Monday, May 22, 2006

Church Or Business - No Difference!

I have always been a cynic whenever it comes to churches and ministries, especially these new age/pentecostal churches that seem to revolve more around signs, wonders, certain doctrines and the individuals who head the church as opposed to the Bible.
I had the good fortune or should I say misfortune of working for one run by a Dutchman.I am sure those of you who were in Kenya in late 2004 onwards heard of a church that was mainly ministering to prostitutes and street people in Nairobi.
The church used to meet at the Grand Regency and then moved to the 680 hotel for its weekly meetings that were held every Saturday night.Saturday nights were chosen as they were convienient for the girls, they could get ministered to and then continue with their whoring uninterrupted.
Well the head honcho of the company hired me and some other people to set up a portal.The idea that he had sounded very good on paper and he even went to the States where he got an endorsement from Jesse Duplantiss that you can see here and From Pastor Lai (the guy in Mombasa who has the very large church) see here.But the problem was that he seemed to had bitten off more then he could chew.
The whole concept would be like lets say MSN but much larger and the content of the articles would be family oriented/christian.Yes that sounds good, so writers were hired and were expected to do 6 articles a day.I kid you not!6 articles per day!I am sure we have seen how writers who churn out on article per week ie Oyunga Pala often have writers block and these people were expecting 6 articles per day!Of course some people tried to write them but in the end resorted to cut copy and paste!
I was part of the web design and graphic department.Our job was to do the different websites that would fall under the main site.The worst thing about this job is that the head honcho would not listen to the opinions of the designers and the html people (me and my colleagues).To add insult to injury we used to be made to re-do and scrap work so many times!A website would often have a life span of two or three days after you tweak it due to changes being recommended by the head honcho and his yes men.And then at the end of the day he would see something interesting on the net and that would mean the end of that and something new!
And of course a design had to be approved before we had the pleasure of turning it into html.So after having enough free time to delete spam from my email address and to chat to all my pals on yahoo msgr/msn, rack up over 100 posts on some forums or the required number so that I became a guru or was allowed to change avatars (yes I used to be that bored!) and that is when I began blogging.Imagine going to work and having to think of ways to keep busy as the higher ups will not give you any extra work (well I did want more work so I could be paid more!).As a result of having to sit 6-8 hours in front of a comp doing jack, my attention span was shot to hell.So the only way I keep busy nowadays is by doing two things at the same time.It is still apparent nowadays, this weekend I went to visit a pal and she asked me, "do you always do 2 things at the same time?"This is because I was using the laptop and watching tv at the same time!If I am only using the comp I usually have like 10 windows open!Anyway enough about my ADD!
Then the worst thing is come 5pm when the staff bus was coming to pick us, is when one of the yes men would run in with a design to be turned into a web page!Aaaaaaaargh!And then we would be taken home at midnight or later!But on the plus during the earlier days when suckers' money was flowing we used to be bought food from village market.The Thai food from Village Market rocks and so do the pizzas!One of those medium sized pizzas could feed you for 3 days and they tasted great, not like the flavoured pieces of cardboard sold here!
Oh did I fail to mention that we worked in Runda?Good thing there was a staff bus as the house we worked in was miles away from the main gate.But on the plus that ride gave me something to aspire to.You need to see the houses in Runda!My Lord!Veritable Castles and Villas!Runda is a good sight to motivate you to work or steal hard!Then again so is Muthaiga but that is a story for another day!
