TheCable

The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) on the first day of its 66th annual convention at the Redemption Camp ordained 11,258 deacons and deaconesses, drawn from various parishes of the church.

The number is some 3,000 higher than last year’s figure of 8,230 deacons and deaconesses. Yesterday, the candidates were so many that the ordination was done in many batches.

In a colourful ceremony, they were formally presented to the General Overseer of the church, Enoch Adeboye, for ordination by the national overseer JA Obayemi.

“Let somebody shout Halleluyah,” Pastor Adeboye charged as he mounted the pulpit. But dissatisfied by the response, he said, “When you are talking about dominion, your Halleluyah must show that you have dominion.”

The response was a thunderous “Halleluyah” that echoed around the auditorium.

Explaining the process of ordination, he said, “In the Redeemed Christian Church of God ordination is done by laying of hands, proclamation and prayers.”

Then in batches, the candidates filed out for the hand laying by the assistance of the general overseer, who performed the proclamation: “We ordain you as Deacons and Deaconesses in the Redeemed Christian Church of God in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Almighty himself will overshadow you; the Holy Spirit will be your strength; whatever you ask to come will come; whatever you ask to go will go.

“You will not fall; you will not fail. God Himself will use you for His Glory; and in the Kingdom of God you will not be found missing.”

He also prayed for them.

Another high point of the morning was the powerful ordination sermon delivered by Charles Achonwa, general overseer of Doulous Ministries.

Reading from Joshua 14:12, he explained to the newly ordained deacons and deaconesses that they need spiritual force to do their work and to work towards the achievement of the mandate of RCCG of having a least a member of every family belong to it.

“There is no way you can use physical means to achieve spiritual goals; there is no way you can use ordinary means to solve supernatural problems,” he said.

Liking their new assignment to that of Caleb and Joshua in the Bible, Achonwa emphasised the need for every Christian to identify the difference between the two and the other 10 who were assigned the responsibility to spy on the land. According to him, while all the 12 persons were professionally qualified for the assignment, Caleb and Joshua distinguished themselves by giving a minority report because they were prophetic in their approach.

He said the ordination was a prophetic and being prophetically persuaded is vital to spiritual dominion.

According to him, other qualities required of the new deacons and deaconesses were the need to be prophetically proactive to be able to see ahead of time; being prophetically fit and prophetically orderly.

“There should be a structure and hierarchy and there must be order because those who trouble their leaders don’t become leaders; and if they become leaders they get troubled,” he said.

He explained: “It is not a curse, it is a law. Usually, we reap more than what we sow.”

Reminding them that spiritual power is revealed by faith, not by facts or situations, he declared that their time for prophetic function is now.

In the evening of this first day, there was a House Fellowship Leaders’ service and drama ministration by RCCG National Drama Group.

On Tuesday, over 3406 assistant pastors are to be ordained.