This is the testimony of Pastor Tee, a.k.a. Tunde Benjamins-Laniyi, a.k.a. PTBL, a son and servant of God, Pastor of the Throne Room Parish…
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In the year 1952, when the Redeemed Christian Church of God was founded by its first General Overseer, Rev. (Pa.) Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi, no one could ever have envisaged or estimated its impact in repurposing the destinies of over a billion lives worldwide, becoming the world’s No.1 fastest growing church. One of those “billion lives” impacted was that of a certain young pharmacist and fresh graduate of the University of Jos, rounding up his National Youth Service Corp in Kaduna some 23 odd years ago.
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In bracing his future and seeking his fortune in life, he found his way to the city of Abuja in the home of his in-law, Ambassador Akin Fayomi, married to his “big sister” and mentor, Mrs. Yinka Fayomi, a devoted member of the Central Parish of the RCCG, holding services then at the Ladi Kwali Hall of the Abuja Sheraton Hotels and Towers, under the pastorship of Pastor Oluwole Obanure of blessed memory.
The young Tunde never realised that following his big sister to her church, washing her car every morning, being her driver, doing school and market runs and eventually becoming a dedicated member of the church’s prayer team to which she belonged, would provoke God to setting him up on an assignment of service to God, the RCCG church and finding a wife! At the Central Parish branch of the RCCG, he was later appointed as the Pastor of the Teenage church where he served meritoriously and mentored a lot of young people who today, are great pastors too.
This is the testimony of Pastor Tee, a.k.a. Tunde Benjamins-Laniyi, a.k.a. PTBL, a son and servant of God, Pastor of the Throne Room Parish, which meets at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, FCT also APICP – Assistant Pastor in charge of RCCG Youth Province 6 and National Coordinator of Youth in Northern Nigeria. As he celebrates another year in life and ministry, bringing the Throne Room Parish to its 11th year of testimonials and celebrations, Pastor Tee has become renown as one of the most dynamic and energetic youth pastors of the RCCG commission. Popular for his John Travolta dance steps on stage, he is called the “dancing or jumping Pastor.”
PTBL is 7ft in the line of eight children of Papa Victor Koforola Laniyi of ‘Ile Igbagbo’ meaning ‘Home of Christian Believers’ in Ogbomosho, Oyo State and Mama Mercy Ifeanyichukwu Laniyi (Nee Chukura) of Asaba, Delta State, (both of blessed memory). His father was a trainee bank clerk under the tutelage and supervision of John Major, who became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Pastor Tee early life was full of escapades and dare-devil business initiatives like attempting to sell his father’s generator and other revered household items. He grew up in the city of Jos with five older sisters, an elder brother and a younger brother. The family is extremely close and all his older sisters are very fond of him and refer to his growing years with lots of laughter and humorous memories of a young man with a large heart and a compassionate soul. He attended Baptist Primary School and Government Secondary School Zaria Road, both in Jos before proceeding to the University of Jos, where he studied Pharmacy. He was a very intelligent and confident student. His pursuit of total excellence was outstanding from an early age.
Today as Pastor of the Throne Room, whenever he ministers healing virtue, he is categorical about 100 per cent healing as a demonstration of Hebrews 11:1 that Faith for healing is NOW! 100% is a non-negotiable PTBL expression for Ministry, Marriage, Family and the Market place.
An introverted but dynamic personality, Pastor Tee is successful entrepreneur and innovation maverick. He is a consummate pastor, very definition of an apostle in the market place. Married to Nigeria’s top enterprise communicator and celebrity hostess, ‘Dayo Benjamins-Laniyi, they are blessed with four children who they affectionately call their Fantastic Four!
Together, PTBL and DBL built DOXA Digital Nigeria, a renowned experiential conglomerate of professional sound engineers, media expert, conference and event managers and are a major force in the Nigerian creative economy.
PTBL experienced a personal encounter with the love of Jesus Christ early as a young man in Secondary school. His close friends remember him as one with an innate consciousness of God back then who rose to become the Scripture Union President while a junior student; a position normally reserved for seniors. His consciousness of God did not come without some form of persecution, as his zeal and passion for God soon became a point of concern for his parents.
His big sister recalls a certain incident where Pastor Tee bluntly refused to obey his Fathers instruction to buy or serve alcohol to his guests, thereby incurring Papa’s wrath. His spiritual stance, especially his Bible reading and Bible marking habits became a sour point which his parents had to pray about, for their son to become “normal” again. His father, with whom he shared a very close bond with couldn’t understand why his son with his gang of God professing friends would turn his home into a preaching zone, “take all this preaching to the Mosque, that’s where it’s needed, not my house”.
Knowing Pastor Tee is a total experience. He is not one for titles, mantles or positions but he is a man of very distinct grace, comfortable with simply serving the cause of Jesus Christ as a worker in the Church and in every place where God’s altar places a demand on him. He is very deliberate about practical humility and this is the greatest influence of Daddy GO on his life and ministry.
PTBL is a mentor to many and a firm encourager of the believer. Under his charge, the emergence of individual gifts and graces of both men and women manifests and flourishes. Testifying about her husband, Pastor ‘Dayo Benjamins-Laniyi states that “I am my husband’s first fruit, he is simply a God man, a good man and my life coach, everything people admire about me especially as a gifted communicator is an intentional investment he has made in me, many times as a sacrifice. As he has done for me as his wife, many women have identified their calling and grace in ministry and are expressing same in the kingdom of God.”