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Emmanuel TV
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Emmanuel TV is a Christian television network with headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria. It was founded by T.B. Joshua, former senior pastor of the Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN), in Lagos, Nigeria. It was also the most subscribed Christian ministry channel on YouTube worldwide with well over 1,000,000 subscribers, as of January 2019.[1]
Key Information
History
[edit]In the late 1990s, the SCOAN began to gain international attention due to the distribution of videotapes showing clips of God's early ministries and miracles. Additionally, Joshua began airing regular programs purporting to show 'miracles' on local Nigerian television. However, when Nigeria's National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), under the instruction of then President Olusegun Obasanjo controversially banned the showing of 'miracles', in 2004, most of his programs were taken off air.[2] This eventually paved the way for the emergence of Emmanuel TV on 8 March 2006 by T.B. Joshua.[3]
In 2015, Emmanuel TV's YouTube channel was the most subscribed Christian ministry YouTube channel worldwide and the third most subscribed in Nigeria. Google ranked one of Emmanuel TV's YouTube videos as the fourth most viewed clip ever within Nigeria.[4]
Since its inception, Emmanuel TV has broadcast Christian programmes, stating that its mission is 'to preach the Good News to all mankind.'[5]
Programming
[edit]Emmanuel TV broadcasts a range of programmes from Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN).
Reach
[edit]Emmanuel TV is broadcast worldwide on various satellites. Its programmes air weekly on a number of local television stations across Africa, debuting on DStv and GOtv in November 2015,[6] as well as Startimes in February 2016.[7] Its playout centre is located in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The station is also known for its catch-phrase, 'Distance Is Not A Barrier',[8] encouraging viewers to 'pray along' with T.B. Joshua by 'touching the screen'. T.B. Joshua has donated televisions to prisons and hospitals so that they will be able to watch the Emmanuel TV broadcasts.[9][10]
Controversies
[edit]In April 2021, YouTube suspended Emmanuel TV's channel as a result of alleged hate speech by Joshua in videos on the channel. At the time the channel was suspended, it had over 1,800,000 subscribers and 400 million views. The allegations of hate speech referred to claims made by Joshua in at least seven videos that homosexuality is the result of possession by demonic spirits and that homosexuality can and should be cured via spiritual deliverance.[11] At the time of the channel's suspension, it was the most-viewed Christian ministry on the platform.[12][13]
In January 2024, days after Joshua's sexual abuse scandal was revealed, Emmanuel TV's satellite channel was removed from DStv by MultiChoice, a South African media company as well as from YouTube for a second time.[14]
References
[edit]- ^ Great, Dmaster (9 January 2024). "Multichoice to Stop Broadcasting Emmanuel TV". Daily Report NG. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
- ^ Olukoya, Sam (8 June 2004). "Nigerians Divided By TV Miracle Ban". BBC. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
- ^ Baker, Helen (3 August 2016). "Emmanuel TV: Celebrating A Decade of Blessings". PM News (Nigeria). Archived from the original on 2 August 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
- ^ Mohammed, Amina (21 May 2015). "Patience Jonathan's "There is God" video Nigeria's most viewed YouTube clip ever". Premium Times (Nigeria). Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2016 – via Google.
- ^ "Who We Are". TB Joshua. Emmanuel TV website. Archived from the original on 5 August 2009.
- ^ Nkawihe, Maurice (14 November 2015). "TB Joshua's Emmanuel TV Goes on DStv And GOtv". Nyasa Times (Malawi). Archived from the original on 10 March 2016.
