Biography
Zacharias Tanee Fomum was born in Cameroon in 1945 into a Presbyterian minister's family. His Christian commitment developed alongside an academic vocation. He studied chemistry and pursued research that eventually brought him into university teaching.[1] [2]
He received a doctorate through Makerere University in 1973 and later taught at the University of Yaoundé. His scientific work included organic chemistry and research on compounds from tropical plants. The biographical account maintained by his ministry describes both his laboratory work and his supervision of students.[2]
In 1975 he founded Christian Missionary Fellowship International in Yaoundé. The movement's teaching emphasised Christian discipleship, prayer, evangelism, and mission. His writing grew out of those concerns and circulated in several languages.[1] [2]
Fomum regarded scientific work as part of his Christian vocation rather than as a separate life. That conviction belongs to his own understanding of his work. Institutional claims about exceptional scientific standing or ministry totals require independent assessment and are not treated here as established measurements.[2]
He died on 14 March 2009. His legacy includes a missionary organisation, a body of Christian writing, and an academic career. All three should be considered when remembering him, without allowing promotional descriptions to replace the documentary record.[1] [2]
Sources and references
Sources
“Prayer is war and any soldier who relaxes on the warfront will be taken captive.”
“One of the tragedies of all times is that believers sleep instead of praying.”
“Sleeping during prayer is evidence of spiritual malady.”
“Those who sleep at prayer are lazy soldiers whom the Enemy has taken captive.”
“The heavens will open when praying people ask the Lord to open them.”
“No praying man should bother to defend his honour or position. God is well able to do that, and He always does it.”
“God has one answer to the shortage of labourers: that answer is prayer to the Lord of the harvest.”
“Anyone who thinks that because he prayed in the past, he can relax at the moment and yet reap the full fruit of God’s current move, is self deceived.”
“If an entirely consecrated believer prays for one hour, the impact of that one hour of prayer is far more than the impact of one month or one year of the praying of a sin loving believer.”
“At the height of a long fast, the things of this world become absolutely meaningless. God was near and thoughts of heaven possessed me.”
“Prayer is first of all listening to God; it is secondly hearing God and it is thirdly talking to God.”
“There is no time that is bad time for prayer. God is always waiting to be prayed to and He will answer.”
“Those who spend time increasingly in prayer grow in spiritual power.”
“All work that is not prayed through adequately, several times over, is an activity of the flesh. It will not last.”
“Anyone who expects any promise of God to be fulfilled in his life or in the life of the Church without sustained cooperation with God in prayer is mistaken.”
“If there is going to be a change, there must be an increase in the quality and quantity of prayer for revelation.”
“No one can become preoccupied with praying for God’s needs without becoming preoccupied with the person’s needs.”
“The leader is the person who spends the most time in prayer.”
“When a leader has given up on real praying, he has also abandoned leadership.”
“You will know much supernatural interference in your affairs for good if you will give yourself increasingly to prayer.”
“The primary essence of prayer is communion with God.”
“The quality of academic performance by believers is substandard. You want to bring a third class degree to give to the Lord of Glory?”
“The most difficult thing on earth is proclaiming the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is not for academic failures.”
“If they are not disciplined for academic excellence, they will not be disciplined for spiritual excellence. The heart of man is one.”