^^^ nairaland is no place for whack have backed illitrate pastor. . .get this to your thick skull dumbo. We have both parties and they are ready to swift reaction. Go to your church where no body asked question and leave nairaland alone a friendly advised.
@sagamite, When a man like sagamite lost his his mind he begins to question and criticize even his own shadow. May be your high level suffering and poverty mentality has beclouded your mind and reasoning. Or that your master the devil compelled you to do his bidding in posting that thread. It is necessary that you go a step further by telling us the worth of that jet and how it was purchased. It is disheartening that people who are quick to support this post are indirectly condemning themselves if any of them has a private vehicle to use. Why should they purchase a vehicle instead of bording commercial vehicles. Sagamite, may be, because of your poverty level that is why you think that private jet is an excesses . You should know winners family that Oyedepo pastors, they are not poor like yourself. Only three of the members can purchase that jet of a congregation of over one hundred thousand members. How can't people think, a church that has the best private university in Africa is been questioned for owing a jet that the amount is not up to what is used to run the university in one year. However, sagamite you need to answer this question, " The private jet does it belong to bishop Oyedepo or does it belong to winners chapel?." Your answer should be backed.
The true holy spirit is that which allows one to think outside the box, and see scammers for who they are regardless of the label they are hiding under. I wonder why some people cant see anything wrong in the ultra-affluent lifestyles some of these so-called pastors live at the detriment of their followers who are mostly poor. Would Jesus Christ condone such a lifestyle? Of course not!
This guy is a scam artist and it is a holy obligation to expose him and other miliki "Men of God" alike. Their unsuspecting victims (followers) need special prayers, for they are so hypnotized and brainwashed that these "men of God" could milk them into buying F-22 Raptors for their churches without questioning their motives.
Is it now the responsibility of a pastor or proprietor to pay school fees? why don't you help your friend out with his fees, I thought A friend in need is a friend indeed.
And to think this greedy goat is actually a "pastor". . . Today (sunday) he'll stand on a pulpit and receive money on behalf of God then pocket it. Thief
You can boldly ask if Its the responsibility of so called bishop Oyedepo to pay the fees of HIS own Student IN HIS OWN SCHOOL who lost his father in his final year and hence could not afford the fees for his final session You can proudly accept and be justified that Oyedepo will throw out the student to go rot and his entire four years spent in the school is therefore a waste, while Oyedepo flies around in 2 luxury jets, wears expensive suits, drives luxury cars and has mansions all over?? Is this what Jesus would have done??
I try not to reply your posts because you DISGUST me and i'm hardly surprised by the views you express here.
Its funny your best to get me to pay my friends fees was "A friend in need is a friend indeed". Indeed. What if i dont have the money? Then what? I guess James 1; 27 is missing from yours and oyedepo's bible
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27).
FYI, I have already paid the fees and this isnt the first time either. In my final year a pal was facing expulsion because his family suddenly went broke. We had to pool our allowances together and pay taxmaster Oyedepo so he can leave him alone. Others over the years havnt been so lucky. Shame on christianity and whatever basterd God Oledepo and Joagbaje worship.
The true holy spirit is that which allows one to think outside the box, and see scammers for who they are regardless of the label they are hiding under. I wonder why some people cant see anything wrong in the ultra-affluent lifestyles some of these so-called pastors live at the detriment of their followers who are mostly poor. Would Jesus Christ condone such a lifestyle? Of course not!
90% of humans are morons, so there is a huge market for the miliki "Men of God".
And it is these same morons that will turn around and defend them because the miliki "Men of God" have quoted bible for them that "my God is not a poor God", "God loveth a cheerful giver", "Every farmer knows that seed sowing time is never a time for merriment, because seed sowing is PAINFUL!'cast your bread upon many water for in due season,you shall receive them back,'so says the scriptures", Shopokolokokotokotokotokotohiiiiiiiiiipa".
They are brainwashed to donate idiotically, with the hysterical atmosphere of group singing of joyous songs in the background, and deluded morons going into trance that they are experiencing some supernatural seance. And any that has the guts to question the miliki is "working for the devil".
The morons forget to ask why the wealth that God "gives" only seems to show on pastor and not on congression. And the morons now turn around and assign any positivity in their lives (e.g. getting a job) as the miracle reward of their donations and are used by miliki men as "testimonials", like if non-believers do not get jobs as well. They delude themselves that since they have become born-again, their lives has only been positive. All those negatives is just a test of their faith in God by the devil (they are told "God works in mysterious ways". Utter morons!
I can't believe some morons would come here and say a luxury private jet is not excessive. Even the Pope does not have a private jet, talkless of one that is gold plated inside. He flies Alitalia and I bet he gets airmile points.
@Sagamite: You said your "religion of objectivity and intelligence, " it's good to hear that. But bruv it's not necessary for an intelligent and objective person to be abusive before they can drive their points home i.e calling people slowpoke, daft, having under developed brain, silly, retard, etc is not really necessary for an "intelligent" person like you.
