Catholic Priests Molesting Children

At numerous times over the past three decades we have heard news reports about cases of Catholic priests molesting children. This is truly a tragedy of the highest magnitude, when the very religious leaders that these children and their parents trust to be godly examples turn out to be evil predators.

Fr. Edward Avery, former Philadelphia
priest pleaded guilty of sex abuse charge

In the most recently example, a grand jury accused over 300 Pennsylvania Catholic priests of molesting more than 1,000 children. The Fox News report said that the grand jury's "findings echoed many earlier church investigations around the country." What a tragedy! Here is the report, which you should be warned contains graphic allegations of sexual abuse. It says, "The 'real number' of abused children might be in the thousands." According to Fox News, "U.S. bishops have acknowledged that more than 17,000 people nationwide have reported being molested by priests and others in the church."

The victims were mostly boys, but some of them were girls also. The report documents the horrors perpetrated by these priests like anal rape, fondling, oral sex, and child pornography. These sometimes resulted in pregnancies and suicides. In some cases these priests even paid for abortions for girls they raped and got pregnant. They also further abused their victims by seeking to silence them and pay them off.

And rather than punish the priests responsible, the Catholic Church leaders merely move these pedophiles to another parish, where they are free to abuse more victims. The Fox article states that "The grand jury accused Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who leads the Washington archdiocese, of helping to protect abusive priests when he was Pittsburgh’s bishop." As I stated, they named more than 300 of these allegedly abusive priests, and while many of them are either dead or retired, a few of them are still in ministry!

What reproach they have brought upon the name of Christ! What torment for their victims! These are the kind of people that God is against. He does not tolerate hypocrisy, especially among the shepherds in the Church, who are supposed to be feeding the flock, but instead feed only their own carnal appetites. Ezekiel the prophet wrote, "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?"'" (Ez 34:2).

The Lord goes on to describe how these shepherds, have slaughtered the sheep, ate the fat, and clothed themselves with the wool. They failed to strengthen the sickly, they have not healed the diseased, or bound up the broken, they have not brought back the ones who were scattered, nor have they sought for the lost; but with force and with severity they have dominated the sheep. They reason the sheep were scattered was for lack of a proper shepherd, and as a result they became food for every wild beast. The Lord says:

"Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 'As I live,' declares the Lord GOD, 'surely because My flock has become a prey, My flock has even become food for all the beasts of the field for lack of a shepherd, and My shepherds did not search for My flock, but rather the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock; therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: "Thus says the Lord GOD, 'Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand My sheep from them and make them cease from feeding sheep. So the shepherds will not feed themselves anymore, but I will deliver My flock from their mouth, so that they will not be food for them."'" (Eze 34:7-10)

The Lord gave a similar message the Jeremiah the prophet as well. "'Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!' declares the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel concerning the shepherds who are tending My people: 'You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them; behold, I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds,' declares the LORD." (Jer 23:1-2)

This is what Jesus condemned when He said, "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea." (Mt 18:6). It was in this very same context of harming children that the Lord said, "Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!" (Mt 18:7).

The latest report proves that the Catholic Church is an organized crime syndicate like the mafia, in light of their systematic cover up of abuses that occurred over a period of 70 years. While the grand jury report covers only six of the eight Pennsylvania dioceses, there were already three previous grand jury investigations into abuses in the other two dioceses - the archdiocese of Philadephia and Altoona-Johnston. Therefore, this is a state-wide problem across all Pennsylvania dioceses.

These crimes were covered up by the Catholic hierarchy all the way from the local diocese to the Vatican. One of the things they have done is try to refer these cases to the Vatican in Rome where they can hold their own secret hearings and investigate themselves. The church has sought to reduce the church's legal exposure and maintain strategies to “avoid scandal.” When state Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced the report, he said that now at last “we can begin to understand the systematic coverup of church officials.”

Former Boston Catholic priest Paul Shanley,
Convicted of Raping Boy

This is not unique to Pennsylvania, nor is it the first such scandal to hit the Catholic Church. There was also the controversy in Boston, Massachusetts, surrounding John Geoghan, a convicted pedophile priest, who is now defrocked. He was accused of molesting more than a 100 victims over a period of 40 years. Since that scandal, other dioceses in Massachusetts have come forward and turned over their records of abusive priests to the law enforcement authorities.

Prior to that one, there was also a priest pedophilia scandal in Louisiana, and there was another one in Texas as well. According to Wikipedia, "The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas paid $30.9 million in 1998 to twelve victims of one priest." The Wikipedia article, Catholic Church sex abuse cases in the United States, documents others scandals in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, and other places, but there are also cases reported outside the United States as well. For example, a nun in Argentina was arrested for helping priests rape deaf children. In fact there is a large database of publicly accused priests, which is posted online. Of course, not all of those accusations contained in the database are true, but it helps to show the magnitude of the problem. These are not isolated incidents, but are pervasive throughout the church.

After decades of abuse, the Catholic Church has failed to adequately resolve the issue. But it is taking its toll on the church, because many dioceses have gone bankrupt from fighting the legal battles, and many people have stopped attending the church, as well as withdrawn their financial support. In fact, according to Wikipedia, "Eight Catholic dioceses have declared bankruptcy due to sex abuse cases from 2004–2011." However, as of 2018 the number has now risen to twenty dioceses and religious orders that have gone bankrupt over this scandal. According to Fox News, the clergy sex abuse of children has cost the Catholic Church more than $3 billion.

Furthermore, many Catholic nuns have broken the silence and come forth about the sexual abuse they faced at the hands of priests and bishops, such as sister Charlotte, whose testimony is posted online. She suddenly disappeared two years after giving this testimony.



