Many older generation of Pentecostals have issues but… Pastor Adeboye

General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye has observed that many of the older generation of Pentecostals have issues but they also have experience which may not be available in any Bible college.

 Adeboye made the observation at a one-day programme tagged generational shift which took place at the Fountain of Life Church, Ilupeju Lagos on March 18.

At the meeting which attracted hundreds of church leaders, especially young pastors, Adeboye literally pleaded with his listeners to be humble enough to learn from those who have gone ahead of them.

Adeboye said, “I would have gone on my knees to say what I am about to say. There is no doubt the older Pentecostal ministers might have one or two issues but so do our biological parents. They are not modern. But we still value them. They don’t know about Greek, Hebrew and never went to the university but they have certain information that you don’t get in the university.”

How my mother got born again- Adeboye

 He recalled that when he wanted to lead his mother to Christ, his mother was first adamant saying she had been a Christian since 1910 when she married his father.

 Despite her position, Adeboye said he had to humble himself to listen to his mother. “I humbled myself before her. I told her to tell me a little bit about her experience as a Christian.

She told me some wonderful moving story how they used to fight idol worshipers who would bring charms to the front of the door and the Catechist then would come with his Bible, wave it around the charms and then kick it away and sometimes times set it ablaze.”  

Those experiences according to him were humbling. He said however that he asked if his mother could recall a particular time she said “I do to Jesus” because according to him, Jesus is the husband to the church and for a woman to be married she has to say I do to the husband.

Finally, his mother gave her life to Jesus.  After that, he began to talk to her about the baptism of the holy spirit.  She got baptised in the holy spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

 Though Adeboye did not mention any of the issues he thinks the older generation has, he said, “There are certain things you don’t learn in the Bible college. There are certain things you learn as you travel along the way. I beg you don’t let pride rob you of some tremendous things you could gain from the older generation.

 “Believe it or not we are going. If the Lord tarries many of us will soon be gone. But before we go, now that the older brothers have humbled themselves to reach out to you, respond. Please I beg you, respond as they have reached out to you. You have a lot to gain.”

Let us learn from one another

He told the gathering that whenever he had the opportunity to meet with some other church leaders under the title of apostles he usually saw such gathering as an opportunity to learn.

 “ I am the oldest of those who gather. We would ask one of the people to share. And after they finish sharing I would keep quiet because I want to learn. The old has a lot to learn from the knew. But don’t let the new think they know it all because they don’t.” he said.

According to him, preachers should learn from one another. “Let us learn one from the other. Whatever you say is wrong with the older ones they have played their part. God is going to judge them on what they have done based on their limited knowledge. Many of them are on their way out. Grab them now. Respond positively before it is too late. Learn from them.”

Adeboye then prayed that  God would take them higher and higher and that on the “last day in the kingdom of God we will all be there.”