We used to work in this big ass house that had the insulation of a box.So it used to be strange to come from the heat of nai to freeze in a big empty ass house!Then these cheap Dutch folk did not provide lunch or a microwave to heat your packed lunch.But they did used to provide Britannia biscuits, milk powder, coffee and tea leaves.The first few days we being the enterprising young folk we were, many would not have breakfast at home as you had to be in town by 7.30am for the bus and would fall upon the bikkies first thing we got to the office.A box would be emptied at arrival and another by lunchtime.But the thing is that the taste of biscuits gets real old, real fast so the same people who used to eat 2 handfuls of brittanias were now eating 5 per day.But lucky for us, the money man who was also dutch had a personal assistant who would be sent on errands and we used to send her for fries (sarah ebu holla at a boy umepotea huko UK sana!), but her return times were erratic so you could find yourself eating fries and sausage from Kenchic (damn those greasy fries were good!) at 11 am or 3 pm!Then to counter the cold in the office Aco borrowed one of his mother's shawls that he would wrap around his legs to counter the heat (Shawls rock!).
Oh I have almost forgot, there were chics who were hired to do fashion designs.Their target was 20 fashions each by the end of the day.All they had to do was draw pictures.They were told that materials and the rest of what they needed would be bought for them from India so they could start work. When we were talking this over with one of them, I made the observation that a design is nothing without a pattern and fabric samples (but what did those girls know?They were just designers!).
The strangest thing was that of the 8 or so dutch folk (The big man, his wife, brother in law + wife,his second in command + wife, his money man + wife, his dutch worship leader) is that they used to live and breathe their work and the church meetings!The furthest they used to go was Village Market and of course the once a week meetings at the 680. Other then that they never used to bother to travel or even know more about Nairobi or even bother to meet the other Dutch people in Nairobi!
One of the big Man's new ideas was to get a group of prostitutes, take them off the street, house them and their children and turn them into a singing group that would be flown around Europe to raise money for the battered women's shelter they were planning on putting up and other ministry activities.So a group of girls was chosen and the mansion across the road that shared the compound with the one we worked in was rented for them to live in.
These girls were given a small allowance and given singing lessons and bible study.That reminds me, there was this girl who was hired to write songs and record them with their funding.Well they took their time arranging for her to record so she was made to be writer (despite the fact that wasn't her field of expertise!). And then the shameless people that they are a few months later they asked her if she could be staying back to teach the girls how to sing!They wanted her to be doing that double work instead of just having her teach them from the oneset.
Working with these folk also did away with the oft held belief that white folk are more organised then us.These were the most disorganised people I have ever met!Every Saturday meeting was an excercise in chaos!The personal assistant to the money man used to tell them it would be easier if they started organising such things in advance but you know what the big man told her?"You africans dont know how to think fast that is why you have to start organising early" or something like that, it isnt verbatim.
Ah, that reminds me one more time of how during the launch things were do disorganised that the big Man didnt have the proper shoes and some had to be bought at the neigbouring Bata.They hired this guy who used to organise events to be doing their events under the understanding that this was to be a full time job and after him doing two events they fired him.To make things worse he had gone on hiatus from his own business as this job was well paying.He was having none of this and brought his lawyer and they managed to come to an amicable arrangement.It was heart warming to see his story a few weeks back in the Nation, as his business seemed to be doing really well and he had even managed to put a 6 figure capital in it and it was paying good dividends at the time of the story's publication.Same thing happened to the chic who was the head of our department.She used to call things like they were and used to knock heads with the Big Man's second in command who used to veto many of her decisions, so push came to shove and she was shown the door; I too used to think she was hard headed but she used to be fair so I think that decision was uncalled for.She went into business for herself and last I heard she was doing really well.One of the workers in the IT section got a job offer that seemed more concrete (he was to be a lecturer at Daystar University), when he told them he was leaving they offered to double his pay, he refused so they offered to triple it but he did the wise thing and walked away.In hindsight it was a very very wise move on his part!
The way the employees were treated was really pathetic and those are not the only examples, that was when we knew that things were not as they seemed with this ministry.
Part 2 - Things fall apart....