- ^ Akwaja, Chima (6 February 2016). "Startimes Unveils Extra Special Offer for Subscribers". All Africa. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
- ^ Petesch, Carley (19 April 2014). "Nigeria Preacher: Healer or Controversial Leader". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
- ^ T.B. Joshua Donates TV Sets To Khami Maximum Security Prison Archived 22 September 2022 at the Wayback Machine NewsDay, Sunday 12 June 2011
- ^ Prophet T.B. Joshua Makes Donation To Accra Psychiatric Hospital Archived 5 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Ghana News Agency, Sunday, 11 December 2011
- ^ "TB Joshua: YouTube blocks Nigerian preacher over gay cure claim". BBC News. 16 April 2021. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ Olowookere, Dipo (27 October 2018). "TB Joshua's Emmanuel TV Hits 1m YouTube Subscribers, 387m Views". Business Post. Lagos, Nigeria. Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
- ^ Bruce, James (15 April 2015). "Skewed Stats". World Magazine (US). Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
- ^ Charlie Northcott & Yemisi Adegoke, TB Joshua exposé: YouTube deletes Emmanuel TV channel of disgraced megachurch leader, bbc.com, UK, January 31, 2024
External links
[edit]Emmanuel TV
View on GrokipediaEmmanuel TV is a Christian television network headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, founded on 8 March 2006 by Temitope Balogun Joshua, the charismatic leader of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN).[1][2] It serves as the official broadcasting arm of SCOAN, transmitting 24/7 content worldwide via satellite, internet streaming, and platforms like YouTube, with programming centered on live church services, sermons, prayer sessions, and viewer testimonies of faith healings and deliverances.[3][4] The channel's mission, as stated officially, is to propagate the Gospel of Jesus Christ, fostering messages of love, hope, salvation, and manifestations of divine power to reach every nation and home.[4] Under Joshua's direction until his death on 5 June 2021, Emmanuel TV expanded to become one of the most subscribed Christian channels globally, amassing millions of viewers drawn to its emphasis on supernatural interventions and global outreach crusades.[5][6] Following his passing, the network continues operations under the leadership of his widow, Pastor Evelyn Joshua, maintaining its focus on SCOAN activities while adapting to digital dissemination amid evolving media landscapes.[7] Emmanuel TV's prominence has been marked by significant controversies, notably the 12 September 2014 collapse of a SCOAN guesthouse in Lagos, which killed 116 people—primarily international visitors—and was officially attributed by a coroner's inquest to structural failure from unauthorized construction modifications lacking engineering approval.[8][9][10] The church contested the findings, attributing the incident to an external aircraft impact, a claim unsupported by aviation authorities, highlighting tensions between SCOAN's narrative of spiritual warfare and empirical investigations into safety lapses.[11] This event, along with ongoing scrutiny over the verifiability of televised miracles and internal church practices, underscores the channel's polarizing role in contemporary televangelism, balancing claims of transformative spiritual impact against demands for evidentiary rigor.[12][13]
Founding and Historical Development
Origins and Establishment by T.B. Joshua
Temitope Balogun Joshua, born on June 12, 1963, in Arigidi, Ondo State, Nigeria, founded the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) in 1987 in Lagos as a small prayer group with eight initial members.[14] [15] Joshua, who claimed a divine calling following personal spiritual experiences including 40 days of prayer and fasting, positioned SCOAN as a ministry focused on healing, deliverance, and prophecy, drawing from charismatic Pentecostal traditions while emphasizing direct encounters with the Holy Spirit.[16] The church's early growth relied on word-of-mouth and local gatherings before expanding through recorded testimonies and outreach. In response to Nigeria's 2004 regulatory ban on unverified miracle broadcasts by private television stations, Joshua established Emmanuel TV on March 8, 2006, as SCOAN's dedicated Christian television channel to air live services, sermons, and claimed healings without external censorship.[17] [2] Initially broadcasting SCOAN's weekly services from its Lagos headquarters, the channel utilized satellite and later digital platforms to reach audiences beyond Nigeria, aligning with Joshua's vision of global evangelism through visual media.[16] This establishment marked a strategic pivot to independent media control, enabling unfiltered dissemination of the ministry's content amid skepticism from mainstream Nigerian broadcasters regarding the authenticity of its supernatural claims.Expansion and Key Milestones (1990s–2010s)
