Bekwarra:
My friend who's a worker in a new generation pentecostal church (I won't mention names) invited me to his church. Although I don't normally go to church VERY EARLY, he succeeded in persuading me to go early with him because as a worker, he should be in church very early and he knew fully well that if we didn't go together, I wouldn't go; so he succeeded in dragging me along.

When we got to church, they started their normal Sunday School like chit-chat and later praises, worship songs and the service started proper. Born into an Apostolic-inclined orthodox and later crossed over to RCCG, I wasn't at home with the mode and method of their service. I was getting bored and feeling out of place while silently praying for the service to end. Then it came to things like "run to five people and tell them greater things are coming your way this week, you must run o", "grab the person beside you and shake him happy sunday". I was getting tired and shaking my head in despair.

The worms in my stomach were not helping matters, they launched a massive #BringBackOurFood protest because I couldn't take breakfast before leaving for church. The only thing that kept on pushing me on was the hope that the pastor would soon say "run to 5 people and hug them happy sunday". I would gladly and patiently look for 5 beautiful sisters with their killing mini/pencil skirts and tight-fitting shirts to hug but unfortunately, that command never came. All those times, I was feeling frustrated already and whenever my eyes meet those of my friend where he was standing with the engines and mixers, he gives me that "padi no vex we go soon finish" smile.

Just as I was resigning to fate and hoping that the service would soon end and I would bolt home the worst of it happened. The pastor had been preaching for close to 45mins harping on the need to give and sow as good Christians. He gave several examples in the bible of people who gave and later reaped God's blessings. He urged us to give and test God. After that, it was time to give offering. The offering was going to be in two parts; normal Sunday offering and the commitment towards the church building because their auditorium is under construction. We gave offering and afterwards the pastor came back on the pulpit and started complaining why people refused to give generously despite taking us on a journey through the word of God about the essence of giving in a Christian life. He preached for another 10mins. I wasn't even listening to him again because I was gradually dozing off.

What actually jolted me back into reality were these words "now it's time for operation search your neighbour". I sat up immediately to listen well and that was when I heard the pastor saying

"this is time for operation search your neighbour, search your neighbour's bag, wallet, purse or pockets as need be and bring out the contents, if there is no money there return the bag but if there is money bring it out, we must learn to give to God. He gave us the money and we must return it to him".

After all those words, people took the bag of the person sitting beside them while the pockets or wallets of brothers were being searched.

The brother beside me was taking his hands towards my pockets about to begin his own search when I said with venom in my eyes and in a Russian mafian voice

"What do you think you want to do??"

He replied me

"You heard what the pastor said brother".

I told him not to even contemplate trying it. He was then trying to pacify me and cajole me telling me there is no harm in giving towards God's work. I told him I'm not against giving but I'm against collecting by force. This is no more giving, this is collecting. He smiled at my words and said

"My brother it's the same thing, God's blessing awaits the two"

and he made for my pockets again, I felt that my phonetics were not having any effect and I replied with

"Bros abeg no try that thing o, I swear I go change am for you".

He was shocked.

One usher noticed us and came to us and he was trying to calm me down because my voiced had changed as my face too.

My friend remained where he was to avoid being seen as the person that brought Orubebe to church. I don dey para for them like mad and the people sitting around us were trying to pacify me. I said "Okay, no problem," carried my bible and.............................with one last Dracula look I told the usher

"Please don't even try to follow me".

He remained rooted to the spot and I made my way out of the church and straight home.

WinsomeX:
I can almost swear this incidence happened in a Christ Embassy Church.



www.nairaland.com/2265539/terrible-experience-church-today

CC: Gombs, kenny4life, Joagbaje, vooks, sammied

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men (1 Timothy 2:1). 

Interceding for others is something you do regularly, not when it's convenient, but as a ministry. You should be effective in changing other people's lives through prayers. If there's someone in the church who's not been very consistent and almost giving up the faith, perhaps due to intense trials and persecution, intercede for that one. You'll make an impact; you'll restore that life. 

The latter part of James 5:16 says, "...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much"; this is in the context of praying for others; he lets us know how we can be effective in changing other people's lives. The Amplified Version says, "...The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]". When you notice some believers around you, who're not growing well in Christ, intercede for them. If you have relatives and friends who aren't born again, you should be interceding for them very strongly; don't take it lightly! Remember, the Bible says there's joy in the presence of the angels of God in heaven over one sinner that repents (Luke 15:10). 

