Hero of the Month: Ike Amadi of the LA Family

Gone are the days of sitting only in church buildings to learn God’s Word and fellowship with other believers of the Christian faith. Today’s Hero of the Month, Ike Amadi is an inspiring young man who has turned to the innovative tool that is social media to create a virtual ministry. We had a chat with him to find out more about Ike, his aspirations and the impact being made through the initiative.   CN: Tell us a bit about yourself. IA: Thanks, Ejura.  I’m Ikechukwu Amadi, Ike Amadi for short. I come from Imo State, Nigeria. I think I’m very energetic, as ‘Ikechukwu’ means ‘power of God’, or ‘dunamis.’ I’m currently doing a PhD in computer engineering, and love encouraging people to do something to better their lives, families, and community. And oh, I write too. Got one book in the stores and more coming soon. CN: What is the LA Family about and what inspired it? IA: LA in LA Family means learn and apply. And I think that’s what we do in LA. We encourage one another to read, learn and apply God’s word. Daily. Well, I think the need to draw closer to the word of God inspired the birth and organization of LA family. If the word of God is that beneficial, and floods our life with light (Psalm 119:130), I think it is wise to dedicate our time to learning and applying it in our lives. CN: What are the challenges you’ve faced so far? IA: Well, I’ll like to say, at this point, that I’m not alone in LA Family. Yes, God used me to birth the vision, but we have a strong ministry team that coordinates the affairs of LA family. Most of us are young people and have to interact virtually for the most part, via social media, that is. So I think the main challenge has been to effectively communicate and build viable relationships with people you have not seen or may not even see in your life time. But we’re a learning organization, and God is really helping us. We’re growing daily and learning to use what we have to get the best out of our LA program. CN: Has social media been useful? IA: Of course, it has. We use the available platforms as virtual parishes if you like. We are obliged to learn to use these things to spread the word as most young people use social media. Basically, we ensure that fellowship continues after Sunday by advancing the word of God via social media. CN: What are your long term goals for the LA Family? IA: I would like to see the whole world – schools and churches inclusive – use the LA program for learning, application and sharing God’s word, just the way Our Daily Bread is known for their devotionals. I would like to hear that someone in Kenya is leading a group based on our program. But really, I’m just waiting to see what next God will do with us. I believe the future is bright. CN: What is the most memorable thing that has happened since you started The LA Family? IA: I think the most memorable thing is travelling to see other members in other cities and countries and enjoying pure and undiluted fellowship with them as if you have known them all your life. Every LA Family meet up is a memorable event. CN: Any regrets so far? IA: I’m not sure there are any regrets. There are lessons, however, which we have learned over the few years operating as an organized family. Like I said earlier, we are a learning organization and we keep improving as we go. CN: What do you do for fun? IA: Haha. Fun. That is a good question. I have fun with LA, really. But apart from LA, I play football, scrabble and tell stories for fun. Oh, and pictures. I take pictures for fun, recently delved into photography, you know. CN: How can one join the The LA Family? IA: To me, that is the most important question; I love to answer this question. We have a website where one can sign up to join any of our platforms: Whatsapp, Twitter, FB, and BBM. Potential members simply need visit www.thelafamily.org/signup for fuller details. We have people to follow up on new members. Our Twitter handle is @TheLAfamily and we are also on Instagram as @freshLAfamily and on Facebook as well. CN: Last words for The LA Family members and potential members. IA: Thank you for joining me Learn and Apply the word of God. The journey is more fun and sustainable because you are reading with me. Let’s go out there and encourage one more person to consistently learn and apply God’s word.   Thanks Ike! Visit Ike’s official website to learn more about him and his many projects, or follow him on Twitter.