You may read the transcript of the above audio recording of Sister Charlotte's Testimony.

Or here is a longer transcript of Sister Charlotte's Testimony with more details.

Priests Who Follow Their Own Sensual Desires
Peter the apostle warned that there would be false prophets who would arise like these priests and bishops have. He said. "Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned." (2Pe 2:2). As a result of the disgraceful acts that these priests have committed, others have blasphemed and spoken evil of the way of truth.

The Pope's Culpability

Pope Francis (L) and Archbishop McCarrick (R)

Ultimately the Pope is culpable, because he oversees the entire Roman Catholic Church universally, and the buck stops with him. He knew about these things, but has not properly addressed them and has actually covered them up.

According to FoxNews contributor Raymond Arroyo on 'The Ingraham Angle,' Carlo Maria Viganò, the former top Vatican diplomat in the United States, who is well-respected, has exposed the Pope and called for his resignation. Archbishop Viganò felt he could not go to his grave without clearing his conscience by writing a letter on August 25, 2018 revealing a major cover up of sexual abuse in the Church. He said his "conscience dictates" that he reveal the truth, because the corruption has "reached the very top of the church's hierarchy."

His 11-page letter states that the Pope and other top officials in the Church knew of the allegations against Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who is the former Archbishop of Washington D.C. In fact, the Vatican was informed in 2000 of McCarrick's "gravely immoral behaviour with seminarians and priests," and was subsequently informed again two more times between 2005 and 2011.

Initially Pope Benedict XVI placed severe restrictions on McCarrick for his behavior, but Francis later lifted the sanctions. According to Wikipedia, Viganò states that "Pope Francis subsequently removed these sanctions and made McCarrick 'his trusted counselor', even though Francis 'knew from at least June 23, 2013 that McCarrick was a serial predator. He knew that he was a corrupt man, he covered for him to the bitter end.'" Viganò reveals a potential motive for this special treatment, stating that McCarrick played an important role in Francis being elected to the papal office.

The Wikipedia article goes on to say that "Monsignor Jean-François Lantheaume, the former first counsellor at the apostolic nunciature in Washington D.C., confirmed that Viganò had told 'the truth.'" Additionally, Joseph Strickland the bishop of Tyler, Texas also made a public statement that Viganò's allegations are credible. According to Edward Pentin of the National Catholic register, reporting from Rome, his sources say that Viganò does seem to have a lot of credibility. Viganò states in his letter that he is ready to reaffirm under oath the statements he has made in his letter, calling on God as his witness. As I have stated, Viganò has called for the Pope and other officials who knew about McCarrick's behavior to resign.

When Francis was questioned about this letter by reporters aboard the papal jet, he answered evasively, declining to comment. On August 29, 2018, ANSA, the top wire service in Italy, stated in an article called Pope bitter over Viganò case that Francis is "embittered" by Viganò's letter, even though the former envoy has stated he is not acting in revenge. The article states that Francis is not considering stepping down.

In his letter, Viganò revealed that there is a "mafia" style culture within the Roman Catholic Church, and according to a report from EWTN Nightly News from a Catholic perspective, he fears for his own life, which is clearly in danger for coming out with these revelations. He even states in his letter that two other Apostolic Nuncios in the United States* are now both prematurely deceased after informing the Holy See of Archbishop McCarrick’s "gravely immoral behavior with seminarians and priests." One of those Nuncios was Pietro Sambi, whose death came unexpectedly following an incident when he called McCarrick into his office in either 2009 or 2010 and reprimanded him sternly, announcing Benedict's measures against him. It has been reported by multiple sources that Viganò has been forced into "hiding" for fear of his life.

Moreover, the aforementioned ANSA article stated, "Viganò also claimed there was a powerful gay lobby in the Church he blamed for the abuse cover-ups, naming names." I have personally read the entire letter and can confirm that Viganò definitely described this all in detail. He states that there was a certain collaborator of Pope Benedict, named "Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who notoriously favored promoting homosexuals into positions of responsibility." This is not a new revelation, but one that has been known for quite some time. In 2012 Fr. Dariusz Oko, Ph.D., a priest of the Archdiocese of Krakow and Assistant Professor at the John Paul II Pontifical University in Krakow documented his discovery of a “huge homosexual underground in the Church,” which substantiates the belief that there is a "gay mafia" inside the Vatican, known as the "lavender mafia."

While pro-gay forces within the church deny that homosexuality is the root cause for the sexual abuses, Viganò states that "80% of the abuses found were committed against young adults by homosexuals who were in a relationship of authority over their victims." He further corroborates his claims by citing the results of independent studies that have been conducted saying, "Independent Reports by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in 2004 and 2011...concluded that, in cases of sexual abuse, 81% of the victims were male. In fact, ...in most cases it is a question of homosexual abuse.”

He goes on to say, "The seriousness of homosexual behavior must be denounced," and quotes another source who has likewise concluded that "The homosexual networks present in the Church must be eradicated." This is not isolated to a specific case of abuse or to one location. In fact, "These homosexual networks, which are now widespread in many dioceses, seminaries, religious orders, etc., act under the concealment of secrecy and lies with the power of octopus tentacles, and strangle innocent victims and priestly vocations, and are strangling the entire Church." This proves the problem is widespread, and is intentionally being covered up, which challenges the pope's insistence that there is "zero tolerance" for sex abuse and cover ups. It is no wonder this is happening on Francis' watch, since he supports homosexuality.

