In current occasions, extra church buildings, notably megachurches are witnessing a brand new pattern, kids of outstanding pastors taking up the mantle of management. 

Whereas this apply just isn’t completely new, its rising visibility raises questions in regards to the nature of religious management. Is pastorship turning into hereditary? Ought to it’s?

From father to son, and daughter too

When Pastor Taiwo Odukoya of The Fountain of Life Church handed away in August 2023, many mourned the lack of a revered religious chief. However inside a number of weeks, the church introduced his son, Jimmy Odukoya, as the brand new senior pastor, together with his daughter, Tolu Odukoya-Ijogun, appointed as Affiliate Senior Pastor. 

Jimmy, already often called a Nollywood actor and motivational speaker, was now main one in all Nigeria’s most influential Pentecostal ministries.

Equally, in america, Bishop T.D. Jakes not too long ago made headlines after struggling a large coronary heart assault in late 2024. In April 2025, he formally introduced his retirement from day-to-day management of The Potter’s Home, handing over the reins to his daughter, Sarah Jakes Roberts, and her husband, Touré Roberts. 

The couple had already constructed their very own profitable ministry however at the moment are entering into the legacy of Bishop Jakes, one of the vital outstanding figures in international Christianity.

These should not remoted instances. In Ghana, Dag Heward-Mills, founding father of United Denominations Originating from the Lighthouse Group of Church buildings, has concerned his kids in ministry. 

In Nigeria, Bishop David Oyedepo of Residing Religion Church (Winners’ Chapel) has progressively been delegating important roles to his sons. Although no formal handover has occurred, the indicators are clear.

Is that this biblical or cultural?

Critics argue that hereditary succession exhibits the religious calling historically related to pastoral management. In spite of everything, ministry is meant to be primarily based on divine calling, not bloodline. 

They cite the instance of Eli’s sons within the Bible who turned out to be corrupt clergymen as a cautionary story about assuming religious authority merely attributable to lineage.

However, proponents of pastoral succession inside households argue that it ensures continuity, preserves imaginative and prescient, and leverages years of mentoring. 

They level to Timothy, mentored by Apostle Paul, and even King David’s directions to his son Solomon as biblical precedents for passing down management, although not at all times inside the church context.

In some church buildings, the method is extra democratic. Elders, boards, or congregational votes decide who succeeds the pastor. However in charismatic and Pentecostal circles, the founder’s authority usually extends to picking their successor generally their very own little one.

It’s extra than simply bloodline

To be truthful, many of those successors aren’t mere figureheads. Sarah Jakes Roberts, as an example, instructions tens of millions of followers throughout platforms and has authored bestselling books. Jimmy Odukoya had been concerned in ministry behind the scenes for years earlier than assuming management.

Nevertheless, the priority stays: if religious management turns into more and more hereditary, might it alienate genuinely referred to as people who lack the “proper” final title? Might it progressively shift church buildings from religious communities to dynastic establishments?

What I believe

The pulpit isn’t a throne, and church buildings aren’t monarchies, a minimum of they’re not alleged to be. Whereas it’s not mistaken for a pastor’s little one to succeed them, it turns into problematic when the method ignores religious calling, preparation, and congregational wants.

Finally, whether or not pastorship turns into hereditary or not could depend upon one key factor: transparency. If church buildings are open about their succession course of and prioritize divine steerage over household ties, then maybe the following era of leaders whether or not kids of pastors or not will likely be embraced for who they’re, not simply the place they arrive from.