Published 25th Oct, 2022

By Emmanuel Uti

The Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) has acknowledged that “corrupt practices and unseemly behaviour” are thriving among its members, shepherds, prophets and prophetesses.

The church made the admission in a statement issued by its Task Force Corps on Monday, following FIJ’s undercover investigation exposing the fake prophets at the international headquarters of the church in Ketu, Lagos.

On Monday, FIJ had published an undercover investigation by ‘Fisayo Soyombo, its Founder and Editor-in-Chief, which provided hardcore evidence of fake prophesying in exchange for money at the church. In all, Soyombo received 10 fake prophecies at the church and was made to part with cash, sundry items and food.

Responding after the story, although without directly referencing either the journalist or the online platform, the CCC said it was aware that certain acts of indiscipline and corrupt practices had become the norm in some of its parishes.

“It has come to the notice of the Celestial Church of Christ Task Force Corps of the indiscipline acts being exhibited in our parishes, especially on harvest days and events that ought to be a Holy Service to the Lord,” read the statement, addressed to all members of the Celestial Church as well as the general public.

“All these corrupt practices are becoming rampant among our members and unbecoming of our shepherds, prophets, and prophetesses in the fold.”

Identifying some parishes glorifying indiscipline, the CCC stated that its parish in Cairo and the Idunu Joshua Parish in Lagos portray the church in an unpleasant light to the public via social media platforms.

“We are on the frontline of all these cases and we assure [sic] to bring these evil perpetrators to book and make sure all these shenanigans are flushed out of the Church,” the task force added.

FIJ understands that the investigation has been generating mixed reactions from CCC members since it was published on Monday morning. While a few church members applaud the effort as proof of internal reform they had been seeking, the overwhelming sentiment has been that of hard feelings towards the journalist.

Meanwhile, FIJ’s Celestial Church investigation is just the first of a seven-part series. The series continue on Wednesday, one story going up every other day for two weeks.

THE FULL, UNEDITED TEXT:

TASK FORCE CORPS

CCC/TFWW/001/10–22 24^th OCTOBER 2022

All Members of Celestial Church of Christ

The General Public

Dear Beloved,

PUBLIC NOTICE

Calvary greetings to you all in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

It has come to the notice of the Celestial Church of Christ Task Force Corps of the indiscipline acts being exhibited in our parishes especially on harvest days and events that ought to be a Holy Service to the Lord.

All these corrupt practices are becoming rampant of our members and unbecoming of our Shepherds, prophets and prophetesses in the fold.

It has come to our notice of the menace going on at our parish in Cairo and drinking of alcoholic drinks during the Harvest celebration at one of our parishes, CCC Idunu Joshua Parish in Lagos, in which the spread of all these on social media hereby portray the Church to the world in a bad manner and according to the constitution of Celestial Church of Christ, taking of alcohol among others, is totally forbidden. CCC constitution page 29, section 93, (iii) highlights that “consumption of any form of alcohol, wine or any strong drink that can intoxicate is forbidden to members of Celestial Church of Christ as the odour of all these – cigarettes, tobacco, alcohol, etc. – are repugnant to the presence of the Holy Spirit.

However, the CCC Task Force Corps is using this medium to inform the general public to be rest assured, as we are on the frontline of all these cases and we must bring these evil perpetrators to book and to make sure all these shenanigans are flushed out of the Church.

Also we want to implore all bloggers to always be calm and not to always be in a hurry for result once we are hinted on issues, as we have to take it through investigation process before we conclude or come up with a statement as there are protocols and procedures to follow according to the laws and ethics guiding our job as enforcement team.

For the time being, we implore all and sundry on these cases, to get to the Office of the CCC Task Force Corps Worldwide on this available hotlines 08101403780, 07068391845 or 07068709568. We therefore, implore all to maintain calmness and henceforth the spread of this via the social media should stop.

The name of the Lord shall not be abused in our time.

(Jude 1:3-4) (CCC Hymn 772)

Thanks for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Share on Social Media