Emmanuel TV commenced broadcasting on March 8, 2006, under the direction of T.B. Joshua, founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), with initial live transmissions of SCOAN's Sunday services from its Lagos headquarters.[18][2] The channel's early expansion leveraged satellite technology, enabling distribution across Nigeria and select African markets via platforms like DSTV, which broadened access beyond local cable viewers. This period aligned with SCOAN's international outreach, including crusades in Singapore and Australia in 2006, where footage and testimonies were incorporated into programming to extend the ministry's influence.[1] In the 2010s, Emmanuel TV's growth accelerated through digital media, particularly YouTube, where its official channel—launched to upload service clips and healing sessions—rapidly accumulated subscribers and views. By July 2015, the channel had surpassed 200,000 subscribers, reflecting increasing global interest in T.B. Joshua's prophetic and deliverance content.[19] This digital pivot complemented traditional satellite broadcasts, which by then reached audiences in Europe, Asia, and North America, allowing remote viewers to participate in live prayer sessions. Cumulative YouTube views exceeded 250 million by September 2017.[20] Key milestones in the late 2010s underscored Emmanuel TV's dominance in online Christian broadcasting: it achieved over 1 million YouTube subscribers in October 2018, outpacing Nigerian entertainment channels like P-Square's VEVO.[21][22] By 2019, the channel was recognized as YouTube's most-watched Christian ministry, with totals surpassing 400 million views, driven by viral testimonies and multilingual subtitles that facilitated viewership in over 100 countries.[23][24] These developments marked a shift from regional televangelism to a borderless digital network, though reliant on SCOAN's centralized production. No significant Emmanuel TV operations occurred in the 1990s, as the channel postdated SCOAN's initial congregation-building phase in that decade.T.B. Joshua's Death and Leadership Transition (2021–Present)
T.B. Joshua, founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) and Emmanuel TV, died on June 5, 2021, at age 57, shortly after concluding a Friday night prayer service at SCOAN.[25] SCOAN announced the death via an official statement on social media, stating it occurred "as it should be by divine will" without disclosing a cause, though unverified media reports later cited complications from a stroke.[26][27] His funeral and burial occurred on July 9–11, 2021, drawing thousands of attendees and international dignitaries to SCOAN's Lagos headquarters.[28] In the immediate aftermath, Evelyn Joshua, T.B. Joshua's wife of over 30 years, was appointed as SCOAN's new leader and lead pastor, assuming oversight of the church's operations, including Emmanuel TV broadcasts.[29] She began delivering sermons and leading services, which continued to be televised on Emmanuel TV, emphasizing continuity of the ministry's focus on healing, deliverance, and prophecy while honoring T.B. Joshua's legacy.[30] Reports indicated initial internal divisions among disciples and staff over the transition, with some questioning Evelyn's prophetic authority compared to her husband's charismatic style, though she consolidated leadership by late 2021.[31] Emmanuel TV's programming persisted under Evelyn's direction, featuring her-led live services, testimonies, and archived content from T.B. Joshua, accessible via satellite, online streaming, and partnerships.[7] However, operations faced disruptions in January 2024 when YouTube terminated the channel's main account for repeated violations of hate speech and harmful content policies, prompted by a BBC documentary alleging widespread sexual abuse and staged miracles under T.B. Joshua's tenure—claims Evelyn's leadership has not publicly addressed in detail.[32] MultiChoice simultaneously removed Emmanuel TV from DStv platforms in South Africa and Nigeria amid the scandal.[33] The channel adapted by launching alternative YouTube accounts and relying on its website for global reach, with ongoing broadcasts as of 2025 reporting sustained viewership through digital means.[34]Organizational Structure and Leadership
Role of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN)
