Why I left Catholic Church for Christ Embassy – What you heard is a lie

Why I left Catholic Church for Christ Embassy – What you heard is a lie

Seeing is believing

That statement above is a popular mantra most people agree with, but over the years I have come to realize that in truth, seeing is most times, deceiving.

If you’re a fan of movies and you have watched some movies like “now you see me” you will totally agree with my point of view and understand that most times what we see is not what, or all there is.

Now why is this important?

In life one would always have a perception and a certain mental image about something that would paint a picture in his mind and be his basis for judgement. This mental picture could be influenced by several factors; society, personal experience, values and beliefs, culture and environment.

I’d be sharing with you a very personal and true story which I believe you can learn from.

I was born into a Catholic family, for most of us from Akwa Ibom that was the norm. In fact, my late grandfather was a catechist and both my mother and father’s side were Catholics. However, as time passed the younger generations joined other churches while a few stayed back.

As a young child I always knew I loved God although I hadn’t learnt how to express it or even have a personal relationship with my creator. I always loved music and I still do, so I’d pick up my hymn book and sing my favorite hymns while I’m alone in the room. Thank God for Sinach, today it’s her music that keeps me going.

Like I said earlier I had not come to a place of pure fellowship with the Father, and I later discovered this was due to a lack of knowledge, which is sadly why so many are perishing today.

In my school days I opened my mind to a lot, and I tried to understand the basis for some of the practices in the Catholic faith. My friends from other churches would ask and I’d barely be able to answer. 

Why do you pray the rosary when it is not in the bible? 

Why do you say hail Mary?

Which scripture described Mary as the mother of God?

Why do you have to go to the priest for confession?

Why are you baptized by sprinkling as an infant?

Why do you ask dead saints to pray for you?

Why do you “worship” statues and images?

These and many more questions I could never answer, because I was still confused myself. When I realized my hunger for God couldn’t be filled with the Catholic church old practices and recited prayers, I made up my mind to leave once I get the opportunity.

And in 2017 I got the opportunity when I left home for the university. I didn’t jump immediately, the university was a whole new environment to me and I was still trying to blend in.

Like a wandering bird searching for a nest, after different Sunday visits to different churches, I settled temporarily at the university chapel.

 In January 2018, some months after joining the fellowship, I answered an altar call and officially became born again. The university chapel became my church from that day on and it was easy because the church was on campus, although they didn’t agree with wearing trousers as a female and had certain other laws.

My family was yet to come to terms with my decision on leaving the Catholic church, and I faced the most opposition from my mom. She believed I didn’t have the right to change church till I got married.

Fast forward to 2019, I was invited and literally dragged to Christ embassy by my best friend. This was my first Sunday of attending church school in the new semester. 

We finally got there after much dragging and all I saw was young faces, from the choir to the media team, the brethren themselves and even the pastor, all young people who were happily serving the Lord.

To say I was in awe is an understatement, I had never seen such an unadulterated love of God expressed by people my age, most of them were into things of the world and cared less about God.

And this Sunday in March 2020 was the day I knew I had found what I had been looking for, HOME. My joy knew no bounds, everything was excellent, the choir ministration was uplifting, the sermon spirit filled and then, a testimony.

It so happened to be that my first Sunday featured a testimony from a former member who had disobeyed his Pastor’s simple instruction, got wrongfully accused and served jail time for it. He shared how he was miraculously released after the intervention of the church and I was so moved by the outpouring of the Spirit in every segment of the service.

This was not the Christ embassy I had heard of, no it wasn’t. I had attended a powerful Christ embassy crusade when I just started school but it had not deleted the wrong files society had registered in my mind.

“They are worldly Christians who dress anyhow to church, then speak in tongued like crazy folks”. That’s the lie everyone else believed. 

If you take a look at the pastors and leaders you would see that statement is an unfounded rumor based on the actions of some youngsters who are not even committed in church. These set of people are mostly youths just joining the church and in a short while, you would see changes in them.

Thanks to my wonderful man of God Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, Christ embassy is the living body of Christ, in words and in actions. The teachings and trainings are based on the very life of Jesus and not on man’s religion.

There are certain truths about Christ embassy and the ministry of Pastor Chris a lot of people do not know and misunderstand, and when you study the teachings of our man of God you would see why ministers from far and wide are attracted to him.

This is just part one of my story so let me know how you feel in the comments section. In part two I would share on the transformation in my life, from that day in 2019 till now, how I became a fellowship leader.

Thank you for reading, I really do hope you learnt something, share to others so they can learn too.

Much love.

DrealDidi