The National Secretary of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, LP 64, Pastor Johnson Akinlolu, speaks about Vision 2032, church’s focus on evangelism, health, education, CSR and youths’ empowerment. He also revealed the secret behind the life of both the General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, and his wife, Pastor Folu Adeboye. Charles Ajunwa brings excerpts
Can you throw more light on RCCG Vision 2032?
Vision 2032 is the vision of our Daddy in the Lord and General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye. It’s a vision God gave to him in order to reach the unreached. That is, we are to propagate the gospel. We are to bring the people in the darkness to the light through evangelism and through any means we can use, either the crusades, evangelism, by one-on-one evangelism or group evangelism. We are to reach the unreached people. These people are suffering. It is high time for them to come to seek to know the Light. Jesus died for all of us. As He died for us that are believers, he also died for the sinners out there. Take, for example, there was a particular year that Baba, who had retired in the mission, he’s an elder, went under the bridge in Lagos and preached the gospel to people. That’s where the Vision 2032 started from.
He preached to them, I was in the camp that day, and he brought these hooligans, the criminals, so to say, to the mission. He brought these people because he wanted to baptise them. That day I said, wow, a retired officer in redeem, still going about to preach the gospel, meaning Vision 2032 has come to stay.
So everybody in all the provinces, in all the regions, in all the parishes, areas, mention it. It is our vision as well. So we are running this race together in order to shed light to the people in darkness. I strongly believe that very soon, even before the date, God will help us to actualise that figure we are expecting. It’s 40 million souls that we are expecting. And if you see now in our Holy Ghost services, God is really using our Daddy to reach the unreached
Even the issue of streaming now, worshipping online, we have a lot of candidates that are worshipping with us online. So I believe that vision 2032 has come to stay and God will help us.
What are other means you are using to reach the unreached?
Yes, we are using CSR (Christian Social Responsibility). We extend arms to the poor, less-privileged. For example, even every group today is doing CSR. So from this church (RCCG Restoration Parish, Ejigbo, Lagos), you are also carrying out a special responsibility. The one they did today by giving people snacks is part of it because I saw the ushers going around. Apart from crusade or evangelism, we also do CSR. We also do projects. We have the community as well. We do roads, we construct gutters and so on. Also, recently, at Isheri Primary School, our people did something that amazed me. They said that the school has incurred a lot of debt with the old NEPA. They have to put heads together, I mean our new people that we are coaching there, then pay the old electricity bill. And now the light has been restored. Those are the things that we are doing in order to achieve our vision.
Apart from Vision 2032, are there other things that the RCCG is doing to make the church of God in Nigeria in particular and the world at large to be peaceful?
If you discover in all our Holy Ghost services gathering, Mummy G.O. is always praying for this nation, for unionism and for one accord. And then Daddy has touched many lives and many ministries. He is going around. When they invited him to Orthodox churches, he did attend. And then at times he goes on typical Yoruba, in his message. So, we have been going around, our prayer is that very soon whether the devil likes it or not, all Christian associations in Nigeria are coming together.
At the last Holy Ghost service, Pastor E.A. Adeboye preached on the theme: ‘Destined for Greatness’ Part 3. Can you throw more light on this?
Destined for Greatness. You know, everyone, we are born different. But when we come to the system, there is nothing God cannot do. So Destined for Greatness, the one who will likely be great in life must know the way. What is that way? Jesus is the only way. That is why Daddy is doing it. He started three months ago, Destined for Greatness part one, part two. The one that is coming now is part four. So he is bringing everybody to that umbrella so that everybody will see themselves as great persons in life. No exception. Everybody is born great. And before we can achieve that, we must come to that umbrella, who happens to be Jesus, our captain.
This year’s RCCG Convention is themed ‘Overcomers’, what are we expecting?
My prayer is that the day we come alive, there won’t be any obstruction to that day. Because as an overcomer, it’s a great theme. That whoever wants to overcome any length in life must find him or herself in that programme. And we have been praying and interceding for everybody leaving their domain to that venue, God will secure. The planes that are coming from all over the country, God will bring them safely. The road vehicles as well, and even to our powerhouse. I’m not talking about a prayer house now. The powerhouse is that throughout that convention, everybody will be fed. There will be free meals. So we have been also praying that there shall be no fire disaster. Those who are working there, God will work with them. It’s a great gathering that whoever finds himself or herself in that gathering will overcome for the rest of his or her life. Also, there will be free medical services. Daddy does pray, Mummy does give gifts, foodstuff, money, clothes to all the widows.
