₦airaland Forum

Mr is the way you talk why not prove me wrong like some members do i would more happy with this than some person i spit on you and this that is why Jesus don’t cast your pearl before swine’s
another christ embassy instruction manual

thank for the correction brother i have a history with the church yes they started a war with me i am not a normal person they just plucked of the street I have dispread for a time but I was gathering my strength so the war has now been declared never pick a fight with a soldier who is trained in the art of war
SUN TZU ON THE ART OF WAR THE OLDEST MILITARY TREATISE IN THE WORLD
So in tell the truth the first casulity of war is the truth but truth is my weapon

Well during the time in the church I did contact the leadership but they were far from helpful there was a conspiracy going on to help another church bother get  a passport and I ended up very sick because of what they were doing to me I nearly died?
I had to beg night and day through texts and calls from the other side of the country to just speak to the pastor and the other members of the church who were close to the leadership where working against me, the reason I have come to the conclusion I need to write the book is that no one cared for me in to different branches the great false people where the pastors it’s all in the book don’t think I take joy in having a go at the leaders of any church not even “pastor Chris” but I wrote a  letter to the church in Nigeria begging for help? but I never got a reply I even phoned and one man was reasonable with me to a certain level, but he told me to stay in the church but the evil toward me only increased I was kicked in the church treated very cruel, I had no choice so I never went back, I went back to where I come from and I was a little angry when talking to pastor there and she turn nasty because I was very bitter she was unfriendly after a time I spoke to the husband he never seen me before but was taken with the bible knowledge I had and the fact I am a director of a computer company so I raise the fact his wife was not being nice and I told him I was going to leave the church he seemed not interested so a week later they done something to me that was very wicked for a man that was sick there was 0000 moral support from them
I know I am being vague here but that is because it is in the book I am writing when it comes out it will be completely clear? I am deeply sorry if I am causing you pain or trouble to any members but if you ask the right questions you get the right answers
But the only time they real showed interest was to do with tithes and the company


mabell

Joagbaje


This should address the point
I have tried but the leadership are guilty and I am not sinning telling the truth from the scripture the name off every person and  thing will come out in the end detailing the good and the bad down to every point you are right part with the scripture there but only half the story is told.
I love you both may the lord open all our eyes to see his glory
what happened to reasoning from the scriptures, like the apostle Paul said all believers are encouraged to do?


Acts 17 (King James Version)
2And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
3Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
Acts 17 (New International Version)
In Thessalonica
2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said.


Well the key word here was “reason” a Greek concept?
The faculty of reason, rationality, or the faculty of discursive reason (in opposition to "intuitive reason" is a mental ability found in human beings and normally considered to be a definitive characteristic of human nature.[1] It is closely associated with such human activities as language, science, art, mathematics and philosophy.


Reason, like habit or intuition, is a means by which thinking comes from one idea to a related idea. But more specifically, it is the way rational beings propose and consider explanations concerning cause and effect, true and false, and what is good or bad. In contrast to reason as an abstract noun, a reason is a consideration which explains or justifies some event, phenomenon or behaviour.[2] The ways in which human beings reason through an argument are the subject of inquiries in the field of logic.
Reason is closely identified with the ability to self-consciously change beliefs, attitudes, traditions, and institutions, and therefore with the capacity for freedom and self-determination.[3]

You strike me as another captive intellect when you go to pick a fight it helps to know the Aponte
I feel grieve when I see him destroying life’s like yours with false teaching I do enjoy sharing scriptures? There is something’s I miss about Christ embassy but what they did to me is unforgivable
The leadership in the church don’t care about the members unless you’re giving them money
And me being Israelite they should have known better but God will deal with them

i edit the post read again bless you

newmi is that with japs eye or your mouth you evil man why

All crime beginning in the mind first that is why you renew the mind i hope that helps bless you i love your mind wasted in the church
Meaning in the thought process that is why we have a new mind in Christ and renew our mind daily in the word of God that is also why we are told to come to church with a word a hymn word of revelation

Well do you remember the teaching by our beloved false profit oh i mean prophet at church, when he said cream your dreams if you are in a dream and you see a car and bike take the car well he had some good point the bible tell us to renew your mind roman 12:
Romans 12
A Living Sacrifice
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Philippians 2:5


New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
King James Bible
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
American King James Version
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
American Standard Version
Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Douay-Rheims Bible
For let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Darby Bible Translation
For let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus;
English Revised Version
Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Webster's Bible Translation
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
World English Bible
Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,
Young's Literal Translation
For, let this mind be in you that is also in Christ Jesus,

right you wrong it made God very mad because he was spilling his seed on the ground that is why God killed him so get your facts right pastor said it is not a sin against God right i self services and spill my seed on the bed or on the sock like in American pie what does that make nothing is the answer there is no woman present you are so blind to defend pastor Chris to the death
It is like max in the thunder Dom 2 men go in and one comes out come on wake up and see him for what he is a liar and evil doer
There is more I could give you Jesus said if you look on a woman to lust after you have committed adultery already in your heart
So when self services thinking of a brick wall or a woman but in your case who knows


Psalm 7
New International Version (NIV)
14 Whoever is pregnant with evil
conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.
15 Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
falls into the pit they have made.
16 The trouble they cause recoils on them;
their violence comes down on their own heads.

17 I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness;
I will sing the praises of the name of the LORD Most High.




Exodus 20:17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
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Leviticus 18:20 "'Do not have intimate relations with your neighbor's wife and defile yourself with her.
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Deuteronomy 22:22 If a man is found sleeping with another man's wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.
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2 Samuel 11:2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful,
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Job 31:1 "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl.
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Proverbs 6:25 Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes,
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Ezekiel 23:16 As soon as she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea.
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Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, intimate immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
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James 1:14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
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James 1:15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.


   
New International Version (©1984)
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
New Living Translation (©2007)
But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

English Standard Version (©2001)
But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

International Standard Version (©2008)
But I say to you, anyone who stares at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
But I can guarantee that whoever looks with lust at a woman has already committed adultery in his heart.

King James Bible
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

American King James Version
But I say to you, That whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.

American Standard Version
but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Bible in Basic English
But I say to you that everyone whose eyes are turned on a woman with desire has had connection with her in his heart.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Darby Bible Translation
But I say unto you, that every one who looks upon a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

English Revised Version
but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Webster's Bible Translation
But I say to you, That whoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Weymouth New Testament
But I tell you that whoever looks at a woman and cherishes lustful thoughts has already in his heart become guilty with regard to her.

