Pages

Thursday 11 September 2014

Oyakhilome’s Divorce Mess (5): History Of Christ Embassy/Believers’ Love World

Christ Embassy
Via - Encomium
CHRIST Embassy, also known as Believers’ Love World Inc., (BLW) was founded by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, P.hd over 25 years ago.  Kicking off in the 80s as a popular university students fellowship at the Bendel State University (now Ambrose Alli University), Ekpoma, Edo State, it has since transformed into a global outreach/ministry with funds and assets in excess of N300 billion!
Pastor Chris and Anita Oyakhilome
Pastor Chris and Anita Oyakhilome
Addressed as pastor, teacher, healing minister, television host and best-selling author, Oyakhilome presides over an incredibly expanding network of Christ Embassy churches and campus fellowships on all five continents.  He also pastors one of the largest congregations in Africa.  In fact, Pastor Chris holds a massive healing and teaching crusades with crowds of over five million in a single night’s event.
In 2003, he pioneered the first 24-hour Christian network from Africa to the world.  He also has other programmes on major television networks across the globe.
Believers’ Love World Incorporated is a global ministry with a vision of taking God’s divine presence to the nations of the world and to demonstrate the character of the Holy Spirit. 
The mission is driven by a passion to see men and women, the world over, come to the knowledge of the divine life made available in Christ.  To achieve this, Rev. Oyakhilome has multi-media platforms.  They include the television ministry, the Healing School, School of International Ministry (SIM), Rhapsody of Realities and the Inner City Mission, where children without hope of a future are fed, housed, clothed, educated and given a chance to live their dreams.
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s wife, Anita is the Vice President of Believers’ Love World.  She also co-ordinates the international operations of Christ Embassy in the UK and across the globe.  Other than the daily devotional, the Rhapsody of Realities, which she co-authors with her husband of 23 years, she is also the author of Don’t Pack Your Bags Yet, Confession for Living, A Handbook for Successful Living, Unending Spring of Joy, among many other best-sellers.
HOW THE CHURCH IS ORGANISED AND RUN
The headquarters of Christ Embassy/Believers’ Love World Inc., is Lagos, Nigeria.  Close to the Lagos seat of power, it’s on Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos.  The N2 billion architectural wonder also incorporates worship centres and offices of the ‘pastorpreneur’s’ chains of business.
The ministry is organized in regions, zones, parishes, central pastoral unit and cells.  There is the president/founder, the vice president, the trustees, the Central Executive Council, The International Pastors and Partners Conference, regional directors/pastors, zonal directors/pastors, group pastors, parish pastors, church pastors and coordinators.
But the source of all powers is the Founder and the Central Executive Council.
All the structures of the ministry must, however, ensure that secrecy, discipline, total commitment defines the relationship between members, leaders and the church at large.The most powerful organ of the Believers’ Love World /Christ Embassy is not the registered trustees.  It is rather the Central Executive Council (CEC), the foremost executive committee of the ministry.  It has about eight members including Pastor Chris Oyakhilome.
Pastor Anita Oyakhilome, the Vice President, Believers’ Love World is a ranking member of the ministry’s Central Execitive Council (CEC).  Oyakhilome’s younger brother, Ken is also a member of the influential body.
Pastor Ken Oyakhilome is the presiding pastor of Christ Embassy, Westheiner Road, Houston, Texas, USA.  He became born again in 1985, through his elder brother.  Pastor Ken, a regional director pioneered the South African region of Believers’ Love World .  Another powerful member of the CEC is Pastor Tom Aniekhanan.  He is Pastor Chris’ maternal cousin. One of his favourites, he pastored the Believer’s Loveworld in the University of Benin, Ugbowo, Benin City.  A graduate or Ambrose Alli University, he once pastored the church in Kano and Lagos.
Interestingly, Pastor Tom was Anita’s pastor before she got married to Oyakhilome in 1991.  The de facto second in command to Pastor Chris also doubles as Director of Church Ministry and Organisation (CMO), the central administrative and co-ordinating office of all Christ Embassy churches worldwide.  He is also the Regional Pastor of South-South, Nigeria, where his wife is equally a zonal director.  A region in Christ Embassy comprises thousands of zonal churches, groups and parishes.
Rev. Ray Okocha is the Secretary General of the CEC.  A man said to be after Pastor Chris’ heart, he is touted as the new face of Christ Embassy by his admirers.  He is also a Regional Pastor, Abuja.  Rev. Ray was Pastor Anita’s leader before she became Love World’s Vice President by virtue of her position as Oyakhilome’s wife. He is a Registered Trustee of Believers’ Love World, UK.
Evangelist Eddy Owase is almost as old as Christ Embassy. A high-ranking leader of the Believers’ Love World , he met Pastor Chris in 1984, in his first year in the university.  Almost 30 years on, he has remained faithful to the charismatic fisher of men. He anchors one of Believers’ Love World ‘s TV ministries, Real Miracles Today.  Eddy Owase is also a regional pastor while his wife, Mary is a zonal pastor in Benin.
Also mentioned as members of the all-powerful Believers’ Love World’s CEC is Pastor Biodun Lawal, Assistant Secretary General, BLW.  He leads Christ Embassy in Ghana.
Those familiar with the operations of the mega church have equally revealed that Pastor Chris’ younger sister, Evangelist Katty Worghiren is also a factor in Christ Embassy.  This is not disputable, considering her position in the scheme of things.  Evangelist Katty is the Director of the Loveworld Music Ministry (LMM) of the Believers’ Love World Inc.  She is also the Director of the Loveworld Children Ministry (LCM) and the Loveworld’s Creative Arts Academy (LCAA) and Chairman, Loveworld Records. She has been working with her brother (Pastor Chris) from the inception of the ministry.  She has raised many music ministers including Sinach.  Katty is also a songwriter, composer, music arranger and choreographer.  She composed the Believers’ Love World Anthem and the theme song for Haiti children entitled Hope Haiti, used for a concert to raise funds for Haiti disaster victims.  Katty Oyakhilome also composed the theme song, I believe in Nigeria (BLW’s annual reach out campaign, Reach Out Nigeria).
Yet another Oyakhilome’s blood, Pastor Ose also has a say in Believers’ Love World.  Pastor Ose Oyakhilome, Pastor Chris’ sister-in-law is the senior pastor of Christ Embassy churches in South Africa where she co-ordinates and oversees all the churches in that part of Africa.  Ose is Pastor Ken Oyakhilome’s wife.
She is also a stakeholder in the International School of Ministry (ISM) in South Africa.
When a lady is the chief executive officer, Believers’ Love World Inc., the director of the Healing School of Christ Embassy as well as director of International School of Ministry and zonal director, Christ Embassy, Lagos Zone 5, you don’t need to be told she runs the affairs of the church big time.  And these are some of the many administrative and pastoral duties of Pastor Deola Philips.
Pastor Tom’s wife, Joy Amenkhienan is equally powerful in Believers’ Love World Inc.  A Zonal Director, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, she joined the church over 20 years ago.

No comments:

Post a Comment