31 comments:

Unknown said...

What a shame that the things people would or will do in the name of God !

Well isnt that how we got colonized ?

Mzungu man had the Bible and we had the land...Mzungu man said, lets close our eyes and pray...when we opened our eyes...Mzungu man had the land and we had the Bible !


PS
me fao !

Anonymous said...

@ devious one
And you think things are bad?Na bado!Wait for part 2!I think that many Africans are still colonised mentally, they think some things will only work if white people do them!
ps:Congrats!

Anonymous said...

@ D shy
My dear my days of Britannias ended in uni when we used to eat them by the box!It's good to hear that the procedure went well!:D

Girl next door said...

Well said: A church is a business! And they can get away with so much coz they'll bring up the name of God whenever it's convenient to guilt people and escape suspicion. There a few people with firm principles and good intentions but like any other cut-throat business, they won't rise high in the system coz it's all politics.

walk said...

all i can say is that ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.if you can summarize christianity=white man/colonialism you have a long way to go.

The walk of faith is between you and God.People are not perfect dont base you realtionship on what man does but what God has done and is doing . stand before him in his throne room alone you and him.

acolyte you are more intelligent than this

Prousette said...

I was hoping Aco had finally met god from the title of the post lakini that is one interesting story.
You actually met the man behind that big idea...wow!! I remember it made waves in Nairobi, some even going as far as calling it demonic.
Wondered where his concept disappeared to but I guess from your story blown into many pieces.

Religion is BIG business, some of the richest we know started out as street preachers and now pass on the message of prosperity while milking the congregation dry. Washindwe!!
Can't wait for part two.

Anonymous said...

@ girl next door
I do believe that churches should be ran well but money should not be the guiding light but sadly that is how things are today!
@ joe
The summary that christianity is colonialism is not mine but was one of the people who did comment.But you have to admit that among africans christian or not, there is an overwhelming approval of anything presented by a white man.That is how missionaries go to kenya and do more holiday then saving souls (a job we africans can do for ourselves).And you do know that I am a proponent of individual relationships between man and God and you have read me post on that, so quit coming to hasty conclusions please.
@ prou
Things get really hot in part 2!Whether we like it or not there are people who are milking the innocent dry.Oh the big man is a classic snake oils salesman!He can sell you your own underwear!

KenyanMusings said...

Ngai...vile that Thai joint in VM is expe haki......

Anonymous said...

@ KM
Expe yes but the food!Magnificent!

Anonymous said...

That is how missionaries go to kenya and do more holiday then saving souls (a job we africans can do for ourselves).

Whether we like it or not there are people who are milking the innocent dry.Oh the big man is a classic snake oils salesman!

Acolyte said...

@ Anon
Thanks for passing by!I have said it time and again that we no longer need Missionaries, we can do that for ourselves.Read the other 2 parts and you will know how good a snake oil salesman he was!

Anonymous said...

@ gertjanthetroubleman
Well unfortunately the damage has been done over here!He has gone back to Holland, so I gather!So let me know if he has been seen again.

Anonymous said...

@ gertjanthetroubleman
I thought that he would have gone back to Holland to escape all his debtors in Nairobi, but it seems that he managed to escape them.I hope the word has gone out in Nairobi as this man is not to be trusted!

Anonymous said...

Runda Estate

Runda Groove 282, Nairobi

Is the place where the fat man still lives & where he still is screwing all of us Kenians.

Anonymous said...

Gert Jan Agtereek is a dangerous manipulator & con man!
Many, many Kenyans are heavily duped by this creep and
hardly nobody seems to do anything against this crook.

So face it. We’re accepting the Mzungu’s colonialism again
and the land is still theirs.

Anonymous said...

@ Anonymus 1
It is sad to know that Gertjan is still in Kenya spreading lies in the name of the gospel.
@ anonymus 2
It tears my heart into pieces to still realise that many Africans are still under the mental shackles of the white man.
It is possible for us to free ourselves from such people if we put our mind to it!

Anonymous said...

http://360.yahoo.com/G_agtereek

Anonymous said...

@ GertJanbiggestcheatereverman
Thanks for the link at least I can somehow keep an eye on him!

Anonymous said...

Runda Groove 282, Nairobi
It is said he aint living there anymore..
is that right ?
is his pasport taken from him ?
the man of hotel 680 started a case against him.
so he can't leave Kenya before paying his debtors.
is he fleeing ?
Do you guys know where he is ?

greetz from Holland

Anonymous said...

We don't know where GJ is. If you know it? Tell us!

I hope that the Kenyan people have the possibilities and the guts to prosecute the guy and put him away for a while!!

This man will never stop telling how great he is, how wonderfull it is to have enemies and to be accused of cheating and all the other things he is blamed for!

He completely lost common sense of what is right and what is wrong. A madman causing a lott of pain in the name of himself using the name of Christ.

