Enoch Adeboye

== Ministry ==
Adejare Adeboye joined the [[Redeemed Christian Church of God|Redemed Christian Church of God]] in 1973 and served as an interpreter before he was ordained a [[pastor]] in the church by Pa. Josiah Akindayomi in 1975.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-06-14|title=Why Adeboye was ordained pastor in 2 years|url=https://thecable.ng/why-adeboye-was-ordained-pastor-in-2-years|access-date=2021-01-27|website=TheCable|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-02-14 |title=How Adeboye became RCCG's General Overseer {{!}} Premium Times Nigeria |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/442851-how-adeboye-became-rccgs-general-overseer.html |access-date=2022-04-24 |language=en-GB}}</ref> He became General Overseer of the church in 1981.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Enoch|first1=Adeboye|title=About Enoch Adeboye – EAAdeboye.com|url=https://eaadeboye.com/about/|website=eaadeboye.com|publisher=Enoch Adejare Adeboye|access-date=14 May 2018}}</ref> For three years, he filled the role part-time at [[Unilorin]] before giving up his university position to preach full-time.<ref name=newsweek>Lisa Miller, [http://www.newsweek.com/newsweek-50-e-adeboye-83039 The Newsweek 50: E. A. Adeboye], ''Newsweek.com'', 20 December 2008</ref><ref name=Ositelu>[https://books.google.com/books?id=yIGFMLeT0n0C&dq=Enoch+Adeboye&pg=PA104 African instituted churches], Rufus Okikiolaolu Olubiyi Ositelu. LIT Verlag Berlin-Hamburg-Münster</ref> In 2017, Adeboye announced his resignation as General Overseer, but be retained the role.<ref>{{cite News |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/01/breaking-pastor-adeboye-retires-general-overseer-rccg/ |title=Pastor Adeboye retires as General Overseer of RCCG |date=7 January 2017 |newspaper=[[Vanguard (Nigeria)|Vanguard]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Why Adeboye stepped down as head of Nigeria’s Redeemed Church |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/219848-adeboye-stepped-head-nigerias-redeemed-church.html?tztc=1 |first=Festus |last=Owete |date=7 January 2017 |newspaper=[[Premium Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Pastor Adeboye reveals why he wanted to resign as RCCG General Overseer |url=https://dailypost.ng/2022/03/28/pastor-adeboye-reveals-why-he-wanted-to-resign-as-rccg-general-overseer/ |date=28 March 2022 |first=Seun |last=Opejobi |newspaper=[[Daily Post (Nigeria)|Daily Post]]}}</ref>

The church which was not well known before Adeboye became the General Overseer, has branches in about 198<ref name=":0" /> nations as of (March 2017), including more than 14,000,000 worshipers in Nigeria.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Times |first=Premium |date=2021-02-14 |title=How Adeboye became RCCG's General Overseer |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/442851-how-adeboye-became-rccgs-general-overseer.html |access-date=2022-09-22 |website=Premium Times Nigeria |language=en-GB}}</ref> Adeboye has stated that he aims to put a church within five minutes walking distance in developing cities and five minutes driving distance in developed cities.<ref name=newsweek />

Adeboye is considered a preacher of the [[prosperity gospel]],<ref>{{Cite journal|title=The prosperity theology's impact on the contemporary Nigerian Church and society|url=https://www.academia.edu/37126031|date=29 September 2017|access-date=29 December 2019|author=Goka Muele Mpigi|journal=Department of Religious and Cultural Studies, Akwa Ibom State University|publisher=Academia.edu}}</ref> a claim he does not deny, saying that "[[Pentecostalism|Pentecostals]] have such an impact because they talk of the here and now, not just the by and by… while we have to worry about heaven, there are some things God could do for us in the here and now."<ref>{{cite web|title=Op-Ed: Nigerian prosperity gospel churches fleece the poor|url=http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/313930#ixzz69Yi9SAIP|publisher=Digital Journal|author=John Thomas Didymus|date=5 November 2011|access-date=29 December 2019}}</ref>

He celebrated his 80th birthday in 2022. Adeboye's foundation donated eight [[Kidney dialysis machines|dialysis machines]] to Wuse District Hospital, together with a [[reverse osmosis]] medical water purification system and an electrical generator.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-21 |title=Foundation commemorates Adeboye's birthday with donations in Abuja, Bauchi |url=https://guardian.ng/news/foundation-commemorates-adeboyes-birthday-with-donations-in-abuja-bauchi/ |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News |language=en-US}}</ref>