Secondly, for some people on this thread questioning why a pastor should be living in comfort or 'affluence' while some members of the church are poor, " Good question! But the simple answer is this: The work of a pastor is to teach people the words and principles of Jesus christ and how to apply it to their day to day activities and life, whether they listen, obey or even apply those word is a matter of choice and it's not the pastor's duty to force those principles on them, even Jesus christ couldn't do that! As a matter of fact Jesus couldn't even convert all his 12 disciples i.e Judas conspired against him, So how much more a pastor (mere mortal) trying to change or preach to millions of people world wide! In other words, a pastor doesn't have to live in penury before they show the world that they(pastors) are feeling the pains of the poor, infact that will be hypocritical if they do!
Lastly before i stopped commenting on this thread, Religion is a personal matter, whether xristianity, islam, hindu etc, therefore i think people should come down from their high horses or moral high ground and stop passing judgements on religions and religious practices that they don't even know nothing about, except for their own concept of right or wrong.
ALL HUMANS HAVE A RIGHT TO THEIR BELIEVE SYSTEM WITHOUT PREJUDICE WHETHER ITS ISLAM, CHRISTIANITY, HINDU OR EVEN "THE RELIGION OF OBJECTIVITY AND INTELLIGENCE"
@Sagamite: it's good to hear that. But bruv it's not necessary for an intelligent and objective person to be abusive before they can drive their points home i.e calling people slowpoke, daft, having under developed brain, silly, retard, etc is not really necessary for an "intelligent" person like you.
It is necessary.
True intelligence will tell you that people are different, with different personalities. Based on this difference, intelligence would tell you that you can not apply a blanket approach to all people. You need to assess each individual and then give a bespoke/differentiated approach that is most likely to get you your goals. Pure intellect will tell you that. What will work in Rome would not necessarily work in Pyongyang.
That is why you see some I do no use such words for, and others I do.
Lanrefemi:
The work of a pastor is to teach people the words and principles of Jesus christ and how to apply it to their day to day activities and life, whether they listen, obey or even apply those word is a matter of choice and it's not the pastor's duty to force those principles on them, even Jesus christ couldn't do that!
Thank you.
They should not be there to milk people's pockets.
Listen to the background musical note. A technical and tremendous asset and tool used in aiding the fraud.
The tonation of the preaching.
The sharp suit.
The speaking in tongues.
The positive, affirmative assertion that their life has changed today, they are going to see progress. ALL OF THEM IN THERE, NOT JUST A FEW!
Honestly, this is psychological genius at work.
These salvation-giving niggas have been talking about this change and progress for over 30 years now. For all the attendees in the centre o. Nigeria by now should be one of the most progressive people if these actually happened as they said everytime for 30 years. But all I see (and is guaranteed) is change and progress pastor's life, congression remains by and large sufferers like any other Nigerian.
And here is an extract about some of the Christ Embassy retards that destroy themselves WILLINGLY for salvation.
Members of the church do a lot to promote the business interests of Oyakhilome and the church. They make huge financial and material contributions which have formed the base of the wealth of Oyakhilome and his church today. In the process, some have had their fingers burnt. An instance many would not easily forget in a hurry is the case of Lawrence Agada, a senior cashier with Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Ikeja, Lagos, and an assistant pastor of the Ifako branch of the church, who donated stolen cash and gifts totalling N39 million to the church in the name of sowing a seed. The fraud was discovered in March 2002. According to police investigations, Agada’s donations were in instalments. He bought 250KVA and 27KVA generators valued at N4.4 million and N1.5 million, respectively and donated them to the church headquarters and the Ifako satellite parish of the church. Before then, he had given out six million Naira for the renovation of the local satellite church and one million Naira for the purchase of plastic chairs for the church headquarters. He also contributed N1.5 million for the 2002 edition of the church mega crusade Night of Bliss, and one million Naira for another crusade tagged Prosperity Convention. He ‘blessed’ Carol Sholesi, then pastor of Ifako branch of the church with N400, 000 to enable her attend the 24th congress of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women held in Melbourne, Australia. Agada also bought musical instruments and chairs for the Agege, Ogba and Oke-Ira churches. He also confessed to using part of the stolen funds to pay church rents. The Benue-born former Sheraton’s staff profligacy was allegedly prompted by a letter Pastor Chris sent to him on January 12, 2002 prophesying that God would do mighty things in his life. “He will cause you to excel and lift you up so high that the world cannot but take notice of you in Jesus name, Amen.” [b]He said he took the money believing that he would reap bountiful rewards from the ‘seed sowing’ which would enable him replace all the money. [/b]This was not to be. Rather than receive reward for his benevolence, he lost his job and became a guest of the police. An indigene of his Idoma community who pleaded for anonymity told Newswatch that he was declared a persona non grata in his community for that act.”
