Adeboye is a leader of incredible foresight, says VHI CEO, Dr Tarkon, after free healthcare screening for pastors at RCCG Convention
By Ishaya Ibrahim
Dr. Joe Tarkon, presiding pastor of the City of David Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Atlanta, Georgia, and convener of a free cardiometabolic health screening for pastors and their families at the RCCG 2026 Annual Convention, has described Pastor Enoch Adeboye as a leader of incredible foresight.
Speaking in an interview, Tarkon said he has studied and followed Adeboye for over 30 years, describing him as one of the most adaptable leaders he has encountered. “He’s got a depth of understanding of the times and the season,” Tarkon said. “He has his fundamentals, his principles, his core values—they’re inflexible, but I’m not seeing a leader who is that flexible with the times and the season… He seems to have a grasp of the times and the needs of the times, and he adjusts his approach and strategy to meet those needs.”
Tarkon revealed that his organisation, Vital Health International (VHI), which he heads as Chief Executive Officer, has a longstanding relationship with the Adeboye family. Adeboye’s wife previously sponsored VHI’s health radio broadcasts.
“When I had the conversation with him about VHI… when I shared the vision of coming to do it for the pastors, he gave his immediate sign-off on it,” Tarkon said. “And I’m so glad that he endorsed it, and look at what you have seen here—you have seen how the pastors have been blessed.”
Tarkon disclosed that the programme recorded strong turnout from the outset, with some pastors arriving early to await the team’s arrival. “Yesterday, we saw about 500 patients. Today, over 500,” he said on the second day of the outreach.
On the logistics behind the screening, Tarkon said VHI drew on its experience running similar community health programmes over the past three to four years. He said he partnered with Dr. Sola Pitan, Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Health Management Board, and Dr. Lewis, a consultant in Ibadan, for the mobilisation of health personnel.
Tarkon said he was also joined by two doctors from the United Kingdom and the United States working in partnership with the Redeemer’s Health Village, which provided logistical support, including venue arrangements and seating.
Asked what would make future editions of the programme easier to execute, Tarkon called for stronger backing from spiritual and financial leaders. “I would like to have bigger support at different levels—the leadership from the spiritual level, because spiritual leaders are gatekeepers,” he said, urging regional and state pastors to encourage missionaries and clergy to prioritise their health.
He also appealed to individuals and organisations with financial capacity to support the initiative, noting that VHI covers the full cost of laboratory tests and medications for participants. “We are paying for all the labs—urinalysis, HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, electrocardiogram, full blood count, PSA… and the medications, we’re also paying for all of that,” he said.
Take care of your body
Dr. Tarkon used a health education session at the exercise to warn that spiritual devotion does not shield church leaders from physical illness, urging them to take personal responsibility for their health alongside their faith.
He referenced 3 John 2 and 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, stressing that while spiritual health is important, believers also carry personal responsibility for their physical wellbeing. “It’s your responsibility to take care of your body,” he said repeatedly, urging attendees to eat well, sleep well, and exercise.
Tarkon identified high blood pressure and diabetes as two conditions responsible for a rising number of sudden deaths among pastors and church leaders, describing them as “silent killers” that show few warning signs before causing serious harm.
He defined high blood pressure as any reading above 120/80, and urged attendees who had been diagnosed to strictly comply with prescribed medication rather than abandoning treatment once symptoms subsided. “Some conditions can only be managed… it can be managed so well that you will live your life and live it healthy,” he said.
Tarkon placed strong emphasis on sleep, urging pastors to get seven to eight hours of rest nightly, warning that chronic sleep deprivation contributes to hypertension, blood sugar dysregulation, and cardiac conditions.
Closing the session with a reference to Malachi 4:2, Tarkon urged pastors not to view medicine and faith as opposing forces. “Do not disregard medicine because you’re a man of faith, and do not disregard faith because you’re a man of science,” he said, describing spiritual practice and medical intervention as complementary wings toward long-term health.
Why screening targeted pastors, missionaries —Arikpo
Speaking separately, Pastor Ben Arikpo, who coordinated the outreach, explained that the VHI free screening at the RCCG Annual Convention was specifically designed to reach pastors and missionaries outside urban areas who lack access to quality healthcare.
Arikpo said turnout far exceeded expectations, with about 2,000 persons screened. He credited the outreach’s success to an unusually large medical team of 25 doctors and nearly 100 total health personnel, mobilised through Dr. Tarkon’s professional network across Ibadan, Ife, and Lagos, alongside Redeemer Medical Hospital Village staff.
Despite the scale, Arikpo acknowledged gaps—eye examinations and surgical services, features of past VHI outreaches, were excluded this time due to unanticipated demand, though organisers plan to address this going forward.
Given the response, Arikpo said the team is considering proposing to Dr. Tarkon and partner NGOs that the screening become an annual RCCG Convention feature.
