After 33 years of dedicated service at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), where he rose as a Zonal Pastor, Pastor Funso Popoola has embarked on a new chapter of obedience and faith. In December 2025, he formally exited RCCG to establish Grace Rock Church, a ministry he says was birthed out of a clear divine mandate to raise people of character, power, and influence. Speaking with Christian Benefits, the cleric reflects on his Christian journey, which began as an NYSC corps member in Borno State and steadily progressed to becoming one of the senior Zonal Pastors within RCCG. His story is one of service, growth, sacrifice, and obedience. Reflecting on his experience, Pastor Popoola notes that “some steps of faith are easier to preach than to practice.” He adds that obedience to God can sometimes be painful, but insists it remains deeply rewarding: “It is important to bear the consequences, because although obedience may be painful at times, it is ultimately highly profitable.” In this interview with Christian Benefits, Pastor Funso Popoola opens up on his RCCG years, the convictions behind his exit, and the faith journey that led to the birth of Grace Rock Church. Excerpts
Please, how will you prefer we introduce you?
I am Funsho Popoola, a child of God. I am dedicated to helping people find their pathways in God and to fulfill their destiny.
Congratulations on the inauguration of Grace Rock Church. Please, share the journey leading to the birth of the new church
I am someone who believes the essence of life is to serve God to be of benefit to humanity. I was in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) since 1992. I became a worker in 1995, and became a pastor in 2001. I was serving the Lord diligently until 2014, when the Lord told me I was going to start a new work for him. I just thought he wanted me to do more within the confines of RCCG, so I began to organize leadership and success seminars to help the upcoming people succeed in life. I thought that was all God wanted me to do. So, I put all my being into the work until he began sending people to me to tell about the assignment he asked me to do, which I have not heeded to. When God first spoke to me on April 25, 2014, I didn’t tell anyone because I didn’t want to be put under pressure but I was praying for the confirmation of his word through people. So, when he began sending people to me, I continued counting until the eighth person spoke to me in October 2014. The last one came with a warning of replacement. So, I had to get serious. I finally made up my mind in February, 2015. On July 6, I resigned from the Redeemed Christian Church of God (the RCCG) to start the present work.
Aside from the nudging, is that any specific vision upon which Grace Rock Church was eventually founded in December 2025?
Actually, I asked God what he wanted me to do, and he asked me to build people of power, character, and influence. The vision came by my hearing God to do a new work for him.
At what ministerial level or position were you when you exited from the RCCG to start this new work, Grace Rock Church?
As at the time I left the RCCG, I was the most senior zonal pastor in my zone. I was very close to being appointed a Province pastor. But I understood that God calling is beyond titles and positions but assignments.
Can we have a look at your background, including your rebirth encounter?
I was born into a Christian home in Osun state. I served with the choir for about 17 years, but I didn’t accept Christ until I went to serve (National Youth Service Corps, NYSC) in Bornu state at Word of Faith Ministry under Pastor Akpan Isiemere in November 1992. I finished serving and returned home and joined the Deeper Life Bible Church as a young believer.
Share how you joined the Redeemed Christian Church of God from Deeper Life and your steady growth in the faith from a young believer back then
There was a day we were going to church, and I stood in front of gate bus stop, Gowon Estate, Ipaja, to board a vehicle. It was about to rain. A friend standing beside me suggested that we enter an RCCG Parish in front of us. instead of returning home. We entered the church and participated in the service. We listened to the word. Instead of continuing our journey, we decided to stay. That was in 1992. By 1995, I went through the Believers class in RCCG and became a worker. By 1999, I was appointed an altar minister under Pastor Chris Lambo. In 2001, I was appointed a parish pastor, and my first parish was Royal Sanctuary, Gowon Estate until I was transferred to another Parish in Ikotun. At that time, I was an area pastor. From there, I was transferred to another place where I served for four years. By 2017 I was appointed a zonal pastor. When I joined as a youth, I was the president from 1996-1998. As at the time I left, I was a pastor in charge of zones. I was the coordinating pastor for Youth And Young Adults (YAYA) in Lagos, Province 72. I also became a coordinating pastor for protocol. I also served in different capacity where I helped people grow. Apart from my background in Anglican Church, I served faithfully in RCCG.