In 2003, Gbenga Kehinde, another member of the church who was an assistant manager with Eko International Bank, further dragged the name of the church in the mud when he defrauded the bank of N40 million out of which he donated N10 million to Christ Embassy. If Agada and Kehinde were audacious to dip their hands into the treasury of their organisations to donate for the upkeep of the church in anticipation of God’s reward, Michael George and Priscillia Maphiwa used their own hard earnings and possessions. George, an engineer with Mobil Producing Unlimited in Akwa Ibom, was comfortable before he joined Christ Embassy. He later became a major financier of the head parish in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital. His benevolence attracted his church brethrens who turned his house to a Mecca of sort feeding fat on him thereby tasking his resources. His financial commitment widened when he was made a pastor, the Eket branch which he also financed. Expectedly, his church programmes began to clash with his work. His pastoral calling obliged him to leave the office before close of work three times a week to attend to church activities. In some cases, church programmes outside his state kept him off his duty post for days. George, who within eight years of joining the oil multinational, got two promotions and won two awards for diligence, began to exhibit laxity in his duties. His church activities took prominence in his calendar over his work which ironically was the source of income that enabled him contribute bountifully to the church. So when the oil giant decided to trim its workforce after the merger with Exxon, George was affected. Unfortunately for him, since he did not build a house for the period he worked and with little or no savings left having graciously invested much of his savings in the services of the church, he had to plough all his severance entitlement into building his house. His financial status deteriorated in such a way that he could no longer afford meeting some basic needs at home and his extended family which he was the bread winner. Left without money, a gainful employment and two cars which he had donated to the church as seed, family members felt bad that the church could not come to his help. George left Nigeria for America in 2008, courtesy of his wife, an Akwa Ibom indigene, who is an American citizen. He has since settled down in America eking a living.
Maphiwa, a staunch member of the church in South Africa, also recounted how she and her husband became bankrupt because of their association with the church. She said before joining Christ Embassy in November 2005, she had a car, a house, R35,000 savings and investments in other financial institutions totalling R20,000, but by February 2007, she had gone bankrupt because of the huge sums of money she had spent on the church, saying: “Before joining Christ Embassy in November 2005, I had a car, a house that was financed by the bank and I could afford my monthly instalments. I had R35, 000 in the bank as savings and some investments with Standard Bank, Liberty and Sanlam to the total sum of R20,000. In December 2005, there was what they called ‘ThanksGiving Service’ which we were required to bring a gift to the Lord in forms of money and other valuables like cars, cell phones and computers to thank God for what he had done for us. We were given a list of eight categories of areas in which to thank God for. These were thanking God for a new job, for the birth of a child, if one got married, if one had a promotion, financial increase, healing in the family, for belonging and functioning in a church department and for being saved from death due to vehicle accident. We were instructed to give a minimum amount of R100 per category. On that day, I gave R800 excluding my tithes which at that time was R2,400. In January 2006, Pastor Kenneth Oyakhilome (younger brother to Chris and head pastor of the South Africa branch) preached and instructed us to give ‘First Fruit’ offering. This meant that one was required to give the entire salary for the month of January. This I did as we were taught that the Lord would bless us and we would receive a 100 fold return if we obeyed. There was also a threat that came with it, that if we did not obey, blessings would not follow us instead curses would. “In Christ Embassy, there are lots of activities’ which require money like Mothers Day, Fathers’ Day and pastor’s birthday. Members are also instructed to buy books, CDs, DVDs so that we have something to preach to our ‘cell’ members. After the huge sums of money I gave to Christ Embassy church, by February 2007 I had to sell my house as I had defaulted four times in a row and the bank threatened to repossess it.” Maphiwa’s account was contained in an affidavit she deposed to the police after her husband, also a pastor of Christ Embassy in South Africa, was arrested for buying a stolen vehicle from another member of the church.
Extracted from a Newswatch Nigeria report on Christ Embassy.
Every day na di same thing (suffering and smiling)
When will we ever wake up from this deep slumber, being the World's 3rd Largest Christians we have very little sign of God in their nation cept for obscenely wealthy Men of God and utterly "povertized" congregation.
Like the Immortal Memory of Fela "When I see say our lives dey roll. Like one yeye ball. Wey one yeye wind. Dey blow from one yeye corner."
When will we ever wake up and take the reigns of our destiny into our own hands. When
For three days, November 22 to 24, this year, thousands of Christians converged at the crusade ground of Victory Holy Ghost Mission, Isolo, Lagos , to receive miracles and deliverance from satanic bondage. Ministering at the crusade titled “Total Victory” was and founder of Uma Evangelistic Association, Uyo.
The large turn-out of worshippers at the crusade was a clear indication that Ukpai is one of Nigeria ’s best and most sought-after preachers noted for miracles and fighting demonic forces. In the night of November 24, which was the last day of the crusade, Ukpai preached a sermon on divine favours and asked worshippers who were all armed with white handkerchiefs as he instructed, to raise them so that he would speak divine anointing into them for their miracles. This, he said, was in line with biblical injunctions in the Acts of the Apostles 19:12 where God worked miracles through Paul by placing handkerchiefs on the sick.
After many worshippers had fallen under the anointing from the Holy Ghost power in the handkerchiefs, Ukpai then admonished the congregation to come forward to sow seed faith as a necessary condition for divine blessings from God. Quoting the Scriptures in Deuteronomy 28:12, the evangelist said for those who sow seed-faith, the Lord had promised to prosper them. “The Lord shall open unto thee His good treasure, the heavens to give the rain unto thy land in this season and bless all thy work of their hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow”, he quoted from the Scriptures. Ukpai warned that those who refused to sow seed-faith would not prosper.He put it bluntly: “If you are not a giver today, you shall be a beggar tomorrow.”