World English Bible
but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Young's Literal Translation
but I -- I say to you, that every one who is looking on a woman to desire her, did already commit adultery with her in his heart.


Clarke's Commentary on the Bible
Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her - Επιθυμησαι αυτην, earnestly to covet her. The verb, επιθυμεω, is undoubtedly used here by our Lord, in the sense of coveting through the influence of impure desire. The word is used in precisely the same sense, on the same subject, by Herodotus, book the first, near the end. I will give the passage, but I dare not translate it. To the learned reader it will justify my translation, and the unlearned must take my word. Της ΕΠΙΘΥΜΗΣΕΙ γυναικος Μασσαγετης ανηρ, μισγεται αδεως, Raphelius, on this verse, says, επιθυμειν hoc loco, est turpi cupiditate mulieris potiundae flagrare. In all these eases, our blessed Lord points out the spirituality of the law; which was a matter to which the Jews paid very little attention. Indeed it is the property of a Pharisee to abstain only from the outward crime. Men are very often less inquisitive to know how far the will of God extends, that they may please him in performing it, than they are to know how far they may satisfy their lusts without destroying their bodies and souls, utterly, by an open violation of his law.

Hath committed adultery with her already in his heart - It is the earnest wish or desire of the soul, which, in a variety of cases, constitutes the good or evil of an act. If a man earnestly wish to commit an evil, but cannot, because God puts time, place, and opportunity out of his power, he is fully chargeable with the iniquity of the act, by that God who searches and judges the heart. So, if a man earnestly wish to do some kindness, which it is out of his power to perform, the act is considered as his; because God, in this case, as in that above, takes the will for the deed. If voluntary and deliberate looks and desires make adulterers and adulteresses, how many persons are there whose whole life is one continued crime! whose eyes being full of adultery, they cannot cease from sin, 2 Peter 2:14. Many would abhor to commit one external act before the eyes of men, in a temple of stone; and yet they are not afraid to commit a multitude of such acts in the temple of their hearts, and in the sight of God!

masterbation is not a sin against God pastor christ says

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP0CDsvu8DM


, And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. "Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. " 1Corinthians:6:12:20

Eph 5:3 (NIV) But among you there must not be even a hint of intimate immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.

1Th 4:2-8 (NIV) For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid intimate immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God,  For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
John 8:32 (NIV) "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."


1 Peter 4:1-2 (NIV) Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.

1 Peter 4:1-2 (Wey) Since, then, Christ suffered in the flesh, you also must arm yourselves with a determination to do the same--because he who has suffered in the flesh has done with sin--that in the future you may spend the rest of your earthly lives, governed not by human passions, but by the will of God.

Genesis 38
New International Version (NIV)
8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his Fluid on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother. 10 What he did was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so the LORD put him to death also.

Joagbaje (m)
this battle is not truly mine as premature as it is, but the battle is the lords not mine alone so i stand as a man with a divine calling against false teaching have you truly read the bible instead of defending the truth of (Pastor Chris) you have become apologist for false teachers i feel sorry for you?
You are nothing more than a puppet having his strings pulled; the reason I have to go into the long grammar is because in all your tainted knowledge of the word of God you still can comprehend the true Gospel and many more like you
Whoever you really are, you don't know the bible and you don’t know “Christ’s” teaching as well you know Pastor Chris and his teaching which I grieve deeply for you and many more like you
You are in a world held captive to what you see and your imagination is clouded with lies being projected from a man that cares for nothing his fellow man.
You where implying that we should not judge well does the bible agree with this statement of mind when you are passing judgement on me yourself
You implied in your statement I was in sin in my life, and me also being a loner, have you ever heard of the word “sojourner” and not a church Goer but you never think I mint be a pastor or evangelist which I am one of them.
Sojourner appears in scriptures 11 times in the bible (K.J.V)
Genesis 23:3 And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,
Genesis 23:4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a burying place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.

Leviticus 22:10 There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing

Leviticus 25:23 The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine, for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.

Leviticus 25:35 And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.

Leviticus 25:39 And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant:
Leviticus 25:40 But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubile.

Leviticus 25:47 And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee, and thy brother that dwelleth by him wax poor, and sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger's family:

Numbers 35:15 These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the
sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.

2 Samuel 4:3 And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.)

1 Chronicles 29:15 For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.

Psalms 39:12 Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.

It also means nomadic a lonely traveller in a strange land not his own Jesus said my kingdom is not of the world or my servants would fight?
So my life is not of this world but the heavily father
The word you used from the bible you fool = hell fire you are partly right?
Here the apostle Paul using the same word in the bible as did Solomon
Galatians 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
Galatians 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Galatians 3:3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Galatians 3:4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
Galatians 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Galatians 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Paul said you foolish Galatians who as bewitch 
Note it is not is singular but a plural of the word “fool” hence “foolish”
I am here to save your soul and more on the other hand thank for any correction you give me praise God for that he who saves souls is wise the opposite of foolishness.
Did you notice I thank God not Pastor Chris 
It is not wrong to save a child from running in front of a car and holding his hand tight even it hurts a little better a little pain and a whole lot of death?
So let’s give you a little lesson in truth for the spiritual blind
And the governments require you as church to be registered as a charity which Christ embassy is this is for tax purpose and being registered means you don’t pay tax because you are a charity statues not a business or this case “Corporation i.e. Trademarked” if they love to spread the gospel it would not matter if other people made a copy of the word or their case (books DVD’s Cds or any materials)  as long as the kingdom of God is being advanced there is a testimony in my book when it comes out read it? It addresses this very thing you are trying to defend.

Matthew 10:7As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.'
8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
9Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts;
10take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.
11"Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave.
12As you enter the home, give it your greeting.


This is money to them spiritual gold
(N.I.V) 1 Corinthians 9:18  What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.

(K.J.V)1 Corinthians 9:18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

9:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
2 Corinthians 2:17 (New International Version,)
17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.
2 Corinthians 2:17 (King James Version)
17For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:6 I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.
7 Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge?