One of the religious orders that Viganò explicitly calls out for abuse in his letter is the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, of which Francis is a member. Viganò reveals that there is a deviant wing of that order that is part of the church's problem.

He calls out "the grave, disconcerting and sinful conduct of Pope Francis." He has told Francis about specific immoral behavior going on the Roman Catholic Church in America, and the pope was neither surprised, nor did he show any concern. Viganò states: "...in the case of McCarrick, [Pope Francis] not only did not oppose evil but associated himself in doing evil with someone he knew to be deeply corrupt. He followed the advice of someone he knew well to be a pervert, thus multiplying exponentially with his supreme authority the evil done by McCarrick. And how many other evil pastors is Francis still continuing to prop up in their active destruction of the Church!" He concludes that Francis "has divided [the brethren], led them into error, and encouraged the wolves to continue to tear apart the sheep of Christ’s flock."

A Thousand Years of Abuse
This sexual abuse is nothing new for the Roman Catholic Church, but has been going on for a thousand years. In his letter, Viganò cites a letter he once wrote to Pope Benedict in 2006, in which he requested permission to disclose to the pope the details of sexual abuse happening in the US. In that 2006 letter, Viganò said that doing so would be similar to what Peter Damian did in his letter to Pope Leo nearly a thousand years ago. He stated that he wished to document for Benedict the deplorable conditions in the present-day American church "with the same intensity that motivated Peter Damian to lay out before...Pope Leo IX, a description of the condition of the clergy during his time. The problems he spoke of are similar and as great now in the United States as they were then in Rome."

A Wikepedia article about Peter Damian states: "About 1050, during the pontificate of Pope Leo IX, [Damian] wrote a scathing treatise on the vices of the clergy, including sexual abuse of minors and actions by church superiors to hide the crimes. Liber Gomorrhianus was openly addressed to the pope." As we can easily learn from history, Pope Leo failed to address these abuses during those days, and Francis is failing to correct them now. They have never been properly dealt with, but instead covered up. It has been one continuous stream of evil for centuries within this corrupt church. When will people realize that this is a deviant branch of the true Church that for all intents and purposes may be classified as a perverted sex cult.

Idolatry in Vigano's Letter
Finally, I would be remiss if I did not call attention to the fact that Viganò ends his treatise by calling upon the name of Mary for help with this terrible dilemma, rather than the name of Jesus, which goes directly against Scripture. He prays, "Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us! Mary, Virgin and Queen, Mother of the King of glory, pray for us!" This is one of the many Unbiblical Practices of the Catholic Church that I have written about in my article by that name. The Lord Jesus Christ told us that He alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father, except by Him (Joh 14:6). Mary is neither the Mother of the Church nor the Queen of Heaven as the Catholics call her, and I have explained this from Scripture in my articles Messages from the Lord for Catholics Worshipping Idols and The Marine Kingdom and Queen of the Coast.

Scripture teaches us that there is one God and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim 2:5). When Jesus taught us to pray, he said to pray to the heavenly Father, not to Mary. To do otherwise would be in direct disobedience to His instruction to us in the gospels, and to the very first commandment that says, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Ex 20:3-5).

The Matter is Established by Two or Three Witnesses
We should not receive an accusation against an elder, unless it is brought by two or three witnesses (1 Tim 5:19). However, this particular matter definitely has at least two or three witnesses. In fact, there are thousands of witnesses of the horrific abuses and cruelty perpetrated against the Members of the Catholic Church by their shepherds. And now we have this detailed treatise of abuses by a highly placed Archbishop, detailing the scandal with names and places.

As I wrote in The Power of Two or Three, Jesus said that "By the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed." (Mat 18:16). Therefore, the matter presented in this article has been duly confirmed. By that I don't mean to say that every accusation that any person ever made against a priest anywhere in the world is true or that every accused priest is guilty, but the fact that so many have made these same kinds of allegations over such a long period of time across such a wide geographical area nationally (and even globally) confirms that this is a pervasive problem throughout the Catholic Church. Such an overwhelming amount of evidence simply cannot be ignored.

Putting it All Together
I hope that this article has helped to expose the pattern of horrible abuses that have taken place withing the Roman Catholic Church, and which may still be taking place today. As John the apostle wrote in the book of Revelation:

"I heard another voice from heaven, saying, 'Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.'" (Rev 18:4-5)

If you are still in the Catholic Church, then come out of it. One of the things the Lord said through Ezekiel the prophet was that He is going to go after His lost sheep Himself and gather them back. The Lord Jesus loves you. He wants to be your Shepherd, feed you, care for you, and heal your wounds.

For thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. "As a shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day. "I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land. "I will feed them in a good pasture, and their grazing ground will be on the mountain heights of Israel. There they will lie down on good grazing ground and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. "I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest," declares the Lord GOD. "I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with judgment." (Eze 34:11-16)

And the Lord said in the gospel of John:

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep." (Joh 10:10-15)

Jesus Christ laid down His life for you. He is not like those priests and bishops, who are actually wolves in sheep's clothing. He is the good Shepherd and He desires a personal relationship with you. He died on the cross so that you could be made whole, forgiven, washed, cleansed, and have a personal relationship with Him.

I have an important question for you below, so don't go away.

Footnote: *Nuncio is an ambassador from the Vatican to the United States or another country.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Photo of Paul Shanley copyright Associated Press via WBUR news, used according to Fair Use Act for commentary and educational purposes.  Photo of Edward Avery copyright McLaughlin & Lauricella, trial attorneys.

