Adoring the walls of the modestly furnished office are three unmistakable items. One of those items is the framed picture of Pa Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi the founding General Overseer (Then addressed as Superintended) of The Redeemed Christian Church of God. Placed next to it on the deep cream painted wall is another framed photograph the current General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye.

The third item, but by no means the least important, it is the beautifully displayed Vision/Mission Statement of The RCCG. For the occupant of this office, a senior pastor, all three items overlooking his desk, are constant reminder of the history, direction and future of the church reported to be one of the fastest growing in the world.

Apparently drawing on God’s injunction to Old Testament Prophet Habakkuk, the wordings of vision/mission statement are clear and simple. God had commanded Habakkuk to “write down the vision and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” Heb. 2:2
The kernel of the widely published RCCG statement is “to make heaven and to take as many people as possible” along. It also outlines the strategies for its actualization to include holy living, intense evangelization and church planting. The RCCG seeks to have a member in every family on earth and plant churches within five minutes walking distance in developing urban centers and five minutes driving distance in developed urban centers.

In some cities in Nigeria, the vision has been accomplished while the church relentlessly reaches out to unreached and under-churched communities within Nigeria and other parts of the world. As at the last annual convention in August, 2009 on fewer than 120 nations had at least a parish of the RCCG. There are well over 15, 000 parishes in Nigeria and several thousands in other parts of Africa, Europe, America, Asia, the Middle East and the Arab World.

The rapid expansion of the church, focused evangelization and discipleship are a tribute to the solid foundation laid by Pa Akindayomi and the wide-ranging reforms, passion and diligence of Pastor Adeboye who assumed office in 1981 after his mentor and spiritual father went to be with the Lord in 1980.

On assumption of office, Pastor Adeboye, a PhD holder in Mathematics and former Senior Lecturer at the University of Lagos, swung into action to modernize the church and attract worshipper beyond its traditions Yoruba base that almost wholly constituted the population worship with the use of diverse musical instrument hitherto unseen in the church. In what many saw as a radical move, he move, he established the first set of model churches where the English Language became the sole medium for Bible messages Prior to that time, the “classical” churches had depended on interpretation from English to Yoruba or Yoruba to English depending on the language of the preacher.

Pastor Adeboye once explained that any building that was going to get very tall (high rise) must have a corresponding deep foundation. For a church that was going to reach the uttermost parts of the earth and remain till Jesus’ second coming as God promised Pas Akindayomi, the foundation needed a good depth. He set out to deepen the foundation with the establishment of various training and discipleship programmes. The Redeemed Christian Bible College (RCBC) was established to train ministers and workers primarily for the RCCG and other Pentecostal congregations. A similar institution – The Redeemed Christian School of Missions (RECSOM) – was put in place for the training of missionaries to man new fields that sprung up in the wake of the reforms. An enduring and formal discipleship programme, the School of Disciples (SOD) was started for the discipling of all cadres of members, workers and ministers. Today, attendance of these schools has become a basic requirement for ordination as a minister in the RCCG.

The Redemption Camp, now a sprawling estate, of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has also contributed immensely to the growth and development of the church. Pastor Adeboye was divinely to start development there in the early 80’s. It was then a thick forest and home to wild snakes and a hideout for armed robbers who terrorized travelers.

Today, the Camp which hosted the first Holy Ghost Service in March 1989 has become home to some of the mission’s institutions, a university and commercial banks branches with residential estates housing hundred of families. With several hospitality units comparable to three-star hotels and serene surroundings, the Camp is fast becoming the preferred place for international conference, seminars and retreat. Yet, in strict adherence to the initial vision. Pastor Adeboye – the Camp’s first resident refuses – to rename it “City”

Yet another major turning point for the mission came with the introduction of the monthly Holy Ghost Service in 1985. The programme was moved to the Camp four years later. The all-night program for worship, inspired teachings and special; ministrations draws worshippers and visitors from all parts of Nigeria and abroad. With many converts deciding for Christ, some of whom remain in the church, this monthly service has become a divine instrument for advertisement and increase. The Lets Go A-Fishing programme, a twice yearly crusade culminating in planting of churches at Easter and Christmas, is also a major outreach targets at unreached urban and rural populations.