Herman

Anonymous said...

The new addressOf Gert Jan Agteree (John) = :
River Side Estate, in Westlands ‘ .

Anonymous said...

VRIJDAG 24 NOVEMBER 2006 LEIDSCH DAGBLAD
TV- DOMINEE VS NEEMT AFSTAND VAN LEIDSE KERK
LEIDEN - De in christelijke kringen bekende Amerikaanse televisie-evangelist Jesse Duplantis distantieert zich van de omstreden Leidse pinksterkerk Great Commission Church International (GCCI).

Het bestuur van Jesse Duplantis Ministries heeft de kerk aan de Turkooislaan gevraagd de naam van Jesse Duplantis te schrappen van de lijst van 'board of directors' en is bezig met een onderzoek naar de beschuldigingen aan het adres van de Leidenaars.

,,We hebben geen enkel inzicht in hun financiƫle handelen'', laat bestuurslid Michael Wright in New Orleans telefonisch weten. ,,We zitten alleen in naam in dat board. We zijn geen deel van het leiderschap van GCCI en willen niet als zodanig worden genoemd. Als er sprake is van een schandaal dan willen wij daar part noch deel aan hebben''

Op de website van de GCCI staat ook een aanbevelingsbrief van Duplantis zelf. Hij schrijft dat hij 'gezegend en vereerd is dat hij in de board of directors zitting heeft'. Duplantis noemt GCCI een 'krachtig, verenigd front' met 'veel impact in de wereld'. Over de stichters van de kerk, Gertjan en zijn vrouw Margriet Agtereek, schrijft Duplantis op de site dat ze 'krachtige, gezegende en zeer integere mensen' zijn.

Wright zegt over de aanbevelingsbrief dat het 'juridisch erg ingewikkeld is om te eisen dat die van de site verdwijnt'. Jesse Duplantis Ministries wil geen veroordeling uitspreken over geloofsgenoten. ,,Als het zo is dat een van onze broeders is gevallen, dan willen we voor hem bidden en hem helpen.''

GCCI raakte vorig jaar in opspraak na beschuldigingen van voormalige leiders en leden. Die zeggen dat Agtereeks gemeente de leden manipuleert en uitknijpt en het geld over de balk gooit, waardoor de kerk in een miljoenenschuld is beland.

Unknown said...

I am the IT guy who refused a pay increase to go to Daystar University. N'way its very true those guys were real cheats and extremely extravagant. I hear they are still around but had to move from runda coz they could not afford rent anymore. Remember the dutch lady who used to stay with the langas? Saw her board a matatu 23 at odeon cinema stage with a man as black as me. Wonder if she got married in Kangemi
Those guys detroyed quite a number of people's careers esp those that had left God. Mind I had left a govt parastatal job to join them

Anonymous said...

Hi guys can you believe the big guy GJ is threatening the langas to tell a lie to the press to save his skin i heard he even offered them money which i doubt he has someone please stop this guy he is dangerous.

Mwangi said...

A friend of mine whose folks are missionaries told me that apparently a large proportion of the mission workers in Africa are people who couldn't find employment in their own countries.......
Articles such as this, increase my inclination to believe that.

Anonymous said...

Leidsch Dagblad 15-10-2009 PART 1

PYRAMID SCHEME AFTER WINNERSWAY.

BY:-SYLVAN SCHOONHOVEN

LEIDEN- The addiction rehabilitation centre, Winnersway is not yet shutdown and the men who are responsible for the centre are looking for new sources of income. In Kenya, the Leiden pastor Gertjan Agtereek, has begun a pyramid scheme under the guise of religion. Pyramid schemes are forbidden in the Netherlands. Agtereek has unfolded his plans on the following website:- www.ministry-network.com

The purpose of this network is that members pay a monthly amount, then they themselves introduce new members in the form of a so-called M12 group, a group of 12 followers like Jesus and his 12 disciples. These members also pay a contribution and then they must get to work to find followers. The person who succeeds in establishing two “generations”, that is 144 new members, receives a substantial amount from the organisation. But anyone who dares to say anything negative about the organisation has a fine of 100, 000 shillings (€892) hanging over his head : this is a small fortune in Kenya.

