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Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), is at it again. He is beckoning to all Christian soldiers globally to stand up for righteousness.
History is filled with stories of adventurers, men and women who dared to dream, explore, and discover. In 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first to conquer Mount Everest, more than twenty- five years after the first climbers attempted to top the summit. We also remember names like Orville and Wilbur Wright and Amelia Earhart, all pioneers in the world of aviation. In Christian world, Daddy G.O. as Pastor E. A. Adeboye, is affectionately called, pioneered a revival in 1998 tagged ‘Lekki 98’ in what is now known as Holy Ghost Congress.
Adeboye believes we need a new generation of missional young adults who are willing to lay aside the comforts of home to give their lives on a foreign field. He likewise believes we are seeing a new generation of Christ followers who are risk takers for the gospel. We need more.
He is right. He oversees a multigenerational church. If in doubt, just take a break to visit Redemption City, located at Kilometer 46, Lagos-Ibadan express road, Mowe, Ogun State, Nigeria, West Africa. This year he would be playing host to millions of Christian pilgrimages at what is now called Holy Ghost Congress 2024. Themed ‘Onward Christian Soldiers,’ this globally recognised week-long programme is starting on December 9 to 15, 2024.
For those who are hungry for Christ’s second coming and revival, Adeboye is beckoning to you all. The book of Hebrews summarises the courage of Abraham: “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went out to a place he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out not knowing where he was going’’ (11:8). If Abraham had failed to obey, he would be buried in an unknown grave in present-day Iraq. No one would remember him, and no one would care. In like manner, Adeboye left the comfort of city life to relocate to a thick bush; den of robbers to build one of the world’s largest Christian auditoriums.
Here was a man with no GPS. He did not get a printout from MapQuest. God said, “Get out, and go on.” He obeyed. Today, millions of lives are being transformed due largely to the obedience of one man from Ifewara, in present day Osun State, Nigeria. What does that tell people, especially millennials? God’s call is not a vacation; it is our vocation. It’s time to get going. We cannot sit on the sidelines any longer. We must hear God and follow hard after Him.
Leaving his comfort zone was a breakthrough in Adeboye’s life. Breakthroughs are turning points, pivotal moments when we are given the opportunity to believe God for something great. Daddy G.O’s obedience made him one of the courageous men in history, as few men have cut such a broad path. It takes courage for a man to lead his family and generations now and unborn to take a faith venture. Are you that person ? Faith, to be biblical faith, has to be courageous. Anyone can believe God once he or she has all the facts, but courageous faith obeys regardless of the situation. This is the clarion call at this year’s Holy Ghost Congress.
We are to be in the world but not of it. The heroes of Hebrews 11 were polar opposites to the so-called heroes of today. In a world of celebrities and twenty-four hours of fame, we need heroes. In a culture driven by seeking stardom, we need men and women who want to be servant-leaders. In these perilous times, we need a generation who will not worship the gods of this world and serve the one-true God. Adeboye is one. He is extending this invite to as many willing to sail along with him in navigating this exciting and rewarding journey of faith.
On a personal note, if you live courageously, you may lose some friends or have family members misunderstand you. The crowd thins out the higher you climb. Like Adeboye, you have to decide to move on. In some ways, Adeboye’s life looks like a graph on the cost of living. There is the ebb and flow of life, the ups and downs, but it is always moving up. The key question is: when confronted by a test, will we obey? The self-examination is: are you headed in the right direction or taking unnecessary detours? Work out what God is working in you.
In Genesis 15, Abraham encountered God in a new and fresh way. God didn’t show Abraham everything. Our responsibility is to take that initial step of faith and leave the results to God (see Gen. 15:1-8). Courage does not mean the absence of fear, but responding in spite of fear. This is the first time we see the words “do not be afraid’’ (v.1) in the Bible. Fear is the enemy of faith. By the world’s standards, Abraham didn’t do anything great. The largest army he ever led consisted of only 318 men. He never built fortresses or palaces, but his legacy fills the last thirty-eight chapters of the book of Genesis.
Pastor Adeboye shared similitude with Abraham. Throughout scripture we are reminded that Abraham “believed the Lord and He credited it to him as righteousness’’ (see Genesis 15:16; Romans 4:3, 22; Galatians 3:6; James 2: 23). Paul devoted a lengthy portion of Romans to the story of Abraham, and he holds a place of significance in Hebrews 11. Is your life worth writing about?
John Mason writes, “The world makes room for a person of purpose. Their words and actions demonstrate that they know where they are going…” Daddy G.O is of the view that in your heart there is a sleeping lion called purpose. Be on a mission. Have a definite sense of direction and purpose for your life… For strong convictions precede great actions.
I love biographies. They give me insight into what made that person tick. God’s word is full of biographies. These were not perfect people, but they impacted their world. They made the tough calls. You can spend your life on the wide road or the straight and narrow. There are consequences either way. You can’t talk about Christianity history without mentioning Pastor Adeboye. He is beckoning to Christian and who would be Christian soldiers. Will you hearken to the call?
…Pastor Olakunle Yusuf, Lead Consultant, Above Media. He can be reached via abovemedia@yahoo.com.
