Media reports that Pastor Kenneth Oyakhilome, currently pastor of Christ Embassy (CE) Church in Houston, Texas, USA was convicted in a South African court in 2007 for fraud and corruption have provoked a minor public storm amongst members of the faithful, with clarion calls for him to step aside. Court records made available to Huhuonline.com, revealed that on September 11, 2007, Kenneth Imo Obome Oyakhilome, a.k.a Pastor Ken was convicted of fraud; fined R20,000.00 and received a two-year suspended sentence for three years with choice of imprisonment .

“We are shocked by this revelation that Ken is a convicted criminal. He is a fraudster and this is not a matter that is subject to any debate. We cannot have the Gospel of Jesus Christ besmirched by such people, who hide behind the innocence of genuine believers to commit fraud”, exclaimed Pastor Javed Masih of the Jesus Fellowship International Society in Randburg, South Africa. 
Chris Oyakhilome

   
Chris Oyakhilome


When Pastor Ken left his family in South Africa and boarded a plane back to Houston, Texas, where he currently serves as Pastor of the Christ Embassy Church, CE officials in South Africa, qualified the move as a spiritual sabbatical.

But it is now emerging that the decision to transfer Pastor Ken from South Africa to the USA was a well contrived attempt to douse the smoldering inferno that was threatening to consume Ken’s pastoral career and that of his elder brother, Pastor Christian Oyakhilome, who founded the Ministry and himself is now locked in a huge public relations battle to salvage his own battered credibility.

The Christ Embassy Scandal

The moral questions hovering over the head of Pastor Ken, has cast a huge shadow of doubt over his elder brother, Pastor Christian, who has refused to take the blame for any problems associated with his brother’s profligacy and lack of moral character. The Christ Embassy Church in Houston, Texas, scorned requests for explanations from Huhuonline.com while Pastor Ken continues to defy public criticisms of official misconduct, and still retains his high profile position as Pastor of the Houston Church. Yet the Pastor Brothers have been pushing to make sure that the public remembers them -- or rather, remembers what they want them to remember. Pastor Ken is a troubled man. As long as allegations of official misconduct continue to swirl around him, the Pastor will forever be distracted from his official pastoral duties.

The distraction will come chiefly from a scandal that threatens to weaken his capacity to function as an effective Spiritual guide and leader of the Houston church. At a time when the Pastor ought to be preoccupied with issues that affect the welfare of his congregation, he has been busy rehearsing how he would defend himself against serious allegations of financial impropriety and abuse of trust. Some Christ Embassy Church members have expressed genuine alarmed at the way in which Pastor Ken is reported to have run riot in South Africa and questioned whether he still has the moral high ground to continue working in Houston as “God’s Messenger.” If religiosity in general comes with the capacity to numb the intellect, and defraud and exploit the innocent faithful, the brand of Christianity that has been on the ascendance in Christ Embassy for the past decade fosters a certain incuriousness that borders on total intellectual surrender.

For the truth of the matter is that in its practices and dynamics, the Christ Embassy Church itself has become an expression of the character of its founders.

In the current configuration, the Christ Embassy Church operates more or less like a business enterprise out to make profit. It was no coincidence that Pastor Ken was more to be seen mixing it with the South African political elite (governors, ministers,), than with ordinary members of his Congregation. Such was the social proximity between the Christ Embassy Church officials and the South African elite that rumors were floated that the Christ Embassy Church and Pastor Ken had the political benediction of the ruling ANC party in South Africa.

Pastor Ken, in a dynamic that works quite well for the Church and serves the ends of holders of political power, attends their (office holders') birthday ceremonies, blesses their respective families, and, at the end of each year, unfailingly prophesies positive things for the country they so spectacularly misgovern.

In return, he reinforced public perceptions of being a handmaiden of political power in a country where the majority of the population (including most of his own congregation) continues to wallows in absolute immiseration?

Shell-shocked Christ Embassy Church members in South Africa are still at a loss to understand a situation where Pastor Ken who was (and in some quarters, still is) widely respected for his preachings on austerity and moral rectitude, has now abandoned Christ’s gospel of austere pietism to embrace material aggrandizement and conspicuous consumption. Before his sojourn in South Africa, the Christ Embassy Church was renowned for its emphasis on a rigorous, no frills personal regime for its members. Such unflattering apothegm was a testament to the perceived doctrinal severity of the Christ Embassy Church.

This image was to change with the ascendance of Pastor Ken - and the Church's rapid transition into a new era, marked by a departure from this somber model and the development of a new, less abstemious, theological outlook whose modus operandi was primitive material accumulation.

