RCCG Create 722 Worship Centres In America Amazing.

The Nigeria’s most sensational church, the Redeemed Christian Church of Good [RCCG] has hit an unbelievable mark of 722 worship centres in the United States of America [USA]. This confirmation was disclosed at its just concluded Annual North American Congress of the church held at its continental Headquarters in Dallas.

“As at June 2014, the Redeemed Church has 722 worship centres and total assets of $4.2 billion dollars” a source told African Travel Times.

It has also just recently completed a 20,000 capacity pavilion on a 140 hectares land in Dallas, where it held its 18th annual convention in June 2014.

However, the question is, is the church into real evangelism or “moneygelism”? Sources close to the church in Washington DC told African Travel Times that though the church has been a rallying point for Nigerians in the United States, it does very little to help its congregation.

According to the source, Nigerians come to the church to see if they can meet people that could help in the areas of jobs, papers among others.

As far as direct help is concerned, it does very little. Unlike the Catholic and other well established churches that run charities to help the less privileged and the needy, the church has been accused of taking from the worshippers.

In an article published in February 2014 on its website titled “The Redeemed Church of God preaches the gospel in US”, the church noted that, “For centuries, European and American missionaries have gone to Africa to spread the word of Christ”

According to the article, that trend is now working in reverse with a Nigerian minister in Texas who plans to build churches as numerous as Starbucks coffee shops.

In Dallas, one out-of-place building rises above the landscape: a 10,000-seat auditorium and in what has been referred to as a centre-piece for the Redeemed Christian Church of God in North America, a Pentecostal movement that started in Nigeria in 1952 the article noted.

Without doubt, it is one of Africa's largest and most influential Christian movements, claiming more than five million followers worldwide, mostly in Nigeria.

According to several reports credited to Pastor James Fadele who runs the Church in North America, a white man in Texas had a vision and God told him, 'The land doesn't belong to you, it belongs to a group of church people,’. "When you meet them, I will let you know who they are.'" he stated.

This writer has not met Fadele, but those who know him said he’s a short man with a booming voice and was quoted as saying that the members were eating at a local restaurant when they were approached by the white man.

“The man told them God had asked him to buy a patch of land, but that the Church was the owner”.

"They accepted it, they paid the check, and the rest, as they say, is history," the report quoted that Fadele said the aforementioned with a laugh.

In same report, Fadele boasted that his goal is to establish a church within every 10 miles [16km] in North America, to take as many people as possible to heaven.

The church said the congregation has nearly doubled from four years ago, and they claim 15,000 members in the US of which African Travel Times in Washington DC said is 99.9 per cent Nigerian.

Meanwhile, Ruth Marshall of the University of Toronto, who studies Christian movements in Africa and has studied the Redeemed Christian Church of God said its aggressive plans stem from its leader and guiding force, Enoch Adeboye in Nigeria.

"He really wants to be an important global player," said Marshall. "One could say that he's almost obsessed with this logic of church planting because for him, it's an index of success. And also, prosaically, because the more parishes there are, the wealthier the central organisation."

Ruth was also quoted as saying that, each pastor or chapter must send 20 per cent of tithes, offerings and other funds to the headquarters in Nigeria.

The report further stated that nearly all Redeemed Church members in Massachusetts, as well as in most North American locations, are Nigerian or African immigrants and that for the church to grow, they'll need a lot more non-Africans which is proving challenging.

It also noted that the children of African-immigrant churchgoers are less interested in attending the Redeemed Church, preferring congregations more relevant to their lives.