The RCCG was founded in 1952 by Nigerian pastor Josiah Akindayomi (1909–1980) after he had been involved in several other churches. In the early 1970s Akindayomi started to look for an educated successor who was not at that time a member of the church. He chose Enoch Adeboye, a lecturer in mathematics at the University of Lagos, who joined the church in 1973. Adeboye initially became one of the interpreters translating Akindayomis 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 Akindayomis sealed pronouncement. Andrew Rice, writing in The New York Times , calls the RCCG one of [Africas] most vigorously expansionary religious movements, a homegrown Pentecostal denomination that is crusading to become a global faith. [1] According to Daniel Ajayi-Adeniran , a pastor of the church, In every household there will be at least one member of Redeemed Christian Church of God in the whole world. [2] Church mission The RCCG’s Mission Statement is: 1. to make it to heaven 2. to take as many people as possible with them 3. to have a member of RCCG in every family in every nation To get to heaven, they say, holiness will be our lifestyle. To accomplish the other two, they will plant churches within five minutes walking distance in every city and town of developing countries and within five minutes driving distance in every city and town of developed countries. The church intends to pursue these objectives until every Nation in the world is reached for the Lord Jesus Christ. [3][4] Fundamental 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 Gods grace, in sanctification, water baptism, Holy Spirit baptism, restitution and the possibility of healing without medicine (by divine intervention through prayer). The church forbids debts, worldliness (such as dancing halls and reveling) and rebellion against church authority. It encourages abstention from all evil and reverence to parents and authorities. [5] Church status The churchs headquarters are located in the Ebute-Metta suburb of Lagos , Nigeria. Elsewhere in Africa, it has a presence in Benin , Burundi, Cameroon, Côte dIvoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia. In Europe, the church has a presence in England, Scotland, France, Germany, Hungary, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, the Czech Republic, Finland, Malta island, Portugal, Serbia, and in almost every county in the Republic of Ireland. In the United States, it has a presence in Illinois, Texas, Tennessee, Florida, New York, New England, District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Georgia, Oregon, Minnesota, California, North Carolina and Colorado. In the Caribbean, it has a presence in Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago. In Canada it has a presence in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and Alberta. The RCCG in the United States and Canada together form the RCCGNA, which has its headquarters in Dallas , Texas. In Asia and the Pacific it has a presence in Australia (Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Newcastle, Adelaide and Perth), New Zealand, Fiji, Malaysia, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands and Singapore. In India it has a presence in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata. It also has a presence in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. In Pakistan it has a presence in Lahore, Kasur, Sahiwal, Mureed Ke, Mian Chanu. In the Middle East, the church has parishes in Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon and in nearly all seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates.
Posted on: Sun, 03 Aug 2014 09:50:06 +0000
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