The Mountain of Adeboye

When I used to attend charismatic/pentecostal churches, the leaders liked to present their churches as some kind of mountains. It was as though each founder received special privileges from God for their respective ministries.

So, if you are a member of MFM, for instance, it is easy to call fire on your enemies and also receive miracles. Why? Because you are on the mountain of fire. If you therefore leave to another church (or mountain, if you like) you have lost the privileges that the founder received from God, which by extension, was yours also.

This vibe of mountain attachment leads many people to move from one mountain to another, in search of answered prayers. Every founder/leader comes with various stories to convince members/prospective members why they should remain on that mountain.

Solomon and the Temple

The closest example I can see, biblically, that appears to support this belief, on the surface, is the one of Solomon praying to God after the dedication of the temple. Let’s read —

27“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! 28Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O LORD my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day, 29that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. 30And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

If you continue reading the Scripture above, you will see so many privilges that Solomon asks for anyone who prayed toward the temple/place/house/altar. Following this, many pentecostal/charismatic GOs see themselves as Solomons who have obtained special privileges for their commissions.

You may ask, what is wrong with this? I will tell you —

1. When Solomon prayed, it was for the whole of Israel. The temple being dedicated here was not Solomon’s church or ministry. It was the temple for the worship of God throughout the land.
2. In the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman, the issue of the temple came up and Jesus replied that — 21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. … when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” With this, Jesus made it clear that the true worship of God is not restricted to a place or location but to the heart soaked in God’s truth. Each person can now approach God without going through a mountain.
3. The church of God, as we see in Acts 2:42, “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers”. If any man receives any commission to do anything apart from this, that commission is not the church of Jesus Christ.

The Mountain of RCCG

“I decree in the Name above every other name, Christians from every other denomination will bow before you” — Pastor E.A Adeboye

It is very sad that the GO of the biggest pentecostal church in Nigeria would say this. What is even worse is that thousands would say “Amen”.

Pst Adeboye is here promoting a “us vs them” mindset, that if you are a member of RCCG and your friends are not, you will excel more than them. This is not about saved vs unsaved, this is about the mountain where you choose to worship.

Pst Adeboye is here promoting hatred among believers, contrary to Jesus teachings. John 13:35 says “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another”. How can I love you and here I am praying for your demotion while I pray for my increase.

Pst Adeboye is here promoting worldliness among professing Christians, contrary to Jesus’ teaching. This is an indirect charge for you to gain wealth, status, fame or power above your younger brother who is sadly attending another “mountain” or church. And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15

Adeboye vs Jesus

It is clear from the above that Baba Adeboye’s statement in that video is unbiblical. It is one that can cause division among the brethren. When the disciples argued among themselves who was the greatest, Jesus answered them. Also, when the sons of Zebedee privately lobbied Jesus for a seat in His kingdom, Jesus answered them. He said —

25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Is it not along these lines that the Apostle Paul said in Philipians 2:3 —

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Now, let’s compare the above against the words of Baba Adeboye:

“I decree in the Name above every other name, Christians from every other denomination will bow before you” — Pastor E.A Adeboye