The Pastor in Charge of Youth Province 1 of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Oluwagbemileke Adeboye, has urged churches to embrace community development initiatives as a major strategy for growth.
According to a statement issued on Friday by Martins Olusakin, Adeboye made the remarks during the RCCG YP1 CSR Summit 2026 held in Lekki. He stressed that showing the love of Christ through social responsibility is a fundamental part of the Christian faith.
Speaking from Matthew 25:35–36, he said, “For the basis of Christianity, this is how we are meant to push the love of Christ, community impact is a key driver of church growth.”
The summit gathered pastors, church leaders, and stakeholders to discuss ways churches can strengthen their engagement with communities through organised Christian Social Responsibility programmes.
Adeboye explained that churches must go beyond spiritual exercises by actively contributing to solutions that address societal and human challenges.
Also speaking, the Assistant Pastor in Charge of Province CSR, Pastor Martins Olusakin, described the summit as the beginning of a broader initiative designed to reposition churches as instruments of positive change within society.
“This is not just a one-time event. It is the beginning of a movement that will empower churches to become visible forces of transformation within their communities,” he said.
Olusakin revealed that RCCG Youth Province 1 had spent more than ₦37 million over the last 11 months to provide meals for over 3,500 people every week.
He added that the province also committed over ₦18 million to educational support through scholarship schemes and back-to-school projects, while additional interventions covered healthcare services, vocational training, and business support grants.
The National Coordinator 2 of RCCG CSR, Detola Akinremi, noted that church expansion should not only be assessed spiritually but also through physical growth, adding that CSR efforts have contributed to rising attendance figures.
“Church growth is measured not only spiritually but also physically. From institutional outreaches, we have seen measurable increases in attendance, which shows that CSR is a tool for church growth and must be approached intentionally,” he said.
Akinremi also disclosed that the church is currently undertaking projects valued at over ₦1 billion, including the construction of a 750-capacity theatre at Redeemer’s University and an Intensive Care Unit in Osun State.
According to him, “Churches should focus on building lasting social institutions such as rehabilitation centres rather than only distributing food items.”
The summit featured discussions centred on rehabilitation and reintegration, mental health advocacy, sustainable outreach programmes, and strategies for deeper community integration.
Participants at the event expressed commitment to launching initiatives including prison outreach programmes, feeding schemes, and empowerment projects across their churches.