I have not posted in a while but if you have followed my previous posts, you would know that I used to attend Christ Embassy Church, even though I had reservations about some of their teachings. I finally left the church, phew!
I will use this thread to explain why I quit the church and why I may never attend another Pentecostal/Charismatic church which now appears to me like a sole proprietorship, with the General Overseer or lead pastor as the owner.

1. Excessive premium on Giving money

In Christ Embassy the number one thing they lay emphasis on is giving money. The church can use any tactic to get money from members, including manipulation, threats and the likes. While there is nothing wrong with giving money or time, I believe everything should be balanced and moderate. I think that was why St Paul said we should not give out of target, or threat but as we decide in our heart. In CE, there is nothing like moderation or balance when it comes to giving. They tend to believe literally that everything answers to money. You don’t have a job, give and sow seed. You are infertile, give and sow seed. Your father is sick, give and sow seed. Every message ends with a charge to give money. They collect tithes, offerings, partnerships (money), seeds (more money), first fruits (your whole income in January) and plethora of others.

You are also charged to give for Pastor Chris’s birthday and for all the other pastors. And for projects and the likes too.

Before I started worshipping with the Church, I read the story of the account clerk at the Sheraton Hotel who stole from his employers to give to the church. As a member, I could relate with the man. The Church is obsessed with money. They do not mind how or where you get it. If you want to rise or be noticed or win awards, just give big money. It is this obsession with money that led it to start collecting gate fees from members for its New Year Service at the LoveWorld Convocation Arena in Lagos, which ironically was built by the offerings of the members charged to get in. A lot of people I know personally had gone broke, had their businesses ruined, or fallen out with a loved one because of this teaching by the church.

In summary, at CE, money is everything- EVERYTHING.

2. Sin Means Nothing at CE
Their teaching regarding to sin is so liberal. They rarely even mention it. The belief is that a Christian cannot sin, but only do wrong. The implicit message here is that ‘if you are saved, you are always saved’. You are a son of God and nothing you do or do not do can change the fact. In other words, heaven is sure. I am really not versed in the Bible to argue with this but what I know is that, this teaching is dangerous. It is like giving one a blank cheque or immunity from sin. What you have is a morally decadent church, starting from the top. Sexual sins are so rampant. You must have read the allegations of Pst Anita against her husband, that he was screwing some top female pastors. Such allegations are common in the church and I believe Pst Anita was very naïve in not understanding what was happening under her nose for decades!

It is not just PSt Chris that has been accused of fornication; his younger brother Rev Ken was also accused of impregnating a member of the South African Church when he pastored it. My friend who was in the church at that time (he also has left) told me that in all practical terms, Rev Ken had a harem in SA, with all manners of girls, mainly young university girls, living in his house. His wife was leading the church at Isolo, Lagos at that time. Apart of the Oyakhilome brothers, sin (or wrong-doing since a Christian cannot sin, according to their belief) is very common among the pastors and laity. Including me. I did a lot of things I’m not proud of as a leader, including fornication. But what struck me is that I was going numb, conscienceless in the church. No message speaks to my struggles to stay upright and not to sin. They do not even talk about such things. The focus of the messages is often on how to be successful, perhaps so you can give more money!

In summary, at CE, sin means nothing!

3. Pastor Chris is the orthodoxy
In CE, Pst Chris is the standard; he is the orthodoxy of the word of God. He is in fact treated like God. His words are law. He could cancel engagements, delay marriages and, in my mother’s language, can do and undo!
Everything revolves around him. He has limitless powers and not inhibited by anything.

And what do they say about absolute power corrupts absolutely?

Exactly what you have in the church. No one dares challenge him. In a godly environment, there should have been some enquiry in to the crisis of his marriage with the objective to mend the issues. But no one dares even raise such issues. People like Joe Agbaje are prepared to lie for him. I recall a time when the issue of PST Chris living separately from his wife came up here, Joe Agbaje defended him, claiming that the couple see often and even go on romantic get-away. It was not true. To all intents and purpose, the man abandoned his wife and family in London while gallivanting around the world with his concubines. This was wrong, but who could challenge the KING? The man had also warned members never to discuss pastors and that they should run away where such matters are being discussed. What you have is a situation where people are so afraid to even consider the allegations against him, so as not to be consumed by fire! SMH!!!

With such a context, the man can get away with anything, including polygamy. He can rewrite the bible, claiming that some portions or verses were not clearly written. He can do ANYTHING, and the staunch members and the pastors would defend him. I mean ANYTHING.

