Redeemed Christian Church of God

The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) is a holiness pentecostal megachurch and denomination headquartered in Ogun,Nigeria. With presence in more than 190 countries of the world and more than 5 million members in Nigeria alone, it is one of the biggest church denominations in the world.

Its general overseer since 1981 has been former university lecturer, pastor E.A. Adeboye.

History
The RCCG was founded in 1952 by Rev. Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi (1909–1980). Adeboye was a mathematics lecturer at the University of Lagos and had joined the church in 1973. Adeboye was initially a Yoruba-to-English interpreter for Akindayomi's sermons. He was ordained a pastor of the church in 1975. His appointment as the leader (styled 'General Overseer') of the church in 1981, was formalized by the posthumous reading of Akindayomi's sealed pronouncement. In 1990, the Redeemed Christian Church of God Bible School was founded.

In 1983, the land for the Redemption Camp in Mowe was purchased. In 1988, a students' body known as the "Redeemed Christian Fellowship" (RCF) was established. It is the youth wing of the church, concentrated that caters to students in tertiary institutions. In 1990, "Christ the Redeemer's Friends Universal (CRFU)" was established to garner financial and human resources from the very wealthy in the society. In 2005, the Redeemer's University was established.

Andrew Rice, writing in The New York Times, calls the RCCG "one of [Africa's] most vigorously expansionary religious movements, a homegrown Pentecostal denomination that is crusading to become a global faith". The church's mission statement states that "In every household, there will be at least one member of Redeemed Christian Church of God in the whole world."

In 2008, the RCCG had more than 14,000 churches and five million members in Nigeria, and as at 2024, is present in more than 190 countries.

The international church is structured in different areas throughout the world. The local churches are grouped into regions, with 25 regions in Nigeria. It is also organised throughout most of the world. Notable special spiritual programs are the "Holy Ghost Service", which holds on the first Friday of every month in Nigeria. Others include the annual "Holy Ghost Convention" that holds in August and the "Holy Ghost Congress" which holds in December.

Beliefs
The official RCCG website outlines its beliefs in the Bible and the Holy Trinity, that the Devil exists, that God formed man in his image, in repentance, in cleansing from sins by God's grace, in sanctification, water baptism, Holy Spirit baptism, restitution and that God can heal without medicine (by his divine intervention e.g. through prayer).