The General Overseer, Pastor James Abolarin, grew up in Osa-Ekiti, Nigeria in a nominal Christian home. His father was committed to the Anglican Missionary Church, but his mother was a secular, but kind, woman. At 15, James began to resent the orthodoxy that prevailed in the Angelica Church. He wanted more than organized religion. He left his home town for Lagos City in 1970. There, he heard the true gospel being preached at the Gospel Mission Assembly where he gave his life to Christ in December 1972. He became a new creature in Christ and was baptized with Holy Ghost on Palm Sunday 1973. He received his call to the ministry of the gospel in 1975. He served as an associate pastor until he was promoted to become the pastor of Free Gospel Assembly from 1978 until 1981, when he left Nigeria to come to America. He came to United States with a burning vision which later led to the pioneering of Christ Centered Gospel Church.
Pastor James Abolarin is the founder and Senior Pastor of Christ Centered Gospel Church (CCGC). His calling into the ministry of the gospel was dramatic; more like that of a prophet when he said yes to the Lord in 1975. His first aspiration in life was to become a lawyer, but God overruled. After receiving his high calling, he spent two years in fasting and prayer because of his holy burden to promote the Kingdom of Christ on earth. He was as committed to holy living and to finding the will of God as he was resolute to preaching the gospel to all people. What makes the calling of Pastor James dramatic was the undeniable move of God in his ministry, with many real life testimonies. He has authored a book entitled The Divine Intervention of God in Human Triumph. Christ has been using him all these years to lead many to the knowledge of Christ. The ministry of healing and deliverance under the power of God’s anointing continue to characterize his high calling, with the spiritual gifts in operation to bless the body of Christ.
Pastor James also has an insatiable desire for education. He was led to go to LIFE Bible College where he received theological training for 3 years. He got his Bachelor of Ministry from Covington Seminary, Georgia. He went further to obtain his first degree in Business Administration at Phoenix University. As a lifelong learner, he moved on to earn his master’s degree in Community Counseling from Argosy University, and is currently about to finish his PhD degree in Counseling Education and Supervision (CES) at Walden University. Rev. James started the first pre-dominantly African gospel church in Atlanta in 1986 by the divine leading of Christ. Since then his ministry has reached out to various ethnicities in Georgia with the gospel of Christ. His wife (Kehinde Abolarin) has since received the high calling to start another branch of the church in McDonough, Georgia. Pastor James’ undying passion and vision have continued unabated regardless of many challenges. God who called him has not finished with him yet. His dedication to serve the Lord wholeheartedly is what motivates him to be spirited in the ministry of the gospel.