RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS


Ukrainian evangelical leaders condemn Kiev clergyman

PROTESTANT PASTORS URGE APOSTOLIC COUNCIL OF "GOD'S EMBASSY" TO REMOVE SUNDAY ADELAJA FROM CHURCH

RISU, 24 March 2016

 

Nine protestant pastors have made public new incidents of manipulation and falsehood by Sunday Adelaja, which have led to new scandals, including sexual ones, around the pastor of "God's Embassy."

 

The pastors maintain that on 12 March 2016 they received an appeal from parishioners of "God's Embassy" for protection and help. The letter told how Sunday, with the help of various manipulation techniques, flattering words, and his own position, forced them to engage in sexual encounters with him. And there are very many of such incidents, according to the authors of the appeal, and they have a systematic character.

 

"Women are either frightened or become victims of manipulation and falsehood. . . . We ask you to protect all who have already suffered, and also potential victims who are under the influence of manipulation and wizardry," the appeal of parishioners of God's Embassy says.

 

"Taking into account the fact that the board of elders of this religious congregation knew about this situation and have not taken any measures, we consider them to be collaborators in Sunday's sins. In this situation, we urge the apostolic council and parishioners of the church God's Embassy to remove Sunday Adelaja and the elders from leadership of the congregation and to exclude them from the church. In the event that it is impossible to fulfill this suggestion, we urge member of God's Embassy to leave this structure and to find a church where healthy biblical Christian teaching is professed and practiced," the statement says.

 

It was signed by:

Anatoly Gavriliuk, senior bishop of the Center of Independent Charismatic Churches of Ukraine;

Philip Savochka, senior pastor of the Association of Salvation Churches;

Boris Grisenko, rabbi of the Jewish Missionary Community of Kiev;

Sergei Baliuk, bishop of the Association of the Christian Evangelical Church of the Living God;

Valery Reshetinsky, bishop of the Ukrainian Missionary Church association;

Aleksey Demadovich, bishop of the Church of God of Ukraine;

Alexander Rudinets, bishop of the Kingdom of God association;

Andrei Tishchenko, bishop of the New Generation Church;

Vadim Shepilov, senior pastor of the Good News Church.

 

We recall that back on 29 December 2008, the Council of Bishops of Christian Evangelical Churches of Ukraine published a statement in which they warned the Christian community about the lawless and anti-biblical activity of the Nigerian citizen Sunday Adelaja.

 

At the time, the evangelical churches decisively dissociated themselves from Sunday and condemned his methods and means of activity, as a result of which thousands of people had become victims of financial pyramids. This statement gave recommendations to the leadership of the God's Embassy church to remove Sunday from ministry and to Sunday himself, that he repent. But these recommendations were not fulfilled either by Sunday or by the leadership of God's Embassy. (tr. by PDS, posted 26 March 2016)


Related articles:

Kiev megachurch leader still under suspicion, 5 February 2009

Leaders of Ukrainian Christian sect charged, 18 June 2013



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