Pastors lobby to head ‘lucrative’ RCCG, Central Parish

*Why they run helter-skelter to head the parish
Ugochi Ndukwe
Over the years in Nigeria pentecostal churches have grown to become more of business ventures than places where you go to commune with God and worship with other brethren.
The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Central Parish in Abuja, according to Citypeople Mag was Abuja’s first RCCG parish. It is called the Central parish because of its location up North.
The Central parish used to be a place where most senior pastors served before regions were created. Despite the creation of regions and delegation of power, the Central parish has continued to hold its own attractions. It is said to be the most sought after RCCG parish in the North, because it is also the richest parish in the region.
Just like the Olive Tree Parish on Banana Island in Lagos, the Central Parish has this attraction because of the calibre of members that worship there. The members include prominent politicians like governors, ministers, permanent secretaries, directors and other high net worth individuals.
It is also a place for high level networking if you are keen and know how to go about it without arousing suspicion. Based on this, the parish has become one of the choice places to be for business owners, single ladies and men who want to show that they are strong and clean Christians and want to meet top government players who also worship in the parish.
Evidently, the pastor of such a parish is usually showered with expensive gifts and has the sympathetic ear of people who are highly placed in the society, especially when the pastor in charge is a firebrand who knows how to pray and deliver apt messages.
Due to these ‘advantages’ there is stiff competition and intense lobbying to get appointed as the pastor in charge of the Central Parish of the RCCG in Abuja. It was gathered that the lobbyists go as far as Lagos to ensure that they are given the post. However the church leadership ensures that any pastor posted to the parish is Biblically sound and can manage a congregation of influential, wealthy and enlightened people.