Court records showed that Pastor Ken owned a fleet of luxury cars including: a Red Chrysler; a Silver Mercedes Benz; a Gold-pleated Peugeot 407 and a Black Audi 8-cylinder series. And although married with three children, Pastor Ken paraded a harem of wivelets and mistresses drawn mostly from the congregation, including married women, who share his bedroom under the euphemistic guise of “serving the man of God.”

For emphasis, the point now is not about the criminal conviction of Pastor Ken or his material possessions, including his harem of girlfriends. The central nexus of the unraveling scandal raises fundamental questions about whether it is morally ethical for Pastor Ken to continue as Spiritual Guardian of the Christ Embassy Church in Houston, Texas. In the interest of full disclosure, if Pastor Christian, the founder of the Christ Embassy Ministry is certain about his junior brother’s innocence; if he is concerned about the impact of this salacious affair on the integrity of the Christ Embassy Ministry (not to forget his own patchy morality), he should advise his junior brother to step aside in order to facilitate an independent inquiry.

An independent inquiry is guaranteed to produce one of two outcomes: a moral acquittal that should help to cleanse Pastor Ken of the stench that began to gush out since the scandal broke; or an indictment that would shred forever his name, his honor and his status in society.

If he refuses to step aside, he can expect to preside over a disorderly Congregation for the rest of his tenure as Pastor of the Christ Embassy Church in Houston, Texas.

In proceeding, it is only fair to state that in taking its message to the world, the Christ Embassy Church has also, almost predictably, taken in a considerable part of the world. Today's Christ Embassy Ministry, with churches worldwide, is no doubt a successful religious brand, but like all brands, it has had to forge all sorts of shabby accommodations with sponsors and politicians, including even fraudsters and criminals.

Obvious material success and a fatal conflation of ethos with criminal enterprise mean that the Christ Embassy Church that redefined Biblical economics is now in clear danger of being consumed by its creation.

It is certainly not a good evidence of moral leadership for a Pastor to be confronted with daunting revelations of criminal conviction. With or without Pastor Ken, the Christ Embassy Church in Houston will still continue to exist. But whether it would be an effective Church or a disorderly House of worship would be determined by current and future events.

Source please !

Source?

The headline is misleading. Most ppl might think it is Chris Oyakhilome as against "Kenneth".
Besides this should be in the Religion or Crime section.

Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people.

Na wa ooooooo
Wolf in sheeps clothing,

. . . . . The moral questions hovering over the head of Pastor Ken, has cast a huge shadow of doubt over his elder brother, Pastor Christian, who has refused to take the blame for any problems associated with his brother’s profligacy and lack of moral character. . . . .

I think they may be referring to a relative/brother of Chris.

scottN:

I think they may be referring to relative of Chris.

Ken is Chris younger brother

The fact is whether ken,or chris or whatever their names are, they are all THIEVES!!!,exploiting gullible Nigerians.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHRIST EMBASSY: ANATOMY OF SMEAR CAMPAIGN

BY: SAINT AZUH

Ordinarily, stories and personal attacks against the activities of Christ Embassy Church in South Africa, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, his family members and everybody that has anything to do with the church would have been ignored or taken as the usual journalistic prying but for the well-established concern that such reports have become episodic and now very irritating.

How else would anybody describe the use of words and language in stories that concern Pastor Chris and Christ Embassy Church by just one news website- Huhuonline, if not to say that it makes a mockery of the very rudiments of journalism?

It is very curious that within a very short span of time Huhu and its print collaborator, the National Mirror Newspapers have ran over ten stories on one person and the organization he represents. Haba!

As a journalist and media analyst vast on reportage- investigative, development and even mischief, it is very surprising that a media outfit can run stories every week on one particular individual. The only import of this is that such outfit or some of its reporters/editors are on a clearly agreed smear campaign or vendetta for whatever reasons.

A look at this vexed issued of the reportage of Chris Oyahkilome and Christ Embassy Church by Huhu and Mirror Newspapers would clearly establish the above allegation.

On continuous basis, Huhu had ran over ten reports on one person. Some of the reports: Christ Embassy: Haleluyah or Highway to Hell; South Africans Vow to Sack Christ Embassy; Christ Embassy: Concealed Sex Scandal Exposed Part III and this means that there are parts I and II; Crisis Rocks Christ Embassy South Africa over Scandalous Dealings; South Africa: Christ Embassy’s Night of Bliss Scandal Victims Account.