DOCTOR TRUTH HERE: recommend daily scans of your spiritual hard drive to ensure your mind is not infected with self-styled false prophets and teachers whose only goal is your bank account, enslaving you through false teaching
Make sure you scan your mind with the bible daily here is a little computer program illustration
Making life free from (Pastor Chris, Oyakhilome) and his false teaching making the world a better place person by person brick by brick?
(Mabell) I only reposted from another site it was not me writing but there was many points prove Christ embassy is a business not a church

notice why i put in all my art work about the christ embassy this statement (In-Corporations We Trust $)
This is because you’re putting trust in a business not in your savour the lord Jesus Christ and in the insanity of following a manmade flesh a “wan a be” self-designed god
“Trust in Jesus Christ” not you’re god in a white suite

Chris Oyakhilome, pastor of Christ Embassy Church, is not only winning souls but has built an expansive business empire from which he is making good money

It is a magnificent glass building. Its blue and gold colours stand it out in the crowd of old buildings on Oregun Road, Ikeja, Lagos. The building which is a few poles away from the old Suzuki Motorcycle assembly plant glitters like the corporate headquarters of a very progressive new generation bank. But it is not. Rather, it is the headquarters of Believers’ LoveWorld Incorporated, otherwise known as Christ Embassy.

Chris Oyakhilome, the Edo State-born pastor and head of Christ Embassy, runs the branches of the church and his other businesses from here. The church has provided for Oyakhilome a good platform for his other business interests which include banking, publishing, broadcasting, entertainment and the hospitality industries.

A normal Sunday service at the headquarters chapel of Christ Embassy draws not less than 30,000 worshippers. Most of them come from distant parishes of the church and the attraction is Oyakhilome himself who they all want to see live on the pulpit.

Oyakhilome belongs to the growing clan of pastors who preach prosperity but he is better known for his miracles which are very controversial. Even then, they have remained the source of his popularity and the huge fortunes that he has made.
The church operates like a conglomerate with no fewer than 10 subsidiaries that work with the common goal of oiling the purse of the ministry and its patron.

The major money spinning arms of the ministry includes LoveWorld Cyber Ministry, LoveWorld Television, Love World Christian Network, LoveWorld Multimedia Ministry and LoveWorld Publishing Ministry.

One business enterprise run by the church is the LoveWorld Records Limited located in Ikeja. It was incorporated in 2008 as a private limited liability company to carry on the business of music, entertainment and gospel merchandise. The record studio has produced many talented music artistes who are members of the church. Church members say it is the first record label dedicated solely for the publishing, production, marketing and distribution of gospel music and promotion of gospel artistes. The Christ Embassy recording studio operates a distribution network that facilitates the selling and marketing of records within and outside Nigeria. Barely two years after its establishment as one of the many business ventures of the church, it is said to have broken into international markets like the United Kingdom, Canada, United States of America, South Africa and Ghana. Some of its products include music videos and DVDs.

The studio, which is managed by Ehi Moses, an accountant-turned musician and producer with 15 years experience in music and entertainment industry, holds the franchise of record labels of Believers Loveworld Incorporated. Its monthly turnover is put at more than N10 million.

Pastor Oyakhilome is not a good friend of the media but likes the money that the industry spins to him. Before he joined the Nigeria media business, it was hitherto dominated by politicians, businessmen and media practitioners. But today, Oyakhilome, through Global Plus Communications Limited, GPC, controls a media empire worth billions of Naira. They are also located in Nigeria and South Africa.

His group’s investments in the media include Minaj Broadcasting International, MBI; Superscreen television; National Standard, a monthly magazine; National Daily, a weekly newspaper; and a cable television network known as Loveworld Media.

The satellite television is based in South Africa and it is a free-to-air-no subscription channel. It was set up primarily for the purpose of the church evangelism. Over the years, it had been working in partnership with other media houses to air Oyakhilome on local and international television channels, but in recent years, the focus has broadened to accommodate Christian movies and programmes. A member of the church told Newswatch that the total package for the decoder and dish is N25,000.

Superscreen television station, owned by Oyakhilome, occupies the seventh floor of Lagemo House at Onipanu area of Lagos. The television which began operation in 2007, boasts of state of the art broadcast equipment. In less than four years of existence, Superscreen is now a major force to reckon with in television broadcasting. One of its staff who spoke on the level of success of the station said it certainly does not belong to the group of television station battling for survival.

Majority of staff of the television station are members of Christ Embassy. The television station serves as the media arm of the church, especially because it routinely telecasts church programmes of Christ Embassy.

Unlike Superscreen, Minaj Television International, MBI, is not a success story. In fact, its ownership is now a subject of litigation. Oyakhilome had in 2006, through Global Plus Consulting, GPC, entered into a five-year management contract with Minaj systems owned by Mike Ajegbo, a former senator. The deal was for GPC to revive Minaj, which had become insolvent following its inability to pay its annual subscription fee to the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation, NBC, and pay arrears of salaries it owed staff. The investment, estimated to be more than N400 million, produced the required impact. The new management team went to work paying the licence fee and outstanding staff salaries. Less than one year after, the result became evident, MBI became number one in sport and entertainment. The following year, the station won four awards at the 2007 Nigeria Media Merit Award, NMMA.

But the once rosy relationship between Minaj systems and GPC promoted by Oyakhilome went awry due to irreconcilable differences in contract agreements. The station has not been able to open because both parties are still in court.

In pursuit of the church’s craze for publicity and in spite of huge investments in the broadcast media, Christ Embassy again set up its sole private television station called Loveworld News Media. The studio is located within the church headquarters and is said to operate a 12-hour daily service airing church programmes, Oyakhilome’s preachings and news about the church activities worldwide.

National Standard hit the news-stands in July 2004 as a monthly glossy magazine. Its first office was at Plot 2, Ajumobi Street, off ACME Road, Agidingbi, before relocating to 25 Ogunlowo Street, off Adeniyi Jones, where it is at the moment. Today, the publication has gone weekly. Its sister publication, National Daily, which is a weekly tabloid, is located on Emina Crescent, off Toyin Street, Ikeja. Paradigm Communications Limited oversees the publication of the papers for Oyakilome’s business empire. The church’s investments in these media enterprises alone is put at more than N5 billion.

Most of those who do business with Oyakhilome’s media empire are church members, and they are very successful businessmen and women or are in vital decision-making positions. They influence decisions that help to attract business to the media houses owned by the church. It is also an unwritten rule that satellite parishes must advertise their programmes in the church network of media houses. The media houses enjoy advertisement boom during major church activities like Night of Bliss, national youths conference, annual convention and during Pastor Chris’ birthday every December 7.

