The Redeemed Christain Church of God on Sunday replied popular columnist Femi Aribisala's article “Adeboye the richest man in the world”.
In the article, published by NigerianEye, Aribisala condemned the ministry of Adeboye, the revered General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God
Read the response below
“Blessed is the man who has delight in obeying God completely, whatsoever he does shall prosper.”
A CHAMPION in a lime and spoon 100, meters race after winning a trophy, was asked by journalists which of the crowd reaction helped him to win. The crowd that cheered and praised him or the crowd that mocked and jeered at him. His response taught us a lesson: Ignoring the two crowd reactions was the secret of his success.
Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye is a focused Christian and a man of God. He has no time, neither for those who praise him nor for those that mock him and call him names. Adeboye is passionate about salvation, about evangelism, about character, integrity and holiness. He is an incurable soul winner. As a young worker and new convert, he formed a club: “The fishers of men”. They would not go to bed any day without winning some souls.
Over the years, God has used him to bring joy to many homes enveloped in sorrow caused by barrenness, terminal ailment or children of wealthy parents that were hooked on drugs. At the last RCCG Convention, which was the platform for Femi Aribisala’s view, many women that were called barren that Adeboye prayed for in previous conventions brought their children in their hundreds of thousands to give thanks to God and to testify.
People brought on wheel chairs got up and began to walk. People with terminal ailments came out for prayer and they were asked to see their doctors and confirm the healing that took place. Adeboye did not want to share in God’s glory; so he asked his pastors to lay hands on these people. Under Adeboye’s leadership, The Redeemed Christian Church of God established departments that care for the afflicted and the needy.
At Christ Against Drug Abuse Ministry, CADAM, we gather drug addicts, heal them and give them education or technical training depending on individual’s ability and interest.
Habitation of Hope is a home that gathers the homeless and the destitutes and give them hope, education and a future. Many of these are now citizens doing well for themselves.
RAPAC is a department that counsels, prays and treats in confidence, people who are HIV positive.
Holistic Ministry ministers to prostitutes, rehabilitates them, educates and trains them. ‘A CAN can make a difference’ provides food for people in the streets and under the bridges. RCCG is preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in Nigeria and in 187 other nations.
The General Overseer of a Pentecostal church based in Victoria Island, Pastor Femi Aribisala, wearing a mask of social critic and columnist wrote an article: “Adeboye the richest man in the world”.
In the article, Aribisala condemned the ministry of Adeboye, the revered General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. Aribisala believes the purpose of building a new auditorium that can accommodate 12 million worshippers in response to God’s instructions is because Adeboye wants to make the Guinness Book of Records. Adeboye has his name in the LAMB’S BOOK OF LIFE which is the best achievement any mortal can ever aspire to.
Aribisala said: “Pastor Adeboye is using man’s wisdom to teach his congregation how to prosper instead of imitating our Lord Jesus who pleaded with his disciples that calamity awaits rich people and that poor people are the blessed people.”
Aribisala got the gospel mixed up; many scriptures tell us the mind of Christ about wealth, our welfare, our health, salvation and eternity. In 3 John verse 2, the Bible says: “Beloved, I wish above all things that you mayest prosper and be in good health, even as thy soul prospereth”. In other words, after salvation, God wants us to have a good health and strong financial resources.
In Philippians 4:19, the Bible says: “But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
That is, the Lord will supply the needs to take the gospel to the uttermost parts of the world.
The Bible tells us that Jesus was rich, he was never poor.
“The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts”— Haggai 2:8.
The owner of solid minerals cannot be described as poor. In Psalm 50:10, the Bible says: “The Lord of host is rich. The cattle on a thousand hills are His”. The gospel of Jesus, however, teaches us not to focus on wealth and that the rich should not be high minded and that our focus should be on things of eternal value. ‘Salvation, preaching the gospel’ are of eternal value and they have to be funded.
SELF-SUFFICIENT
Jesus was self-sufficient. He did not carry money or cheque book about but when he needed a thing he would decree it. He rode in the Mercedes Jeep of his time to Jerusalem. He commanded money out of the mouth of a fish when he needed to pay tax. He was not a tax defaulter. The little boy who brought five loaves of bread and two fishes went home with 12 baskets because Jesus wanted to teach his congregation and disciples the principles of financial breakthrough.
