Our History
WHERE OUR JOURNEY BEGAN
In July 1909, Josiah Akindayomi was born in Ondo State, Nigeria. Raised among idol worshippers, he longed to know “the God who created the earth.” Baptized in 1927 through the Church Missionary Society, he later joined the Cherubim and Seraphim church. For seven years he resisted God’s call, facing repeated failures, until he fully surrendered his life, receiving confirmation through scriptures such as Jeremiah 1:4-10 and Romans 8:29-31.
In 1952, after concerns about unbiblical practices, he left the Cherubim and Seraphim church to start the Glory of God Fellowship at Willoughby Street, Ebute-Metta, Lagos. From nine members, it grew rapidly as miracles spread. That same year, God gave him a vision of the name The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), along with a covenant: if members obeyed His Word, He would provide for the church and extend it to the ends of the earth.
The church later moved to its present headquarters at Redemption Way, Ebute-Metta. In the 1970s, God revealed his successor would be a young, educated man. When Enoch Adejare Adeboye, then a university lecturer, joined in 1973, Akindayomi recognized him as chosen by God. Adeboye became a pastor in 1975 and, after Pa Akindayomi’s passing in 1980, succeeded him as General Overseer. Since 1981, RCCG has grown exponentially.
Today, there are thousands of parishes across Nigeria, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Australia. In North America alone, there are over 1,000 parishes. Through countless testimonies of salvation, healing, and divine visitation, God continues to confirm His covenant. A hallmark of RCCG is the monthly Holy Ghost Service, which draws millions at Redemption Camp, Nigeria, and is now held worldwide. Today, RCCG stands as a global movement, built on God’s promise, spreading the Gospel to the nations.