Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), addressed critics of the church while delivering a message of assurance during the April edition of the Holy Ghost programme, held in the early hours of Saturday, April 6.
The theme of the Holy Ghost Night was “Shielded by Fire” and it was dedicated to children.
Adeboye, visibly affected by the recent criticisms directed at the church, responded by stating, “If Paul, who wrote more than half of the New Testament, claimed to be less than the least of the saints, Pastor Adeboye is nothing.”
He continued, emphasizing humility in the face of criticism, “Adeboye is one stupid boy. But His God is wiser than the wisest. Adeboye is weak. Believe it or not, he eats pounded yam, he goes to the toilet. But his God is stronger than the strongest. Adeboye is nothing. But his God is the all-sufficient God. So, there is nothing spectacular if you mock Pastor Adeboye. He deserves to be mocked.”
Adeboye underscored the Biblical principle that those whom God uses are often seen as foolish, weak, and insignificant, so that God alone receives the glory. He urged that while it may be acceptable to mock him, it is imperative not to mock God, as God is the ultimate source of strength and power.
Referring to the case of the former RCCG pastor in Ireland who was convicted for some criminal offenses, Adeboye said, “The way the story is told here is different from the way it was told over there.”
“They did not tell you that they did not catch that boy. He was the one who reported himself. He heard a sermon on restitution and decided it was better to suffer shame on earth than to go to hell. And where did he hear that sermon? In the RCCG. We are among the few churches left in the world that talk about restitution.
Adeboye said the pastor preferred to go to prison here on earth than go to hell because prison will be for a while hell will be forever.
While noting that the pastor might have backslid when he committed the crime, he said, “Do you know the Bible says he who thinks he stands should take heed, lest he falls. Even you standing today be careful, I pray you will never fall.”
Though he did not justify the criminal behaviour of the ex-RCCG pastor, Adeboye said, “Our Lord Jesus Christ prayed all night before he chose the 12 disciples and yet he had a Judas Isacriot. One failure out of 12.”
He then inferred that the percentage of RCCG pastors that are found wanting compared to the number of pastors in the church is negligible.
His words, “That a member of the Redeemed Christian church of God is misbehaving does not mean every pastor in RCCG is bad. There are over 200,000 RCCG pastors in Nigeria today. So, if we find one here, one there, one over there misbehaving, well our Lord chose 12 one was a devil. But that is not the point.”
The RCCG overseer continues, “When some people are laughing and mocking remember one thing, he who laughs last laughs best. I have said it before Adeboye was so rotten, if I were Jesus Christ I would not have saved him.
“One of the things that baffles me about God is how he would have loved somebody like me. If people are laughing I can symphatise with them. It is just that God has a special love for this “stupid boy”.
“When in 1981 I asked God to build for me a boy’s quarter and he said he would build a city, I told my friends but they laughed at me. But today they are not laughing at me anymore”
On the bad economy, the RCCG Overseer said God had told him things would get worse before they become better. He alluded to his predictions at the beginning of the year adding however that he was quite naïve for not asking God how long things would get worse.
He lamented the increase in the pump price of fuel and the hike in the electricity tariff adding that what is happening in Nigeria is not ordinary.
He said, “If I am not such a “stupid” boy I would have asked God how worse things would get before they get better. I did not ask. So, you see how stupid a boy I am. All of a sudden we saw the naira going down. I never knew the naira would go so bad. I know nations who got independence at the same time as Nigeria whose money is like 10000 to a pound.”
Adeboye said when he saw the way things were going he had to quickly mobilise some great prayer warriors to intercede for the country. “Thank God things are getting better,” he said.
In conclusion, he reiterated, “the word of God made it clear that anyone God will use must be foolish, must be weak, must be a nobody so that nobody will get the glory. So, it is okay to mock Adeboye but just make sure you don’t mock His God. Why? Because Adeboye can do nothing. But his God is a consuming fire.”
Pastor Adeboye’s response reflects his firm belief in God’s sovereignty and strength amidst criticism, encouraging humility and trust in God’s power.
