Eric Patrick
Lead pastor of Celebration Church International, Pastor Emmanuel Iren, has addressed the troubling issue of sexual assault allegations within his ministry, emphasising the serious consequences of false accusations and the critical need for understanding the concept of consent.
In a recent sermon, Pastor Iren opened up about his initial reaction to reports of sexual assault involving members of his congregation.
He admitted that his first response was one of anger. However, after taking the time to look deeper into the matter, he found that most of the accusations lacked credibility.
In the sermon that began circulating on Friday, Pastor Iren shared how his initial reaction to the first wave of allegations was one of intense outrage.
He recalled confronting the accused with plans to pursue legal action, only for further investigation to uncover that many of the accusations lacked solid evidence.
He said, “In this ministry, nine out of 10 cases where the women came and said they were sexually assaulted ended up false. The first few cases, I was angry. I called the guy and swore I would jail him until he sent evidence. The girl who claimed she was assaulted said ‘It was a nice time’ in the chat.”
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He expressed serious concern about how sexual assault allegations are sometimes exploited as a manipulative tactic, especially after relationships have ended.
“Ending a relationship should not be a ground for sexual assault allegations,” he said.
Pastor Iren also took a moment to advise the young men in his congregation, calling them to a standard of integrity, self-control, and wisdom.
On the topic of consent, he offered a sobering reminder stating, “Initial consent isn’t total consent. Run for your life if consent is withdrawn 10 seconds after granting it. I don’t know who raised some men!.”