Others are: South Africans Vow to Sack Christ Embassy… As authorities humiliate Chris Oyakhilome at airport; Red Alert: Chris Oyakhilome‘s Christ Embassy Plc Initial Public Offer of N3bn…,  Employers Beware; Christ Embassy (South Africa): Pastor offered me R10 000 to sit in a wheelchair,  stand up and walk; South African Authorities Close-In On Christ Embassy; .Six members barred from entering South Africa- .Internal feud deepens, as top pastors struggle with moral woes; and Christ Embassy South Africa: Christian & Kenneth Oyakhilome bribery scandal revealed • Tom Amekhiena unleashes assault and battery on a church member • Open challenge to Chris Oyakhilome.

The question is: why this particular interest in Christ Embassy and Pastor Chris? Is Christ Embassy the only church or rather Nigerian church in South Africa? And why is it that a Nigerian took it upon himself to fight for the coalition of South African churches and South African government against his fellow Nigerian from the same south-south region? These are very curious or rather interesting issues?

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It is very unfortunate because those of us that have followed Huhu had a very different believe of what Emmanuel Asiwe, the publisher represents and that may have been why some of us joined in the campaign for his immediate release when he was recently arrested by security agents in Nigeria for alleged wrong reporting, misinformation, blackmail, and felony against the government.

Interestingly, any experienced reporter would agree that the entire library of stories on Christ Embassy South Africa by Huhu were just rolled out from two story lines. And for whatever reason, Huhu decided to always re-write and re-run the stories with even a spec of new rumour in Soweto main market as an update.

Although this is an aside, those of us that joined the campaign for your release from detention were meant to believe that you are operating from one of the western countries. And now we are confused. Is Huhu/Emmanuel Asiwe based in South Africa or in Europe/America?

Huhu should be more interested in improving the quality of both its reports and the website rather than embarking on flimsy campaign of calumny to pull down another young Nigeria in his calling. Without bias, Huhu should look at other offshore news websites including Saharareporters, Pointblanknews, Thetimesofnigeria, Gamji, Ngex amongst others and see how it can line up with their mindsets.

Nigerians especially those of us at home are really proud of the offshore web-based news media outfits as they have been at the forefront of canvassing issues of national concern and challenging the nation’s leaders to accountability rather market women’s busy-body journalism.

Another interesting aspect of the smear campaign against Christ Embassy Church is the now clearly established relationship between Huhu website and National Mirror Newspapers. Is Asiwe a staff or on the payroll of National Mirror Newspaper? And if not, why is it that the newspaper runs all the Huhu Christ Embassy South African stories verbatim on its cover?

Even when all the national newspapers published in this country on April 26, 2009 had on their covers stories and issues on the Ekiti re-run election of Saturday April 25, Mirror, a newspaper, had as its lead story on the cover: “Christ Embassy in Crisis” , a story of an alleged event that happened in September 2007 according to the newspaper.

This should concern any practicing and credible journalist as it borders heavily on the sense of judgment of what is news by the editors of Mirror. How can any editor lift a stale story wholesale from a website and slam it on the front page as lead?

Initially, the smear campaign by National Mirror newspaper was interpreted as a personal vendetta by its former publisher, Emeka Obasi. Now, the ownership has changed but the smear has continued and it couldn’t have been on the instruction or support of the new owner- Jimoh Ibrahim.

National Mirror should help Nigerians see it as a newspaper with credibility,  Sometime ago, offensive pornographic pictures were ran on its cover purported to be some wayward female students of the University of Port Harcourt with some expatriates. It was however later confirmed by this writer (an alumnus of Uniport) in the newsroom of the organisation that the pictures were lifted wholesale from a pornographic site on the web and re-captioned.

Needless to say that this kind of journalism cannot help the Mirror and its editors especially now that the newspaper is trying to re-brand under its new owner- Jimoh Ibrahim who is “well known” in this country and beyond. A word is enough for a wise.  We all know the right thing. Let’s do it.

Suggesting that there is an ulterior motive or a smear campaign is not a refutation of the claims. Perhaps indeed someone is out to get Christ Embassy for whatever reason, there should be no problem if the organisation has done nothing wrong.

Just as i thought, oyakhilome's fraudulent nature must be genetic given how deep sitted it is and the ridiculous extent he goes to defraud christians.

This story is false. I have inside sources and all these nonsense are fabricated. The devil must not be allowed to prevail. Continue doing God's work, Ken.

Old Story. . . I am sure I have seen this on NL before

Aloy`Emeka:

This story is false. I have inside sources and all these nonsense are fabricated. The devil must not be allowed to prevail. Continue doing God's work, Ken.

By inside source do you mean that you know people within the judicial system who have informed you that he is not being convicted for fraud. Or do you mean that you know people in the church who have denied the news?