They deify him, call him the ‘Jesus in white suit,’ ‘the Jesus of our time’ and such heresies.
Two personal experiences really got me worried.

A. I was in church one day when a leader in a talk show said, “Pst Chris is not only in Ikeja or Lagos. His spirit is even here right now’’. I was shocked by the comments and obvious deification of a mere mortal. But when the pastor came up, he did not rebuke the speaker or said anything about it. I left for home, thinking hard: What has happened to these people?
B. Th other one was during prayer. The person leading the prayer asked us to pray so that the message of PST Chris will take over the world. Message of Pst Chris? I asked myself. I thought we came there because of the gospel/message of Christ? Does Pst Chris have a different message? Of course, I didn’t participate in that prayer but I was shocked that no one saw anything wrong in this, which validated my growing belief that the church was veering out of the Christian lane into something else.

I will stop here for now. But if challenged by the minions of the church, I have more arsenals. Good day and God bless you.

Toh! You've said it all. The Church today has become an avenue of theatrical acts and followers hip rather than fellowship. The pastor's word supercedes God's word these days hence we now have pastors being called daddy or mummy.

Their photographs now are a source of protection to our homes or properties. It has become the equivalent to the mark of blood God directed the Israelite to have on their door posts while preparing to leave Egypt.

We blame a religion that kill in the name of their God but the truth is some church members would do same not for their God but their pastors.

cc: lalasticlala

God save this generation, amen

bigtt76:
Toh! You've said it all. The Church today has become an avenue of theatrical acts and followers hip rather than fellowship. The pastor's word supercedes God's word these days hence we now have pastors being called daddy or mummy.

Their photographs now are a source of protection to our homes or properties. It has become the equivalent to the mark of blood God directed the Israelite to have on their door posts while preparing to leave Egypt.

We blame a religion that kill in the name of their God but the truth is some church members would do same not for their God but their pastors.

The Bible said it. I noticed that the people who go all out against Islam are themselves clowns. They are so quick to judge Muslims who are "outside the faith" but so annoyingly slow to rightly judge the wolves in their midst who are the real enemies of Christianity.

---

So called Christians don't be stupid. The devil will not successfully deceive you if he does not disguise himself as a sheep.That's why we should test everything in the light of God's word. The people you should be weary of are the ones in Christendom with you! especially your pastors because those are the people that nurture you.

Stop judging by appearance and start judging rightly!

Bros, don't give up on God. Don't let anyone deny you of heaven.

Remember all you are seeing has been prophesy in the Bible. Remain unshaken in Him.

anytime a man discovers he has been fooled all along, it's time his family members bade him "good morning". so my brother on behalf of nairaland, I bade you good morning. you have suddenly awoken from the shackles of charlatans on pulpits and today I can say you are "born again". do not repeat the same cycle In another church, because time and time again it has been proven that people who in the first instance attended such churches like the one you did, have a Mumu gene. thus cast away that gene and seek Christ in truth of who he is and what he represents. this must not necessarily be found in any gathering of any sort. it should be found in how you live and conduct yourself in the remaining days you have to sojourn this hateful and hypocritical earth. have a blessed sunday

You've raised some very salient points here. I've said this before and I'll keep saying it: Christianity in Nigeria, Africa and the world in general is being turned into a circus show by some supposed men / women of God whose sweet coated tongues are misleading thousands of truth-seeking Christians on daily basis. May God help us. And may God grant you the required wisdom to move on with your walk with God through Jesus Christ. Amen.

You should have left. It is not church you worship but God.

Ok

Marchman:
3. Pastor Chris is the orthodoxy
In CE, Pst Chris is the standard; he is the orthodoxy of the word of God. He is in fact treated like God. His words are law. He could cancel engagements, delay marriages and, in my mother’s language, can do and undo!
Everything revolves around him. He has limitless powers and not inhibited by anything.

And what do they say about absolute power corrupts absolutely?

Exactly what you have in the church. No one dares challenge him. In a godly environment, there should have been some enquiry in to the crisis of his marriage with the objective to mend the issues. But no one dares even raise such issues. People like Joe Agbaje are prepared to lie for him. I recall a time when the issue of PST Chris living separately from his wife came up here, Joe Agbaje defended him, claiming that the couple see often and even go on romantic get-away. It was not true. To all intents and purpose, the man abandoned his wife and family in London while gallivanting around the world with his concubines. This was wrong, but who could challenge the KING? The man had also warned members never to discuss pastors and that they should run away where such matters are being discussed. What you have is a situation where people are so afraid to even consider the allegations against him, so as not to be consumed by fire! SMH!!!

