In contemporary times, more church buildings, notably megachurches are witnessing a original building, kids of prominent pastors taking over the mantle of leadership.
Whereas this prepare is no longer fully original, its increasing visibility raises questions concerning the character of non secular leadership. Is pastorship turning into hereditary? Might well well additionally quiet or no longer it be?
From father to son, and daughter too
When Pastor Taiwo Odukoya of The Fountain of Existence Church passed away in August 2023, many mourned the loss of a revered non secular chief. Nevertheless within just a few weeks, the church announced his son, Jimmy Odukoya, because the original senior pastor, along with his daughter, Tolu Odukoya-Ijogun, appointed as Affiliate Senior Pastor.
Jimmy, already identified as a Nollywood actor and motivational speaker, became as soon as now leading one amongst Nigeria’s most influential Pentecostal ministries.
Equally, within the US, Bishop T.D. Jakes no longer too long within the past made headlines after struggling a huge coronary heart attack in late 2024. In April 2025, he formally announced his retirement from day-to-day leadership of The Potter’s Residence, handing over the reins to his daughter, Sarah Jakes Roberts, and her husband, Touré Roberts.
The couple had already constructed their maintain profitable ministry nonetheless are now coming into into the legacy of Bishop Jakes, one amongst basically the most prominent figures in world Christianity.
These are no longer isolated circumstances. In Ghana, Dag Heward-Mills, founding father of United Denominations Originating from the Lighthouse Neighborhood of Churches, has alive to his kids in ministry.
In Nigeria, Bishop David Oyedepo of Living Faith Church (Winners’ Chapel) has step by step been delegating critical roles to his sons. Though no formal handover has occurred, the signs are distinct.
Is that this biblical or cultural?
Critics argue that hereditary succession reveals the non secular calling historically associated with pastoral leadership. At the least, ministry is purported to be according to divine calling, no longer bloodline.
They cite the instance of Eli’s sons within the Bible who turn into out to be corrupt monks as a cautionary record about assuming non secular authority merely attributable to lineage.
On the plenty of hand, proponents of pastoral succession within households argue that it ensures continuity, preserves imaginative and prescient, and leverages years of mentoring.
They prove Timothy, mentored by Apostle Paul, and even King David’s directions to his son Solomon as biblical precedents for passing down leadership, even though no longer continuously within the church context.
In some church buildings, the task is more democratic. Elders, boards, or congregational votes pick who succeeds the pastor. Nevertheless in charismatic and Pentecostal circles, the founder’s authority normally extends to selecting their successor normally their maintain child.
It is more than correct bloodline
To be dazzling, hundreds of those successors aren’t mere figureheads. Sarah Jakes Roberts, for instance, instructions hundreds of thousands of followers all over platforms and has authored bestselling books. Jimmy Odukoya had been alive to by ministry on the support of the scenes for years before assuming leadership.
On the other hand, the inform remains: if non secular leadership turns into increasingly hereditary, would possibly maybe well well maybe it alienate in truth called folks who lack the “valid” final name? Might well well additionally it step by step shift church buildings from non secular communities to dynastic institutions?
What I bet
The pulpit isn’t a throne, and church buildings aren’t monarchies, no longer decrease than they’re no longer purported to be. Whereas it’s no longer execrable for a pastor’s child to succeed them, it turns into problematic when the task ignores non secular calling, preparation, and congregational wishes.
In the raze, whether or no longer pastorship turns into hereditary or no longer would possibly maybe well well maybe depend on one key thing: transparency. If church buildings are originate about their succession task and prioritize divine guidance over family ties, then in all likelihood the next generation of leaders whether or no longer kids of pastors or no longer would possibly maybe be embraced for who they’re, no longer correct the set they reach from.