Author's note: I strongly recommend reading Viganò's 11-page letter and viewing the videos I have posted on my Eternal Destinations blog about a young Ecuadorean girl who has visited hell twice.  She testifies to some things about the Catholic Church that she saw in hell, which are directly relevant to the topic of this blog.  Don't miss Angelica Zambrano's First Visit to Hell, Angelica Zambrano's Second Visit to Hell, Messages from the Lord for Catholics Worshipping Idols, Former Pope in Hell Declared a Saint, Pagan Symbols of the Popes, Unbiblical Practices of the Catholic Church, and Pope Frances Supports Homosexuality. I also suggest visiting the Ivarjed website that has a photo journal of some horrible acts of paganism in the Catholic Church, and Jack Chick's page on Catholicism. Also see AP Exclusive: Despite denial, Pope got abuse victim’s letter. You may access more of my articles on the Main Directory of this blog, as well as my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Exposing the Darkness within HOREMOW

The issues and concerns that I have with the Holiness Revival Movement Worldwide (HOREMOW), which I covered in my first article, are not limited to those pertaining to Michael Sambo. This matter is not about Paul Rika and Michael Sambo. It is much larger than that. In this second part of my report, I would like to document the broader issues.

Growth by Divine Revelations
HOREMOW began with Michael Thomas Sambo's Revelation of Heaven and Hell, which I have written about in my article by that title. At the beginning, it was just Paul Rika traveling and speaking with Michael Sambo.

Then more people that had divine revelations joined HOREMOW on their own, while some others claimed that God directed them to HOREMOW. Still others were told that there are people God is using to change the world through divine revelation messages. So they all joined together under the HOREMOW banner in that organization led by Paul Rika.

Paul Rika, HOREMOW Int'l Director

He himself keeps saying that God has given him the call to mentor all these people with divine revelations, so that they don't speak error, because he knows the Scriptures.

It is very obvious that HOREMOW grew by the instrumentality of Divine revelations. At one time everybody that had received a divine revelation spoke at the HOREMOW conferences in Abuja, Nigeria, as well as at meetings in some other locations, and people love to hear such testimonies.

There were certainly genuine revelations that were spoken in those meetings. However, there were clearly fake ones, too, according to my source. They came speaking many words of praise to Paul Rika, who likes the praise of men (Joh 5:41,44;12:43). Whenever anyone says something that praises him, he considers it to be from God, but if anyone says something that does not favor him, then he considers it to be from satan. A man is tested by the praise he receives, and those who flatter their neighbors are spreading nets for their feet (Pr 27:21; 29:5).

This is how HOREMOW was established initially and later grew. Moreover, some of the people joined because Paul Rika personally invited them to speak in HOREMOW meetings. Many of them later became part of HOREMOW, but when some of them discovered Paul Rika wanted to subject them under his control, they left one by one.

Control
This brings me to my next point, which is that Paul Rika is seeking to control people. For example, he was angry with Mike because he chose to rent a home without his knowledge. Paul had looked for a two-bedroom apartment for Mike, but the one he found was not suitable for Mike, who chose instead to look for a house.

Michael Thomas Sambo

Mike eventually found a two-bedroom apartment of his own choice, after which he informed Paul. But Paul complained that this apartment was too expensive, so he told Mike, “Whenever there is money, we shall pay,” because HOREMOW had just finished holding their December conference, as well as their leadership conference in January 2014, where the Rika's wedding ceremony was conducted. Although Mike waited, Paul Rika never did pay Mike's rent as promised. Neither had he ever paid Mike's rent previously.

Later Mike got a larger, three-bedroom apartment for the same price, which God provided him with the money to pay for. After he paid for this accommodation of his own choice, he informed Paul that he did so, but that it was now a different one. Even though it did not cost any more than the two-bedroom one, Paul got angry.

He was also agitated with Mike for establishing a poultry farm without informing him before doing so, claiming that by establishing the farm, Mike is pursuing money by having poultry, and that he had forsaken preaching the gospel.

This is controlling and manipulative behavior, which is used to lord it over others, and not the loving, tenderhearted, compassionate way we are commanded to treat one another (1 Pe 5:3). We are not supposed to allow people to control us (1Co 7:23).

Moreover, there is no Scripture against a minister of the gospel working for a living. Those who preach the gospel have a right to make their living from the gospel (1 Cor 9:1-11,13-14). However, they may choose not to use this right (1 Cor 9:12,15). After all, even the apostle Paul was a tentmaker (Ac 18:3), who did hard work toiling with his hands (1 Cor 4:12a).

There is also no Scripture against a disciple owning or renting property. On the one hand, the Lord did say in His Word, “So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.” (Luk 14:33). But is all ownership evil? If it were, then when God told the prophet Jeremiah to buy land, that would have been a sin (Jer 32:6-15). What about when Boaz bought the field of Naomi (Ruth 4:1-10)? What about the field he already owned before he bought that one (Ruth 2:3)?

In the New Testament, the disciples all had their own homes. It says, “So the disciples went away again to their own homes. “ (Joh 20:10). Peter and Andrew owned a house, in which it appears that Peter’s mother-in-law also lived, so it could not have been too small (Mk 1:29-30; Mt 8:14). Martha welcomed Jesus into her own home (Lk 10:38). Jesus ate at the house of Matthew (Mt 9:10), and He said to Zaccheus, "I must stay at your house today" (Lk 19:5). He was anointed at the home of Simon the Leper (Mt 26:6). In making arrangements to eat the Last Supper, He instructed His disciples to ask permission from the "owner" of a house to use a guest room (Lk 22:11). He sent out His disciples with instructions to stay in the home of a worthy person, whenever they entered a town or village (Mt 10:11). He referred to a prophet having his own home (Mt 13:57; Mk 6:4). John took Mary into His own home (Jn 19:27). Peter once stayed at the home of another disciple named Simon the tanner, who owned a house by the sea in Joppa (Acts 9:43; 10:6,32). Paul once stayed at the house of a disciple named Judas on Straight Street in Damascus (Ac 9:11). The saints gathered together and prayed at the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark (Ac 12:12). Yet not a word of condemnation is spoken against any of these disciples for owning homes.

