Pastor Chris Oyakhilome Criticises Music Industry For Exploiting The Church.
Renowned cleric Pastor Chris Oyakhilome has claimed that the music industry has been taking advantage of the church for decades, using it as a stepping stone to success before abandoning it for secular opportunities.
In a recent sermon, the Christ Embassy founder expressed his concerns, stating that many talented singers develop their skills within the church but later leave to pursue careers in secular music, where they are exposed to negative influences.
“In probably the last 50 years, no one has cheated the church like the music industry. What most of them have ever done is to use the church,” Pastor Chris said.
He argued that the pattern has become a recurring issue, with musicians leveraging the church for financial and professional gain before turning away from their religious roots. According to him, some even return to recruit others into the secular music scene.
“Always they are looking for how to use the church to make money, how to leverage the opportunities for financial reasons… once they start going out, they collect the same [evil] spirit and return to start luring out others,” he added.
Pastor Chris urged churches to be more cautious and not allow musicians to exploit their platforms. Instead, he suggested that talented singers should be involved in other church ministries to demonstrate true commitment.
“I say, Pastors, don’t give this important aspect of the ministry to those whose only desire is to take advantage of the church. Let them be in the cell ministries, let them participate,” he advised.
His comments come as discussions about the relationship between gospel artists and the church continue to gain attention. Recently, popular cleric Pastor Femi Lazarus criticised gospel musicians who charge fees to perform in churches, questioning their dedication to ministry.
Christ Embassy has been instrumental in launching the careers of several gospel artists, including Sinach, one of Africa’s most respected gospel musicians. Pastor Chris’ remarks have sparked conversations about the balance between faith, talent development, and commercial success in the gospel music industry.
