The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has given the reason behind a recent directive which barred non-members from preaching on the church’s altar or platforms.
In a recent memo signed by the special assistant to the RCCG General Overseer on administration, Pastor Oladele Balogun, the church warned that non-members should not be allowed to preach in parishes of the church.
The memo, which went viral on the internet on Monday, January 8, titled, “Invitation of Guest Ministers in RCCG,” and dated January 5, 2024, warned that “no external preacher, speaker or minister should be permitted on any of our altars or platforms.”
The memo was directed to all Continental Overseers, Deputy Continental Overseers, Assistant Continental Overseers, and Pastors in charge of Regions/Provinces worldwide and warned that disobedience to the directive would attract sanctions.
It read: “We refer to our memo dated 14th December, 2023 with Ref: RCCG/ADM/OAB/JP/MEMO/14/12/2023 on the above subject matter, and wish to inform you that the General Overseer (Pastor Enoch Adeboye) has issued a further directive that no external preacher, speaker or minister should be permitted on any of our altars or platforms.
“Anyone intending to invite a guest minister, speaker or preacher to their parish must ensure that the individual is a recognised member of the RCCG.”
The memo has generated mixed reactions both on and off social media, but the RCCG Head of Media and Public Relations, Pastor Olaitan Olubiyi, in a reaction to the development on Monday, explained that the memo was an internal document meant to be a guide on the kind of ministers that can be invited to RCCG churches.
He added that the memo is not to be seen as an outright ban on bringing external ministers to RCCG churches, but to ensure guidelines and approvals are received and adhered to on such matters.
According to him, the RCCG has doctrines and beliefs that the authorities need to ensure any external preacher or minister adheres to.
Olubiyi said: “It’s supposed to be an internal document. And it’s not a ban per se, it’s just a kind of rule or guideline. What the church is saying is that before any of our branches invite a preacher from another church or another ministry, clearance should be sought.”
“Don’t forget that as a church, we have our doctrines, we have our beliefs, we have our practices, and we have to be sure that if anybody outside the fold is coming to preach in any of our places, the authorities have to approve and to be sure that the person flows along with our doctrine and our beliefs.
“So it’s more of the standard maintenance of (the church).”