By Bisi Daniels
“Now, let me tell you one little secret,” Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) told the congregation at the Special Prayer Session With RCCG Family for Gratitude, Forgiveness and Mercy on Friday at the Redemption City.
They did not have to wait too long: “The coming Holy Ghost Congress 2022 is a kind that we have never seen before,” he said.
Like recent ones, the Holy Ghost Congress 2022, with the theme, “Double Portion” will commence at the Old Auditorium from Monday, 5th December to Wednesday 7th December 2022 and then move to the New Auditorium for the remaining days (Thursday 8th to Sunday 11t December 2022).
The difference, as the theme suggests, is that everything God has been doing for participants, will come in double portion, according to Pastor Adeboye, who also hinted at some of the highlights of the week-long programme
“ At the plenary session on Monday, 5th December, 2022, we are going to have “Praise Night”.We are going to sing and praise god and dance before Him and restitute for all the years that we have not been grateful enough.
Throughout the day on Monday, there will be special programs for various age groups, some of which will be broadcast on Dove TV Media.
“ On Tuesday, 6th December, we will be talking on: “The Oil Of Gladness”. We will be attacking anything at all that is causing us sorrow.
“ Wednesday, 7th December, we will be talking on: “The Healing Virtues”. That day, every sick person will be anointed because the Word of God says, “If any is sick among you, let them call for the elders and let them anoint them!”.Anointing for healing is going to ‘flow mightily’ on that Wednesday!
“ On Thursday, 8th December, the topic will be: “From Curses To Blessings”. Everyone at the Thursday servicewill be anointed – anointing that will cancel every curse that had been in our families.
“ Friday, 9th December, is ‘The Big Day”.
Morning sessions will feature talks and prayers followed by personal ministrations, while the afternoon sessions are devoted to teaching and sharing of experiences by accomplished professionals and ministers of God in various areas of human endeavour, including marriage, business, ministry and healthy living.
The Congress, attended by people from all over the world, has always also been characterised by miracles, signs and wonders and the anointing of mantles like handkerchiefs, which believers have used for healing miracles and even raising the dead.
The Congress, which was first held in the Lekki area of Lagos, with the theme: “Divine Visitation,” on December 18, 1998, came as a divine inspiration to worship God in an all-night affair.
Though an estimated two million people were expected at the first programme, those in attendance were more than double that number.
In the quest for bigger space, better logistics and security, the programme was moved to the Redemption Camp (now Redemption City), where it has been hosted ever since.
That movement also witnessed the expansion of the programme to a three-day affair from 1999 to 2001.
It metamorphosed into its present format of six days withmorning, afternoon and evening sessions of teachings, prayers and healing sessions. The Congress usually draws millions of participants to the Redemption City, with many of them staying in there until the end of the programme.