With this firm admonition, half the number of worshippers at the crusade ground estimated to be about 20,000 immediately trooped out to sow seed-faith. The minister urged them to challenge God by donating between N1,000 to one million each. One after the other they were given papers to write their pledges which must be redeemed within 24 hours.
Newswatch learnt that 10 percent of proceeds from the pledges received at such crusades which are sometimes in millions of naira are usually paid to Ukpai as tithe. This is said to be in accordance with biblical injunction in Malachi 3:10 which says: “Bring ye all the tithes into the store house, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open to you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing.”
Newswatch learnt that apart from 10 percent of the proceeds from the seed-faith, Ukpai is usually paid N500,000 as honorarium before honouring invitations for such crusades. And wherever he goes for a crusade, the host church or churches as the case may be, usually lodge him in a five-star hotel. During the “Total Victory Crusade,” Ukpai was lodged at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos .
Newswatch investigations indicate that Ukpai is arguably one of Nigeria ’s highest paid evangelists and he is in high demand for crusades both in Nigeria and abroad. It was further learnt that because of the huge amount paid before the evangelist honours invitations for crusades, some churches which cannot conveniently foot the bill alone usually go into coalition with others to enable them adequately host the charismatic miracle-worker. Ukpai is said to have told his fellow pastors that he charges such a high fee because he does not own a church of his own and so relies on moeny gotten from such crusades to maintain his family and retinue of staff in his office at Uyo. He explained that he was also saving the money in preparation for retirement. [b]To attract the large number of worshippers who can raise the requisite funds to augment the high bill, series of advertisements are made a few weeks before the crusade and bill boards bearing the photograph of Ukpai positioned in strategic locations. [/b]Handbills inviting people to the crusade are also freely distributed to people.
Newswatch confirmed from the headquarters of Uma Evangelistic Association Incorporated in Uyo, that there is no weekend that the evangelist is not invited as guest speaker for crusades either within Nigeria or outside the country. Sources at his ministry’s headquarters told Newswatch that he has indeed been fully booked for crusades for the whole of 2003 and part of 2004.
The Ohafia-born evangelist has been a roving evangelist for about 30 years. He does not pastor a church in obedience to divine instruction from God. He only moves from one church to the other preaching the gospel while those who benefit from the power of the Holy Ghost through him show appreciation with gifts, financially.(Now, fcking tell me how this is different from paying babalawo)
Within this year alone, Ukpai has visited Lagos for crusades on several occasions and even other powerful servants of God invite him to add glamour and the touch of Holy Ghost power to their crusades. For instance, during the Jubilee Crusade 2002 organised by the Redeemed Christian Church of God, May 24-26, Enoch Adeboye, its general overseer invited Ukpai as the guest speaker. Adeboye is equally powerful. From September 13-15, this year, Ukpai was guest speaker of the Lagos Aflame Ministries in its crusade titled: “Ruling in Dominions.” Between December 5 and 8, the firebrand evangelist ministered at another crusade at the Isaac Boro Park , Port Harcourt tagged: “Like a Mighty Wind.” This was quickly followed with another crusade titled “Miracle Convention 2002” held at the Victory Cathedral, Uyo from December 15-18. Ukpai was also there.
Ukpai said he usually holds at least 18 crusades annually outside Africa . He is reputed to have travelled to virtually all parts of Europe spreading the gospel, waging war against demonic forces and making a lot of money in hard currency. He is usually accompanied to such crusades outside Nigeria by his wife to enable her prepare African dishes for him as he detests European dishes.
Ukpai is not alone in this business of making good money through crusades. [size=14pt]Ayo Oritsejafor[/size], founder of the Word of Life Bible Church, Warri, also ranks among the highest paid pastors. A protégé of the late Benson Idahosa, Oritsejafor is a flamboyant and forceful preacher who is often invited as special guest speaker for crusades. His fearless style of preaching and miracle-working prowess has earned him several invitations to churches in Nigeria and abroad. Some of the countries he has ministered at crusade venues include Germany, Britain, America and France .
Like Ukpai, Oritsejafor is in high demand and is usually offered honorarium by the host churches. (Honorarium ko, Mugurarium ni. What a nice use of euphemisms to subtle that fraud) The renowned evangelist, who recently celebrated the 15th anniversary of his ministry and his 30 years of service in the Lord’s vineyard also calls for sowing of seed-faith in a similar fashion with Ukpai and the late Idahosa.
He, however, insists that [size=14pt]only[/size] those who sow seed-faith receive from God and that is why the pastors encourage it. Oritsejafor said because of the miraculous power men of God like him wield in modern day Pentecostalism, most churches abroad that invite them for crusades have a lot of respect for Nigeria . Because of the high demand for him at crusades, Oritsejafor describes himself as “a very busy man” who is being used by God to do a lot of work for mankind.