The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), a Pentecostal megachurch based in Ikotun, Lagos, Nigeria, founded and owns Emmanuel TV as its dedicated broadcasting platform to extend its ministry globally.[3] Established under the leadership of T.B. Joshua, SCOAN's former prophet and senior pastor who died on June 5, 2021, the channel serves as the primary vehicle for disseminating SCOAN's core activities, including live-streamed worship services, prophetic messages, and claims of faith healings.[35] This ownership structure positions SCOAN as the content originator and operational hub, with Emmanuel TV functioning as an extension of the church's evangelistic outreach rather than an independent media entity.[7] SCOAN's role extends to curating and producing the bulk of Emmanuel TV's programming, which features unedited footage from its Lagos headquarters, such as weekly Sunday services attended by thousands of congregants and international visitors.[2] The church's doctrinal emphasis on divine healing, deliverance from evil spirits, and prosperity through faith directly shapes the channel's content, with broadcasts often highlighting testimonials of physical and spiritual restorations attributed to SCOAN's anointed water and prayer sessions.[7] Under Evelyn Joshua, who assumed leadership as SCOAN's prophetess and president of the Emmanuel Global Network (Emmanuel TV's operating entity) following T.B. Joshua's death, the church continues to oversee editorial decisions, ensuring alignment with its charismatic theology.[35] Beyond content provision, SCOAN leverages Emmanuel TV for fundraising and partnership initiatives, soliciting viewer donations to support church operations, humanitarian aid, and global crusades.[36] For instance, the channel promotes "seed sowing" contributions explicitly tied to SCOAN's ministry, with proceeds funding expansions like overflow branches in nations such as Ghana and the United Kingdom.[37] This symbiotic relationship has enabled SCOAN to claim a viewership exceeding 200 million households across Africa, Europe, and beyond via satellite and digital platforms, though independent verification of audience metrics remains limited due to reliance on self-reported data from church-affiliated sources.[2] SCOAN's governance also influences Emmanuel TV's resilience amid external pressures, such as the channel's removal from MultiChoice's DStv platform on January 17, 2024, following a mutual agreement citing declining viewership, after which SCOAN pivoted to independent streaming and decoder distributions.[38] Critics, including investigative reports from outlets like openDemocracy, have scrutinized SCOAN's oversight of Emmanuel TV for potentially amplifying unverified miracle claims without medical corroboration, raising questions about the evidentiary basis of broadcasted healings.[33] Nonetheless, SCOAN maintains that the channel's role is to facilitate remote participation in its services, allowing viewers to "receive a life-changing touch from Jesus Christ" through televised prayer, as stated in official broadcasts.[7] This integration underscores Emmanuel TV's function as SCOAN's primary tool for doctrinal propagation and international expansion, intertwining the church's physical gatherings with virtual global fellowship.[2]Leadership under Evelyn Joshua
Evelyn Joshua, the widow of T.B. Joshua, assumed leadership of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) following his death on June 5, 2021, with official confirmation via a Federal High Court ruling on September 9, 2021, designating her as the church's head.[14] In this capacity, she oversees Emmanuel TV, SCOAN's primary broadcast arm, ensuring continuity in programming centered on live services, prophetic messages, and viewer testimonies from the Lagos headquarters.[39] Her tenure has emphasized maintaining the channel's core format, including weekly Living Water Services and mass prayer sessions, as evidenced by her leading openings of such events in August 2025.[40] Under Evelyn Joshua's direction, Emmanuel TV introduced technological enhancements, such as the Hybrid Box unveiled in June 2025, aimed at improving digital accessibility and content delivery for global audiences amid evolving broadcast challenges.[41] Humanitarian initiatives have also persisted, with the Emmanuel TV team conducting outreaches in 2025, including distributions in underserved communities, framed as extensions of SCOAN's evangelistic mission.[42] Annual events like the channel's 19th anniversary celebration in March 2025 highlighted viewer impact stories and community engagements, reinforcing themes of faith-based transformation. The leadership transition faced internal divisions and reported financial strains, with some church factions questioning succession amid SCOAN's reliance on T.B. Joshua's personal charisma and international donations.[31][43] Emmanuel TV encountered external pressures, notably the suspension of its main YouTube channel in January 2024, prompted by content moderation actions tied to a BBC investigation into historical allegations of abuse under the prior administration, though operations shifted to alternative platforms like its official website and satellite feeds.[33] Despite these hurdles, Evelyn Joshua has sustained international engagements, such as the 2025 Emmanuel TV Partners Meeting in the United Kingdom, focusing on partner testimonies and prayer ministrations.[44]Internal Governance and Operations