RCCG is a full gospel church where holiness, divine healing, evangelism and principles of godly prosperity without sorrow are preached.
Adeboye used a metaphor when he told the congregation on Saturday of the last convention that he is richer than Bill Gates. In 188 nations, members of RCCG would offer him a place to stay in their personal houses, a privilege Bill Gates does not have. It was a challenge to the workers to win souls.
It will be a surprise if Aribisala’s church in the home of the wealthy, Victoria Island, is built to look like a temple or synagogue of the Bible days, simply because his understanding is that only poverty can be combined with holiness. It is also amazing that Aribisala’s church was not planted in Ajegunle, Idumota or Mushin which agrees with his philosophy that only the poor will enter the Kingdom of God.
Another issue is Aribisala’s comment that Daddy Adeboye once boasted that those who want to become President will come to RCCG to seek support and that the royalty of the United Kingdom will want to be part of RCCG. The prophecy that political candidates in Nigeria will come to RCCG to solicit support has been fulfilled. In 2011, presidential aspirants came to seek Adeboye’s prayer and counsel.
Prince Charles, the British crown prince, worshipped in RCCG, Jesus House, London, and commended the efforts of the church. Queen Elizabeth has also endorsed the impact and efforts of RCCG in the United Kingdom. Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, and Prime Minister David Cameron attended RCCG Festival of Life in London when elections were close by. Adeboye prayed for them and they won their respective elections.
Cameron said: “Thank you, Daddy G.O.” Aribisala’s friends in RCCG should give him those tapes, if he wants to confirm.
Reputation law governing charity empowers a charity to raise money publicly if they wish provided the finished product is presented to the donors to see. Adeboye is not a signatory to the project account. He has invited the public to visit the new auditorium even while under construction.
Regarding some of our pastors and members who are in political/public offices, we acknowledge that their promotion came from God, it is a wake-up call for increased prayers that insurgency will be crushed and Nigeria will prosper and improve in all fruits for their sake.
The big question is this; how does Aribisala have so much time to visit and monitor messages and structures of other churches when he has a flock to feed spiritually?
In conclusion, we like to advise and pray for Aribisala.
PREACHING THE TRUTH
He should preach the truth to his congregation, the full gospel truth—holiness, prosperity, divine healing- and he should challenge them to win souls so that together we can expand the Kingdom of God and extinguish or reduce the size of Satan’s Kingdom. He should preach in his articles and win souls.
The Lord that is rich in mercy will envelope Aribisala in his mercy, overlook his malicious words against us and enlighten his eyes of understanding.
Adegbiji, a pastor, is the head of the RCCG Media and Public Relations.
Related: Pastor Adeboye: “The Richest Man in the World”, By Femi Aribisala
It's always fun,funny and mostly sad when i see and read what Africans especially nigerians has turned the bible's scripture into.Jesus was rich so also were his followers who he provided for all rounder but it's different in Nigeria.I live in the UK,no church of England or catholic priest owns private jets or mansions or deceives parishioners with the bible like they do in Nigeria. Shame and sad to see they all claims to speak same words of God but in different tongues I reckon
ReplyDeleteIm guessing the catholic pope flies commercial???
DeleteYes he does.
DeleteExcellent. So proud to be a member of RCCG.
ReplyDeleteStill blinded with psychologist who disguise as men of God. May you wake up from your hypnosis and your eyes see the light.
DeleteGod forgive you all, even our Lord Jesus was castigated by His own people so whatever anybody wanted to say,they should be very careful.Leave Aribisala, that's how he understand the word but my advice to him(aribisala) is that he should go and still learn more on how to win soul to God than criticising GREAT MAN OF GOD (OUR LOVELY DADDY G.O).Nothing anybody could say that can dent the good image of our lovely DADDY G.O.
DeleteSome people who baba adeboye indies the even know if they do exist should free him, they are playing with fire ooh though I'm not an rccg member, I know men of God when I see one.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm.....
ReplyDeleteBiblically, the best response an individual should have when he/she can not attest to God's authority or directive in any matter he/she is being accused of is solemn silence. As the saying goes, silence is always golden.