He is particularly glad that the power of God in him and his miraculous exploits at crusades abroad have earned him recognition. He said: “There is an Island called Polo Rico in the US . Whenever I go there, they receive me like a president. They have a governor in the Island and he comes to all my services. People respect Nigeria because of some of us who preach the gospel,” he said. Wealthy and flamboyant, Oritsejafor cruises round town in exotic cars with customised plate numbers. His Mercedes S-Class bears “Eagle” on the plate.(Allahu Akbar!!! Dem dey enjoy life o, I need to join this business. )
Newswatch learnt that the Warri-based pastor whose hair is normally well- oiled and jerry-coiled, (Ka'are [Well Done] )believes that men of God should be flamboyant and wealthy because if they look poor, nobody will believe their product. This perhaps explains why he ranks among the ministers of God who make a lot of money from crusades. Newswatch learnt that Oritsejafor and the other pastors ordained by the late Idahosa collect as much as N200,000 for such crusades.
Married to Helen, his pretty wife whom he calls Mama, Oritsejafor said she has been a great source of inspiration in his ministry. “I have a great wife, a woman of God, she loves God. A man of God that does not have a good support is not serious. She loves God and my ministry,” he said. Like her husband, Helen is trendy and helps in running the affairs of the ministry.
[size=14pt]George Adegboye[/size], president and founder of Rhema Chapel International Churches with headquarters in Ilorin , Kwara State is another top-flight evangelist in Nigeria . Known for prophetic and peculiar anointing, especially at crusade grounds, he has a dynamic insight into the Word of God. His ability to memorise and quote the Scriptures copiously has endeared him to many Christians, hence he is highly in demand both in Nigeria and abroad.
During such crusades, his hosts normally offer him large sums of money as honorarium and lodge him in five-star hotels. He is, however, not known to specifically request for a particular amount to be paid before honouring invitations for crusades. (Awwww )But the host ministers often respond generously after receiving so much blessings from the gifted man of God whose demonstration of the power of God results in people falling under anointing and receiving miracles.
Humble and down-to-earth, Adegboye was formerly a lecturer at the Kwara State Polytechnic. He resigned his appointment when the gospel work became more demanding of his time.
For [size=14pt]Francis Wale Oke[/size], a bishop, the journey to evangelism started in 1975, when he became a born-again Christian, while still a student at Wesley Teachers’ College , Ibadan , Oyo State . After his graduation from the University of Lagos in 1982, he went into full-time ministry and established The Sword of the Spirit Ministries in Ibadan , September 3, 1983 . On February 12, 1989 , [size=12 pt]Christ Life Church was established to complement the ministry[/size]. (In growth strategy, we call this either Franchising or Licencing. This is a business development approach to push profitability) The church now has no fewer than 110 branches across the country and abroad.
Since he started the ministry, Oke has taken his crusades to major cities in the country, including Sokoto, Bauchi, Minna, Benin, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Aba, Ijebu-Ode, Ilorin, Owo and many remote areas. He is no stranger in London, Amsterdam, Rome, Moscow, Atlanta, New York, Tulsa and many other parts of the world.
He had also participated in many conferences of itinerant evangelists and pentecostal world conferences and hobnobbed with famous evangelists such as Billy Graham, David Duples, a renowned minister popularly called “Mr. Pentecostal”, the late Benson Idahosa, among others. In the course of his evangelism, Oke has also served as guest speaker in some crusades addressed by a number of other ministers of God across the country. He is known to have carried his missionary exploits to 49 countries and those who organise such crusades also make huge financial contributions to the man of God.
Oke lives with his family in a well-furnished modest bungalow in Ibadan and rides a four-wheel jeep. Unlike the wives of some other powerful pastors, Victoria, Oke’s wife is not flamboyant. She is a conservative.(Maybe their is hope afterall.)
[size=14pt]David Oyedepo[/size], bishop of Living Faith Outreach more popular as Winners’ Chapel,(Ah!!! Eka'bo. Ekan ninu awon [one of the] fathers of fraud) is a man who lives like an accomplished person. Whenever he or Faith, his wife is going out in the town, either separately or together, they usually go out with a convoy of vehicles and blaring of siren to beat the traffic. The couple like riding in posh jeep vehicles with one or two vehicles in front and a similar number of cars following the one occupied by either of them.(Wa she're [You go do better]!!! )
Although the Winners’ Chapel is one of Africa’s fastest-growing Pentecostal churches, Oyedepo is often invited for crusades by other churches. (Ah ha! This people don dey make me think say e be like say the Japanese Keiretsu business model is a popular strategy within their field o. The way wey dem dey form alliances to solidify and consolidate market share) He has a global vision of evangelism and has taken the gospel outside the shores of Nigeria, which have yielded a lot of financial rewards. “Your financial revolution is tied to what you do with your finances on the gospel,” he often tells his congregation.
As part of his outreach programmes, Oyedepo, who is stupendously rich acquired a multi-million naira aircraft in 1996 to facilitate his evangelism programmes to countries outside Nigeria. This earned him the appellation “Jet-Age pastor”.(Suffer suffer for world. Ah-men. Enjoy for heaven. Ah-men. ) This powerful man of God believes that he is sent to a generation and not just a denomination to work signs and wonders. Only recently, Oyedepo established the Covenant University in Ota, Ogun State, thereby using his wealth for the promotion of tertiary education in Nigeria.
