The senior pastor of Celebration Church International, Apostle Emmanuel Iren, revealed reasons behind delving into film making.
Apostle Emmanuel Iren who delves into film making, stated the reason behind it was to use all means in spreading the gospel.
In a recent with Channels TV, the clergyman stated that the the venture marks a new chapter in his mission to spread his message and shape culture.
He said, “There is a cultural expectation from pastors. It’s an ironic and contradictory expectation. You even hear some banter out there when people tell men of God, ‘Go and get a real job.’ And when we actually do, they are now asking, ‘Why?’
“Besides that, I just really believe in deploying all my gifts and being the best I can. If God gave me gifts, there must be a reason for it. The short answer is that I’m doing it because I can.
“So many things informed the movie. I just want creative ways to tell true stories. It is obvious that this is a faith-based movie at best, but this is a proper real-life movie.”
Motivated by his children’s exposure to external influences, Apostle Iren stated the importance of creating movies and contents that aligns with his family values.
“There are other ulterior motives, and this is one: my children have a bit of an accent, and it’s not from us. So the reality is that in every home, there are three parents: the father, the mother, and the television.
“So instead of crying and whining about it, be a part of the culture-shaping process. Be a part of the production, not just the consumption,” he added.
When asked about how he is able to balance his ministry with this new chapter, he shared his mantra which has helped him to organise his life effectively and pursue multiple passions.
He also revealed that he wrote the story and despite going to the movie set only three times, the project is ongoing and it’s one of the three movies his working on.
He said, “I run with a mantra that ‘create a space for everything and put everything in a space’ and you’ll be amazed at how much your life can be organised.
“For instance, for this shoot, the story is my idea, but for the execution, I think I was on set only twice or three times. I’m even more effective than people know.
“We’re just releasing this one, but this is one of three movies I shot last year alone, and that’s side by side with the album and other things that I do.”
