Christ Embassy

Christ Embassy, also known as LoveWorld Incorporated or Believers' Loveworld, is a megachurch and a Christian denomination founded by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome in 1987. The Church, with headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria, has since become a global network of churches with congregations in many countries, and approximately 13,000,000 followers all over the world.[1] The Church has ministries in Canada, Nigeria, South Africa, the United States and the United Kingdom.[2] The church has 145 branches of on five continents.[3]

Christ Embassy
ClassificationEvangelicalism
TheologyNeo-charismatic movement
RegionWorld
HeadquartersLagos, Lagos State, Nigeria
FounderChris Oyakhilome
Origin1987
Official websitewww.christembassy.org

History

The church started with a prayer group led by Chris Oyakhilome, at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, while he was studying architecture in 1987.[4][5] The church celebrated its 30th anniversary in November 2017.[6][7]

The church has approximately 13,000,000 followers worldwide.[8] Several other ministries around the world participate in its programs and conferences like the International Pastors and Partners Conference (IPPC) which holds every November in Lagos, Nigeria; the International Cell Leaders' Conference (ICLC) which holds in the middle of the year; the International School of Ministry; the Healing School, etc.[9]

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom Christ Embassy is a registered charity, established in 1996.[10] In July 2013 the Charity Commission launched an inquiry regarding the use of charitable funds, however inspections of records did not resolve concerns about its financial management and in August 2014 the Charity Commission appointed an interim manager to run the charity until 2016.[2] British tax authorities withheld £2.8 million in Gift Aid tax refunds from the charity as they were concerned not all of the charity's income was being spent for charitable purposes.[11]

Canada

There are over 50 branches of Christ Embassy churches, growing in Canada.

LoveWorld television stations

Christ Embassy runs seven TV channels including LoveWorld TV, LoveWorld SAT, LoveWorld Plus, LoveWorld UK, LoveWorld Nigeria, LoveWorld India and LoveWorld USA.[12][13] LoveWorld USA is run in partnership with Pastor Benny Hinn, who appears in many of the programs on the channel.

Loveworld Publications

The publishing house, Loveworld Publications, affiliated to the network of churches, published his first book in 1995, Recreating Your World.[14] Loveworld Publications has published all the books of Chris Oyakhilome, including Rhapsody of Realities daily devotional published in over 976 languages[15][16][17] and in 242 countries and territories of the world.[18] Over 2 billion copies of the devotional have been distributed since it was first published in year 2000.[19][20]

Christ Embassy also has a book publishing firm called LoveWorld Publishing Ministry and is a dedicated Christian Book Publishing firm reaching out to the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ with God's Word through books authored by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome.

See also

References
  1. "Major Nigerian Evangelical leader emphasizes Christian solidarity during Israel visit - Israel News - Jerusalem Post". www.jpost.com. Retrieved 2019-09-27.
  2. Sam Burne James (12 August 2014). "Charity Commission appoints interim manager for evangelical church charity Christ Embassy". Third Sector. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  3. Published. "The Family of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome Revealed". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2020-02-06.
  4. T. A. Falaye (March 2015). "The Ministry of Christ Embassy, Lagos. Nigeria" (PDF). European Researcher. 92 (3). doi:10.13187/er.2015.92.230. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  5. Laurent Fourchard, André Mary, René Otayek, "Entreprises religieuses transnationales en Afrique de l'Ouest", Karthala Editions, France, 2005, page 470
  6. Krinsky, Alberto (2017-10-23). "A Special Message from Pastor Deola in Preparation for the IPPC 2017". Pastor Chris Live USA. Retrieved 2019-09-27.
  7. IPPC 2017 with Pastor Chris - YOU Church is celebratint 30 years of BLW, retrieved 2019-09-27
  8. "Major Nigerian Evangelical leader emphasizes Christian solidarity during Israel visit - Israel News - Jerusalem Post". www.jpost.com. Retrieved 2019-09-27.
  9. Paulinus Okodugha, theinfong.com, Revealed: Seven secrets of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, Nigeria, September 3, 2014
  10. Charity Commission. Christ Embassy, registered charity no. 1059247.
  11. Weakley, Kirsty (18 February 2014). "Christian charity is subject to HMRC investigation". Civil Society. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  12. Ogbu Kalu, "African Pentecostalism: An Introduction", Oxford University Press, United Kingdom, 2008, page 118
  13. Christ Embassy Online International
  14. articles.onlinenigeria.com, Popular Nigerian Pastors - Christian Oyakhilome, Nigeria, May 2, 2013
  15. qNw1UHSvtX. "Let's Spread God's Love In 1000 Languages! | Christ Embassy". Retrieved 2019-09-27.
  16. qNw1UHSvtX. "Sponsor a Rhapsody Language in 2019 | Christ Embassy". Retrieved 2019-09-27.
  17. https://sponsoralanguage.rhapsodyofrealities.org/index_nigeria.php?id=d
  18. "Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional". rhapsodyofrealities.org. Retrieved 2019-10-01.
  19. "History Made with 1.2 Billion Copies of Rhapsody of Realities Circulated in 2018". LoveWorld TV. 2018-11-19. Retrieved 2019-09-27.
  20. qNw1UHSvtX. "Let's Spread God's Love In 1000 Languages! | Christ Embassy". Retrieved 2019-09-27.
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