A pastor was arrested after being caught up in a weeks-long stand-off with police officers.
As the BBC reported, police have been trying to arrest Filipino pastor Apollo Quiboloy after he was charged with crimes of sex trafficking, coercion and fraud. The Western Journal noted how Quiboloy had “sex with women and underage girls who faced threats of abuse and ‘eternal damnation’ unless they catered to [him].”
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Quiboloy claimed to be the “appointed son of God,” using his role of authority for evil. His ministry, Kingdom of Jesus Christ, is reported to have between 6-7 million followers. The ministry is said to have locations in 200 locations. Part of the crimes Quiboloy committed included trafficking children from the Philippines to America, where the BBC says they were “forced to solicit money for a bogus charity.”
During the two-week manhunt, The followers of Quiboloy stood their ground against the police on at the complex which has around 40 buildings, a school, hanger and Cathedral.
Kingdom of Jesus Christ Ministries was started back in 1985, with its United States location in the Van Nuys region of Los Angeles. Back in 2021, Charisma News reported how Quiboloy reported how around $20 million from America was sent to the church of the Philippines between the years of 2014 and 2019. The ministry’s nonprofit was supposed using the funds from their nonprofit Children’s Joy Foundation USA which was supposed to be for the purpose of helping children in the Philippines. However, it is believed that the money was used Quiboloy and other leader’s grand lifestyles.
This incident is not only heartbreaking because of the people who were abused and duped by Quiboloy in one way or the other, but because it shows how easily so many people were deceived by a false shepherd. Matthew 7:15 reminds us to “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” Many will come in the name of Jesus, but we are to be on guard and use wisdom and discernment so we can tell who is truly of the Lord and who is not.
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Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.