CAN Tackles Lord’s Chosen Church Over Viral Testimony, To Begin Investigation

A viral video featuring a woman, allegedly a member of The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry in Lagos, has ignited controversy after she claimed to have received divine intervention during a Federal Government examination.

The woman recounted that an “old man” appeared in the examination hall and provided her with answers, which she then shared with a fellow candidate.

In her testimony, the unnamed church member said the exam was one of the promotional assessments for the military, involving 50 questions—40 related to career knowledge and 10 to current affairs.

One of the current affairs questions reportedly asked candidates to list ten Francophone countries and their capitals.

“Nobody knew the answer to this question,” she explained. “So, I raised my paper and declared, ‘I am a Chosen! This question, who are you? Where is the God of my pastor’s power?’ Suddenly, an old man in white appeared beside me and said, ‘My daughter, begin to write.’ And I began to write.”

The woman claimed that invigilators, sensing something unusual, removed her apron, causing the “angel” to disappear, but when they returned it, the old man reappeared and continued dictating answers.

She further shared that a fellow candidate, who appeared to be a member of the Mountain of Fire Ministries based on her attire, copied her answers before they both submitted their papers.

Her testimony was met with cheers from the church congregation, but the video has drawn widespread criticism, particularly from religious leaders.

Reacting, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, Chairman of the Lagos chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), expressed dismay that the testimony was even allowed in the church, describing it as a fabrication.

He emphasized that divine assistance doesn’t come in the form of miraculous exam answers, but through hard work and faith.

“God doesn’t work like that,” Adegbite told The PUNCH. “There are no shortcuts to success in life except through diligence and trust in God. This kind of testimony should not be entertained in any church.”

He further criticized church leaders for failing to vet testimonies before they were shared publicly, warning that stories like this damage the credibility of religious institutions.

“You must scrutinize the testimony before allowing it to be shared with the congregation. If the testimony is suitable only for monkeys, it should be told to monkeys, not human beings,” the CAN chairman remarked bluntly.

This incident is not the first time testimonies from The Lord’s Chosen Ministry have stirred public debate. Previous viral videos featured members claiming miraculous encounters, including a man who said a lion saved him from kidnappers and another who claimed bullets couldn’t penetrate his skull.

Adegbite dismissed these claims as false, challenging anyone to replicate such miracles under controlled conditions.

“If anyone insists on these stories, let them come to church, stand before us, and we will test their claims with real bullets. They are blatant lies,” he stated.

In response to the backlash, Pastor Chidi Louis, Head of Public Relations and Media for The Lord’s Chosen Ministry, suggested that the videos were manipulated to discredit the church.

He maintained that the church does not censor its members’ testimonies, as it believes in giving them the freedom to speak their truth, even if it occurred in a dream.

“We don’t guide people on what to say. If they have a testimony, we give them the platform to share it as they wish,” Louis explained, adding that the church remains unfazed by the online criticism.

Despite the mounting outrage, the controversy has prompted the Lagos CAN chapter to announce a meeting where the matter and other concerning testimonies will be addressed.

Bishop Adegbite affirmed that the association plans to take a firm stance against what he described as “the madness going on among Pentecostal pastors.”