What precisely the advantages of the membership of M-Net are, remain vague. There is a promise of church training/education, that according to the site is “internationally recognisable”, especially by “universities in the USA”. M-Net is already “in 50 countries” with an office in New York. The controversial church leader was already busy at the beginning of the year, behind the scenes, with plans for a “Agtereek University”. Agtereeks name or that of the helpers of the Leiden Pentecostal church OC N do not appear anywhere on the M-Net site. The site however seems to be registered at the same postal address as the previous Kenyan branch of the Leiden church.

M-Net is described as an enterprise of the Association of Great Commission Churches and Ministries (AGCCM). This is registered by the Chamber of Commerce at the Leiden address – Turkooislaan 131, where the OCN church and Winnersway are housed. The board members are the Leiden OCN and Winnersway leader, Dennis Sieval and his wife. The 3rd board member is the Leiden lawyer Roger Lelkens, who lived for a short while in Kenya. Sieval denies that this is a pyramid scheme.

Anonymous said...

Leidsch Dagblad 15-10-2009 PART 2

UNLIMITED MONEY, HALLELUJAH!!

The Leiden OCN church is again extracting money from believers using a pyramid-like construction. The SP and PVV have been asked for the 2nd time to have an emergency debate in Parliament over the comings and goings of the Pentecostal church in the Turkooislaan.

The pyramid scheme, “Ministry Network” or M-Net was established by Gertjan Agtereek. He tried a few years ago to start a worldwide church network. He also founded “Club 100” where he tried to get 100 most intimate friends to pay €50 a month to be able to view family photos and have access to his chat site.

Now he has launched an extensive website with the purpose of generating money from Kenyan believers. Pastors who are already members enthusiastically recommend M-Net. “It is a great opportunity to acquire a university education” and “to earn unlimited money”. “This is your only chance don’t miss it, God Bless and stay blessed, Hallelujah!”

However, membership is not only freedom and joy. Whoever sends in an application have their hands and feet immediately bound to a long list of conditions orders and demands. The unsuspecting member is responsible for any members that don’t pay, whom he has recommended. He has to immediately accept assignments from the leaders and carry them out with the utmost priority. The copyright of any work done has to be relinquished, and he has to always be telephonically available, but most of all: everything, absolutely everything that has to do with the Network must remain a secret. It is forbidden for the members to speak anything but positive things about the Network, the leaders or their families. Punishment for violating any rules is cashing in the equivalent of one years Kenyan salary. It also looks like you are being employed and are receiving a salary, when in fact you must pay in.

“You just don’t understand anything: commented OCN pastor Dennis Sieval on these accusations. You will see that this is not a pyramid scheme. The website was a while later offline.

What is a pyramid scheme?

According to the law of games of chance, the pyramid scheme “is, an opportunity whereby participants make a deposit or enter into an agreement in order to have the benefit of acquiring a portion of the goods or an obligation that subsequent participants make or enter into.” These pyramid constructions are often disguised, for example, it arouses the thought that members think that the membership is good for something other than what it is intended for and that to introduce new members is just a side-business, whilst the scheme really revolves around jockeying for participants.

Anonymous said...

KENYAN PASTORS RECOMMENDATIONS on M-NET website PART 1

Bishop James Mungania

As supervisor of MNet in Kenya I warmly welcome you!
MNet is having a great start in Kenya – and I know it will only grow and be a blessing for more people. It is my conviction that MNet is life-transforming and that it will enable many to transform not only our nation but the world!
MNet is a ministry network that is introduced in Kenya at just the right time. Members have opportunities for discipleship, community, international networking, internationally accredited education, franchising, access to an ever-increasing library of resources, and more.
After coming to know MNet and being privileged to get involved, I heartily recommend it to all ministers and church members. With sincere excitement I love to share this wonderful experience with you. Join now!

Bishop James Mungania
Redeemed Gospel Church Inc.

Rev. Peter Maithya


All the children of God have gotten an opportunity that they cannot afford to miss.