Again, when Pa Joseph Oyakhilome, the pastor’s father, died last year, the newspapers could not provide enough space to carry obituary announcements and sympathy messages from satellite churches, corporate organisations promoted by church members as well as the church international partners. It was a boom for his media conglomerate and by extension the purse of the church.

Global Plus printing press is another investment of the pastor. The hi-tech ultra modern press is located along Ikosi Road, Oregun, Ikeja. It currently prints Westerner, a weekly magazine owned by a governor in the South-West, at a cost of N1.5 million. An inside source confided in Newswatch that the magazine paid three million Naira for printing the special publication on Ooni of Ife at 80 last February.

Business Eye, a business related magazine owned by Ibim Semenitari, now commissioner for Information, Rivers State, was printing at Global Plus at its debut in 2007 before it stopped using Oyakhilome’s press early last year because of a rift between the paper and the church. The magazine had written a story titled: ‘In the Name of God PLC’ in December 2008 and Christ Embassy felt the story was critical of the church. So, when the magazine took the next edition materials to the press for printing, Global Plus refused to accept them. The owners also went a step further to seize the materials as a punishment for the magazine’s audacity to publish negative stories about them.

The printing press also prints the church’s magazine National Standard, and its other publications like Rhapsody of Realities.

Monthly financial yields of the printing press which is worth more than two billion Naira is about N10 million. Investigations also revealed that a bigger printing press with state of the art equipment is being installed in Ikeja presently. After installation, it would serve as the headquarters of the publishing outfit. There is also a plan to set up printing outfits in Abuja, Port Harcourt and Benin.

Christ Embassy also owns CFI Pictures, a company that produces Christian movies. Located within the headquarters premises is a digital media store that markets electronic books and a gift card shop. The two are also money spinning channels for the church.

The church also has investments in the event and entertainment sector. In 2008, it bought over a warehouse belonging to a shoe making factory along Oregun Road which was converted to an event centre called K and G Event Centre. The event and recreational centre which is located at 8a, Oregun Road, has relaxation spots and other entertainment conveniences for customers. Although it also served the interest of non-members, church members are obliged to hold their events like marriage receptions and birthday bashes there. They pay the regular fees charges.

The church also has an eatery called Dicksons. The fast food joint is rapidly expanding its outlets. It is being developed to compete favourably with Mr Biggs and similar outfits in the country.

Oyakhilome has also spread his business tentacles to the financial sector. The church owns two microfinance banks one of which is Moneycom Microfinance Bank. The interesting aspect of the business investment of the church is that members must imbibe the culture of ‘charity begins at home’ by patronising the product and services provided by business interest of the church.

The business investment of the church is scripted in a way that it cannot be easily linked to the church. Most of the businesses have no signposts and there is usually no open evidence that they are owned by the church because they are run by Board of Trustees. Some members of the trustees are not members of the church.

Oyakhilome’s many companies operate as network. The printing press is responsible for the printing of all works of the church including Rhapsody, books and the magazines. The major advertisers of the media network are members of the church, satellite parishes and other business interests of the church empire. The Records and Digital studio produces all the CDs, DVDs, VCDs and audio cassettes of pastor Oyakhilome’s preaching which are sold both in Nigeria and abroad.

Like a celebrity, Pastor Chris’ name and face sell huge quantities of merchandise. These include books, video tapes of his crusades and miracles, audio cassettes, VCDs and DVDs of his teachings. The cassettes are also marketed online through the digital media which controls the church websites. One of the church’s websites makes money through advertisement of audio and visual materials that promote the Christian faith.

The pastor and his wife, Anita, who heads Christ Embassy international office, have a collection of more than 30 books that are a must read by members who are also encouraged to buy for friends and relations that are not members of the church. The most successful of these is Rhapsody of Realities. The daily devotional guide published monthly is co-authored by Pastor Chris and his wife. The journal which is considered a companion to the bible is currently published in 84 languages. Inside sources put its print run at not below five million. In Nigeria, Rhapsody is currently sold for N150 as against the former price of N300 when it was first published five years ago. It cost $5 per copy abroad and $43.20 for one year subscription. Price tags for his books vary with the minimum going for N1,500 while that of the audio and video CDs range from N300 to N1,000.

On a typical Sunday in the church, it is common to see members scrambling for CDs, VCDs, audio CDs, audio cassettes and books of the pastor.

Most of the church programmes are financed by Oyakhilome’s partners all over the world who donate money to enhance the work of the ministry. Apart from the foreign partners, there is a selected group of members that belong to an organisation in the church called the ‘Havens.’ These are people with deep pockets and work as the financial backbone for the church. A member of the church said the Havens ensure that Oyakhilome is not in short of funds to run church activities. Havens assist in the sponsorship of key projects of the church.

Their financial commitment to the church runs into billions of Naira annually. While the Havens muster their resources to sponsor the church projects and activities, another group called ‘Partnership’ helps members of the church that are indigent.

In partnership, a wealthy member adopts at least five indigent members and takes care of their financial needs.

Like established organisations the church employs some of its unemployed graduate members as full time staff. They work basically at the church headquarters and other units like the Healing School Ministry, bookshops and gift shops.

Oyakhilome has in a bid to consolidate the financial gains of the ministry, aggressively spread its branches to the entire African continent, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Oceania.

In the past five years, the church has intensified its acquisition of properties around Oregun, Billings Way and Alausa in furtherance of its expansion drive. For property owners, it is good tidings.

The church has also joined the ranks of those that have acquired large expanse of land along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as camp arena for their crowd-pulling events like convention. The LoveWorld Camp ground is on Kilometre 47 of the express road, close to Redeemed Church camp ground.

To complement the camp ground is a massive structure along Billings Way which is to serve as the International Conference Centre of the Church. The arena which could pass for a mini stadium for first time visitors to Billings Way would cost Oyakhilome several billions of Naira on completion. It is architectural masterpiece.

Despite being listed among the three richest pastors in Nigeria, Oyakhilome has no private jet like David Oyedepo and Enoch Adeboye. A member confided in Newswatch that he usually travels with British Airways when going outside African shores and South African Airways when going to South Africa which is another major base of the church.

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.”

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. 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.

As one minister of God that relishes in miracles, Oyakhilome and his church have also swam several times in murky waters of controversy and scandals.