Dipo Ajayi, a pastor of the church, however, said that the money Winners’ Chapel has made came from voluntary contributions. “Your financial standing as a Christian, born-again is not dictated by the economy of the nation. We are self-sufficient; we operate the heavenly budget,” he said. (Walai Talai. Na real heavenly budget. )
[size=14pt]Alexander Ezeugo Ekewuba[/size], founder of Overcomers Christian Mission is another powerful man of God in high demand. He is known for his dominion over demonic powers during crusades. (As I read that part, I shake as some of the demons inside me pick race as dem they fear ) From November 15 to 17, Ekewuba, who is based in Owerri, Imo State, was in Lagos, to honour the invitation by the Overcomers Christian Mission, City of Goshen, Oregun, Lagos. The crusade titled “The Fall of Jericho” turned out to be a huge success for the man of God both in terms of financial reward and soul-winning.
Ekewuba has become very popular in Imo State because of his miracles and demolition of demon-infested institutions(Yeepa!!! Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiire! ) in and around Owerri. He has confronted and crushed dreaded deities with the power of the Holy Spirit(Ah! All na mouth. E never meet Shoponna, im liver go fail am!). Among them is the dreaded Ala Ogbaga in Mbaise and the demons that inhabited the palace of Ezeukwu in Owerri-Ebeiri in Orlu. Newswatch could not, however, confirm how much Ekewuba is given at the end of each crusade. But he falls in the group that earn not less than N200,000 per outing.
[size=14pt]Oyonnude Kure[/size], general overseer of Evidence of the Gospel Church, Benin, is another evangelist that is on high demand. He has the gift of performing miracles and this, he often does by asking workers to use the handkerchiefs and anointing oils.(Hmm! And when we, Ifa people, comot monkey skull and pigeon eye in a calabash to perform our own rituals, them go say na devil work )Usually after such healings and miraculous exploits, the worshippers are in turn called to dip hands into their pockets and make offering for the upkeep of the man of God. With the usual large turnouts at his crusades, several millions of naira is realised at the end, with about 10 percent of it going to him.(Ah! Amen, amen, blessing and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour. Power and might be unto our God, forever and ever. Amen. )
Kure has now set aside the first Friday of every month for special anointing and thousands of miracle-seekers frequently attend such crusades. He is believed to wield so much Holy Ghost power that some sick people get healed just by touching his garment.
[size=14pt]Bishop Fred Addo[/size], an evangelist based in Kaduna is yet another one of the highest pastors in the North. Flamboyant and spirit-filled, Addo is also said to be given a huge amount of money as honorarium by any church inviting him for a crusade. This is because of his high rating among the miracle-working pastors. Apart from his miraculous prowess, Addo is also a very good singer and his songs often win souls to the kingdom of God. Oftentimes, when under the divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he throws his agbada to worshippers who surge to receive anointing from it.(Na lie? ) Addo has taken the gospel to all parts of the Northern Nigeria, including Makurdi, Abuja, and Jos. He has a flourishing assembly in Abuja and runs a TV programme on NTA Abuja. He is popular among the youths.
[size=14pt]Samuel Abiara[/size], founder of Agbala Itura Worldwide, a faction of the Christ Apostolic Church CAC, with headquarters in Ibadan believes that “God is God of prosperity and wealth” and so nobody that does the will of God would lack anything. He is not a stranger to crusades and has established branches of his church in Europe and America. He is believed to have embarked on this global vision in evangelism to boost his finances. He, however, claims that his mission is purely for evangelism and to preach the good news of Christ in many more nations where they place technology above God. “I don’t go abroad for financial gain,” he said. However, sources close to the pastor told Newswatch that Abiara and some other Nigerian pastors who often travel to the Western world go there to earn hard currency and in turn bless the congregation with miracles.(Na true barter. One gets solid financial reward, the other gets a chimera. Amazing!)
Abiara once told Newswatch that he is not a miracle-worker but that God has used him to perform miracles. “The blind see, barren women conceive and bear healthy children, among others that God has used us to perform in the name of Jesus,” he said.
These powerful men of God ranked as highest paid pastors have carved a niche for themselves as miracle-workers and crowd-pullers. Indeed, anywhere they are programmed for gospel revivals and crusades, thousands of miracle-seekers do not miss the opportunity of receiving blessings from them. In return, the worshippers and their hosts ensure they are properly taken care of and appreciated. Although most of the evangelists have a fixed amount of money which they are paid before honouring such crusades, some of them receive whatever their hosts offer them as honorarium. Newswatch further learnt that the evangelists are usually paid according to their clout in modern-day pentecostalism.(Chei o!!! If only David Beckham can convert, that bobo go make money o. )
The demand by some evangelists to be paid a huge sum of money before honouring an invitation for crusades has sparked off controversy among Pentecostal pastors. Newswatch learnt that [size=14pt]Enoch Adeboye[/size], general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, who is known for his modesty, is against the idea of pastors preaching for a fee. He had spoken against it at various Christian fora. His well-known position is that the Scriptures state that “freely you have received, freely give.”