Intercessory prayer isn't something you're casual about; it's heartfelt; that means your emotions are involved; you keep at it until there's a testimony. It could take days, weeks, months, but don't stop; keep praying, because the value of the one you're interceding for is the life of Jesus. Each one of us is as valuable to God as Jesus is. So, when you take up a matter concerning another believer, and you're praying, you're not wasting time; you're causing a changing in the realm of the Spirit. 

Sometimes, there could be people, who are carnal among us and may act foolishly; don't get angry at them; intercede for them instead. Fight for their souls, because Satan is the one deceiving them; don't let him win. Keep interceding for them fervently and passionately, praying in other tongues, until the Holy Spirit takes over the intercession with deep sighs - groanings that are too deep for words! "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26).

Prayer...
Precious Father, I pray for increased revelation, and understanding of your Word amongst your children all around the world! I declare that the Church abounds more and more in knowledge, and growing stronger by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for the work of the Holy Ghost in the churches, all around the world, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Gombs:


https://www.nairaland.com/393253/rhapsody-realities-daily-devotional/37#32906369

WinsomeX, this ia truck Los of sound wisdom, you should do well and start interceding not creating threads making matters worse than better. You should consider building too not tearing down. I'm done here.

May God's Spirit guide you. Amen.

Gombs:


https://www.nairaland.com/393253/rhapsody-realities-daily-devotional/37#32906369

WinsomeX, this ia truck Los of sound wisdom, you should do well and start interceding not creating threads making matters worse than better. You should consider building too not tearing down. I'm done here.

May God's Spirit guide you. Amen.

Marchman:
I hav been off Nairaland for a while, I run my own firm and so do not have the luxury of chatting endlessly. So I ahve missed some issues arising from my earlier posts.

Let me deal with a few here.

I am a member of Christ Embassy based in Abuja and until a few years ago was like Gombs, and would defend any negative issue about the church and pastor even if it is the truth. After a while, I became disillusioned with the church especially with their penchant for giving targets and making money (''giving'') the centre of their worship. For instance, if a pastor meets a member of another branch of the church and wants to find out about his level of commitment and growth, he would normally ask that branch pastor, about the level of giving of that brother or sister. I thought this was petty and unchristianly, that the focus of the gospel has been reduced to how much one is giving or able to give. So if I give big but a fraudster it is ok with the church as far i am not caught! In fact, i would likely win awards at the yearly prize-giving day with Pst Chris. I believe this ungodly and has led many brethren to commit attrocious acst all in the name of giving.

My wife made this obvious to me when she spent money I gave her to keep for me on a pastor's birthday (Hundreds of thousands). I was furious but forgave her. But it made me to wonder the kind of message that was taught her which made her to spend what didnt belong to her. It is the ungodly message of giving, giving and giving and more giving. That is the lifestyle my wife has chosen, in spite my warning. Today after five years of working and being paid salary, she does not have one kobo to her name. Instead she is owing banks, owing coperatives and depend on me for everything. Sometimes, i tease he about her harvest and why she is broke in spite of all the promises Oyaks makes to those who give until they are broke. Apart from the money she took from me (stole is really a better word, on another pastor's birthday, she collected a loan to give in order to meet her target. How can this be godly? Meanwhile she has relatives who are in need of help, a father who is sick etc.

Thats one area i disagreed with the church. Money is not the central message of christ and to be poor is not a sin as it is often preached in CE.

Another area is making Oyaks the orthodoxy of the church. No testimony or service is completer without mention of Pst Chris. How he said this or that. I believe it is wrong, that we should focus on Christ, like Christ directed all praise to his father. In CE, Pst Chris is the orthodoxy. It doesnt matter what the bible says, what matters is the spin giving by Oyaks. E.g The Lords Prayers is not for Christians of today.

Also before the controversy btw e and his wife happened, I knew something was not right. But members (Joeagbaje, Gombs and co) defende him. I recall Joeagbaje saying there was no issue as the man used to sneak out now and then to be with his wife. It was all lies. The burble burst when the woman said Oyaks had shirked his marital duties for years and had inappropriate relationships with the single femal pastrors that often hang around him. I Imagine somebody was bold enough to intervene enough and called a spade a spade. It would have saved the marriage. But no one dares question Pst Chris. So if he teaches a gospel that is not of Christ, they would only say it is a new revelation.

