Rev. Isaac Omolehin, Founder of The Word Assembly Churches, has declared that Nigerian Christianity lacks a single unifying “father of the church,” asserting that respected leaders such as Pastor E.A. Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor William Kumuyi of Deeper Christian Life Ministry, and Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) are denominational heads rather than fathers to the entire body of Christ in Nigeria.
Speaking on the issue of spiritual fatherhood in Christendom, Rev. Omolehin emphasized that true fatherhood in the Nigerian church context must transcend denominational boundaries and speak to all believers, regardless of affiliation.
“Without sounding disrespectful, these are denominational leaders,” he stated. “Christianity in Nigeria has no father. A person that can speak as a father to Christians in Nigeria must be a father to all, not just to members of his own church or denomination.”
Rev. Omolehin argued that while these prominent clerics serve as spiritual fathers within their respective ministries alongside figures like Bishop David Oyedepo of Living Faith Church Worldwide they do not hold the position of overarching paternal figures for Nigerian Christianity as a whole. He maintained that the nation’s Christian community currently lacks such a unifying paternal authority.
The comments have sparked discussions within Christian circles about leadership, unity, and the role of denominations in the Nigerian church. Rev. Omolehin’s position underscores ongoing debates regarding spiritual authority, inter-denominational collaboration, and the need for voices that represent the broader body of Christ, particularly in addressing national issues affecting Christians.
Rev. Omolehin called for a deeper reflection on what constitutes true spiritual fatherhood in a diverse and multi-denominational landscape like Nigeria’s.