The former university don who is known to be one of the most humble among Nigeria’s foremost pastors is said to have rejected several limousine cars presented to him by wealthy members of his fast-growing church until God reportedly rebuked him for trying to hinder the blessings of the people by refusing to accept such exotic gifts. Adeboye said God told him to accept the limousine cars since, according to him, “more are coming.”(Abeg, make I no crack rib laughing. ) He, however, does not use such cars which are parked in his house. He prefers using his Lincoln Navigator.
[size=14pt]Solomon Dickson[/size], founder and senior pastor of the Christ Believers Assembly, Port Harcourt is also against the situation whereby evangelists want to be paid before honouring invitations for crusades by churches. He told Newswatch that since 1987 when he was ordained a pastor by Stephen Akinola, general overseer of the Redemption Ministries, Port Harcourt , he has participated in more than 30 crusades both in Nigeria and abroad. He explained that he does not request to be paid a specific amount for such outings. He, however, admitted receiving “honorarium” in form of money. “When a minister of God is hosting a crusade what he does is to take care of your transport because you are a human being too. But it is unfortunate that a lot of people are charging fixed fees,” he told Newswatch. He said that Akinola, his father in the Lord is also against evangelists being paid for appearing for crusades.
Dickson confirmed that some pastors even go to the extent of telling the church hosting them the kind of food they should prepare and the kind of exotic cars that would be used in carrying them throughout the duration of the crusade. According to him, the amount charged by such pastors range between N50, 000 and N500, 000.
Like Dickson, Ignatius Eboh, founder of Glorious Evangelical Church of God, Port Harcourt , lamented over the way some pastors have turned the missionary work into “cash and carry” business ventures. He, however, explained that the reason why some visiting evangelists demand that they be paid a fixed amount before honouring invitations for crusades is because they do not want to be embarrassed and frustrated at the end of such programmes. This, he said, makes it imperative for such pastors to negotiate and be paid up-front. Eboh said that the demand for pastors in that cadre who are highly anointed was high and so when the demand is high, it attracts a high fee. He gave an instance of a crusade in 2001 tagged “Port Harcourt Mighty Healing Crusade” where he was chairman, planning committee and invited Lady Blessing Chukwu, founder of God’s Intervention Ministries as chief preacher. “At least, in her case we deposited N30, 000 for her to move,” Eboh told Newswatch.
Apparently justifying the fees paid visiting evangelists to preach at crusades, Eboh said whatever the minister of God charges was meager when compared to the value of a soul in the kingdom of God . “The fact remains that the preacher of the gospel lives by the gospel he preaches. It does not mean that they are selling the gospel. There are a lot of things that are required to be done before a minister of God leaves to preach at a crusade ground,” he said.
Reported by Olu Ojewale, Psaro Yornamue, Geoffrey Ekenna, Victor Ugborgu, Felix Umoru and Juliet Akura.
ITS HIGH TIME WE START LEARNING HOW TO BE HUMBLE.COS THAT'S WHAT JESUS CHRIST TAUGHT US ALL. I WONDER WHAT JESUS WOULD SAY IF HE SEES A MAN WHO CALLS HIMSELF A BISHOP USING A PRIVATE AT THE COST OF HIS CONGREGATION. WHEN HE HIMSELF TAUGHT US HUMILITY. WELL I CAN NOW SEE THAT PROTESTANTISM CAME ABOUT COS OF THE SELFISH INTEREST OF SOME PEOPLE . LETS MOVE BACK TO THE MOTHER CHURCH[/b]
ITS HIGH TIME WE START LEARNING HOW TO BE HUMBLE.COS THAT'S WHAT JESUS CHRIST TAUGHT US ALL. I WONDER WHAT JESUS WOULD SAY IF HE SEES A MAN WHO CALLS HIMSELF A BISHOP USING A PRIVATE AT THE COST OF HIS CONGREGATION. WHEN HE HIMSELF TAUGHT US HUMILITY. WELL I CAN NOW SEE THAT PROTESTANTISM CAME ABOUT COS OF THE SELFISH INTEREST OF SOME PEOPLE . LETS MOVE BACK TO THE MOTHER CHURCH[/b]
Abeg, leaf dem jor!
Their God is not a poor God. The pastor is rich, but the congretion is poor sha and seeking miracle.
They are sowing seeds.
When they pass exam, it is the fruit of their sowing. But people like me wey no sow anything pass too sha.
I'm not a member of Winners, but it's really sad that whenever a pastor or clergy gets a private jet or a new house people start criticizing them. Yet it's the same people who pay large sums of money to buy every CD released by music artists such as Akon, Lil wayne, P-square, etc and pay for costly tickets to see them perform on stage. When you see these artists splurging 'YOUR' money on private jets, cribs, jordans, 24 rims etc you praise them, but when you see a Pastor buy just one thing he/she likes you bad mouth him/her.
I'm not a member of Winners, but it's really sad that whenever a pastor or clergy gets a private jet or a new house people start criticizing them. Yet it's the same people who pay large sums of money to buy every CD released by music artists such as Akon, Lil wayne, P-square, etc and pay for costly tickets to see them perform on stage. When you see these artists splurging 'YOUR' money on private jets, cribs, jordans, 24 rims etc you praise them, but when you see a Pastor buy just one thing he/she likes you bad mouth him/her.
