Pastor Chris Oyakhilome: The Man, The Mission, The Global Impact

Chris Oyakhilome is a pastor, author, and President of Loveworld Incorporated, also known as Christ Embassy.
He was born on December 7, 1963, to Tim and Angelina Oyakhilome in Edo State, Nigeria. He is the third of seven children and the first of two sons. He has five sisters, all of whom play active roles in the Loveworld ministry. His father, Tim Oyakhilome, was one of the pioneers of the Assemblies of God Church in Benin City.

Chris attended Edo College in Benin City, the oldest secondary school in the Mid-Western Region. On scholarship, he gained admission into Bendel State University—later renamed Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma—where he studied and obtained a first degree in Architecture.

The Birth of His Ministry
He began his ministry while still a student at Ambrose Alli University. As an undergraduate, he founded a youth ministry called Youths for Christ, which became the largest fellowship on campus at the time. Oyakhilome once recounted how the Vice Chancellor attended one of his services on campus.

Upon graduating in 1987, he began holding fellowships and ministry meetings around Benin City. Shortly after, he officially established Christ Embassy in Benin in the same 1987. A few years later, he relocated the ministry to Lagos, where it rapidly expanded and gained national and international influence.

Today, Christ Embassy has campus fellowships and churches in higher institutions across Nigeria and around the world. The church has expanded beyond Nigeria to countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Ghana, South Africa, and others. It holds Healing School sessions in South Africa, Lagos, and Canada.

Media and Conferences
Oyakhilome also founded a Christian-based television network, Loveworld SAT, which broadcasts globally from Africa. In 2006, he held a single-night event titled Good Friday Miracle Night in Lagos, Nigeria, which drew a massive attendance of over 3.5 million people—one of the largest single-night events in Nigerian history.

He also hosts Higher Life conferences in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, the UK, the US, and Canada. He organized the Night of Bliss South Africa event at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.

In 2017, Chris Oyakhilome partnered with Benny Hinn to create the Christian channel Loveworld USA. He has hosted several online programs, including five editions of the Global Day of Prayer with Benny Hinn. The first edition was held on March 27, 2020.

Family Life
Pastor Chris married Anita Ebhodaghe on February 12, 1991. Anita has both Nigerian and Swiss heritage—her father was Nigerian and her mother was Swiss. She was studying English at Ambrose Alli University when she met Chris. They had two daughters: Sharon and Charlene.

On October 6, 2018, Pastor Benny Hinn officiated the wedding of Pastor Chris’ first daughter, Sharon, to Phillip Frimpong, a Ghanaian, with former President Olusegun Obasanjo serving as Chairman of the occasion.

Academic Recognition
Chris Oyakhilome holds numerous academic honors. He has an honorary Doctorate in Divinity from Benson Idahosa University and an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Ambrose Alli University. In December 2023, he was named Chancellor, Head of Government, and Chairman Plenipotentiary of Weldios University.

Philanthropy and Humanitarian Work
He is also deeply involved in philanthropic work. He founded the Chris Oyakhilome Foundation International (COFI), an organization that sends relief materials to countries affected by disasters.

Through COFI, several initiatives have been sponsored, including:
• InnerCity Mission for Children
• Volunteer Medical Corps
• Trauma Care International Foundation
• Bible for All Mission

The InnerCity Mission for Children focuses exclusively on vulnerable, poor, and orphaned children. It provides food, education, shelter, healthcare, and emotional support to children in inner cities and underdeveloped areas. It operates under the motto: "Every Child is Your Child."

Books and Teachings
Oyakhilome has also authored numerous books, including:

Recreating Your World (1998)
Gates of Zion (1998)
When God Visits You (2001)
Holy Spirit and You (2005)
Rhapsody of Realities Topical Compendium (2011)
...and many more.

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s life is a remarkable testimony of unwavering faith and relentless commitment to spreading the gospel. He remains a beacon of hope, illuminating the world with the light of Christ. Through his sermons, books, and numerous charities, he has shaped a generation grounded in purpose, prayer, and the anointing of the Holy Spirit.