WinsomeX:
A CHRIST EMBASSY MEMBER CONFIRMS THE IDOLATROUS DIMENSION OF THE CHURCH

WinsomeX:
WHY CHRIST EMBASSY IS A CULT

From my perspective, an organization can be said to be a cult from what it teaches and it's lifestyle. We have seen that the essential teaching of CEC is WoF. While WoF is clearly false doctrine, I hesitate to describe all churches teaching Word Faith as cults because they emphasize certain truths that still keeps them "safe". Example, many of these churches believe in Christ's deity. They encourage a heart submission to Christ's Lordship and encourage holy living. These minimums still keeps them from going overboard. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of Christ Embassy.

The following are a quick shot at why CEC is today a cult.

1. Chris Oyakhilome is their god.

While discussing cult organizations, Walter Martins made it clear that cult organization usually refer to a man or woman as their sole authority, not the bible. For Jehovah Witnesses it was Charles Taze Russell . For Christian Science it is Mary Eddy Baker. For Mormons it is Joseph Smith . And for Christ Embassy, it is Chris Oyakhilome. We only need to see how these other cult organization equate the literatures of their founders to the bible, and in many cases, subordinating scriptures to the words of their founders, to agree with me. That's the tragedy of literatures like Rhapsody of Realities, etc, in the CEC.

Chris Oyakhilome is effectively the prophet and god of the Christ Embassy cult. His members consider him infallible and the anointed one, their Christ. I am told by an old member of nl that Joagbaje, a leading CE member on nl, used to refer to Chris Oyakhilome as "Pastor Christ", instead of Pastor Chris, as he fondly called by his followers. This example, and many others like it, point to the cultism that CEC church has become.

2. Sin in the Congregation.

A leading Christ Embassy follower on this forum, mbaemeka, once commented that a brother once left CEC bc he was tired of the immorality going on in their midst. He says that the brother eventually "fell" into a worse sin where he went to. The point he was trying to make was that sin is of men's heart and not environment. The point he passed across unknowingly was that sexual immorality was the order of the day in the cult of Chris Oyakhilome.

There is no greater proof of this than the widely reported divorce case BTW Chris and his wife, Anita. Anita had stated in her appeal for divorce in a British court that her husband was known to have "inappropriate relations" with ladies in church. Those in the know refer this to the endless line of lady pastor that live in the "White House", Oyakhilome residence, in Lagos. Chris has live apart from his wife since 1999 when she left to start the UK Branch of their church. Pastor Chris might require us to believe he has been celibate since then.

A study of Walter Martins work on cults reveals that the leader is usually a sex maniac. Who has unreserved access to ladies in church. They normally have failed marriages.

Sexual immorality is the order of the day among CEC members. They revel in it. My investigations reveal that married people are even known to date other people's wives and husbands in church.

3. Fake Miracles:

Like the Christian Science cult, the CEC is also known for its fake miracles. Thanks to the painstaking work of our own SirJohn here on nairaland, Chris Oyakhilome is now known as a fake miracle worker, with his healing school, a place where the sick and the gullible are reaped off of their resources without getting healed. The story of Kenya28 help seal the fake miracles story of CEC and the more recently discovered case of a man whom Joagbaje claimed to heal of HIV but who was never healed.

petres007:


Very good work Sir. I wholeheartedly agree with the submission above and conclusion. CEC could pass for anything but a church with the biblical mission of saving lost souls by sharing the gospel. I remember the man-worship (which Pastor Chris and the other pastors overtly encouraged and even demanded) was one of the most glaring signs of trouble.

With God's help, I left and so did others; some before me, others after, even up till recently. God has been and still is opening people's eyes gradually. Not as fast or as sweeping as some of us would want, but we're glad he's saving some all the same.

WinsomeX:


Thank you sir.

Please permit me to put you on the spot. Can you relay on this thread your experiences at the CE. How you got in, how you got out and what the turning points were for you. I plan to put up on page 0 as one of the index topics. Please.

CC: Gombs, kenny4life, joagbaje, vooks, sammied

petres007:


This one na NECO ENglish essay of 20marks o.

Will try to do so ASAP.

vooks:
Winsomex my broda,
Here is a 269 page dissertation on Prosperity Gospel
http://dukespace.lib.duke.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/10161/2297/D_Bowler_Catherine_a_201005.pdf?sequence=1

Of course Gombs and Joagbaje are too Spirit filled to rely on scholarly works, they'd rather the strong meat of the word. But they never hesitate to distribute RORs more than Bibles

WinsomeX:


vooks, this book is explosive!

I'm in chapter 2 and cannot drop it.

