Southport Targeted by Ainsdale-Based Born Again Christian Fundamentalist Missionaries

 

A so-called Christian ‘Healing’ Ministry, that claims to have directed sick people towards miracle healing, is busily leafletting homes in Southport. 

The Christ Embassy Southport/Loveworld Southport originated via Pastor Chris Oyakhilome (“Pastor Chris”). 

Their glitzy bible-based literature is full of spectacular testimonies of alleged 'before and after' healings, seeing patients miraculously cured of such medical conditions as severe ulcers, paralysis, osteoarthritis, and cancer, etc. 

Oyakhilome is the founder and president of LoveWorld Incorporated, which is also known as Christ Embassy, based in Lagos, Nigeria.

It does seem that the healing ministry is also a highly profitable game. In 2011, Forbes estimated Oyakhilome's personal wealth as between $30 million and $50 million. His mega-business interests span publishing, broadcasting, entertainment, hospitality, real estate and banking.

However, alleged bible-based miracle cures and finances do appear to seriously conflict at times. 

Loveworld in breach over Coronavirus pandemic statements, said OFCOM 

In March 2021, Pastor Chris’s  missionary - based television network Loveworld was fined £125,000 by British regulators Ofcom after it breached broadcasting rules by airing “inaccurate and potentially harmful claims about coronavirus”

A Loveworld Global Day of Prayer previously featured “potentially harmful and inaccurate statements” about the Coronavirus pandemic and adequate protection was not provided to viewers. In breach of Rules 2.1 and 5.1.

Ofcom stated: 

‘Summary Loveworld’s Global Day of Prayer featured potentially harmful and inaccurate statements about the Coronavirus pandemic and adequate protection was not provided to viewers. In breach of Rules 2.1 and 5.1’.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0021/211188/loveworld-limited-sanction-decision.pdf 

https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/tori-56592932

Pastor Oyakhilome has also been a target of denunciation by the Treatment Action Campaign for his support of faith healing as a supposed cure for HIV/AIDS, and his devotional ‘Rhapsody of Realities’ has claimed tumours will disappear if rebuked. TAC took the church to the ASA over its claims that faith healing could cure tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/Aids.

https://mg.co.za/article/2011-02-07-tac-church-faceoff-over-healing-claims/

UK govt’s probe uncovers massive fraud in Oyakhilome’s Christ Embassy

Premium Times newspaper reported the following:

'After a five-year-long investigation into the finances of United Kingdom (UK) branch of Christ Embassy, founded by popular mega-church pastor, Chris Oyakhilome, the UK Charity Commission has indicted the church’s board of trustees of a wide range of fraudulent practices including illegally paying more than N827 million (£1,767,250) to entities and organisations it shares close relationships with.

According to the outcome of the inquiry published by the Charity Commission on its website last month, the church’s board of trustees was incriminated for shoddy management of the church’s account, arbitrary and curious payments, failure to comply with its grant-making policy, inadequate recording of its decision making processes and serious misconduct and/or mismanagement in the charity’s administration.

In one particularly disturbing instance, the inquiry found evidence the church may be laundering or diverting funds of up to N288 million (£615,420.00) from its UK branches to six accounts controlled by the church’s Nigerian branch, Christ Embassy Nigeria.

The Charity Commission also found that the church, which was founded in 1996 and has over 90 worship centres across the UK, illegally registered three properties in the names of two members of its board of trustees, failed to pay taxes worth over £250,000 on expenditures by employees, failed to secure adequate insurance, and had an instance of criminal violation of British town planning and building regulations.'

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/369651-uk-govts-probe-uncovers-massive-fraud-in-oyakhilomes-christ-embassy.html 

Some of these uber rich bible thumpers seem to have dismissed their own teachings…

‘And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.’ 

Matthew 19:24

Gay Hate is alive and well here too. 

Pastor Chris’s anti-gay biblical stance is quite clear…

LGBT rights are generally infringed upon and homosexuality is illegal in all of Nigeria and punishable by up to 14 years of prison in the conventional court system.

A church of love and true tolerance, really? 

Ainsdale charity base contact for Christ Embassy Southport

Today, Loveworld Southport is giving the Woodvale and Ainsdale Community Association (WACA) charity recreational centre in Orchard Lane, Ainsdale, Southport as its main contact point.