His first major controversy was in 2002 when he visited Temitope Joshua, founder of Synagogue Church of All Nations. Co-pastors of pentecostal churches chastised him for visiting Joshua whom they alleged was an anti-Christ. They alleged he went to the Ikotun Egbe-based church to collect spiritual powers from Joshua who is known as Emmanuel. Ironically, his major critic was Chris Okotie of Household of God Church that is a neighbour of Christ Embassy at Oregun. Oyakhilome’s many miracle works under his pet television programme, Atmosphere of Miracles came under criticisms. Some Nigerians went to town with stories that most of his widely advertised miracles were stage-managed. The Nigerian media and those in South Africa were awash with stories of how people feigned illness and later proclaimed that they had been cured. This allegations of fake miracles led to the banning of unverifiable faith healings on televisions in Nigeria by the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, in 2004. Oyakhilome said he was the target of the ban because during that period, he was the biggest patron of Nigerian television stations. His Atmosphere of Miracles which had since given way to Pastor Chris teachings ran seven days a week on 20 television stations. His annual spiritual convention, Night of Bliss, was also given elaborate coverage by various television stations in the country.

Some of his pastors have also, through their conduct dragged the name of the church in the mud in recent years. For instance, on April 25, 2008, Joseph Ehigiator, a pastor of a satellite branch of the church in Benin, was arrested and charged with murder of his wife, Efe. Ehigiator had allegedly conspired with Oweil, his girlfriend, to kill his wife. The lid was blown open when the deceased father, Innocent Omoroguikpon, visited the Secretariat of the state chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, in Benin in July 2008, to protest the underhand dealings between the church and the police to cover the crime.

On December 22, 2009, one Seyi Ahmed, a 30-year-old film producer, attempted to blow up Superscreen television, which is one of the media houses owned by the pastor’s church. Ahmed, who is currently undergoing trial, said his abortive act was to draw the attention of Chris to the unfair treatment he received from the church. He claimed that he had been working for the church for some time and that the last job he did for them he was not paid despite several appeals. He said his intention was to get the attention of Pastor Chris so that he would get his money. Ahmed lost both eyes and a limb to his infamous expedition when the bomb exploded on him before he could reach the seventh floor where the television is located.

Instructively, the new phase of Christianity which has propelled some Pentecostal ministers of God like Oyakhilome to turn their ministries into business empires has received the bashing of some prominent men of God.

Sunday Makinde, prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, once described ‘Pentecostal pastors as gold diggers.’ Peter Akinola, primate of Anglican Church, is another minister of God who is opposed to the way and manner some pastors of churches have turned churches into business outfits. He said they have deviated from the teachings of Christ in pursuit of business.

Augustine Okhuelegbe, parish priest of Saint Catherine Catholic Church, Agbado, Lagos, is equally disturbed with the way the pentecostal pastors have deviated from the teachings and lifestyle of Jesus Christ. “The lifestyle of Jesus Christ runs contrary to the lifestyle of our preachers today. Although we are in a materialistic generation, ministers of God have not been able to separate our calling from life of the materialistic world. You discover that people will now build empires and schools which are named after them in the name of the church,” he said. Commenting on tithes, first fruits and other offerings, he said though these are mentioned in the Bible he regretted that most churches have exploited them as avenues to make money for the church.

According to the Catholic priest, tithe was not meant to be compulsory as some churches have made it to be. He said the problem was that most people are gullible as they accept anything their preachers tell them or prophesy without giving a second thought. “You are not working or engaged in any legitimate business and a pastor tells you by the end of the month you are going to buy a car. How can that happen,” he queried.

Getrude Ezono, a graduate of Psychology and member of Dominion Chapel, said what some pentecostal pastors do amount to hypnotism. She likened some of the prosperity prophesies to what the 419 people do by telling their victims what they want to hear and wish to have or become and in the process hoodwink them to part with their money.

Beatrice Makinde, general overseer of Messiah Mighty Power Church, is worried that Christendom is being portrayed in bad light because of the conduct of some ministers of God. She said there was nothing wrong with prosperity preaching and paying of tithe, but stressed that the primary objective should be to make the members know God. “Prosperity preaching is not totally bad neither is tithe, but the primary objective is to make the members know Christ first; let them know about repentance. They must know God first before prosperity,” she said. She admonished men of God to live by example since the Bible stated that ‘judgement will start from the church.’

Femi Adeniye, a member of Celestial Church, said the mode of practice in the new generation churches have portrayed them as not true followers of Christ. “These new age churches have shown that they are not really true followers of Christ who had insisted that House of God should not be turned to a centre of business transaction.”

Even Pastor Tunde Bakare, senior pastor of Latter Rain Assembly, who is also a pentecostal pastor, admitted that there have been some deviations. Often he has preached against his colleagues that have now placed prosperity and materialism ahead of soul saving. One of such was his sermon titled: ‘The world is watching the church’ which he delivered November last year.

But Oyedepo, an unrepentant prosperity preacher, who ranks among the richest pastors in Nigeria with chains of businesses, justified the business approach of many pentecostal pastors to evangelism in his book Exploits in Ministry. In the book, he described church ministry as essentially business. He says: “Without doubt, one of the reasons why most ministers ordained of God fall short of expectation or collapse completely is due to their unbusiness-like approach to ministry. Ministry is essentially business. Jesus Christ said: Wist ye that I must be about my father’s business (Luke 2:49). It is God’s business. We have been accused of turning ministry into business, but that is not true, we met it as a business. Jesus, the author and founder of ministry, told us it is a business”.

The Ota-based pastor knows where he is coming from. Of all the Pentecostal ministries, Oyedepo’s Winners Chapel remains the most ambitious in terms of turning ministry into a thriving business.

Some members of Christ Embassy justified all that the church does. They said neither Pastor Chris nor members of the church were bothered by the many criticisms against their practice since all they do have roots in the bible.

Mary Oyaheire, a deaconess in the church, admitted that members of the church pay tithe, sow seed and give first fruits. She said members were happy to perform these offerings without any coercion because of the bountiful rewards they have reaped from doing that. She said the bible admonished Christians not to put their money where cockroaches would destroy.

On the allegation that Pastor Oyakhilome deviated from pursuing the spread of the gospel and winning of souls into building business empires, she said there was no place anyway in the bible where it was stated that a minister of God should be poor. “So what you mean is that the pastor should be poor, where in the bible is it stated that a man of God should be poor. Look at Abraham. He was our biblical father he was a rich man. So what are we talking about? Our God is not a God of poverty,” she said.

