The Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) is a Pentecostal church in the Aladura movement, which was founded by Samuel Bilehou Joseph Oshoffa on the 29th September 1947 in Porto-Novo, Benin. It has spread from West Africa to all over the world, boasting thousands of parishes (branches). The Church is currently led by his Eminence, Pastor Reverend, Emmanuel Mobiyina Friday Oshoffa. The Celestial Church of Christ boasts of millions of worshippers as of today.
-Benin Headquarters: Porto-Novo, Benin Republic.
-Supreme Headquarters: Tchakou, Benin Republic.
-International Headquarters: CCC Ketu International, Lagos Nigeria.
-Nigeria National Headquarters: CCC Archdiocese Makoko, Yaba, Lagos Nigeria.
-Worldwide Headquarters / Pilgrimage: Celestial City, Imeko, Ogun State, Nigeria.
A BRIEF HISTORY.
Oshoffa was a former carpenter born in Dahomey (now Benin) in 1909. Raised as a Methodist, he had a divine revelation while lost in a forest on 23rd May 1947 during the period of the solar eclipse. He felt called to pray, to heal the sick, and to raise the dead. He founded the Celestial Church Of Christ in September 1947 in Dahomey (now Benin Republic). As the Prophet, Reverend, Pastor, and Founder, he occupied the highest office of this Christian movement. Many miracles and signs such as rasing of the dead, healing the sick, prophesying and many others. He passed on in 1985 in Lagos, Nigeria.
The CCC was recognized and authorized by the Republic of Dahomey in 1965. From 1976, the Church launched an evangelistic campaign in that country, a former colony of French, which had become independent in 1960. From the late 1990s, the Church has utilized various means of Evangelism, thus allowing the many existing branches of the church within the Africa and diaspora in such nations as the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, France and the United States. Nigeria and Benin Republic are the nations in which the CCC is currently most popular. The movement has continued to grow ever since its establishment in 1947. Oshoffa was succeeded by Alexander Abiodun Adebayo Bada, who was head of the church until his death on 8 September 2000. Bada was briefly followed as leader by Philip Hunsu Ajose, who died in March 2001. A dispute followed after the death of Ajose. At that period, Some declared Gilbert Oluwatosin Jesse as the new leader, while the majority recognised Reverend Emmanuel Oshoffa, son of Church founder as the leader of the Church.
The church gets inspiration from God through the manifestation of the Holy Spirit among its faithful. Its doctrinal teachings are based on the Bible, and any superstition or animist belief from traditional African religions is excluded, as in other churches in the White Garment fold.
The church doctrines include prohibitions on tobacco, alcohol, and pork. The church constitution also stands as a written document for tenets of the church. One of the major doctrines is the wearing of certain styled white garments without footwear,
Mission: The mission of the Church is to “win and nurture souls for the kingdom of God”. The church claims to be the “last ship of Salvation” and to cleanse the world.
The Celestial Church Of Christ also has the record of having the most numbers of the church themed blogs and influencers online. Some usernames has the prefix or suffix such as celestial, ijomimo, ccc, celestian, parish, cathedral, oshoffa etc
This Church is also the largest white garment Church in the world.
By Ologunwa Emmanuel