You are retarded!
Artistes are selling you products, they are in business.
OK, I want to know where you're coming from. You're not happy with the fact that the pastor is in a private jet. You'd prefer it if he'd use a taxi or motorcycle, am I right?
Listen to the background musical note. A technical and tremendous asset and tool used in aiding the fraud.
The tonation of the preaching.
The sharp suit.
The speaking in tongues.
The positive, affirmative assertion that their life has changed today, they are going to see progress. ALL OF THEM IN THERE!
Honestly, this is psychological genius at work.
These salvation-giving niggas have been talking about this change and progress for over 30 years now. For all the attendees in the centre o. Nigeria by now should be one of the most progressive people if these actually happened. But all I see and is guaranteed is change and progress pastor's life, congression remains by and large sufferers like any other Nigerian.
OK, I want to know where you're coming from. You're not happy with the fact that the pastor is in a private jet. You'd prefer it if he'd use a taxi or motorcycle, am I right?
Tell me, is it a taxi the Archbishop of Lagos uses?
OK, so you're saying he MUST be like everyone else. He shouldn't be unique in his own way, he must dress the same way, buy same things and eat the same food as everyone else.
What a boring place the world would be if everyone were the same. I thought variety is the spice of life.
The truth of the matter is that we humans (including myself) complain about anything we don't fully understand. Someone with a Nokia 3310 would complain when he sees someone with a Nokia N97 or iPhone 4. He'd be like why waste such money on a phone. Someone wearing a N2,000 shoe would complain when he sees someone with a N10,000 shoe. Same thing with someone with a big house, cars etc. Let's face it humans criticize and complain a lot.
Lastly, pastors/ministers move around a lot, you have no idea how the jet helps him in the work he does. So if he's invited to speak at a Church in the UK today, another one in the US the next day, another in South Africa the next day and so on, do you think he'd be able to keep up with the appointments if he's to keep boarding public air planes? He may endure for a while, but obviously by the time he does it for a year it would wear him out. Do you think if the president was to keep using public air planes do you think he'd be able to meet up with his appointments?
OK, so you're saying he MUST be like everyone else. He shouldn't be unique in his own way, he must dress the same way, buy same things and eat the same food as everyone else.
What a boring place the world would be if everyone were the same. I thought variety is the spice of life.
The truth of the matter is that we humans (including myself) complain about anything we don't fully understand. Someone with a Nokia 3310 would complain when he sees someone with a Nokia N97 or iPhone 4. He'd be like why waste such money on a phone. Someone wearing a N2,000 shoe would complain when he sees someone with a N10,000 shoe. Same thing with someone with a big house, cars etc. Let's face it humans criticize and complain a lot.
Lastly, pastors/ministers move around a lot, you have no idea how the jet helps him in the work he does. So if he's invited to speak at a Church in the UK today, another one in the US the next day, another in South Africa the next day and so on, do you think he'd be able to keep up with the appointments if he's to keep boarding public air planes? He may endure for a while, but obviously by the time he does it for a year it would wear him out. Do you think if the president was to keep using public air planes do you think he'd be able to meet up with his appointments?
You surely are retarded.
I have to be honest with you, you brain is worth nothing to humanity.
You struggle to understand and identify the difference between business and religion.
You struggle to understand and identify the difference between someone spending his own money and spending church funds to make comfort for himself or buy material luxuries for himself.
You struggle to understand and identify promising people things you can not deliver, that has never been delivered and collecting money from them to fund an extravagant life.
You struggle to understand and identify the vulgarity of living an extravagant life at the expense of some desperate, hope-seeking mugus.
Comparing music artiste to pastors?
Comparing spending of hard earned cash to spending of church collections?
You are daft!
I repeat your brain is worth NOTHING from the 3 statements I have seen from you.
It is so poor, I don't think it is salvageable.
I have a solution. Please do us a huge favour.
What I am recommending is not as hard as you might think. It takes literarily seconds and then nothing. I swear.
Nigeria is overpopulated. Do this as a patriotic citizen in the best interest of the country and help improve waste management. Give us a smile when you are at it:
You can proudly accept and be justified that Oyedepo will throw out the student to go rot and his entire four years spent in the school is therefore a waste, while Oyedepo flies around in 2 luxury jets, wears expensive suits, drives luxury cars and has mansions all over??
. Utter morons!
ITS HIGH TIME WE START LEARNING HOW TO BE HUMBLE.COS THAT'S WHAT JESUS CHRIST TAUGHT US ALL. I WONDER WHAT JESUS WOULD SAY IF HE SEES A MAN WHO CALLS HIMSELF A BISHOP USING A PRIVATE AT THE COST OF HIS CONGREGATION. WHEN HE HIMSELF TAUGHT US HUMILITY. WELL I CAN NOW SEE THAT PROTESTANTISM CAME ABOUT COS OF THE SELFISH INTEREST OF SOME PEOPLE . LETS MOVE BACK TO THE MOTHER CHURCH
Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiire! 