It is no surprise; God used the foolish things to compound the wise and qualifies the unqualified, raising and using the unlettered for His great commission. It is not accidental that God raised and used two unlearned of the same generation, national root and tribe, but different spiritual backgrounds, in different places with similar message of the gospel and in different mode of worship to achieve the goal of preaching the Word, saving souls and proclaiming the Sonship authority of the Lord Jesus Christ as the KING Who was, is and to come. This proves, God’s work is not anybody’s work and in His wisdom, the race is not for the swift or for the wise, but for as many as He chooses.
Study shows these great Nigerian personalities, the founder of Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) Worldwide, Rev. S. B. J. Oshoffa and the founder of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Worldwide Rev. Josiah Akindayomi spiritual journey, encounter, revelation, mandate, vision, mission and commission confirms that, the last gospel message to the world is coming from Nigeria. It is therefore, not accidental; Nigeria is divinely and strategically positioned at the throttle point of the map of Africa as major link to continents and nations of the world. Also, not surprising, the largest and the biggest churches in the world today are shot from Nigeria, with Nigeria having the highest numbers of missionaries, church planters and churches scattered around the world spreading the gospel. The white missionaries imported Christianity to Nigeria and taught Nigerians to read the Bible, today, Nigeria export globally acknowledged gospel message of impact with powerful worship and praises to the nations of the world.
- Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi was born in 1909. He started an independent prayer fellowship, the Glory of God Fellowship. After an encounter with God in 1947 that became the now fastest growing Pentecostal church in the world (Redeemed Christian Church of God) in 1952 while, Samuel Bilewu Oshoffa also born in 1909, started his independent prayer fellowship after encounter God in 1947 at Porto Novo and later started in Nigeria what is now the fastest growing indigenous white garment church in the world (Celestial Church of Christ) in 1951.
- From childhood both Akindayomi and Oshoffa’s parents recognized and were respectively involved in their spiritual lives upbringing.
- Pa Akindayomi, a carpenter, was a key member of Cherubim and Seraphim Church for many years, when he heard the voice to be a minister of God; Pa Oshoffa, also a carpenter and staunch member of Methodist Church for many years, before hearing the voice.
- The turning point of their callings was as a result of encounters; Pa Akindayomi, at the age of 31, dreamt and woke up with a sore on his leg. Then heard a Voice and without the use of medication, the sore healed and Pa Oshoffa, at the age of 38, was lost in the forest for three months, where he heard a voice.
- As an itinerant preacher; Akindayomi wandered the roads of western Nigeria in all-white garment, ringing a bell and winning converts through healing messages, also Oshoffa wandered the villages of Porto Novo preaching and winning converts through healing messages.
- Pa Akindayomi started RCCG in swampy area of Ebute Metta, Lagos and Pa Oshoffa started CCC in Porto Novo and later came to the bushy village of Makoko in Yaba area of Lagos. Both churches started as new denominations within same Mainland LGA to global brand Christianity with worshippers and followers around the world.
- In spite of differences in mode of worship, both churches’ doctrine believes in the Trinity of God, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit; the Bible as the infallible Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Saviour of the world with the Holy Spirit as the gift of God.
- The churches names and interpretations were divinely inspired with prophetic calling for redemption and reminding men of glory in Christ with the only (RCCG/CCC)
- CCC adopted “HALLELLUYAH”, for greetings and identity. RCCG imbibed “Somebody shouts HALLELLUUYAAH” as slogan and her theme “HALLELLUYAH”.
- RCCG built Redemption Camp, CCC is building Celestial City.
- Rev. SBJ Oshoffa and Rev. JO Akindayomi are great colossuses, heroes, pathfinders and successful visionaries with footprints to the worlds of Christianity and the Church at large.
- Respectively Pa Akindayomi passed on in 1980 at the age of 70 and Pa Oshoffa said his last prayer in 1985 at the age of 75.
- The RCCG national headquarters is located at 1-9, Redemption Way, (formerly Cemetery Street), Ebute Metta, CCC national headquarters is located at Church Street, Makoko, Yaba.
- Both men are from humble backgrounds but worked hard and had life changing encounters of lasting relationship, fellowship and covenant with God.
- They are generational blessings to the world with spiritual impacts, footprints and legacies that outliving them as heritage.
