Guidelines For Church Planting

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VISION / MISSION STATEMENT 

As received by the General Overseer, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, and communicated to the Headquarters leaders, our vision and mission statement shall remain intact with the qualifying addendum in view of the peculiarity of the demography in the North American region, which is to plant churches within 10 minutes driving distance in the North American and Caribbean countries. 

GOALS AND STRATEGIES 

Intensify evangelism at local parishes using various means of evangelism such as:

• One-verse evangelism;

• Special outreach programs during holidays and at community events;

• Personal evangelism using Operation Andrew;

• Holy Ghost services at Local, Area, State and Zonal Level;

• Special seminars that can be of interest to your community where opportunity can be seized to win souls;

• Establishment of Home Fellowship centers. 

METHODOLOGY 

• A matured house fellowship may metamorphose into a regular Sunday worship center.

• Members won to Christ at an organized crusade or seminar may be assigned a Minister to commence a Church in the neighborhood.

• A group of brethren living in the same area of a town may be segregated from a growing church and appointed a Minister to start a church in their area. 

Any such mode of church planting or whatever the circumstance must fulfill the 30 minutes driving distance from an existing RCCG church.  

MEMBERSHIP 

Membership shall be open to all who willingly have submitted themselves to learn under the feet of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, without any hesitation / reservation to the teaching as contained in the doctrines of The Redeemed Christian Church of God as derived from the Holy Bible (please refer to the fundamental tenets of The RCCG). 

SERVICES 

Members of the congregation shall meet for regular religious services every Sunday. The scheduling mid-week programs, that is, Prayer Meeting and Bible Study (Digging Deep) shall be determined by the Parish Pastor as agreed with the church elders / workers.

APPOINTMENT OF PASTOR – IN – CHARGE 

The Chairman, Board of Coordinators, Coordinators, Area Pastor, or Pastor – In – Charge of an existing Parish, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit may appoint an already ordained Pastor or a dedicated and tested church worker from within the congregation as the Head of the new church. Such person’s background, moral and religious character, Ministry training received must meet required RCCG standard. 

A letter of appointment shall be issued to define roles, responsibilities and the limitations of the Pastor. A standard letter of engagement should be developed and ratified by the Board of Coordinators. 

Pastors may be promoted and be moved or transferred from one parish to another without any resistance. 

LOCATIONS 

Locations and venue shall be determined by the mother church / area / zone based on neighborhood of targeted souls, proximity and financial capacity. 

IDENTITY AND LOGO 

The parent parish should give leaders of new Parishes the authentic RCCG logo for use on stationery, billboards and other promotional items. It must not be modified! 

OVERSEAS OUTREACH OF A NIGERIAN PARISH 

Permission and guidelines of the Chairman, Board of Coordinators or his designate before any church or individual from outside North America or the Caribbean countries can plant a church in the region. 

RELOCATION OF PASTORS 

Ministers who relocate from within North America or outside the region must report to the Zonal Coordinator. Referral letter(s) must be obtained from his / her last Parish / Area Pastor. Such person’s status must be validated and antecedents examined before being considered for a posting. This is imperative to avoid harboring a person of dubious character, or who may have been suspended or expelled from another place. 

REGISTRATION 

3 Coordinators and two nominees chosen by the zonal coordinator must sign registration of trustees.  In exceptional cases, the coordinator nominates the signatories. 

INAUGURATION & DEDICATION 

Formal inauguration would be held within 3 months of commencement, subject to attainment of a minimum of 20 regular adult members while 50 regular adult membership must be attained before the parish can be dedicated. ONLY the General Overseer or his nominee can conduct a dedication. 

SUBVENTION / FINANCIAL COMMITMENT 

• It shall be the primary responsibility of any (mother) parish, area or zone planting a new (baby) parish to provide all setup costs including rent for a minimum period of six months, provision of basic facilities such as drums & musical equipment, public address system and other furniture and equipment considered necessary for a smooth take-off of a new parish. 

• The $5,000 grant from RCCGNA shall be a bonus to such new parish to meet other needs and it should be noted that the grant shall be paid only at the convenience of RCCGNA i.e. payable when able, however, this may not exceed a period of six months after the birth of the parish.

• RCCGNA under the leadership of the Chairman of Board of Coordinators or the coordinators has the prerogative to prioritize the order of payment of this grant based on need or other interests of the Church at large.  It is not necessarily on first come first served basis.

• Where a new parish is so blessed and becomes financially buoyant within a short period of its existence, it is not mandatory for RCCGNA to pay the $5,000 grant as such fund could be channeled to other areas of need in the best interest of RCCGNA.

• While a baby parish is still under one year old and is facing financial difficulties, financial assistance could be sought from the mother parish who is morally and spiritually bound to come to rescue before help could be sought elsewhere.

MONTHLY REPORTS AND REMITTANCE 

• Newly planted Parishes are not exempted from forwarding the usual monthly progress reports to their Zonal Coordinators within the stipulated deadline right from their first month of commencement. Copies of such reports must be sent to the mother parish for supervision within the first one year.

(a) Every parish under one year: Shall remit 10% of tithes and offering. 

(b) Every parish between 1-2 year: Shall remit 15% of tithes and offering. 

(c) Every parish over 2 years: Shall remit 20% of tithes and offering.