My sincere spirit filled assessment of the RCCG's attempt to respond to Mr Aribisala's article is nothing but absolute lame and sham to put it mildly. Mr. Aribisala may be erratic, but this time around, he struck the right spiritual cord. The truth as it's said, is always very bitter.
If our beloved GO will not give room for constructive criticisms within the Church God has given him the unique opportunity to lead, then God will inspire outsiders and even unbelievers to provide same.
Obviously majority of RCCG members are suffering from the biblical presumptuous sin (Psalms 19:13) in that, unlike the Berean Christians (Acts 17:11), they are always very lazy regarding cross-checking whatever the beloved GO says with the Bible and same Holy Spirit in whom they have been sealed unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30).
For example, it is a known RCCG doctrine (I repeat RCCG doctrine and not biblical doctrine) as passed on to them by the beloved GO that the GO is their High Priest under this dispensation of the Holy Spirit. By this, all first fruit of increase must be remitted to him personally, which he latter modified and allowed the Parishes to keep as part of it. Meanwhile, the book of Hebrews clearly tells us that our High Priest in this dispensation of the Holy Spirit is the Lord Jesus Christ himself in that Jesus Christ is faultless and blameless and never need to make personal atonement before having the clear conscience to pray for others.
When you examine the lives of this present GO and that of the past RCCG leader, one thing that stands out is the level of dependence on the Holy Spirit before they make any decision on any issue particularly regarding their personal desires or visions. The former leader from what I have read appears more dependent on the leading of the Holy Spirit while the present GO is actually highly independent of the Holy Spirit. I am persuaded that the current spate of lengthy RCCG fasting sessions are more for their sins rather than for manifestation of the glory of God.
My reason for saying the response to Mr Aribisala's article is nothing but absolute lame and sham to put it mildly is that my sincere spirit filled assessment of the RCCG's current project initiatives is that they were never arrived at using their Mission Policy Statement as the key foundation in that, unlike the manner David approached the vision of building a temple for God in that, David approached God first with his desire and vision and God blessed David for being the owner of that desire/vision even though David was never allowed to build it, let it be known to all apologists of our beloved GO, that starting from his acquisition of Private Jets to this humanly laudable 3km Auditorium, our beloved GO has always been very careful to avoid declaring that he actually took time to seek and get the go-ahead from the Holy Spirit before embarking on any of them. If this is wrong, please provide proof.
I am persuaded that for the Auditorium to still be uncompleted till now shows clearly that God must have allowed fraudsters to take over the project since God never actually sanctioned it in the first instance. You cannot run the race for God, you must always allow God to determine when the race should start. He alone can provide the resources to complete the race timely.
RCCG is facing all these criticisms because the GO did not fully aligned himself with Proverbs 3:5-8, since whether RCCG likes it or not, Proverbs 14:12 and Proverbs 16:25 are for ever settled.
Nobody can love and care for the Church more than the Lord Jesus, the owner of the Church and even the Holy Spirit the custodian of the Church. We should allow the Lord to supply all our needs and not every one of our desires since the Lord knows what is best at every particular point in time.
First Fruits were paid to the GO personally?????????? I think just as you have accused majority of RCCG members of not cross checking what the GO says with the bible, you need to cross check your facts also.
DeleteDear Lazy Non-Berean RCCG Member,
DeleteKindly check your RCCG website titled "The First Fruit Offering" at the following URL;
http://rccg.org/blog/the-first-fruit-offering
Look at what the last paragraph of the RCCG message also declares "Now if you want to pay your FIRSTFRUIT OFFERING kindly click on the link below and your FIRSTFRUIT OFFERING will be acknowledged by the Office of The General Overseer thereafter".
It amazes me how deeply subservience, naïveté and abject scriptural ignorance, et al. have eaten so deeply into the sentiments of the African race, especially Nigerians, when it comes to religions; particularly Christianity.
DeleteIt seems like the more efforts and affection you offer to deliver them from these sheep in wolves' clothes (con-artists), who purport to be alleviating their woes and tragedies, the more determined they are to be stuck, like glue or nails to wood with these blood-suckers.