If ownership were evil, then stealing would not be a sin. Yet the Lord commands us not to steal (Eph. 4:28). This means that there is such a thing as people owning property.

Linda Paul Rika

Let me give you one more example of control. Following Mike Sambo’s hearing on 22 September 2015, he initially accepted and submitted to Paul Rika’s discipline for a brief period. But after further consideration, he recalled that Paul Rika had made some outstanding statements to people that he could never work with Mike. He began to understand the strife he had suffered since the beginning of the HOREMOW ministry, and realized that while Paul Rika had initially wanted Mike's testimony, he did not want him as a person. He had blocked Mike from many preaching engagements both within and outside Nigeria just because he wanted to have control, assert himself, and edge Mike out. So Mike decided to continue with his ministry. He left for Ghana on a ministry trip, and upon his return Linda Rika came up with a revelation that Mike, his wife, and his two children would face the judgment of God just as God dealt with Korah, Dathan and Abiram in the book of Numbers.

In other words, she implied that the ground was going to open up and swallow Mike and his family and all his property, because he did not submit to her husband’s indefinite discipline of Mike. Or perhaps she meant to imply that they would soon die suddenly. Either way, that is clearly a form of intimidation, manipulation, or control, which has no place in the Church. And since her words never came to pass, this is another example of one of Linda’s false prophecies.

Character Assassination
In addition to the ways that Linda has used false prophecies to attack brother Mike, there are yet other abuses as well.

The HOREMOW coordinator for Ebonyi state in Nigeria shared a dream he had that someone very close to Paul Rika was hurting him and wanted to betray him, and that Paul had been monitoring him for a while. This was shared on 31 January 2015, and that very same night a committee was set up to investigate Michael Sambo. During the investigation, Mike said he was not the one the coordinator dreamed about, and besides he was not planning to betray Paul.

Moreover, Paul separately told Mike’s friend, brother Titus who was then the Gombe state coordinator, that a revelation (i.e., supernaturally) had come forth indicating that Mike had committed adultery, but that Mike did not want to confess because of pride. He also told brother Titus that the women’s coordinator of Gombe state had a revelation that someone working very close to Paul Rika wants to kill him, and that this revelation is also pointing to Mike. He added that the revelations regarding Mike are numerous. Later Mike heard from Emmanuel David that he was even being accused of having a child out of wedlock as a result of this adultery. This slanderous rumor had been spread within Nigeria and the West African sub region with absolutely no evidence. In fact the video crew brother that recorded this false revelation from sister Linda about Mike told him that he was the one that recorded it in Paul Rika's house in the Apo Legislative quarters of Abuja. Mike was in Ghana and Uganda for ministry, and there he was told that this is what they heard her say.

Not a shred of evidence was ever shown to prove this; no woman was ever named as the mistress and there was no evidence of any baby out of wedlock. No witnesses were produced to testify of such things. It was all based on Linda’s revelation and the coordinator’s dream, even though the Scripture says not to entertain an accusation against an elder, except by two or three witnesses (1 Tim 5:19). It does not say we should entertain an accusation against an elder based on two or three dreams or revelations.

On 1 February 2015, a meeting was held to hear the committee's report of their findings from the investigation in connection with the Ebonyi state coordinator's revelation. In attendance at that meeting were Mike Sambo, his wife, brother Mikailu, Paul Rika, and Paul’s administrative Secretary, pastor Nathan. Paul began to tell Mike that he had looked around the entire HOREMOW movement and had not seen anybody to be examined except Mike. He said, “You are the only one to be examined under the revelation of the Ebonyi State Coordinator,” and he began saying, “You are under judgment. I say you are under divine judgment. Your name is not in the book of life. If you die today you will go to hell." This all happened in the presence of Mikailu, Nathan, and Mike’s wife. He also said, "Go and pray whether God will give you another chance in HOREMOW. God will answer us, because He will speak. And whatever God says, I will do it. I will not respect any person." This was said with with emotion. Yet until now Paul Rika goes from place to place stirring hatred against Mike, telling people in the crusade grounds that Mike is under the control of Satan and evil spirits.

And Mike is not the only one in HOREMOW who has been the object of character assassination or mistreatment from Paul and Linda. I am aware of others, including the former Rivers state coordinator, the former Lagos state coordinator Joseph Abueh; a certain pastor Hanson; Danasabe Yakubu; the former Cross River state coordinator Israel Abasi; the former Sierra Leone coordinator named pastor Baimba Sesay; and many more people are victims of Linda’s revelations. According to one of my sources, all of them were dropped, and are no longer in HOREMOW. This pastor Baimba worked tirelessly in spreading and establishing HOREMOW. He was the one that brought Linda and her sister Finda to Nigeria into HOREMOW. But he was labeled, slandered, and dropped. This list will expand as I am given permission to do so.

No good shepherd would even treat his sheep like this. How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! "Paul, Paul, why do you persecute me? I am Jesus whom you are persecuting."

A tree will be recognized by its fruit. "For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Mt 12:34b-37, NIV).

