Pastor Emmanuel Iren, the founder and Lead Pastor of Celebration Church International, recently toured the massive construction site of Bishop David Oyedepo's Ark Auditorium, a project designed to accommodate 100,000 worshippers. The ambitious development, undertaken by the founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners' Chapel International, is one of the most significant church construction projects globally, drawing attention for its scale and architectural design.
Pastor Iren's Emotional Reaction to the Ark Auditorium
During the tour, Pastor Iren captured the stadium-like proportions of the building, showcasing the vast foundation, steel frameworks, and rising superstructure that reflect the vision behind the project. Sharing a video on his Instagram page on May 16, he explained that Pastor Steve Ogah of Living Faith Church Worldwide led him, along with fellow ministers Pastor Daniel Olawande and Pastor Olushola Okodugha, to witness the Ark firsthand.
Pastor Iren wrote: “Pastor @officialsteveogah took me and my brothers @okodughaolushola and @pdanielolawande to see this literal world wonder called the Ark.” He noted that he had to pause to take in the scale of the construction, describing the experience as overwhelming. The clergyman hinted that he might later share a deeper reflection on why the project is significant for the wider Christian community, but for now, he simply expressed his amazement: “I had to take a moment to take it all in all by myself. If I have the time, I’d make an apologia on why this is a massive win for all of us. But for now, all that is on my mind is wow! Thank you @officialsteveogah.”
Mixed Reactions from Netizens
The video quickly spread across social media, generating a mix of praise and criticism. Some netizens celebrated the development as a major achievement for the church, while others questioned the necessity of such large structures. Comments included:
- @theajonyejoshua said: “I think it hits different for @pst_iren, as someone that studied Building Technology! It really is a win for the body of Christ! We bless God for the gift of David Oyedepo Ministries!”
- @bisiadewale_praise commented: “This is indeed a massive win for us all.”
- @.funminiyi.e. wrote: “The church is marching forward!!!”
- @thewolfdriver reacted: “If Jesus really is coming soon and we are in the end days why then are these pastors building such structures in this world, or maybe they don't really believe what they teach.”
- @Evariste_Umba commented: “Just amazing, the same way we building churches like this for Jesus, let's build new city or homes for the most underserved. Glory be to Jesus.”
Pastor Iren's Previous Encounter with Bishop Abioye
Earlier, Pastor Iren shared an unexpected encounter with retired Winners Chapel vice president Bishop David Abioye during a flight. He explained that he had always wanted to meet Bishop Abioye and became excited after discovering the bishop was seated in front of him. Pastor Iren narrated how Bishop Abioye invited him to sit close after another passenger mentioned that she attended Celebration Church in Lagos during a conversation with the respected cleric.
