By Gbenga Osinaike
Pastor E A Adeboye
General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of Nigeria’s leading evangelical churches, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has come hard on ministers of the church making categorical statements on some practices he describes as inhibiting the flow of the Holy Spirit in the church.
Addressing ministers at the 63 convention of the church, holding at the Redemption camp along Lagos Ibadan Express Road this August, Adeboye observed that the bi-annual evangelical outreaches of the church known as go-a fishing had become ceremonial in some parishes adding that many parishes no longer take the event serious. He said it had come to his notice that many of the parishes place premium on the honorarium that they are to give visiting pastors during the go-a-fishing programme rather than on the souls that would be won. He then warned parishes of the church to desist from giving honorarium to any visiting RCCG pastor to the programme which usually hold in April and December every year.
According to him such practice trivializes the evangelical outreach, which was designed to win souls to the kingdom.
While also warning ministers of the church to be careful about the kind of lifestyle they live he said the way to know they are serious with the work committed to their care is their attitude to time. The workers meeting in the RCCG starts 7am on Sundays. Every minister and worker according to him is expected to be in church by that time. He said that the fact that the church is expanding should not be a license for unruly behavior among leaders in the church. “Ministers should maximize their time and engage in productive things that will bring glory to God.” He said
He also pleaded with the church to continue to pray and intercede for those who are adamant about the way they dress noting that God is the only one that can convince them to dress properly. While urging the ministers and workers of the church to dress properly, he said, “It is the way you are dressed that people will address you. It does not speak well for children of God to dress like people of the world. It does not bring glory to God.”
He cited an instance where his wife had to caution a lady on the way she dresses but the lady said to her she could not help but to dress that way, that she felt comfortable with her dressing and was not willing to dress in a way that would not make her comfortable.
This, Adeboye noted shows that only God can influence the heart of those who dress indecently.
Adeboye who became the general overseer of the church in 1981 having succeeded the founder, Pastor Josiah Akindayomi, decried the eating habit of some ministers saying many have allowed food to derail them from God’s purpose. “many have sold their destiny to food. You have to be careful how you eat and where you eat. Your life is not all about food.” He said.
The RCCG is a testimony of God’s faithfulness. The church began in 1952 as a small group of prayer warriors led by Pa Akindayomi. The group later metamorphosed to its present name by divine instruction. The founder had told church members then at 9b Willoughbhby Street, Lagos that an academic would succeed him at a time Pastor Adeboye had not joined the church. So by the time he passed on, it was easy to hand over the affairs of the church to Pastor Adeboye.
The church currently has spread to about 180 nations of the world with over 10,000 parishes in Nigeria. The church has become so influential producing with top government officials being members across the world. The Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is a pastor in the church while the governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode is also a member. There are testimonies of diplomats and key government functionaries who are members of the church in foreign lands.