The Unmerciful Servant
Paul Rika's actions resemble those of the unmerciful servant who was forgiven much, yet refused to forgive the one who owed him a relatively small amount (Mt 18:21-35). Two examples will suffice to make my point.

First of all, Danasabe Yakubu was dropped from HOREMOW in September 2016 simply because he was on speaking terms with Mike Sambo and he lay down holding Paul Rika’s legs pleading on Mike’s behalf that Paul Rika should forgive him. But Paul Rika quoted the case of Solomon, Bathsheba, and Adonijah, and asked why he doesn’t just ask for the kingdom for Mike instead of asking for forgiveness (1King 2:22).

Secondly, after Mike Sambo’s hearing on 22 September 2015, Emmanuel David and Jeff-Zanni went to Paul Rika the next morning to continue pleading on his behalf. Jeff-Zanni pleaded with Paul Rika to allow him to mediate in the matter, but Paul Rika refused saying, "When Mike knelt down and was apologizing, I wanted to forgive him, but something told me 'No, Mike was pretending.' So then I withdrew my forgiveness, because people do all manner of things against me and I keep quiet for a long time, but when I bite the person he cannot recover."

Who was speaking through Paul Rika saying, "When I bite the person he cannot recover."? That is not the Holy Spirit. We are supposed to love one another and not bite one another. "For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other." (Gal 5:14-15, NIV).

About two weeks later, Jeff-Zanni met him privately to challenge his decision to discipline Mike, because Paul Rika had falsely denied ever telling Mike that his name was not in the book of life, even though he had shared with Jeff-Zanni in a previous meeting that revelation had been made to that effect. But after a long argument, in which Jeff-Zanni gave convincing proof to him, Paul Rika finally agreed that he had indeed told Jeff-Zanni that Mike had backslidden and that his name was not in the book of life.

Jeff then said to him "But you denied this when you disciplined Mike, and now you have agreed with me that you said so. If this is the case, then Mike was right for not honoring the two speaking engagements, and based on your conviction the discipline you gave Mike is wrong. So what are you supposed to do now?"

Paul Rika replied, "Are you now saying I should do restitution to Mike? No, I will never apologize to Mike."

Paul Rika then asked Jeff what he thought could be the way out. Jeff-Zanni said he should forgive Mike, so that the work of the gospel can continue. But Paul Rika said "No, I will not forgive him."

Jesus said, "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." (Mt 6:14-15, NIV)

Pride and Arrogance
Moreover, Paul Rika is operating in pride and arrogance.

At his hearing on 22 September 2015, brother Mike Sambo read an email he had written to Paul Rika, to which he had never replied. Mike personally read it to the house to justify his reasons for not honoring the two preaching engagements. In response to this, after the meeting, Paul Rika later said, "Who is Mike to command me to go and read my email?” Paul Rika then compared himself to brother William Kumuyi, the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church. He asked, “Can a state overseer [in Deeper Life] command pastor Kumuyi to go and read his mail?”

Moreover, Paul has repeatedly stated that he is a righteous man and “Who is Mike?” He insists, "You cannot compare me with Mike." He also boasts, "I was a national overseer in Deeper Life." At various times he keeps saying that he is the main person within HOREMOW and not Mike, and he does not want people to see Mike but himself in this ministry. He has said, “Michael is just a small boy and was just two or three years old when the Lord called me into ministry. Are you comparing me with Mike?" And, "Mike does not know anything. I wrote that book. It's not Mike that is the leader." He has also said, "You mention Mike's name along with mine?”

Such statements are clearly prideful, because even if Mike actually were a small boy, we are not to look down upon one of these little ones, since their angels continually see our heavenly Father’s face (Mt 18:10). However, Mike is not a small boy, but a 36-year old married brother in Christ with two children, and is a statutory board member of HOREMOW. As the apostle Paul said, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.” (Phil 2:3). We must prefer one another in love (Rom 12:10).

Scripture says, “To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.” (Prov 8:13, NIV).

Lastly, Paul Rika in a video recently said Mike's revelation is already old, but his wife's revelation is new every day and people are looking for new things. That is why he abandons Mike and goes about with Linda his wife, because she combines prophecy with revelation. His boastful, divisive statement reveals jealousy and strife, as well as his emphasis on revelations and prophecies, especially those of Linda.

The apostle Paul called it fleshly when he wrote: "For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth." (1Co 3:3-7)

"So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you..." (1Co 3:21)

"Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another." (1 Cor 4:6, Berean Study Bible). We must not take pride in one man over another, so it is not right to take pride in Linda Rika or Paul Rika over Mike Sambo.

Appeasing an Angry God
One of the things Paul Rika said in his opening remarks at Mike Sambo’s hearing was, “I saw that the case was evil. God is angry. We must do something to appease the anger of God.” He said this in the context of giving the background of Mike’s case, how Mike had failed to show up at the speaking engagements to which he had been invited, and how he believed that Mike’s “case was evil.” So clearly he meant that God is angry about what Mike had done and we must do something to appease God’s anger about that. When I heard that, I thought it sounded strange.

Then sometime afterward, my son was reading to me from a biography on the life of Samuel Morris. This was a boy from Liberia, Africa, who traveled to the United States. He recalled a witch doctor that once said that the gods are angry and we must do something to appease them. He called for the parents to sacrifice their children to appease the gods. When my son read that, I was reminded of what Paul Rika had said, and I realized that the source of that statement was not the Lord. Paul’s statement was similar to what a witch doctor would say, rather than something a Christian pastor would say.

The apostle Paul said, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom 5:1, NIV). This teaches us that we have peace with God through faith in our Lord Jesus.

