Hmmm....Popular Nigerian pastor, Sunday
Adelaja’s church is currently enmeshed in an adultery scandal following
allegations that he had extramarital affairs with at least 20 women in
his church.
Adelaja, founder of one of Europe’s
largest churches, Embassy of the Blessed Kingdom of God for All Nations
Church in Kiev, Ukraine, is now under fire to step down as the spiritual
head of the church.
The pastor however denied all
allegations levelled against him, saying it is an attempt by some people
to take over the church from him.
“That is not true at all; I have read
what people are saying about me. The funny thing is that nobody asked me
for any information; no interview was granted to anyone,” he told us in an email.
In a statement on its website, the
Russian Union of Christians Evangelical Faith stated that Adelaja, at a
meeting of pastors and board of elders of the church, confessed to
having committed adultery with his female parishioners and that he had
repented.
According to a letter posted on the
website of the Spiritual Council Russian Union of Christians Evangelical
Faith (Pentecostals), written by one Apostle Toff Ulissis, a clergyman
said to be providing spiritual care to the Nigerian pastor, Adelaja was
urged to “seek psychiatric help in Kiev and the United States.”
Ulissis said, “Pastor Sunday mentioned
that he had a relationship with 20 or 30 women; probably, the number was
more than he could remember. Also, I talked with many women (married
and unmarried), as well as with their husbands, and they shared with me
their pain and described how the pastor manipulates people, who work for
him. All the stories were equally horrific, disgusting and depressing.
People are very sorry about the current situation with the pastor and
wanted him to have psychiatric help.
“I made it clear that my aim is not to
destroy either the Embassy of God, because many people have found help
in the church or Pastor Sunday as a person. I wanted to make sure that
everything has been done to these women and the couples have received
care, reconciliation and redeeming restoration.”
Also, a bishop in Adelaja’s church,
Anatoly Belonozhko, has resigned from the church, saying the embattled
pastor was not willing to seek help.
“We, as church elders, began to create
new projects and exercises to heal and restore the church, a new
structure, and of course, help our pastor. But Pastor Sunday in writing
categorically rejected our help, humiliating us and saying that we have
no power to tell him what to do and how to do it and that he knows how
and what to do.
“For 22 years in the Church of the
Embassy of God, of which 14 years in the rank of bishop, I have always
been faithful and responsible before God and people for their service.
Taking this opportunity, I want to refute the lie that I knew of
pastor’s sin for a long time. I found out about the moral fall of Pastor
Sunday in the middle of December 2015 through the pastors of the
Apostolic Council. After I learned about it, I talked to Pastor Sunday,
trying to help. Remaining in the church in the most difficult time for
all of us to save and restore the church and souls of men. But as I
understand it, the pastor does not need my help,” Belonozhko said.
Debunking all allegations against him,
Adelaja stated, “It is actually an old story that was cooked up by some
disgruntled members of my leadership team when they knew of my decision
to hand over the church because of my plan to return to Africa.
“So, it’s a leadership tussle from those
whose desires for church leadership were not granted. I’m happy with my
wife. The church here in Ukraine is doing well. So I thank God that
their stories though believed by some without confirmation is still
false nevertheless.”
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