Here's an astute, equally blessed, conscientiously scriptural man, a God-sent, attempting to open the peoples' inner eyes and ears, that's been shut for too long to the true words of God; instead, these "blind brethrens of Adeboye" simply chose to offer utterly mindless and bogus rebuttals to Mr. Aribisala's clear-cut claims and assertions.
Pastor Adegbiji's claims are totally unintelligible to me. It seems that his servitude and allegiance is more to Pastor Adeboye rather than Mr. Aribisala's biblical claims about Christendom.
Mr. Aribisala is a Christian, who's earned the rights to protect the society from the path of destruction according to the scripture. He didn't write the BIBLE.
"He who hath ears to hear let him hear."
Aribisala is a sociopath.
ReplyDeleteWhat are you, another religious psychopath, moron or imbecile?
DeleteWhat has Aribisala contributed to Nigeria and humanity as a whole? Sometimes ago the man was attacking Femi Fani-Kayode because the latter was against Jonathan but when Femi went back to Jonathan's side he kept quiet? PMB will soon become his target so he can be passed the crumble from the table then he will keep quiet. The man is an attention seeker.
ReplyDeleteDear Friends
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, irrespective of what might have arisen, I do not think any man of God has the mandate to make publications against another man of God. If there are issues that Aribisala has with respect to Adeboye's comment, he should have adopted a more better approach by writing to him directly instead of making a publication. We cannot achieve things this way rather, it will create brokenness in the body of Christ.
The church of God must match on. Please, this is the strategy of Satan to break us. Let us not dwell on this while souls are out there perishing.
Aribisala and Adeboye should see themselves as partners in the kingdom and not competitors. The only competitor we all have is Satan who is constantly contending for the soul of man. I repeat, this is a strategy of Satan to divert our attention.
And you people of the two assemblies that has taken the matter as thug of war dishing words against each other, claiming rights and wrongs, I admonish you to watch your stands and do not become over zealous disciple fighting and sending unnecessary words, why don't you just commit all to God and let God be the judge.
May God help us all in His vineyard.
Yours in Christ.........
Jamiu Adekunle
I think this response goes to strengthen what Aribsala said. Battle for the soul, spirit and body, not just the body.
ReplyDeleteThat letter might never get to the G.O. The Church has mixed multitude. I am sorry to comment that the church today runs on worldly principles and theories. The world has become the standard for the church instead of the other way round.
Deletenice comment @ anon 8:17pm! i miss the good'ol days. those cherishable times in the jungle with animal skin to cover ourselves. let me contradict myself abit, i feel priests of today are struggling to have an organized crowd as much as possible and that wouldn't come cheap, and neither should it be expensive. being a priest doesn't mean be a manager. but still we need to manage something like the congregation. otherwise that leader or priest might be jailed for drawing toomuch attention without safety measures incase of accidents like stampede unnecessary traffic issues and more.... being guided by God doesn't mean the power of choice has been taken away. we are still bound to make mistakes...
DeleteThis response is uncalled for. I am saddened by the response. It felt as though we are now like the world a political party, responding to a critic. The attempt to attack Mr Aribisala was uncalled for. Jesus preached forgiveness and the scriptures says he didn't not say anything when he was brought before Pilate. I am sad the way the Pastor reacted. Mr Aribisala should have been ignored
ReplyDeleteYou that lived abroad. Do we pay property tax here? Mr abroad. Can you stay in two bed room there? can you have two toilets and also two bathroom in your house there? But we can afford it here in Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteWhy not. I live in two bed room flat, two baths clean house, expensive but affordable
DeleteGod is not a man. His ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts than ours. Anything that God does lasts forever. You CANNOT stop God. If it was possible, christainity would have been extinct! Whether you like it or not, believe it or not, acknowledge it or not, God has his generals working on this earth directing souls enmass towards Jesus. Jesus is using his generals to enlarge his kingdom in preparation for his coming. The devil is also using agents in different forms and guises to fight back in order to retain the undecerning ones in darkness. May the Lord vindicate his own in Jesus Name. Amen.