Secondly, the apostle Paul said, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom 8:1, NIV).

Thirdly, the apostle said, “Then He adds: ‘Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.’ And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.” (Heb 10:17-18, NIV).

Fourthly, the apostle John said, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 Joh 2:1-2, NIV). This teaches that we have an advocate with the Father, if we sin, and He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. According to the NET Bible study notes on this verse, “The Greek word (hilasmos) behind the phrase ‘atoning sacrifice’ conveys both the idea of ‘turning aside divine wrath’ and the idea of ‘cleansing from sin.’” Therefore, the sacrifice that Christ made once for all has already turned aside God’s wrath, and there is nothing more we must do to turn it away. Our hope and faith are relying upon that one sacrifice alone, not upon “something we must do” to appease God’s anger, as Paul Rika says.

The final outcome of the hearing was that Paul Rika decided to discipline Mike Sambo indefinitely, forbidding him from conducting ministry, and ordering him to attend all meetings. Therefore, this is obviously what he felt must be done to appease God’s anger, in spite of the fact that Mike humbled himself and apologized on his knees. Scripture does not support Paul’s actions, which are based on his erroneous belief.

Witnesses
I have been in contact with witnesses inside HOREMOW, who wanted their names withheld. Two of them are seasoned pastors in Nigeria, and one of them gave me permission to publish the following statement.

He states, “My first contact with HOREMOW was from Brother Michael Thomas Sambo's book. I personally met Pastor Paul Rika when I invited him to my church in 2013 for my annual December Camp meeting. He later made me to serve as a Zonal Coordinator over nine states, which work I did for about two years. Concerning the crisis in the young group, it’s unfortunate. It is a character problem aggravated by the random collation of false prophecies in place of God's word. I talked directly with Pastor Paul Rika on this issue [the collection of prophecies], but he seemed not to see it as a major assault from Satan. I was one of the last two persons hand-picked to reconcile Brother Sambo and Pastor Rika, but all that failed. The whole mess today in this movement by my understanding resulted from greed.”

This pastor believes the revelation that God gave to brother Mike, and recently had Mike as a guest speaker at his church's retreat. When I asked him to give me his feedback on my first article about HOREMOW, and this present one, and to confirm whether these things are true, he responded, "I've read your materials. They are the very analysis I've made. Thanks very much."

Furthermore, he confirmed to me something that another source within HOREMOW had advised me, which is that nearly everybody who was somebody when HOREMOW began as a ministry, including Michael Sambo the visioner, have disagreed with Paul’s handling of things and left.

Response from HOREMOW

Paul Rika giving his diatribe

Since I published my first article at the end of October 2016, I have received no response from Paul Rika personally. However, his office secretary Ande recommended that I view a three-part series of videos that he has posted online, apparently in response to my first article. I did review the videos in part, and sadly they do not contain any repentance at all from Paul Rika. Instead he has responded with a nearly two-and-a-half hour diatribe justifying himself and further criticizing brother Sambo without producing any evidence to prove his false accusations.

It is the practice all over the world that the burden of proof is always on the one who alleges, so the burden still remains upon him to prove all the serious accusations he has made against brother Sambo. This should be done before an impartial group of brothers with Mike present. However, since he has no such proof, he records a meeting in which he defends himself before a few men who are still willing to believe him, and uploads it to the internet. Paul Rika stated in the video, "It's like we are in a court of justice and I am giving my statement."  At various times during his video, he calls upon certain men to stand up, apparently to prove his statements, and after they begin to say a few words that provide no proof of the accusations he has made against Mike, he tells them when to stop speaking. It is also obvious that certain remarks of his are edited out.

Although the videos are titled “Know the Truth and Be Free,” they contain lies, misleading half-truths, exaggerations, and insinuations, as well as prideful statements, such as his claim that there is no such thing as an assistant General Superintendent of a movement. He said this in his attempt to show that he alone is the singular head of HOREMOW, and he used an unbiblical title to make his point.

Those videos have shown the world his true character, which has only further helped to emphasize the points I have made in my first and second articles exposing his ungodly actions. If he does not repent and make restitution to brother Mike, those videos will haunt him for the rest of his life. He has brought the name of the Lord into disrepute. By going public with such allegations he has demonstrated for the world that some Christians are incapable of settling the least of matters between themselves, and yet he is supposed to be a leader.

Putting it All Together
In summary, I have documented that there is unforgiveness, control, pride, arrogance, and character assassination within the top leadership of HOREMOW. These are serious character issues. Not to mention a false understanding of the gospel and an erroneous belief that we must do something to those who have repented of sin, as a means of appeasing the anger of God. Paul Rika is seriously under delusion. It is a satanic and self delusion, which is one of the main causes of all these problems I have documented.

In case you did not already reach this conclusion yourself, the practices of HOREMOW resemble the mind control techniques commonly used by cults to control their members. If you would like to educate yourself about that, please see the article by Cult Watch entitled "How Cults Work."

I am not saying that everyone who is a part of HOREMOW is evil or that everyone who has had a revelation who affiliates with that movement is a fake. In fact, I believe many of the testimonies that I have heard through this ministry are genuine, such as Michael Thomas Sambo's Revelation of Heaven and Hell, and many others that I have published on my blog Eternal Destinations. However, what I am saying is the following: This organization has grown by divine revelations. According to Scripture, that is not the foundation of the Church. Jesus Christ is the foundation of the Church (1 Cor 3:11), and His Word is Supreme. We must not only know what it says, but put it into practice (Lk 6:48-49). The Church is supposed to grow as we go and make disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ (Mt 28:19-20), who multiply disciples, not by accumulating people and churches under the banner of any movement or its leader.