All bishops pastors you have an opportunity to empower yourselves and your congregations. All other people and generations to come M-net has come such a time as this to take you to your destiny.; M-NET HAS BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES TO PROMOTE YOU TO DO GODS WILL AND PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE. This is what the world has been waiting for let’s arise and network regardless of your physical appearances and background we are ready to network with you. Peace of God be upon you as you plan to network with this world changing institution.

Rev. Peter Maithya
Beulah World Evangelism

Rev. Henry Wainaina


M-Net program is the network for all pastors, church leaders, members and others to be in. We all stand to gain immensely in terms of information and useful knowledge besides having the opportunity to connect with the whole world!

Being with M-Net is empowering self and evangelizing is enhanced. Let us all join M-Net. The world we live in will never be the same again.

Rev. Henry Wainaina
Calvary Covenant Centre Church

Archbishop Lawrence Kithinji Kanampiu


Precious Calvary greetings to you all. I take this opportunity to express my joy to have you joined this universal network of the mighty men and women who are already enjoying lots of benefits socially, spiritually, financially, etc. Pop in now and you will never neglect nor fail to invite others to enjoy these multi excellence in the freedom that you ever dreamt of.
Please get in dear.
May God bless you abundantly.
Yours in Service,

Archbishop Lawrence Kithinji Kanampiu
African Federation of Churches Kenya
Resurrection Church of God Ministries

Bishop Joseph Ibrahim Apindi

Anonymous said...

RECOMMENDATIONS KENYAN PASTORS on M-NET PART 2

Dear Brethren In Christ,
Greetings in the most Holy and precious of our loving Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. My names are Joseph Ibrahim Apindi. I serve God in the third largest slum in the world called Mathare Valley in Kenya.

The God called me to serve him and make disciples of all Nations, and for a long time I had allot of limitations and I did not know how until I was introduced to m-net 12. I fully persuaded that m-net12 is a God given tool to help every child of God from every race, colour, background to serve him in a more greater way.

Bishop Joseph Ibrahim Apindi
Mercy Seat of God Fellowship

Rev. Peter Gachara


I greet you all in the precious name of Jesus Christ. Children of God am so grateful to God for all of you, Bishops, Evangelist, Apostle, Teacher, Pastor and all servant of God Globally and even future generation.

It’s my pleasure to welcome you to join Mnet 12 which is a Christian family of all nation, races, tribe, colours and people of all background. Joining Mnet 12 guarantees you spiritual growth, personal expansion, unlimited wealth of knowledge and information as well as expanded family of Christian believers.

Mnet 12 family is the modern ways and roots of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations of the world and you being a member is responding to Christ’s call to reach the unreached with the gospel and teaching them to be his disciples.

Welcome

Rev. Peter Gachara
Redeemed Gospel Church Inc.

Bishop Jacob Odhaimbo Odongo


Welcome on board to a glorious and a wonderful opportunity, it is God given, with heavenly vision to achieve the great commission, M-net network is specially designed to help you disciple your twelve disciples who will also do what you have done, with great opportunity for attaining a University education and an opportunity for earning limitless moneys through your network, do not forget M-net will also give you the opportunity to connect to people worldwide. This is your only chance don’t miss it, God bless and stay blessed, Hallelujah!
Regards,
Yours in His Service,

Bishop Jacob Odhaimbo Odongo
Living Springs International Churches

Anonymous said...

RECOMMENDATIONS KENYAN PASTORS on M-NET PART 3

Bishop Isaiah Kamau Kimani


Hello, the Believers Centre’s office is here welcoming and sending Calvary greetings to all saints in the world: bishops, reverends, pastors and the other believers in the body of Christ worldwide to join up with this vision / mission of the MNet at supporting ministers of the gospel nurturing and bringing up the vision that God has given you in doing the work of God. Please enroll yourself with this ministry and be equipped for better work of ministry. God Bless You.
Thank you

Bishop Isaiah Kamau Kimani
Believers Centres

Bishop Moses Njenga Kamau


Hello everyone
This is bishop Moses Kamau from Kenya, I would like to invite each and every one to this good organization called MNet which is now established in Kenya with the help of Bishops, Pastors Elders Deacons, and Church members of all creeds without discrimination, I am taking this opportunity again to welcome children’s children to join in this organization MNet.
God Bless MNet