She even challenged the reporter to come and become a member of the church and see whether in two months he would not be swimming in wealth. She said it was not true that some members have been ruined financially because of their huge financial commitments to the church whereas the pastor’s wealth and the church kept expanding. She said they were all successful people in their various endeavours and that this was due to the goodness of God upon their lives since becoming members of the church.

Another member, Udeme Sylvester, said first fruits and sowing of seed which members take seriously are done according to how the spirit directs. He maintained that they are not given out of compulsion. He disagreed with those who think a minister of God should not be wealthy. He said poverty was not God’s wish for any man but the work of Satan.

However, on Sunday, March 7, Christ Embassy held a concert to raise funds for the victims of the recent earthquake in Haiti. It hopes to raise funds through the selling of tickets. The tickets range from N1000 to N100,000. The church said the focus was on the children of Haiti. Dajun Ikeokwu, a pastor of the church, said the relief materials to be sent would include food, drugs and clothes.

The thinking is that the church wants to use the humanitarian gesture to score a point that it also cares contrary to the view that the church makes so much money without helping humanity.

Reported by Demola Abimboye, Danusa Ocholi, Dike Onwuamaeze and Ishaya Ibrahim

Joagbaje (m)
NIGERIA
the christ embassy people just a little lession for the weak in mind for you all need education
headquarters of Believers’ LoveWorld Incorporated,
look at the word there Incorporated, this means it is a business it is registered trade mark meaning a company proof it is not a church
it also goes under the name of business centre so get your fact right
second point the word dummie well jesus used diffrent expressions like snakes wolfs
the word
Chris Oyakhilome, pastor of Christ Embassy Church, is not only winning souls but has built an expansive business empire from which he is making good money

It is a magnificent glass building. Its blue and gold colours stand it out in the crowd of old buildings on Oregun Road, Ikeja, Lagos. The building which is a few poles away from the old Suzuki Motorcycle assembly plant glitters like the corporate headquarters of a very progressive new generation bank. But it is not. Rather, it is the headquarters of Believers’ LoveWorld Incorporated, otherwise known as Christ Embassy.

Chris Oyakhilome, the Edo State-born pastor and head of Christ Embassy, runs the branches of the church and his other businesses from here. The church has provided for Oyakhilome a good platform for his other business interests which include banking, publishing, broadcasting, entertainment and the hospitality industries.
The Simple Church, Greek word Ecclesia, getting together in Jesus' name.

Many verses in the New Testament speak of the “church,” so it is important to understand what “church” means. The first definition of “church” in modern English dictionaries is something like, “a building for Christian worship,” and it is only the second or third definition that says something like, “a body of Christians,” or “the collective body of Christians.” In the Bible, however, the word “church” never refers to a building, but always to people; specific groups of people.
The origin of God calling out, and working through, a specific group of people started in the Old Testament. By the time Israel left Egypt it was a mighty nation, and God, who had earlier said He would work with the descendants of Abraham, called the nation of Israel out from among the other nations on earth. He chose Israel to be the people through whom He would bring the Messiah, saying:
Exodus 19:5 and 6
(5) Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine,
(6) you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation….
We need to pay special attention to the fact that God said Israel would be a “holy” nation, because “holy” means “set apart,” and God did set Israel apart for Himself out of all the nations on earth. God confirmed again and again that the Israelites were a special and holy people to Him (Deut. 4:37; 7:6; 14:2, 21; 26:19; 28:9; etc.).
One of the primary Hebrew words used to designate the people of Israel is qahal (Strong’s number 6951), and it is often translated “assembly.” For example, when God was speaking to Moses about signaling to the Israelites, He said, “To gather the assembly [qahal], blow the trumpets” (Num. 10:7).
When the Old Testament was translated into Greek in Alexandria, Egypt around 250 B.C., making the version we today call the Septuagint, the Hebrew word qahal was usually translated as ekkl?sia. The Greek translators of the Septuagint did not coin the word ekkl?sia, but instead used a word that was in common use. Louw and Nida write in their Greek-English lexicon:
The term evkklhsi,a [ekkl?sia] was in common usage for several hundred years before the Christian era and was used to refer to an assembly of persons constituted by well-defined membership. In general Greek usage it was normally a socio-political entity based upon citizenship in a city-state… In many contexts evkklhsi,a may be readily rendered as ‘gathering of believers’ or ‘group of those who trust in Christ.’ [1]
The term ekkl?sia occurs over 100 times in the New Testament and, as was pointed out earlier, it always refers to groups of people, never to the building where the people met. The word ekkl?sia was used of many different groups, not just Christians. In the New Testament these groups include:
• Jews: Acts 7:38 (The Israelites in the wilderness; often translated “assembly,” but translated “church” in the KJV).
• Gentiles: Acts 19:32 (a gathering of Gentiles in Ephesus).
• The universal body of believers made up of Jews, Gentiles, and Christians. Jesus said, “…on this rock I will build my church” (Matt. 16:18), and in that context Jesus’ “church,” his “assembly” or “congregation,” consists of every person who is saved. Many great people in the Old Testament were not Jews, people such as Ruth the Moabite and Uriah the Hittite, but they are saved and thus are part of Jesus’ “church.” Thus, in John 10:16 Jesus said to the Jews around him, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”
• The whole body of Christians: Acts 5:11; 20:28; 1 Corinthians 10:32.
• Christians in a local area or who met in a specific local place; a local assembly: Acts 14:23; Romans 16:1; 1 Corinthians 4:17.
Some Bible translators recognize that translating ekkl?sia as “church” can confuse new Christians, who would naturally think of the “church” as a building, and so they use “assembly” or “congregation” instead of “church” in their versions. Bible versions that use “assembly” include the translation done by Charles Darby, Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible, and Young’s Literal Translation. Versions that use “congregation” include The Better Version of the New Testament by Chester Estes and The New English Bible.
The impact of realizing that the “church” is people is simple but profound. Biblically, people do not “go to church,” they are the church. The “church” meets wherever they gather. Thus, while we often think in terms of Christians meeting in “churches” (buildings), the biblical reality is that “churches” (assemblies; congregations) exist wherever Christians meet: in “church” buildings, houses, apartments, workplaces, parks, and more. Since the “church” is people, God’s emphasis is not where we meet, but that we meet. The place that the “church” selects to meet should be a purposeful decision, based upon what the meeting is supposed to accomplish.
For personal growth, the small meeting in a house or apartment is often the best because everyone gets to pray, share, and participate. Participation usually means quick growth. Larger meetings are wonderful for general education and accomplishing tasks that small groups cannot easily accomplish, such as sponsoring an outside speaker or a conference, or having a band or choir. Also, just as small groups have more intimacy, large groups often have a level of collective excitement that is not present in smaller meetings.
Another point that we should clarify, especially in today’s, “do it alone” culture, is that one Christian is not a “church.” Today, with Christian radio, TV, Podcasts, YouTube, and much more, it can be easy to get a “good feeling” about God, or learn about Him, without personally meeting together with others. Paul paraphrased Christ’s words, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35), and true Christianity is about giving. Not just giving money, or “things,” but sharing our time and lives with others. Face to face church should be one of the mainstays of our Christian lives.
In closing, it is perhaps valuable to know why the word “church” came to be used in Christian circles if it refers to a building, but the Greek word from which it is translated in the New Testament never means a building. Although the word “church” developed over time from the Middle English, from Old English, from the Germanic, its ancient root is the Greek word kuriakon, meaning “belonging to the Lord” (from the word kurios, “lord”). Historians say that kuriakon was used of places of Christian worship from around the time of Constantine. This would make sense for a couple of reasons.
First, Constantine was the first Christian emperor of Rome, and he started a campaign of building places for worship (“church buildings”), which needed a general name that would set them apart from the other public buildings he, as emperor, was building and also set them apart from the pagan temples in the Empire. Thus, kuriakon, or “belonging to the Lord” would have been a very appropriate general name for these buildings. It is easy to think of Greek speaking people talking of “going to the kuriakon.”
Second, by the time of Constantine much of the original revelation of the Apostle Paul had been lost. For the most part, the Sacred Secret, the use of the manifestations of holy spirit, salvation by faith, the priesthood of the believer, and many such doctrines had been lost. Replacing those were the “clergy” and a much more controlled and specific liturgy, which were available only in the kuriakon buildings. Thus, over the centuries, the institution of the “church” building replaced the biblical concept that the church was people. The Reformation re-established the doctrine of the priesthood of the believer, but from a practical standpoint the general teaching inside Christendom continued to be that people had to “go to church.” It was only in the latter part of the 1900’s that the house church movement really caught on, at which time doctrine taught, and practice confirmed, that people were indeed the “church.”
It can be wonderfully freeing to realize that there does not have to be a “church building” for our prayers, praise, and fellowship together to be somehow validated by God. When Christians, even groups of two or three, get together in Christ’s name to pray, sing, study, help and advise each other, or perform Christian acts of giving and charity, they are the “church,” and Jesus promised he would be among them (Matt. 18:20). From time to time we here at Spirit & Truth Fellowship hear from people who do not get together with other Christians because they say they “cannot find a church” where they fit in. While it is true that in some situations it can be difficult to find a large group of people who meet in a building with whom you can fellowship, it is rarely difficult to find one or two others to fellowship with in Christ’s name. “Church,” i.e., Christians meeting together, is vital if we are to have powerful Christian lives. We are the “church,” the assembly, the congregation, so let’s make sure we are assembling with other Christians.

