African Plume

By Akin Ojumu Delusion of Grandeur—more accurately called a Grandiose Delusion—is a fixed and false belief that a person possesses extraordinary power, status, wealth, knowledge, talent, or a uniquely important divine mission, despite compelling evidence to the contrary. Such a person may believe that he: 1) Is an apostle, prophet, messiah, divine, king, president, or world-renowned figure. 2) Possesses supernatural powers or enjoys an exclusive and close relationship with God. 3) Has received a revelation or discovered a secret that will transform humanity. 4) Is exceptionally anointed, wealthy, influential, invincible, or intellectually superior. Grandiose delusion is not merely boasting, arrogance, or excessive self-confidence. The defining feature is an unshakable conviction that the belief is objectively true. Even overwhelming contradictory evidence may fail to dislodge it. Grandiose delusions may occur during episodes of psychosis and can be associated with conditions such as bi...

“Second Corinthians 8:9 is a Majestic Summary of the Gospel” By Akin Ojumu If this is your first introduction to this commentary series, let me thank you for sparing 3 minutes of your life to read the thoughts expressed in this write-up. In case you don’t know, this is the third and final installment of a 3-part exposition on 2 Corinthians 8:9. We set out to expose Baba Adeboye’s interpretation of this text for the egregious error that it is. 2 Corinthians 8:9 “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” Like all prosperity preacher of kind, Baba Adeboye turns the glorious proclamation of Christ’s redemptive humiliation, that His poverty represents in 2 Corinthians 8:9, into a promise of material prosperity. The CEO of the RCCG Worldwide Religious Industrial Complex grotesquely trivializes the incarnation and the Cross. The spiritual leader of an organization with membership num...

“Theological Sewage from the Pulpit: When Biblical Ignorance Becomes Spiritual Authority.”   By Akin Ojumu Vertical Worship, formerly known as Vertical Church Band, is the worship ministry associated with Harvest Bible Chapel in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. On July 31, 2012, the group released Open Up the Heavens, a contemporary worship song written as a call for God to manifest His presence, bring spiritual renewal, and awaken His people. Its chorus contains this petition: Open up the heavens We want to see You Open up the floodgates A mighty river Flowing from Your heart Filling every part of our praise As I pondered how to begin this installment in my commentary series on Baba Adeboye’s distortion of 2 Corinthians 8:9, the words of this chorus came to mind. The song pleads for Heaven to open and for a mighty river to flow from the heart of God. It expresses a desire for divine truth and glory to flood the worship of God’s people. Sadly, what has flooded much of the visible Church ...

By Akin Ojumu Healthy confidence says, “I have value.” Narcissism, on the other hand, insists, “I am more important than others, and they should recognize it.” Narcissism is a pattern of excessive self-focus, an inflated sense of importance, a strong need for admiration, and limited concern for other people’s feelings or needs. Malignant narcissism is a psychological term describing an especially destructive pattern of narcissism. The word malignant means harmful or destructive here—it has nothing to do with cancer. Someone fitting this pattern may display: Grandiosity and entitlement: believing they are exceptional, superior or exempt from ordinary rules. A strong need for admiration, loyalty and control. Exploitation: treating people as instruments for achieving personal goals. Severely limited empathy or remorse: showing little genuine concern about the damage they cause. Antisocial conduct: lying, manipulating, intimidating or repeatedly disregarding other people’s rights. Paranoid...

“Baba Adeboye Feeds His Followers With Doctrinal Excrement” By Akin Ojumu Few passages have been more frequently removed from their context and pressed into the service of the prosperity gospel than 2 Corinthians 8:9. This is a Bible passage of choice of the “Name It and Claim It, Blab It and Grab It” bunch. 2 Corinthians 8:9 “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” People like Baba Adeboye interpret Paul’s words to mean that Jesus surrendered material wealth so that every Christian might possess material riches. According to this interpretation, financial prosperity is a redemptive entitlement purchased through the atonement. Hear him in his own words in this video clip: “One fellow was saying. ‘You must not seek Jesus Christ for wealth; that I want to become a Christian so that I can be rich.’ I said, ‘Of course, we all know that. We seek Jesus Christ for salvation. We see...

By Akin Ojumu Often, just as discouragement begins to creep in—when it feels as though I am merely speaking into the void and making no real impact—God, in His providence, brings a message like this across my path. In an instant, my spirit is lifted, my focus is renewed, and I am reminded that the labor is not in vain.  Receiving feedback like this is a beautiful reminder that this work is making a meaningful difference. It is deeply encouraging to know that, somewhere in the world, a life is being touched by what God has enabled me to do. I remain forever grateful to God for these gracious reassurances. Romans 9:16 “It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” If, by God’s grace, this work touches just one life at a time, that is more than enough. I will continue to put in my shift and leave the rest to God.

“The Perils of Pursuit of Supernatural Power” By Akin Ojumu The visible Church is suffering from a deadly disease: an unwholesome preoccupation with supernatural power. As has so often been the case throughout human history, the average churchgoer today is fascinated by the miraculous. Consumed by the desire to witness spectacular manifestations, many Christians chase after anyone who claims to possess unusual spiritual abilities or to live a “naturally supernatural” life. Beneath this obsession lies something far more sinister than innocent curiosity. Much of the modern Christian fascination with supernatural power is rooted in unbelief—a refusal to rest in the sufficiency of God, His Word, and His providence. The relentless pursuit of miracles, signs, wonders, secret revelations, and extraordinary experiences often reveals a heart that is not content with God as He has made Himself known. At its core, this quest for power is an ancient temptation: the desire of mortal men to become l...

  By Akin Ojumu Rick Warren’s  purpose-driven drivel is an ear-scratching, people-pleasing, seeker-sensitive , man-centered gospel that is focussed on self. Its message revolves around I, me, and myself—my purpose, my dreams, my significance, my success, and my personal fulfillment. The Christ-centered Gospel that Paul and the original Twelve Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ preached is radically different. It does not scratch itching ears; it heals a deadly infection. It confronts sin, exposes the corruption of the human heart, and points sinners to Jesus Christ—the only remedy for guilt, judgment, and eternal death. Which of these two religious systems do you belong? Are you with Warren or Paul?

“The Holy Spirit Does Not Produce Chaos” By Akin Ojumu Many Charismatic meetings resemble circus performances more than assemblies of Christian worship. They are boisterous, chaotic, unruly, and emotionally volatile. The typical gathering of the “Penterascals,” much like the disorder Paul condemned in the Church at Corinth, is combustible—charged with explosive emotional energy, heavy-handed manipulation, theatrical displays, and a great deal of theological gobbledygook. These gatherings are frequently characterized by an apparent loss of bodily and emotional control. People jerk violently, scream, holler, babble incoherently, collapse to the floor, laugh uncontrollably, or claim to have been rendered helpless by “the anointing.” The central question this commentary series seeks to answer is this: Can such behavior legitimately be presented as evidence that a person has been “overpowered,” “intoxicated,” or “possessed” by the Holy Spirit? Can we reasonably conclude that someone experie...