Your sermon centred on peaceful marriage. Why?
If you have a peaceful marriage, the nation will be successful. If you have a good pastor, not in that church, it started from home. Anyone that will succeed in any organisation, as they say, charity begins at home. So, he’s bringing that knowledge from home. The home must be a settled one. That family is unique. They are children of God. That light will also shine upon every other person that comes their way. So that’s why home is very paramount in time of a service in any church today. That’s exactly what keeps our Daddy going. Mummy is giving him maximum support. Likewise, all the ministers you see out there, they have the support of their wives. (1 People should go to Open Heavens, it’s loaded. If they can go through it, it talks much about home. How supportive Mummy Adeboye is to Daddy. Up till tomorrow, they support each other. And everything Daddy became today is through the support of our Mummy. And that’s why Mummy is enjoying Daddy to the fullest. Even my wife is giving me maximum support. So, anyone that will prosper, either business, either home, either nation, even as a governor. So, anybody that will achieve more in any set up today, the home must be a settled home. That’s why we are preaching marriage, that husbands should love their wives, wives should love their husbands. And also both of them will come together to train their children in the way of God.
RCCG pays so much attention to youths? Why?
They pay attention to youths because they are our pillars for tomorrow. That’s why today we have a youth church, we have a youth regional evangelist, we have a youth pastor and we have youth PICP among them. Then we have youth intercontinental and so on. They are our tomorrow. We are doing everything at all costs to make sure our tomorrow is alright.
You’re also investing in education?
Yes. We’re investing in education because anybody that wants to grow must not stop learning. The moment you stop learning, you start dying gradually. For us to live long and to achieve more we must learn. So, education is paramount in every system.
Pastor Folu Adeboye (Mummy G.O) recently attained 77 year. What can you say about the life of this amazing woman of God?
Mummy has impacted a lot of lives. In those days when Baba visited the Let’s Go A Fishing Centre, for a whole week, Mummy would continue to distribute all the gifts that Daddy brought home to people. You take this one to Baba’s house, take this one to Mama’s house, take this one to the less-privileged and so on. So, the issue of Mummy attaining 77 years today, you need to be in the Redemption City. Everywhere was filled up, we did rally for Mummy. All sorts of people, departments are meeting together to celebrate Mummy. Mummy has impacted much more into many people’s lives. Nobody comes her way and regrets that he/she ever knew her. She’s a good mother in Israel.
What about Pastor Adeboye (DaddyG.O.)?
Daddy is an addicted and generous giver. The one who took his gratuity and divided it into three. God said, son, divide your gratuity into three parts. Take this one to this ministry. He said, okay, the other two are enough for me to amount to something. God said, take the second one to this less-privileged home. He took it there. He said, okay, the last part is also something. God said, who told you you are the owner? Take it to this place. That was how it was distributed. Then Daddy is not on salary. He’s not on payroll. But when Daddy is going on the street, when he looks at the pulpit for the first time and looks at it the second time, people that are following will get it for him. He has three mobile vehicles. I entered one of them. There is nothing you find in the house that is not there. Those are the vehicles he’s using when he visits centres of Let’s Go A Fishing. So, he doesn’t buy any of it with his money. People get them. Daddy, there is nothing that is too big that he cannot give out. He gives, even to other ministries.
Let me shock you. There was a particular year when he was riding a Pajero. And then God said, son, what do you want for your birthday that is coming in March? Daddy said, Daddy, is that you? If you are the one, I want the lame to walk. God said to him, it’s simple. Go and dash away your vehicle. Daddy announced it. I was part of those who were praying then. I prayed to God to mention my name to Daddy G.O. that I will be the one to win this Pajero. Daddy said, he said, wow, when God says so. And God said, you said wow. When I told Abraham to offer his only begotten son, he didn’t say anything. He said, I’m sorry. That was the first time crippled jumped up and walked in Redemption City. He gave it to one particular pastor in another ministry. So, there is nothing that they cannot give. Both Daddy and Mummy are so blended. They support each other.
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