Remove the email now Christ embassy employ hackers edit your post ok I will give you what you need and more but under no circumstance repost work yet it still a work in progress
dandong
this will all be clear when you read

if there not in for the money explain this then from a church member in in the uk
based in london

right you said there not in it for the money why is that in the church that is the only miracle being preached it’s about your bills getting paid and on TV about the sick being healing you don’t hear anyone saying a my leg got better in church its pastor laid hands on me and i got healed and come to the healing school
Christ embassy giving your life meaning
The only meaning this church gave me was pain misery and lies and a twisted gospel made to look the man he claims to be Pastor Chris calls himself Jesus Christ in a white suite
I know people who have had the hands laid on them from him and there still sick why not post that on TV

Enigma you are very right?
i read this after work last night but this person is sounding like the spiritual soma is wearing off from Christ embassy
there told not to think for them self’s that is in complete contradiction to the word of God it tells us to test the spirits to see if there from God
there is nowhere in the bible does it say to listen to the pastor over the word of God it clearly says in 2 Tim 4:1-6 preach the word in season out of season rebuking and correcting for the last days men shall not endure sound doctrine and in the last day they shall gather to them self’s preachers to preach what there inching ears want to hear? And shall turn there ear away from the truth own to fables
Just as William Shakespeare said:
Quote: the devil can cite scripture for his own purpose!
Quote: The prince of darkness is a gentleman.
Quote Confusion hath made his masterpiece.
1 Corinthians 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?


2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
2 Corinthians 13:6 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

1 John 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
1 John 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

1 John 4:5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

1 John 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
(Sir Winston Churchill) once said the truth is so precious, that it has to be surrounded with a body guard of lies
This in its self reveals that the truth is a resource that you can’t live without why then are people not screaming for the truth tell us the truth the answer is this they think?
they have it already as the saying goes the full truth is not out yet even in a world with ever expanding windows of understanding the door of the mind is opening and growing in people they just can’t seem to understand it
Daniel 12:4 But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge."

Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

It’s easy to see but they want a fast and easy way to truth
As you can see the bible so easy to understand you need someone to help you misunderstand it.

Vivian Nnona is this your second name

Vivian. SA
I was not talking about you and the hair style
I was referring the other member his name is “mabell” he sounds like he is brain washed you approached me with an open heart 
Vivian. SA
i read both posts you put up? you confirm some of my greatest fears and indulge me with truth but you done one thing you never thought you would you touched my heart not because you’re a woman but because you are showing who you are, you are very wrong to interpret the word of God through the lenses and the teaching of pastor Chris, the bible tells us that my sheep hear my voice, and come to me but if a stranger speak then they run away i find it hard to trust any church or believers for all i have ever had is rejection for standing up for the truth, so i have conclude this if you want the job done then do it yourself?
But i know you love the church but you are called to love Christ first you are not talking like most members in the church you must be white woman most Africans talk and express them self in a certain way you don’t you are easy going down to earth came and not aggressive, my life was completely destroy because the church I have spent the best part of a year and a half trying to recover from the trauma incurred with the church in London, there is little clue for you time to look me up and where it took place but even when joseph my forefather, was sold into slavery with our fellow Israelites bothers, God had a purposes which was to save the whole family of Israel, he never imaged he would become the leader of the most powerful nation on earth at this time, but his bother thought they killed him out of jealousy, so when this brother that destroy my life in the church, he only care for himself out of all the members there was only one that had shown me kindness in my darkest hour and this is the book but I am still writing this section? I will only shame the evil ones and give the praise to the good one and give God praise alone for them? Not pastor Chris for doing a good job? Because he will stand before God one day and quote lord didn’t I drive out devils and do many mighty works and Jesus will turn and say depart from me you who labour and work inequity I never knew you but come the blessed of my father in heaven you were there when I was sick and hungry and homeless and sick and in prison and the righous will say when did we see you lord he will say whatever you did for the least of these my brethren you did for me.
But I have seen a gospel in the church that is all about the spirit and not about love I only got evil I lost everything I have ever loved all through Christ embassy, and I did not get any help of the church leadership in fact they were in on it.
Money is truly evil why don’t they have a debating TV show on the bible without people who disagree that would help people see a less mafia like kind of church?
The bible says the righteous are as boiled as a loin are you blond in hair colour

