The founder of LoveWorld, also known as Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, has expressed his opinion that many gospel musicians are more concerned with their own celebrity and financial gain than with serving God. Nigerian gospel singers Mike Abdul and Esther Igbekele have responded to this statement.
The church has been transformed into a party place rather than a place of worship, according to reports, and Pastor Oyakhilome claimed that gospel artists who charge for their performances are not singing for God.
According to the founder of Christ Embassy, all gospel singers who charge for their songs will soon retire.
Before God instructed him to stop, he claimed to have celebrated preachers. When a church becomes a true church of God, he added, all churches would no longer invite ministers.
In an interview with Mike Abdul, he claimed that the ongoing discussion would assist gospel artists in acting morally.
“I believe that it is simply human behavior,” he remarked. There will always be extremes when the money will entice individuals more than the labor. I believe that the church has been kind enough to offer the gospel music a hand of respect and camaraderie.
In my opinion, it is up to us to deal with such extremes when they arise. Let’s watch it and do the right thing; I won’t lie to you, it’s a good call. People are participating in the discussions, which serves as a reminder to us to pay attention and act morally. In order to address the financial issue and ensure the sustainability of our work, we must be able to create mechanisms.
But according to well-known female Yoruba gospel singer Esther Igbekele, gospel singers shouldn’t stay in poverty just because they picked the genre. She also mentioned that they had families to support and financial obligations to fulfill.
Read Also: Nasarawa Polytechnic Student Murders Fellow Student
“Well, they both go hand in hand because picking gospel music is like giving the Lord a mandate because there are other businesses,” she explained. Therefore, you shouldn’t be miserable. You will be blessed by the Lord himself if you are worshiping him. I am currently in route from Lagos to Akure (Ondo State) for a gathering. You are aware of what it takes to get from point A to point B, and I am working with adults. They have to take care of their family, pay their expenses, and organize their affairs. They will stop following you if you are not paying them. You will not claim that you want to worship God because you are committing your life to him while yet living in poverty.
“I don’t support those kinds of debates. However, people have various perspectives because, well, there are two sides to a coin. However, I believe that if God is truly providing you the strength to carry out his task, then you should be blessed.
Some churches, in my opinion, have not made worship into a party. In actuality, a large number of people worldwide are battling depression. They are depressed and in need of anything to cheer them up. For this reason, some people attend church—not necessarily to engage in profound worship, but rather to experience joy and temporarily forget their troubles.
