The history of the Redeemed Christian Church of God began with Divine Intervention in the life of Rev. Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi. In July 1909, a son was born into the Akindayomi family of Ondo State of Nigeria. Even though this child grew up surrounded by idol worshippers, he knew there existed a greater power and yearned to know, "The God who created the earth and everyone on it". This pursuit for God led him to the Church M
issionary Society where he was baptized in 1927. Still spiritually unfulfilled, he joined the Cherubim and Seraphim church in 1931.
Whilst there, he began to hear a voice within him saying, "You will be my servant." Since this was not his intention, he decided to ignore the voice. This went on for seven years during which all the business ventures that he tried resulted into failure. In debt and without peace of mind, he found himself totally dependent on the grace of God. Here marked the beginning of a definite relationship with God.
Totally broken, he yielded saying, "Lord, I will go wherever you want me to go." He asked for signs to confirm that this was indeed God's call. The confirmation came through the Bible passages of Jeremiah 1:4-10, Isaiah 41:10-13 and Romans 8:29-31. The Lord assured him that He would provide for all his needs, as he would not receive any salary from that point on. This proved to be a comforting reminder during the trials in the months ahead. He became married in 1941. He continued to worship with the Cherubim and Seraphim. In 1947, he started to become concerned that the church was departing from the true Word of God in some of its practices. By 1952, he felt totally persuaded to leave the church.
He started at Willoughby Street, Ebute-Metta, Lagos a house-fellowship called, called "Ijo Ogo Oluwa" (the Glory of God Fellowship). Initially there were nine members but before long the fellowship grew rapidly as the news of the miracles that occurred in their midst spread. Even the C&S church began to refer cases as the blind received their sight, the lame walked, the barren conceived and above all the Salvation of souls, many abandoned their old ways of living for Christ's sake. During this period He had a vision of words that appeared to be written on a blackboard. The words were "The Redeemed Christian Church of God." This was amazing because Reverend Akindayomi who could neither read nor write was supernaturally able to write these words down. Also during that Visitation, God said to him that this Church would go to the ends of the earth and that when the Lord Jesus appeared in Glory, He would meet the Church. How the Lord was going to accomplish this was a complete mystery to a man who was barely literate but he did not doubt God's promise since he knew his God and that nothing is impossible with God.
The Almighty God established a covenant with Reverend Akindayomi synonymous to the Abrahamic Covenant in the Bible promising that He would meet all the needs of the Church in an awesome way if only we would serve him faithfully and be obedient to his word. It is upon this covenant that the Church is built. Thus, The Redeemed Christian Church was born in a manger in 1952, destined by the Lord Himself to take the world for him. |
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