During the just concluded annual convention of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), the General Overseer of the fastest growing church on earth, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye has announced the restricting of the church hierarchy.
Adeboye who disclosed this last week after a meeting of the Governing Council of the church also announced the retirement of two members of the council after attaining the retirement age as stipulated by the church constitution.
A statement by the head of Media and Public Relations, Pastor Segun Adegbiji, said the two officers retired include Pastor Oluwalogbon and Pastor C.O. Osho and two members of the church who have served the church meritoriously have been appointed to replace them. They are Pastor Johnson Funso Odesola who had served the church for 40 years and Pastor Remi Akintunde following 38 years of meritorious service.
Highest organ
The statement explained that the Governing Council, the highest organ of the church is made up of 18 members with Pastor Adeboye as chairman. Other members now include Pastors Kuo, Ezekiel Odeyemu, Elijah Daramola, Gbadebo Lawal, Joseph Obayemi, Johnson Odesola and Remi Obayemi.
The number of special assistants to the General Overseer has also been increased from 12 to 19 with the inclusion of seven other members including; Pastor Kola Bolanta in charge of South America; Pastor James Fadele in charge of North America; Pastor Agu Irukwu in charge of United Kingdom and Pastor Olowu in charge of Europe. Others include Pastor Tosin Macaulay in charge of North Africa; Pastor J.K. in charge of Region 10 Abuja and Pastor Charles Adegoke on his way to the Middle East.
The General Overseer also announced the constitution of a World Advisory Council which is expected to meet every December to give proposal for the consideration of the Governing Council. Members include all former members of the governing council and all special assistants to the G.O. The foreign outposts have been restructured as follows: Europe which has been divided into three smaller regions with headquarters in Holland, Spain and Sweden.
North America has been divided into Canada -one region and USA – five regions. UK has been divided into four regions including Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England.
Similarly, Asia/Middle East has been divided into Malaysia and United Arab Emirate. This came just as the church announced tremendous growth in Nigeria within the last two years as the church planted 28,582 parishes in the year 2012-2013 and 32,036 parishes in 2013-2014.
In Nigeria within the period under review, a total of 332,800 souls were won for Christ in 2012-2013 and 507,472 others gave their lives to Christ in 2013-2014. Consequently, six new regions have been created in Nigeria, making the number of regions in the country to 24 just as 28 new provinces have been created.
The 62nd annual convention of the church which started last Monday with the ordination of 8,622 deacons and deaconesses to assist the church leadership manage the astronomical growth within the last couple of years, no fewer than 1,100 fresh pastors were, on Sunday morning, being the last day of their convention were ordained at the camp ground of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
A total of 111 babies, comprising 63 boys and 48 girls, were born during the one-week convention which began on August 4. The closing ceremony, yesterday featured a very colourful farewell service with the General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, leading his biological and spiritual family in thanksgiving to God for the success of the programme.
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