How will you describe your 33 years in RCCG, and to what extent has it impacted your Christian growth.
RCCG is a solid ground to build faith, relationship with God, and to experience a holy and righteous life, and how to serve. I was nurtured, raised and built by God in RCCG. Most of the things I know were learned from RCCG. I also learned what it takes to serve God without seeking gain in RCCG. RCCG is a church I can recommend to anyone.
How did it feel leaving the church (RCCG) to start a new ministry?
It wasn’t easy. It took a long time to eventually step out, and that period of waiting lasted from 2014 to 2025. Part of the reason I waited that long was out of reluctance and uncertainty of where to go, or start from. Families I have build relationships with, mentors that groomed me, and mentees I trained were all there. There was a bond I didn’t want to break until I received warning from the last word of knowledge. So, I had to spend time in the place of prayer to break free from the emotional attachments. Some steps of faith are easier to preach than to practice, but it important to bear the consciousness that sometimes obedience can be painful yet it is ultimately highly profitable. Until you obey God in a way that costs you, you have not started.
What is the clear mandate the Lord gave you for the new work, and some of the gifts he endowed you with to fulfill the mandate?
The clear mandate is to raise people of character, power, and influence. I had to seek clarity to understand what he required of me. He explained to me that character is the first way to assess a believer, which changes relative to salvation. Behavioral change is the deep heart of salvation. Then people who will embody the power of God to influence their generation. The first thing a believer receives upon salvation is power. Like in John 1:12; the power to become sons of God. The last is influence, and it thrives on people whose lives will influence others to be drawn to Christ. These include people who exercise their authority in Christ in their various spheres of influence. In Matt 5, scripture refers to believers as the salt of the earth. The salt influences things around it. When I received the mandate, I knew there’d be so much work to do. There are different kinds of believers in the church today, so it takes a lot of building to achieve the mandate.
What are the church programmes in line with this mandate?
Apart from the traditional Sunday service, we also run discipleship. Discipleship is a platform that gives the opportunity to dig into people’s lives, and help them build the character that God wants. We plan to have an elaborate Youth Empowerment Programme, where they will be empowered spiritually and physically, because we can’t raise people who are heavenly-minded and earthly-useless. God wants us to showcase his blessings, so he doesn’t operate with mediocrity. He is not a failure so he wants his children to showcase his glory here on earth so that when men see them, they will glorify God and be drawn to him. We also plan to dig into family-life including character issues, relationship issues which is now prevalent in today’s society, and the devil is very interested in it as well. There is all manner of aberrations, sexual pervasion, and many unthinkable evil. God wants us to show want it means to be in God’s will both in marriage and in relationships. We will also be focused on raising men, without looking down on the women folk. In scriptures, every time God needed to make a move, he usually sought after a man. It is not an accident that God created Adam first, as a male man before he created Eve as a female man. He used men to fulfill his will across different generations. In fact, when God was to come in flesh, he came as a male man. I see that there is a lot of duty, responsibility, and work for the male man. So many men don’t know what exactly it takes to be a man as a head in the home, as a model in the society and so on.
Where did we get it wrong in the rise of marital crises today, even among servants of God?
That is where the importance of the fruit of the spirit comes in. The fruit of the spirit is more difficult for people to cultivate than the gift of the spirit. The fruit is our proof of the life we have accepted in Christ. Exercising them helps to accommodate others, and in the case of marriage—one’s partner. It helps keep the journey going in spite of differences. Adam chose his wife and stayed with her even after the fall. The exception for divorce is if life is threatened. The Lord values our souls above marriage. Many men in the scripture didn’t get married, yet it didn’t stop them from fulfilling the work of God. In the end, there is no marriage in heaven. However, he’s the one that created the institution, and gave the mandate to procreate. It is to raise children that will serve God, and to preserve the generations of mankind. However, when life is threatened, let there be separation so the devil will not take advantage of the crash. When clashing couples are separated for a while and peace is restored, then they can get back together. (To be concluded)