I hope you mean that you know people in the judicial system who have assured you that there is no such case. Otherwise you would have made nothing but a baseless claim.

which one b dis?

Dangerous false reporters like huhu ought not to be made as true story source or reference because you'll only find yourself tagged false for sharing false story mixed with basic known facts to grab audience. Lame busy body journalism.

Abeg, the stories are very true, the man is a THIEF!! AN ARMED ROBBER!!! all of them that perform false miracles and exploit people,their reward is in hell!

its over 12 months and counting and I still stand by my words: these men are charlatans, crooks and fraudsters

SirJohn:

its over 12 months and counting and I still stand by my words: these men are charlatans, crooks and fraudsters

Sir John how now? how have you been? you have been missing on this forum for a while i am sure your brethen from CEC would have missed you dearly on the forum .

KunleOshob:

Sir John how now?  how have you been? you have been missing on this forum for a while i am sure your brethen from CEC would have missed you dearly on the forum .

I'm fine Kunle, I've hardly stayed put in one city since the last 4 months. Thanks for your concern

Pastor Chris and his co-pastors in Christ Embassy are thieves. Pure and simple!

not only are they thieves,they're armed robbers!!They're terrorists!!

Wait AND LET GET SOMETHING CLARIFY HERE, did the bible say that Pastors will not engage in business. The question I want to ask is this, are pastors not human beings like us? Paul was a tent maker and i think he sold his tents to take care of himself, have saving and for others too. We all have big mouth in Nigeria that we do not see anything good in anybody. The people who talk down on other, does it mean that they have never done anything bad in their life. Check yourself very well before u talk of people. The men you talk down on are celebrated all over the world and their teaching and workd have impacted millions. What have you done for people in your own area. NOTHING!! The business they have employed thousands of Nigerians and u are here talking down on them. Pastor Chris is the first African man to have a Devotional Bible translation approved to be printed and circulated all over the world in diffrent formats. We have never seen such before. He is the first person in Africa to have a christian Sat TV beemed 24hrs to the entire world, never seen before. He has the best printing machines ever in Nigeria. He is beleived to have the most organized ministry in the world with a crusade of more than 3 million people in a single meeting, every one seated. These are records that blew the minds of fellow pastors around the world. His books and tapes sales more than any pastor around the world. People demand b/c it changes their lives when they listen and read his books. His TV programes are better than secular ones in content and quality. He does everything excelently. Now, if he is fake, then he is worth following b/c if you notice, every pastor in Nigeria want to do things the way he does things. Thousand of churches around the world use Rhapsody of Realities to teach their congregation. But here in Nigeria, we don't regard him b/c a prophet has no respect in his own land. What about the Inner city mission http://www.christembassyinnercitymissions.com/ vist this and find out what the man is doing with the vision that God gave him. He is presently building a hostel block at his former university. No personal house or property, completely sold out to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Winners chapel is the bisggest in the world, Covernant University, one of the best in Africa. He has a help out reach for many poor countries in Africa. A lot of other business establishments that is benefiting the Nigerian people. May be your brothers and sisters have benefited in one way or the other. Lets learn how to celebrate our own people. We celebrate 419 people and criminals in Government. We give them titles. Yet, they don't teach anything good or make any meaningful contribution to our society. But the moment a man of God is doing well in his call, we all come out to condem him. Its bad and God is looking at us. Dont fulfil a bad scripture like Judas. Jesus came, all of you came out to critise him and you think you are right.

Use your time to appreciate other people. Look at those who talked down on Pastor chris, where are they today and pastor chris is making progress everyday and yet some are still waiting for him to come down. He cannot because he is of God. You people who write about him are not moving forward, he is. So who is greater!! Some say soon they will know, their soon has gone to years and he is still stronger. News papers are not talking of pastor chris this, pastor chris that, they have all joined him to preach. He has even bought some of them. Now they they news papers are talking about redeem. don't wory, God dey.

YOU ARE ALL HATERS, YOU KunleOshob IN PARTICULAR, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HELP THE POOR. IT IS NOT THE DUTY OF THE CHURCH TO DO THAT. THE CHURCH PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IS TO PREACH CHRIST AND BRING MEN TO HIM. THAT CHURCHES ARE HELPING DO THAT TODAY IS OUT OF LOVE. ITS WE INDIVIDGUALS THAT CAN DO THAT AND HELP OTHERS. SO YOU THAT HATE BISHOP OYEDIPO, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE. TELL US HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU HAVE HELPED. IF NOT CLOSE YOUR MOUTH AND ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND WHO PAUL WAS TALKING TO.