Vivian. SA
I was not talking about you and the hair style
I was referring the other member his name is “mabell” he sound like he is brain washed you approached me with an open heart

dandong
what is the name of your blog

well the book will be broken down in to many factors the first one does not really have a name yet it just introduction to Christ embassy at present but that is for me to find on the server with fire wall protecting it will be a testimony of how they work and the function of the churches and all the evil things that took place against me and some of the good things done to me as well but the sadly there was more evil done than good i could have been one of the greatest members the church could have ever had in there branches in the u.k you must understand you should not follow any pastor the word of God is what you must keep in your heart and not pastor Chris, this is the common fault of the members i love the people in the church i can’t say all of them in light of what they did to me and are doing to other people right now in the name so called righteousness but i am as truthful as you will ever get i will never lie to you i will be careful with the truth, because of the nature of the church Christ embassy because there out to discredit people who speak out with the truth because most member don't follow, Jesus they only hear the pastor of the church namely Mr Chris i can’t tell you to much but i will tell you this at the moment if they had known what kind of man i am they would have never made war with me.
i am not an ordinarily man I was called from the  age of a child, I did not know this fully until later in life, but I am on the net preaching the now but there is nothing about Christ embassy yet the reason is this is the book must be completed then I will create a real web pages to down load the book?
But this could take another 4 months I am working at present on the art work for the book and writing and trying to run my business to get there so please give me time.
1. The testimony
2. Each doctrine that is false
Then
then i will  put  things on the net things the church does not want you to see video teachings on the church 
I am not doing this without proof
But with power and might and a sound mind Christ Jesus not pastor Chris
mabell
Vivian. SA
Ps I am no longer a member and I will tell you this I know a lot of the high flyers in the church in the u.k and a lot are on TV so don’t be shock when the truth comes out
You are clearly brain washed and not all the church work the same within christ embassy some work better than others so you need to get it right it is not about winning souls that is just a by-product the real goal is more souls meaning more tithers
What is that pastor says there 2 things GOD does not mess with soul winners and tithers but I know no matter what truth I give you
You will never listen your ears are closed you may not even be a person but a computer program giving out automated responses
Because there all the same across the internet preprogramed you all talk the same walk the same have the same haircuts the diehard members that is? And preach the same message there is not individuals there all made the spirit factory know as pastor Chris land robots parroting his teaching not living up to what Christ teaches I would put my money on this you have a Gerry curled haircut with a side Parton, and come to church function with a white suit on.

dandong
did you get my email addres i will forward you my book to see what you think you thought the bird thing was funny you will laugh and cry all in one
see christ embassy members and there leaders are nothing more than spiritaul pager gangsters

expossing_christ.embassy@hotmail.co.uk
email me i would like to drop you a copy of my notes

mabell
Joagbaje
The Greek word for church, Ekklesia, literally means "called out or summoned, assembled with a purpose."  Or a congregation of local people who worship God who are part of the body of CHRIST
But I know Christ embassy you dummies love any word that comes out of the pastor mini god the man who would be God, but I know that you all have the delusion of God hood, I was part of the church I woke long before the woman I was engaged was completely brain wash she worshiped the pastor as God and so do most of the members you people don’t have clue regarding speaking tongues and many more things you soak up any word that pastor Chris comes out with the latest lie is "masterbation is not a sin against God" its your own body not wisdom from GOD among many more I could give list going as far as 30 false teaching and that is just the tip of the spear of truth.

He retranslates the bible to suit his doctrine that is why when I was in the foundation school they did not like me because I was quoting for the Greek and the Hebrew form memory, not someI pad looking in the internet they were teaching you should borrow to pay your tithes?
Wake up if you would like correction read my book on the church and its timely lies when I have finished it I will be completed in 3 months I hope

Lincoln, Abraham (1809-1865)
Better to remain silent and to be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt
Paine, Thomas (1737-1809)
Man is not the enemy of Man, but through the medium of false system of government. [Ib]

Twain, mark (1835-1910)
Better known as Samuel cleomes
Most people are bothered by those passages in scriptures which they cannot understand; but as for me, I always noticed that the passages in scripture which trouble me most are those that I do understand. [Quoted in simcox, Treasury of Quotations on Christian themes]

ill give you more till cartoon bring hmour to the false preacher false teaching
there brain washing people

drop me your email for the book
i need your help the spirit told you can help fight them

dandong iam glade you liked the the cartoon there is much more i have done there in the book and ill post them on web site for free sown load it make is clear there spiritaul robots

dandong your very right my brother, but this church is a true work of evil with hypnotic powers, the people are so in love with (Pastor Chris) more than the truth of christ they talk about him more than "jesus christ" him self would you like a look at the book I am writing about them for your eyes only I will give you a list of false teaching he is telling people would you like it drop me your email
they where even charging you to get in to the church at new years service image this?  "A Pay As You Go God" THITHES BEFORE SALVATION, DIE BEFORE YOU TRY IT BACK TO FRONT SALVATION

i am not posting all the false teaching just yet that christ embassy because i know the people in the church monitor this site and will counter it?
before the apointed time i have debuked there teaching you would have to read the book so i am not giving them to much information
as we say in the army (tobe fore warned is to fore armed ) so i am coming like theif in the night with the truth and will shoult from the roofs but in truth if the people in the church where reading the bible they would not ask me what is there false teaching just ask your self this is there anything you would like to understand or ask me ?

i love you so deep brother you speak so much trurh i love very very much dont ever stop christ embassy is truely false