Bishop Moses Njenga Kamau
Amen Holy Ghost Church of Africa

Rev. Moses Otunga
I hereby welcome all Christian Bishops, Pastors, Ministry leaders and all Members of the Body of Christ to join M-Net. This is indeed an answer to the challenges we have been facing of uniting Ministers and Members of the Church of Christ to team up together in spreading the Gospel around the world. M-net will empower our Churches in various ways to enable Ministers to fulfil The Great Commission of Our Lord Jesus Christ around the world. I highly welcome you to join the network so that we can team up together in reaching the world through M-Net to transform lives for the Glory of God.
Sincerely, Rev. Moses Otunga
Shield of Faith Fellowship of Churches

Anonymous said...

Leidsch Dagblad 21-10-2009

PRESTIGIOUS HIGHRISE FLATS IN NEW YORK AND MANILLA

CHURCH LEADER RECRUITS PERSONNEL FOR A NEW MULTINATIONAL COMPANY.
BY:-SYLVAN SCHOONHOVEN

Leiden- The church leader, Gertjan Agtereek, who has been accused of swindling, is now looking for personnel for a new multinational company that he has founded. This “Design & Development Group” boasts of glittering office towers in New York and Manilla. The chances are great that, after previously failed business adventures, that again this will eventually come to nothing.

Agtereek, leader of the controversial Leiden Pentecostal OCN is looking for musicians, writers, data administrators, web designers, assistants, theologians and many others. The name of Agtereek doesn’t appear anywhere on the impressive website of the D&D group (www.dndsite.com). The setup of the website, however, very clearly carries his fingerprint. One of the employee recruits turns out to be FeMarie Almazora. Almazora has been Agtereeks assistant since the time that Agtereek has tried to establish worldwide church networks of GCCI. Also for GCCI, personnel were recruited on a large scale with exciting words. This ended up, in many cases, in conflict and unpaid salaries, loss of income and eventually bankruptcy.

Agtereek has been living in Nairobi, Kenya since 2003. From this location he still had leadership over the church organisation OCN and the addiction clinic Winnersway situated on the same premises, Turkooislaan. The pastor and his organisation have been for a long time under scrutiny for fraud and swindling, but the last few months, there has been extra attention to their comings and goings. There have been inspections and politicians are concerned about them. That the church leader is looking for new sources of income now that the money tap of Winnersway, under pressure from the politicians, was closed, was already evident last week. It became clear that from Leiden a church pyramid scheme under the name of Ministry Network was in the making. With the enterprise D&D, Agtereek gives his dream the chance of not only a church, but also a business to be successful.

Rockefeller

It is evident from personnel advertisements, that whoever solicits for a job at D&D must have an affinity with Pentecostal churches. The company has, as far as the eye can see, very little to with faith. The enterprise commends itself as “designer and developer of constructive concepts for special markets”. D&D designs “ideas”, “organisations”, “training”, “communication” and “technology”– that is, just about everything under the sun. The clientele includes universities, but also development help organisations, banks, and indeed also churches. Names of clients are not made known.

It is suggested that D&D is a large, prestigious, international company with many departments and talented employees. One of the offices is housed in the Rockefeller Center in New York. A second office has recently opened its doors in the just as impressive Enterprise Center in Manilla, Philippines. In both cases, however, it appears that this is merely a “virtual office”. It is nothing more than an impressive address, telephone number and a service that sends on the post to the owner. “Use a wvirtual office to make the most impressive impression on your clients, ” writes the company, Regus, that hires fake offices.

PVV : “Round up group”

The PVV has in writing asked extensive questions to state secretary Bussemaker (National Health). She wants the department not only to be concerned with the addiction centre, Winnersway, but also with the affiliated Leiden Pentecostal church. PVV – member of Parliament, Fleur Agema, demands that “Agtereek and his men call a halt to the situation” and asks if the state secretary is “prepared to round up this group and to prosecute”. The victims must receive state help and ex-clients should be able to re-claim their snatched money. She also wants to know why the government did not intervene earlier.