Gospel music minister Testimony Jaga has openly rebuked Bishop Kesiena Esiri for criticizing Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, the President of LoveWorld Inc. and Founder of Christ Embassy.
The controversy began after a message by Pastor Chris went viral. In his sermon, he emphasized the role of financial prosperity in Christian leadership. According to him:
“No matter how gifted you are, no matter how much preaching you do, if you are broke, you will not be able to speak for the body of Christ. He will not put you in charge of the body of Christ either in your city, in your state or globally.”
“Didn’t you notice what He did with His mother? He gave His mother into the hands of Simon Peter even though Simon Peter was the leader. We discover why in Acts chapter 3: ‘Silver and gold have I none.'”
“When Jesus was on the cross… He saw His mother, and He saw John… John was from an influential family… Jesus saw His mother and said, ‘Woman’… because a wife is for a man. Mother is about the future. Sister, for assistance. A woman, for God’s vision.”
His teaching seemed to link divine responsibility in ministry to financial status and suggested that Jesus entrusted his mother to John instead of Peter because Peter was poor.
Bishop Kesiena Esiri publicly disagreed with Pastor Chris’ interpretation. In his message, Esiri criticized what he described as shallow and manipulative teaching that misguides congregants and discourages spiritual maturity.
“My generation has become increasingly mentally lazy because we have raised preachers in the pulpit who spoon-feed people. They don’t want you to grow. The day you grow, and the preacher tells you Peter was poor, and that’s why Jesus didn’t hand over his mother to Peter—you will challenge that.”
He pointed out that both John and Peter were present when Jesus made that decision, and accused certain ministers of twisting scriptures to elevate prosperity as a primary qualification for ministry.
“Peter was mocked. After the preacher said it, everybody laughed at Peter. Poor man…
“They have made pastors idols. There is an idolatry in the body of Christ that is thinking.”
Esiri said his intention was not to disrespect anyone but to defend scriptural integrity and protect the next generation of believers from unbiblical teachings.
In response, Testimony Jaga took to social media to confront Bishop Kesiena directly, strongly defending Pastor Chris and the Christ Embassy ministry. He accused the bishop of disrespect and questioned his spiritual results and impact.
“Did they come to take your member? Prosperity or no prosperity, did they affect you? Show me 50 people that this your message has turned from poor people to millionaires.”
The gospel artiste argued that the financial resources of Christ Embassy are necessary for their global ministry efforts, including crusades. He stated that without financial buoyancy, such large-scale evangelism would not be possible.
“This year alone, we’ve done over a million crusades all around the world. What do we use to do it? If our church was not financially buoyant, can we do it? Did we beg you for money?”
Jaga questioned Bishop Esiri’s ministry saying:
“Show me 20 blind people that you have opened their eyes. Show me 20 lame men, or 20 deaf. Let us see the video. Show me how many crusades you’ve done. Then you have the right to challenge a man that has worked and worked well with God.”
He also criticized what he perceived as constant references to other pastors in Esiri’s sermons:
“Can’t you just preach the gospel without referring to people? Preach the word of God. Did they come to take your member?”
Jaga warned Bishop Esiri to stay in his own lane, warning:
“This is your last video. Let me hear you again mention anybody from this church that has never come to your church, that you’ve never met, you’ve never sowed into their ministry, and you think that you can water down their ministry. Try it again. I dare you.”