I request a special thread to discuss it. A PHD thesis that offers a historical perspective to the Pentecostal faith movement.

I also appreciate the fact that it was non critical academic work that can be read without offence by Gombs and Joagbaje and others. It will offer am increased knowledge on where we all cane from.

CC: sportsman

vooks:

Thank you sir,
I received a whatsapp message by a prominent MoG, the caption was 'your words are containers of power, they have the ability to change and direct your future'. The words sounded familiar and New Age so I did a Google.....after a few hours I ran into the dissertation..

What will surprise Gombs and Joagbaje is that most of their cliches are over 100 years old and not exactly 'revelation'

About a thread, I don't think am as structured as you or BabaGnoni and if you are convinced, please start one

petres007:
IMHO, if people within CEC can somehow understand that in Christ, ALL of us are brothers and sisters and those of us in positions of leadership are (ideally) servants and not superiors, light can then begin to flood their eyes. If a Christ Embassy Member can just understand that in reality, Pastor Chris is merely human and just as fallible and sinful as the next man, a lot could and will change. For me, that's where it all begins.

CEC members may not realise it, but they're neck deep in all kinds of idolatry, and the able warden to make sure no one gets out, is the deification of Pastor Chris. If that's taken out of the way even for a moment, I think enough light will come through to make the person aware of his true state.

I know entire families who left CEC years after I did and are greatly disillusioned now, trying to pick up the pieces. Some of them are young people who practically wasted some of the best years of their lives. Parents who "sowed" tonnes of resources they could have used in bettering their childrens' lives.

The harvest never materialized. The years, one after the other, never lived up to the fancy prophetic tags declared every cross over service by the MoG himself. The year of laughter. The year of this and that. The levels of regret and disillusionment is staggering.

I can only hope Gombs and the rest of the #SaiPastorChris crew take a break off defending him and think.

damosky12:

Sir, no spiritually matured folk will deify a man of God. But, most of the guys who do this are the "little ones" amongst the members.

Let's stop this act of jumping into conclusion. Pastor Chris is honoured as a man of God. But, not "worshipped". Do your observations right.

nannymcphee:


You are on the defensive!! you talked about maturity!! I have heard senior pastors call pastor Chris "Jesus on white suit"

I have heard, not that them say but I heard it with my ears

Will you say a senior pastor ain't mature or term him/her a "little one"

On the issue of honor & worship, the defense u put up is same with that of the Catholics about Mary but you & I know what's obtainable there


Don't put up a defense or an excuse, offer an explanation if u can & not give an excuse

Especially when your excuse will not hold water when juxtaposed with another's experience

Eg someone said he went to a CE church & was forced or taught to speak in tongues

Rather than call him an outright liar, you tell him what we really do & point it out that what he experienced isn't a CE thing & if his experience is true, the bro/sis was wrong

when a large number of folks begin to have issues & misconceptions about you, u aren't suppose to ignore but to carry out a check to see where it's coming from & how to correct it if need be

I have been a foundation school teacher, I have been to several CE churches before, I have rubbed minds with high ranking leaders(pastors inclusive:no need to mention names) so I know alot about this ministry

Some folks that are screaming here, haven't left their state chapters & they think what's obtainable in theirs is what's obtainable everywhere

WinsomeX:
nannymcphee, I will like to know your views on the book whose download link vooks placed up there.

vooks:
Are they mutually exclusive, interceding and exposing works of darkness?

Winsomex my broda,
Let me spoil it for you grin
Midas Touch by Hagin is mentioned severally so much I lost count

Gombs:
Folks be mentioning my name, y'all have my attention now.
I didn't bother downloading the book, but if it has Midas Touch in it, then it just got juicier. WX called Hagin a failure because of the book, and I hope this new book he's orgasmic about will make him eat a humble pie. Actually, to WX, Hagin would have been a star if not for his endorsement of tithing, and other teachings about giving.

WinsomeX:
nannymcphee, I will like to know your views on the book whose download link vooks placed up there.

Gombs:
Folks be mentioning my name, y'all have my attention now.




I didn't bother downloading the book, but if it has Midas Touch in it, then it just got juicier. WX called Hagin a failure because of the book, and I hope this new book he's orgasmic about will make him eat a humble pie. Actually, to WX, Hagin would have been a star if not for his endorsement of tithing, and other teachings about giving.

vooks:
New CEC vocabulary

Cc Winsomex

nannymcphee:

Ok, that might take some time, am not a fan of ebooks, get tired of reading from the screen easily