HISTORY OF THE FIRST-BORN FAMILY
The First Born Family (formerly known as the Ikeja Family) was the first model parish that was birthed in 1988 out of the vision that God gave to our Father in the Lord, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor E. A. Adeboye (Daddy G.O.). His vision was to set up a parish that will be a MODEL in terms of holiness, evangelism, obedience, love for God, love for His people and church growth and also a gathering of professionals and the upwardly mobile in society. It was expected to grow up to a thousand worshippers within a year.
Thereafter, he called three young adults - a Lawyer, a Medical doctor and a Banker, presented them with the vision and urged them to get a suitable place of worship that would befit the vision. An abandoned property was located on 1, Ladipo Oluwole Street, off Adeniyi Jones Street, Ikeja in Lagos State, Nigeria. The building was duly paid for and renovated for worship purposes. Subsequently, a crop of young believers (mostly youths) from already existing parishes of the RCCG around the Ikeja, Lagos axis were sent to start the model parish. The RCCG Ladipo Oluwole Parish was prayerfully birthed on Sunday 22 May 1988. The foundation of the new parish was built on prayers as the workers held vigils on Wednesday and Friday every week. This was followed up with consistent house to house evangelism and follow up every Sunday. The church began to grow in leaps and in bounds.
Recommencement of Church Service
In March 1989, ten months after the inception, the parish faced a major challenge that led to the temporary loss of the place of worship. With God’s divine intervention and in response to prayers, some brethren gathered in a brother’s house to create a fellowship group with a view to recommence services. After about 5-6 weeks, it was divinely possible for the church to return to her original place of worship.
The explosion and ‘scattering’ stage
Within the first one year after the recommencement of services in 1989, the church grew up to almost 1,000 members as projected. The Ikeja parish became a model to behold. The growth of the parish increased as the messages preached were deep in righteousness, intense fellowship and love. The model parish was undoubtedly established.
The Ikeja Parish began to give birth to other Parishes within the Lagos axis in 1992 in line with the instruction of the General Overseer to “scatter”. The Parish was moved to her present location along Acme Road, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos with a new name of the Dominion Sanctuary in 1992. The FirstBorn Family embarked on a foreign mission drive in 1995. Parishes were started in the United States of America, Kenya, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Canada initially, other Parishes were later pioneered in India, Italy, New Zealand, China, the United Arab Emirate etc.
In September 1999, the First Born Family became Headquarters State 2 back then. An RCCG State was made up of Areas and Areas were made up of Parishes. The RCCG State 2 grew exponentially within one year such that the General Overseer divided the state into two in year 2000 namely, Headquarters States 2A with headquarters in Ikeja, Lagos and 2B with headquarters in Festac Town, Lagos.
The Birth of Region 19
The Firstborn Family was upgraded to be a Region, comprising of Provinces, Zones, Areas and Parishes in year 2014. The Region started with Sixteen Provinces. Today, the First Born Family has over 2,300 parishes in Nigeria alone with parishes in other African countries, North America, Europe, Asia and other continents of the world.
It presently has thirteen Provinces, having contributed several provinces to other Regions and mega parishes to other provinces in other Regions over the years due to expansion. Glory to God. The Firstborn Family currently has branches in the United Kingdom, The United States of America, Canada and in Mainland Europe. The headquarters of the Firstborn Family/ Region 19 is the Dominion Sanctuary, Acme Road, Ikeja, Lagos.
To God be the glory.
