During a recent men’s gathering at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Mrs. Folu Adeboye shared a troubling experience involving a former pastor of the church.
Speaking openly to those in attendance, she recounted how a mission-related visit to South Africa revealed an unexpected turn of events.
While in Cape Town for church activities, she visited an RCCG parish where the pastor at the time held services in a rented space that also operated as an eatery.
In the middle of the service, a woman entered and began packing up the chairs. She seemed to be indicating that the church had run out of time at the venue. Surprised, Mrs. Adeboye asked the pastor what it would take to secure a permanent space for the church.
The pastor, who she mentioned was from Ekiti, explained that with $8000, they could begin working toward acquiring a permanent location.
His suggestion was to purchase a used vehicle and hand it over to a tourism company. The business would generate income for the parish, which could then be saved toward buying property. According to him, tourism was thriving in South Africa, and this would be a practical step forward.
Encouraged by the plan, Mrs. Adeboye said she arranged for the money to be given to him. However, shortly afterward, the pastor left the country and made his way to the United States. He abandoned his wife in South Africa and eventually remarried there.
“The woman he abandoned in South Africa is presently in a terrible state now, almost running mad,” Mrs. Adeboye told the audience.
Turning to the men present at the programme, she asked, “RCCG men, what are we going to do? Are we going to continue with such a lying spirit, a deceitful spirit to the God of the kingdom?” The response was a firm no.
She continued by stressing the importance of returning to a life guided by trust and obedience to God. “We must get to the point where we say wherever He leads, we follow,” she said.
Reflecting on earlier years, she shared that for a period, life at Redemption Camp came with significant challenges. “For three years there was no light,” she said. “We went back to the days of lantern, and we were grinding with stone, whereas where we were coming from, we had grinding machines, we had washing machines.”
Despite the hardships, she reminded everyone that faithfulness is what carries people through. “We may not know where God will take us,” she said, “but we have a bright future if we stay faithful.”
