RCCG Creates 8 Regions, 40 New Provinces

FIVE doctoral graduates were among the 6,080 graduands who graduated yesterday from the Redeemed Christian Bible College, RCBC as part of activities marking the ongoing 72nd annual convention of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, in Redemption City of the church.

The programme, theme: ‘Heaven’, which was part of activities of the first day of the convention, was presided over by the General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, his wife, Pastor Folu Adeboye and other senior officers of the church.

Congratulating and releasing fatherly blessing for the graduands, Pastor Adeboye prayed that God’s presence would go with the students, urging them to remain steadfast in Christ, praying that as the students were graduating, they will be mighty vessels in the hands of God.

He said: “I pray you will leave here heavily anointed. We pray that after your graduation, you will become mighty vessels in the hand of God. When you lay hands on the sick, they will recover. When you command demons, they will obey. When you preach the gospel, your words will be fire, the heart of the hearer will melt even as you speak. Above all these, I pray none of you will miss heaven”.

The new Provost of the institution, Dr. Alaba Oti, in his words, promised that with the dedication of the staff of the college, it will not relax in producing quality and sound students who will always lift the banner of Christ wherever they find themselves. He also appreciated the students for making themselves available for the various programmes.

Oti explained that various programmes in the school are designed to prepare Christians and Bible scholars for in-depth knowledge in specific areas of interest and calling.

He further hinted that various infrastructural development that will facilitate a better and conducive learning environment are going on in the school.

The graduands, drawn from different campuses within and outside the country, had spent different periods at the Bible College, which is one of the numerous manpower development centres of the church. They were awarded certificates in accordance with their course of study. Some graduated with doctorate degrees, others with masters, bachelors and diploma certificates.

In his message titled ‘Beautiful Feet: Delivering message sent from heaven’, Pastor Charles Achonwa of Doulous Ministries advised the graduating students not to grow weary in being the ambassadors of Christ, adding that they were privileged to be among those that were chosen by God to be His oracle.

Achonwa further urged the graduates to live a life of uncompromising character, embrace holiness and have an unwavering commitment towards the work of the kingdom.

RCCG creates 8 regions, 40 new provinces

The Redeemed Christian Church of God has created 40 new Provinces and 8 Regions to expand the administrative structure of the church in Nigeria.

With the latest creation, the total number of provinces in Nigeria now stands at 446 while the regions increased to 59.

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The General Overseer, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye announced the decisions of the Governing Council of the church during the last day of the Ministers’ conference.

In another development, the church warned some of it’s ministers that use the church money to travel outside the country with their family members under the pretense of going for missionary assignments.

“We decided to allow the creation of 40 new provinces in Nigeria and the creation of eight new regions.

In his words: “It has also come to our notice that some pastors in more than one province or region would combine to go and plant a church abroad, which sounds very good, but they then use the opportunity to say they want to go and visit the church they had planted abroad, and they spent millions of naira for traveling expenses. If it’s for church growth, we can understand, each pastor from different provinces in the name of visiting a church abroad, that must stop and stop right now. That is the sin of hypocrisy and if you continue, you don’t change, God is at liberty to punish hypocrites and I won’t beg on your behalf.

“You want to use the excuse that you planted a church abroad and three of you would go every year as well as take your families with you, spend church money. And most times when they go, they bypass the mission board, the continental overseers, God is watching”.

Warn against excessive Marriage celebration,

“Some people have turn marriage to jamboree, the money they waste when they say they are celebrating can be used to train the children. It wasn’t so in the beginning. When you marry, you cut your coat according to your clothes.

“If you believe it or not, a family, a very wealthy family came all the way from America to conduct the wedding of their daughter in my office in Ebute-Metta and they were blessed. Everything started and ended in my office. They have their baby within months.

“Some of you want to be like the people of the world. I can’t even imagine some of the things I see now. People spend hundreds of thousands of naira on ‘shoot out’ (photo shoot). And then on the day of the wedding, the girl put on all manner of decoration. Those who do make-up are those who do not believe God did a good job. When God created you, He did a great job, you are wonderful, perfectly made and you cannot find any other fellow like you, you are special.

“When you begin to paint, and you think you can improve on what God has already done, you are a fool. You can never improve on what God has done.

“Go to your wedding, go as God created you original, unique. Don’t bother what other people say, but the way of the Lord. All these attitudes must stop.

3 Major things a minister must not do in RCCG

“You commit adultery and the church finds out, you’re gone. If you restitute, you will be suspended for one year.

“There are some pastors that are committing fornication, adultery, and they think it’s hiding. The wind is blowing as my Father said at the beginning of this year. If you know you committed adultery or fornication with your member, report yourself quickly before we find out. If we find out without you reporting yourself, you are gone.

“Secondly, you must not teach heresies, before you copy all those that say we don’t know anything about grace. Any teaching that says you can sin and still enjoy grace, is heresies and if you bring it into RCCG, you are gone. Don’t say I did not warn you.

“The third one; stealing church money, committing fraud, manipulating the church account, for the sake of heaven, repent”

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