… opens convention with ordination of 13,293 deacons, assistant pastors

By OLAYINKA LATONA

THE second day of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, annual national convention witnessed the ordination of 13,293 ministers, comprising 8,670 deacons and deaconesses and 4,623 assistant pastors.

The one-week event, which began on Monday, had the theme: “Heaven’’.

The ordination ceremony, which was supervised by the General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, was held at the old auditorium of the Redemption Camp, on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on Tuesday.

According to the tradition of the church, the clerics were presented to the general overseer for prayers by the national overseer of the mission, Pastor Sunday Akande while the ordination by laying of hands was handled by the senior pastors of the church.

The General Overseer had to make the public proclamation, saying “We ordain you all as deacons and deaconesses in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, in the name of God the Father, the name of God the Son and the name of God the Hoy Spirit. The Almighty God will overshadow you and the Holy Spirit will back you in such a way that anything you bind here on earth will be bound in Heaven…” And there was an echo of AMEN! by the huge crowd.

Ordination in RCCG is sequel to fulfilling certain criteria ranging from being born again, spending a minimum of 4 years as a worker in the church, obtaining school of disciples or Redeemed Christian Bible College certificates and recommendation of being godly conducts among others.

Food vendors, others make brisk business

Although RCCG made arrangements for free feeding for participants at the ongoing 72nd national convention of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, food vendors and other retail outlets are making brisk business.

The vendors had pitched their tent inside the camp long before the commencement of proceedings yesterday.

Several men & women from Lagos, Oyo state, Abeokuta, Sagamu, and the adjoining towns had secured advantageous positions inside various markets of the Redemption City where they sell solid African dishes, fast foods including the popular bean cake, small chops and all manner of eatables. Some are being helped by their holidaying children who do all the runs including going to fetch water from the neighborhood.

They also display all shades of soft drinks, water as well as biscuits for commercial drivers and people who are either not patient to tale advantage of the official meals or are searching for special dishes. And the way people are trooping in during intervals, one can surmise that the traders are making brisk business.

Earlier, Pastor Adeboye while addressing the church Fellowship leaders and workers, urged them to be committed to a lifestyle of holiness, purity and total obedience to God’s commandments.

Pastor Adeboye said: “clean up your language, be holy in all manner of conversation, there are some jokes that must not be hear from a child of God. We are talking about heaven, and it’s about purity. As House Fellowship leader, you cannot afford to be careless, your love for God must be hotter than when you gave your life to Jesus Christ, so that God will not take away your lamp”.