2sExy1:
Written by Simon Ateba/Lagos

‎The Revelation that worshippers at Christ Embassy Headquarters ‎in Lagos were made to pay N1,000 each as gate fee to attend a New Year’s Eve service on Wednesday presided over by controversial pastor and self-acclaimed healer, Reverend Chris Oyakhilome‎, is not only shameful, it is another confirmation that some Nigerian pastors are using God’s name to enrich themselves on earth while promising their followers milk and honey in heaven.

To gain access to the venue of the service at Christ Embassy Headquarters on Billings ‎Way in Oregun Area of Lagos on Wednesday evening, worshippers were compelled to obtain gate passes that sold for N1,000 each.

Those who could not afford such passes were turned back and told that they could go elsewhere to worship. ‎
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‎While the shameful ‎practice ‎is not new in Christ Embassy Church, it led to an uproar in 2011 when it was first introduced with many people describing it as a clear extortion, abuse of Jesus’ teachings and a confirmation that some Nigerian churches are more interested in making money rather than winning souls. ‎
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But the church explained, though informally, that it was a way of controlling the crowd or discouraging thousands of people who come to church once a year on 31 December thereby preventing “real worshippers” from securing seats.

The argument did not win many fans and under a barrage of criticisms, the church prayed the matter would be forgotten.

But the practice has continued and is now seen as routine with those who cannot afford the money being turned back on 31 December of each year.

For the sake of honesty, it is our opinion that this practice is contrary to all the teachings of Jesus Christ, his life and his person. ‎

It is demonic, anti-Christ and extremely ignominious. ‎It takes greed and materialism to a preposterous level.

Worshippers in Christ Embassy and former staff have complained in the past that the emphasis was being focused too much on money in the church rather than on spiritual things Jesus Christ taught his disciples more than 2,000 years ago in Israel. ‎

Just weeks ago, when Oyakhilome celebrated his glamorous birthday, [size=22pt]parishes were asked to contribute N10 million each for the big celebration[/size]. ‎

Those who criticise the church are often branded unbelievers and threatened that they would incur the wrath of God.

“Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm,” sincere critics are often warned.‎

While virtually all prosperity churches in Nigeria apply the principles of “giving ‎to the church to receive from God”, many say the level of financial demands and pressures in Christ Embassy Church is unusually high.‎

With over 70 percent of Nigerians living in abject poverty and on less than two dollars a day, many people are made to believe that the demons are responsible for their financial, physical and emotional problems.

They run to pastors like Oyakhilome for healing, miracles, blessing and protection. ‎

But once in church, pastors tell worshippers that to prosper and be blessed by God, they need to give ten percent of all their incomes to God. They also need to give ten percent of all their increases.‎

By giving to God, they mean, they need to “sow a seed in the church”.

When they give money to the church, worshippers are ‎told, the “money goes into their future.” and transform their lives.‎
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To refuse “to sow a seed” is “to condemn yourself to a life of hardship and misery”, pastors say.‎

But while few worshippers eventually prosper, it is the pastors who end up becoming extremely rich. ‎

Many Nigerians pastors now own businesses, cars, houses, and investment within and outside the country. Some even own private jets.

With his business model and financial strategies in the church, Oyakhilome was named by Forbes as one of the richest pastors in Nigeria. ‎

He travels around the world in a jet and moves around Lagos with bodyguards and heavily armed policemen.

He’s so busy that many worshippers ‎who sought audience with him have not been able to see him in years.
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‎It is all part of a deception to show how special they are.
But pastors who steal from the poor should not be celebrated. Oyakhilome and others will go down in history as shameless people who exploited the poor using God’s name to enrich themselves.
Compelling worshippers to pay a fee to enter a venue of worship is totally wrong, totally anti-Christ and should be totally condemned by every Christian on earth.
Besides, there’s a reason churches do not pay taxes in Nigeria. It is because contributions from churches should be directed towards the poor, the very weak and downtrodden in the society.
Using the money to build a printing press, a television station and other businesses that benefit mainly the pastors is an ignominy. And no matter the justification, it is wrong and shameful. ‎

‎Simon Ateba is the publisher of www.simonateba.com he can be reached on atebap@gmail.com


http://www.simonateba.com/ignominious-christ-embassy-church-shameless-oyakhilome/

I will like to confirm if this is true and therefore appeal to Mukina2(Happy New Year Ma'am), Obinoscopy, to please put this on front page for authentication.

Thank you.

plaetton:
This is not entirely about Christ embassy, it is about the very poor quality, the rotten stench of Christian discipleship in Nigeria.

Let's admit to ourselves that we are still a semi primitive people for whom our basest primitive impulses like ignorance, fear and greed still dominate our lives.
If you thrown in the lack of economic and political empowerment for the past several decades, and then mix it with a fraudulently contrived foreign religion and it's most toxic variant, Pentecostalism, there you have a mishmash of the worst of worst of human nature.
In this scenario such as we have in Nigeria , the religion becomes a ravaging cancer with the addictive appeal of crack cocaine.
In this case, the pulpit pimps like Oyakilome are the crack peddlers, while his flock are the helpless crack addicts.

2sExy1:
All these people who are saying what they don't know... The Christ embassy I know will publicly tell you not to put 10 naira as offering but put 200 naira and above... A wise man knows what that means.

paulGrundy:


Even an ediot knows that the bolded is an exaggeration. How many more exxagerations, lies and distortion of facts are in this thread?

ideology:
lol, this is the first time am hearing this one o o,

2sExy1:
bro, a branch I attend in Benin did that some years ago. When some once told me,I didn't believe until I saw things with my eyes.

That's by the way. Is the allegation in the op true?

ideology:


Everyone is entitled to his opinions.
What amazes me is despite all these rumors the church keeps expanding and increasing.

Should I also believe that they have also successfully deceived the whites in Europe, Uk, Australia, Asia, even Middle east, at least if blacks are guilible.

Food for thoughts

2sExy1:
you never can tell... Those countries have stiff laws... Do we have in Nigeria?

2sExy1:
All these people who are saying what they don't know... The Christ embassy I know will publicly tell you not to put 10 naira as offering but put 200 naira and above... A wise man knows what that means.

ideology:


Everyone is entitled to his opinions.
What amazes me is despite all these rumors the church keeps expanding and increasing.

Should I also believe that they have also successfully deceived the whites in Europe, Uk, Australia, Asia, even Middle east, at least if blacks are guilible.

Food for thoughts

ideology:


Everyone is entitled to his opinions.
What amazes me is despite all these rumors the church keeps expanding and increasing.

Should I also believe that they have also successfully deceived the whites in Europe, Uk, Australia, Asia, even Middle east, at least if blacks are guilible.

Food for thoughts

Atigba:

I accept this

The branch I worship before the pastor will announce publicly don't pay offering with 20 naira

Is a warning

If you do he will call you back to pick it

We drop offering openly on the alter

vooks:
Why would you need to control those who come to hear you? Why not hold the event in a public stadium big enough to accommodate even satanists like SonOfLucifer so they can get converted?