Redeemed Christian Church of God


The Redeemed Christian Church of God is a Pentecostal megachurch and denomination founded in Lagos, Nigeria. The General overseer is Enoch Adeboye, ordained in 1981. The church in Lagos has an average church attendance of 100,000.

History

The RCCG was founded in 1952 by Rev. Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi following his involvement in other churches. Rev. Akindayomi chose Enoch Adejare Adeboye as the next General overseer. Enoch Adeboye was a lecturer in mathematics at the University of Lagos, Nigeria, as at the time he joined the church in 1973. Adeboye initially became one of the interpreters translating Akindayomi's sermons from Yoruba to English. He was ordained a pastor of the church in 1975, and his appointment as leader of the church was formalized by the posthumous reading of Akindayomi's sealed pronouncement. In 1990, Redeemed Christian Church of God Bible School was founded.
Andrew Rice, writing in The New York Times, calls the RCCG "one of most vigorously expansionary religious movements, a homegrown Pentecostal denomination that is crusading to become a global faith". The church's leaders preach that in the future "In every household there will be at least one member of Redeemed Christian Church of God in the whole world."
In 2008, it had 14,000 churches and 5 million members in Nigeria, in 80 countries.
The international church is structured in different areas throughout the world. The local churches are now grouped into regions, with 25 Regions in Nigeria. It is also organised throughout most of the world.
In 2020, the Lagos Church had 50,000 people.

Beliefs

The official RCCG website outlines its beliefs in the Bible and the Holy Trinity, that the Devil exists, that God formed man in his image, in repentance, in cleansing from sins by God's grace, in sanctification, water baptism, Holy Spirit baptism, restitution and that it is possible for God to heal without medicine. The church is a strong advocate of peace and holiness. The church forbids "worldliness" and rebellion against church authority. The church is also against debt to finance either the church or its activities. It encourages abstention from all evil and reverence to parents and constituted authorities.