The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) on Sunday empowered 98 less-privileged persons and 30 widows as the ‘first born family’ of the church turned 30.
While the 98 less-privileged went home with grinding machines, the widows were given cash gifts.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 15 students also bagged scholarship at the Redeemers University of Nigeria (RUN) as the 30th anniversary of the ‘first born family’ climaxed with a service at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.
NAN reports that the first born family started as a model parish in 1988 at Ladipo Oluwole in Ikeja, after Pastor Enoch Adeboye assumed the office of the General Overseer.
It has grown from one parish to over 2,500, located both locally and internationally.
Pastor Brown Oyitso, Special Assistant to the General Overseer of the Church on Missions, said the empowerment was part of the first born family’s effort to support the people.
Oyitso, who is also Pastor-in-charge, Region 19, urged the beneficiaries to make good use of what they got.
He said each of the grinding machines cost N35,000.
Mrs Folu Adeboye, wife of the General Overseer of the church, said the support was like a seed.
She thanked those who made it possible and prayed that the seed would germinate and multiply in the hands of beneficiaries.
The General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, during the sermon, urged Christians to live a holy life.
Adeboye, preaching on the theme of the celebration, ‘From Glory to Glory’ said God had the ability to change one’s lot for the better once a person pleases Him.
“If you must move from glory to glory, you must sow bountifully, surrender all, you must be ready to let God be God,” he said.
According to him, God can move one from glory to glory spiritually, physically and materially.
He said those who had the privilege of moving from glory to glory in the bible, were also hardworking.
“They were all diligent and they had contact with the King of glory, which is Jesus Christ and so, you cannot afford to be lazy”.
Adeboye acknowledged the qualities of the ‘first born family’ across the globe.
”I want you all to know that your representatives all over the world are doing excellently well.
“Anywhere I go, in America, in Europe, in the Far East, in the Middle East, anybody they say is performing excellently well can be traced to the First Born Family,” he said.
The pastor. congratulated the family on its 30th year anniversary.
NAN reports that a 2,000-member mass choir drawn from parishes in the first born family, among others, sang at the programme.
It attracted a crowd of local and international faithful.(NAN)