain (John 15:16). We are planting in Fargo, North Dakota. We will plant in other cities to obey God’s calling and reach out to young adults/professionals, Internationals, and those who have not responded to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our goal is to bring them up to be disciples of Christ, so they can reach out to others (2 Timothy 2:2, 1 Thessalonians 2:8) and to provide varied opportunities for Christian students to experience those disciplines that will encourage spiritual growth and the sharing of their faith. Our call to the student ministries is a call to church plant, and once we understand the individual’s need for redemption and Christian nature within the community of campus in this area, we know planting a church will meet that need.
I had my bachelor’s degree from the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary Ogbomoso, Nigeria, and MDiv and ThM from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Louisville, KY.