Any organization that grows by revelations or by collecting people in this manner can easily be compromised by the enemy. All the devil has to do is to deceptively introduce false prophecies and revelations through some trusted people who have been deemed genuine. And when everything is heavily controlled by one man or one couple, then again it is very easy for the devil to compromise it. All he has to do is compromise that one man or couple, and everyone who follows them will become ensnared in his trap. He can then do a lot of damage this way, using the leadership and the organization to kill, steal, destroy, and enslave people.

"Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, 'The Lord knows those who are His,' and, 'Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.'" (2Ti 2:19).

I think there are many sincere people within HOREMOW that love the Lord Jesus, desire to please Him, and seek to live holy lives. And I believe they need to be warned about what is happening at the top of this organization, so they can beware and protect themselves as well as their families from the enemy's schemes before they get seriously hurt. I sincerely hope you will do just that as a result of this article. I also ask that you please pray for Paul and Linda Rika to realize what they have done wrong and repent. This article is not meant to condemn them or anyone. May God's mercy, grace, and peace abide with all who love the Lord with an undying love.

Epilogue
I received a comment to this article on 29 August 2019 from a reader who stated that he was presently attending a HOREMOW Ministers' Conference, where Paul Rika presented revelations proclaiming himself as the General Overseer of all churches in the world. This occurred after he declared the previous day that HOREMOW is superior to all churches in the world.

Just a few days later on 10 September 2019, I also received a comment from one of my readers stating that just the previous day a video titled God's Choice of Pastor Paul Rika was posted by Holiness Revival Movement where Linda Rika stated her latest revelation. She referred to her husband Paul Rika as the "Messiah" of our generation!

We have listened to that video, which is mostly incomprehensible, and noticed that it has been heavily edited with many cuts and splices, which sometimes occur in mid-sentence, apparently to go back and alter what she said during the first take. However, we confirmed that she does in fact make such a false claim about Paul Rika near the end of the video during the last two minutes or so (29:17-29:56). She claims she was shown that a certain group of white people in an unknown country were shown Paul Rika in a revelation during their daily prayers. She claims, "These white people, they are waiting for this messiah. Because God told them, 'I’m going to send the messiah for your generation, that if you listen to him, and anybody that follows him is the one I’m going to carry you, and I will be protecting you people.' So they have been praying that God send [this messiah] -- and God has told them that, 'I have sent the person.' "

Let me remind you of the warning that our Lord Jesus gave us two thousand years ago about the last days before His return. Jesus said, "At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Messiah!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time." (Mat 24:23-25, NIV).

Moreover, in this video Linda claims God told her, "Anybody that I send to this [HOREMOW] movement must submit to my son Pastor Paul Rika." She claims that people will be following him and he will "overshadow this generation." She even said that satan has deleted the Bible, that there is no true Bible any more, and that the Bible which people are reading has blinded their eyes (9:29-10:07). Then she claimed satan told her that Paul Rika is cleaning up the Bible and bringing the true Bible to mankind. The last time I checked, the Word of the Lord is still flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times (Ps 12:6; 18:30; 19:7). Therefore, beware of anyone who claims they have the only true Bible.

During the first fifteen minutes of the video, she also makes critical statements about other African brothers who have received revelations from the Lord, claiming satan told her that they have been compromised by him, such as brothers Ezekiel Moses and Michael Sambo. Since we know satan is a liar and the father of lies (Jn 8:44), and that he is the accuser of the brethren (Rev 12:10), why is she listening to him, accepting what he says, and proclaiming that to the world, rather than rebuking the devil? She is not prophesying for God here, but by her own admission, she is receiving a message from the devil and prophesying for him. In doing so, she is acting as the devil's prophetess, publicly casting slanderous accusations on the brethren that she has received from him.

I know Michael Sambo personally and certainly do not think he is under satan's control. He cares for the brethren who are under these delusions and considers them eternal souls who have been brainwashed to partake in these deceptions. He is alarmed that the church has been subjected to such a wine of deception and many have partaken of it, which has led many followers of HOREMOW to become confused while a large number of others have been deceived. Therefore, he is calling for us to rise up in prayer for them. He states, "I pray the Lord himself with bring salvation and deliverance to as many as desire it in Jesus' name." Amen.

Part I - HOREMOW Issues and Concerns
Part III - HOREMOW Descends to New Low

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB,except where noted otherwise. Other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, where noted.

Author's Note: This article originally stated incorrectly that the Sambo's wedding was in January 2014, but that was the date of the Rika's wedding. The Sambo's were married April 21st 2012.

I also recommend reading HOREMOW Issues and Concerns, More Accusations Against Paul and Linda Rika, Judging Revelations, Visions, and Prophecies, Grieve and Lament for the Church, The Nature of False Prophets, Leadership Approach Reveals View of God, Michael Thomas Sambo's Revelation of Heaven and Hell, A Tale of Two Kings, Testing the Spirits of False Prophets, Accountable, correctable, and teachable, Loving Deeply, Filled Up to All the Fullness of God, Angelic Escape from Terrorist Assassins, Interview with Brother Michael Thomas Sambo, The Wardrobe of the Saints, Whatever You Do, Do All Like This, How to Treat Leaders, Our Senior Pastor, The Shepherding Role of Elders, Exposing Heresy, Divorce -- Two Divine Revelations, Adultery According to Jesus, Holy Living in a Perverted World, Purge the Evil from Among You, and The Rise of Antichrists. You can access the Home page of this blog for more articles on Truth and heresy, as well as my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master.

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.