With such a context, the man can get away with anything, including polygamy. He can rewrite the bible, claiming that some portions or verses were not clearly written. He can do ANYTHING, and the staunch members and the pastors would defend him. I mean ANYTHING.

They deify him, call him the ‘Jesus in white suit,’ ‘the Jesus of our time’ and such heresies.
Two personal experiences really got me worried.

A. I was in church one day when a leader in a talk show said, “Pst Chris is not only in Ikeja or Lagos. His spirit is even here right now’’. I was shocked by the comments and obvious deification of a mere mortal. But when the pastor came up, he did not rebuke the speaker or said anything about it. I left for home, thinking hard: What has happened to these people?
B. Th other one was during prayer. The person leading the prayer asked us to pray so that the message of PST Chris will take over the world. Message of Pst Chris? I asked myself. I thought we came there because of the gospel/message of Christ? Does Pst Chris have a different message? Of course, I didn’t participate in that prayer but I was shocked that no one saw anything wrong in this, which validated my growing belief that the church was veering out of the Christian lane into something else.

I will stop here for now. But if challenged by the minions of the church, I have more arsenals. Good day and God bless you.

Unfortunately, most of the big churches are guilty of this. All teachings and sermons now revolve around the GOs and founding Pastors.
Churches are becoming brands of christianity, where members believes they're superior christians just for the fact that they attend a particular church.
There was a church I attended, where during testimony a member was thanking God for making his sibling face tribulations which lend him to consider changing church and becoming a member of his church. Jesus wept.

An2elect2:
Christ embassy Christianity is that one Christianity?

Wonders, did I read that from you?

I now understand what they meant by, "thank God I am an atheist"

Op, I thank God for your living conscience. Please don't let that one deter you from worshipping in a bibke based church. Find one and you will see.
Thanks and happy Sunday.

menxer:
Wonders, did I read that from you?
I now understand what they meant by, "thank God I am an atheist"

I'm sorry but your post made no sense to me

Christ embassy? Tahh!! I left that social gathering since school days, more than 9 year's ago, when one of the lady executive of the fellowship came up to minister with the shape of her V-jay showing glaring to the crowd due to the tight fisted trouser she wore. I and my friends just concluded it was going to be our last time in any of their gathering. And I was really growing there to become a leader there, with my Jerry curl hair and suit, omo con see fine boy hahaha. Anyways op you are invited to join Agape Christian Assembly, am sure you will love it.

Story for the gods

Ok

THIS GUY is .... i'm sorry to say, is a fool.
you guys have totally forgotten that, the pastors are human being and not has perfect as Jesus u know.
they too always look for a way to get enlightened. so you too you are finding enlightenment that's why you're there.
teachings can never be perfect.
you are to take the ones that is useful to you and throw away the ones that are not.

the ministry of people is different. some is to teach holiness, some to teach on how to give, some is prosperity e.t.c.

and moreover, they didn't force you to give or did they point gun at you to give?
if they are not giving you what you want to hear, go to another place and stop making people feel like the church is diff.

MINISTRY OF EVERYONE IS DIFF.

you judging them, check Romans 2; 1-3

Church will never take anybody to heaven.

God is more concern about your soul than your church

These revelations are deep

So called Men of God and Pastors worship money.

All manner of people goes to CE and yet none is able to discover or invent anything that can be of value for nigeria.

The power of God shld not be for money it can be empowerment in invention and discovery and none has happened in nigeria

Let me read first

There are two types of Christians:

1. Those who worship God. They're called Christians

2. Those who worship God through a mere man. They're called xtians.

I stopped taking pastor Chris serious when he opened his mouth at a communion Q&A session to say masturbation isn't a sin. I was like WTF.
Its also an open secret that after every night of bliss, the ones that used to be held at the stadium back then, lots of used condoms would be found on the grounds. The youths would usually disappear to dark corners around 3am.

follow this thread closely, the ladies would vehemently defend CE & Pastor Chris and even leave the meat of the matter to attack the messenger and ask jamb questions

This is deep

I've been der for the chicks, they ve got lots of them. They are always single ready to mingle

Hmmmmm

that's your personal view though