ReplyDeleteLet's join hands to pray for Aribisala...The lord that is rich in mercy to Envelope Aribisala in his mercy, overlook his malicious words against the man of God and enlighten his eyes of understanding...In Jesus name we prayed..Amen
ReplyDeleteIs this a response to what Aribisala sad or another addendum to buttress his points. You see, Truth is like Black and White and it is only those whose sense of sight have been distorted that can say otherwise. The scriptures says "my people perish because of lack of knowledge" Knowledge of Jesus and his words in the Bible. Oto! If you people like make una continue to worship Adeboye--- That is Idolatry, The same thing that Paul stopped his followers from doing when they wanted to worship him,Today "Men of God" even brag that people worship them and their wives.IT is sad.
ReplyDeleteWOW!!!!
ReplyDeleteGoodness Gracious Me!!!!
Thanks for your comment anonymous 23/08/2015 at 9:33 PM.
Curiously, I googled the search 'First Fruit RCCG High Priest' and Voila!, I came across the RCCG website with the message on First Fruit in which it states in the last paragraph that since the First Fruit is meant for the High Priest, it will have to be paid into their National Account and the GO will personally pray on them since it is meant for the High Priest which thus implies that the RCCG GO is indeed considered as their High Priest.
The website link is;
http://rccg.org/blog/the-first-fruit-offering
Wow!!! What a highly deviated doctrine for a Church that it's foundation is suppose to be based on Holiness.
Looking even further through the website, I see that they also have a revenue generating doctrine regarding first borns. In this dispensation of the Holy Spirit???, God help us all.
I could observe that they even have a 3 months pending and unanswered inquiry from one of their members regarding their doctrine on first borns.
It appears to me that, due to the severe level of moral corruption in the society, majority of people prefer to use the RCCG GO as their yard stick on holiness rather than using the Lord Jesus Christ.
I think the RCCG GO needs more fervent prayers much more than even Mr. Femi Aribisala himself. The way I see it, it is,
1. Either, the RCCG GO is surrounded by professional sycophants who are only interested in the positions they have been appointed to and are unwilling to ruffle any feathers even when they observe that instructions being passed down are unbiblical.
2. Or, the RCCG GO himself has systematically and cunningly created an atmosphere of repression whereby anyone attempting to criticize the RCCG GO in any way is seen as an agent of the enemy and also as a "Can't Do" individual.
3. Or, the RCCG GO himself does not really like being criticized in any way.
4. Or, the RCCG GO himself has deliberately created an atmosphere of repression whereby it is difficult for anyone to "blow the whistle on anyone, including the GO himself".
5. Or, the RCCG GO himself has deliberately not put in place an effective channel of feedback that must never be hindered in any way by anybody who so ever the person might be in the RCCG.
May the good the save His Church and indeed have mercy on it. Amen.
Work out your own, my own salvation with fear and trembling...No need for over analysis.u just make sure u get to Heaven
DeleteThe god of my dady g,o we be my god
ReplyDeleteBoth men will stand before God one day to give full accounts of their lives. What are we doing about our own accounts with the Lord, the Righteous Judge of All? This should be our focus and not taking a stand that will further divide us a members of the body of Christ.
ReplyDeleteI believe the RCCG media team chose this medium to reply Aribisala just to set the records straight in the eyes of the public that might have seen the original copy by Aribisala
God have mercy on this man Aribisala. He should just ask God for mercy so that evil does not visit Him. The Bible says: Touch not my Anointed and do My Prophets no Harm. If not, God would rise and fight Him. He would just die a very miserable death. Pastor E.A. Adeboye is A True Man of God. You just watch and see what would happen to Aribisala if he doesn't repent and ask God and Daddy GO for forgiveness.
ReplyDeleteAribisala should ask God for mercy o! If He doesn't evil will visit him soon o!! Hmm... The Bible says" Touch not my Anointed and do my Prophets no harm. God will fight for His Prophets o. Just watch what would happen to Aribisala if he doesn't ask God and Daddy GO for forgiveness. Just watch!
ReplyDeleteGod have mercy on this man Aribisala. He should just ask God for mercy so that evil does not visit Him. The Bible says: Touch not my Anointed and do My Prophets no Harm. If not, God would rise and fight Him. He would just die a very miserable death. Pastor E.A. Adeboye is A True Man of God. You just watch and see what would happen to Aribisala if he doesn't repent and ask God and Daddy GO for forgiveness.
ReplyDelete