Emmanuel TV is owned and operated by Emmanuel Global Network, a entity under the oversight of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), with Pastor Evelyn Joshua serving as its president since the death of founder T.B. Joshua in June 2021.[35] The channel functions as SCOAN's dedicated broadcasting arm, with decision-making centralized under church leadership rather than a publicly disclosed board or independent governance body, reflecting the charismatic structure typical of founder-led religious organizations.[3] Daily operations involve a production team focused on 24/7 content creation, including live services, testimonies, and outreaches, coordinated from SCOAN's headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria. The Emmanuel TV Team comprises evangelists, technical professionals, and volunteers who handle filming, editing, and distribution, with ongoing efforts to enhance production quality through staff development and technological upgrades.[45] Leadership directives, such as humanitarian missions, are often personally overseen by Pastor Evelyn Joshua, as seen in coordinated global outreaches involving on-site teams.[42] Funding sustains operations through a partnership program encouraging viewer commitments and direct donations, deposited into designated accounts like those at Ecobank Nigeria under Emmanuel Global Network.[46] These contributions, from church members and international viewers, finance broadcasting infrastructure, content production, and charitable activities, such as aid distributions buoyed by affiliate network support.[47] No public financial audits or transparency reports are available, consistent with the private, faith-based nature of the organization.[48]Programming and Broadcast Content
Core Religious Services and Sermons
Emmanuel TV's core religious services revolve around live broadcasts of weekly Sunday worship gatherings at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) in Lagos, Nigeria, commencing after the channel's launch on March 30, 2006. These services typically open with extended sessions of praise and worship led by the church choir and congregation, featuring gospel hymns and spontaneous singing to foster a communal spiritual atmosphere. The format emphasizes participatory elements, with viewers worldwide encouraged to join remotely via prayer, as evidenced by recurring calls during broadcasts for synchronized faith-based responses.[49][3] Central to these services are sermons delivered from SCOAN's main auditorium, originally preached by founder T.B. Joshua until his death on June 5, 2021. Joshua's messages, often 30-45 minutes in length, drew from New Testament scriptures to address practical Christian living, such as building unshakeable faith amid delays in answered prayers or resisting misleading personal circumstances through scriptural adherence. Specific examples include his 2007 sermon "Don't Let Your Condition Mislead You," which urged believers to prioritize divine perspective over visible hardships, and teachings on faith's role in activating God's promises, as in "What Is Faith? Episode 2," stressing persistence beyond silence from heaven.[50][51][52] Post-2021, under Pastor Evelyn Joshua's leadership, sermons continue in a similar vein but incorporate themes of moral integrity and relational forgiveness, with examples like the September 7, 2025, message "Don't Dodge It – Face It," advocating confrontation of life's trials through Christ-centered resolve, and "The Character of a True Believer," delivered September 28, 2025, emphasizing humility and contentment in faith. SCOAN evangelists supplement these with shorter exhortations on anchoring life in biblical truth over experiential highs, maintaining a focus on empowerment via God's Word. Archives of such sermons are accessible 24/7 on the channel, reinforcing repetitive viewing for spiritual reinforcement.[53][52][54]Miracle Healings and Deliverance Sessions
Emmanuel TV broadcasts miracle healing sessions primarily conducted at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), featuring T.B. Joshua laying hands on individuals in prayer lines who present with physical ailments such as paralysis, blindness, ulcers, and chronic diseases. These live and archived programs depict participants discarding mobility aids or demonstrating restored function immediately after prayer, with claims of supernatural intervention.[55] For instance, footage from Joshua's early ministry in 1997 shows a participant purportedly healed during a service, while 1998 recordings capture healings ministered by Joshua himself.[56] [55] Testimonies aired include cases of claimed recovery from HIV/AIDS, as shared by a participant in a 2014 SCOAN service, and severe leg ulcers healed following prayer, with the individual returning to testify months later.[57] [58] Other broadcasts highlight healings from ovarian cysts and broken limbs sustained over two decades prior, often attributed to prayers via Emmanuel TV viewing rather than in-person attendance.[59] [60] These segments emphasize faith as the mechanism, with Joshua instructing viewers to pray along for similar outcomes. Deliverance sessions on the channel portray exorcisms of evil spirits, where afflicted individuals exhibit manifestations such as convulsions, unnatural speech, or aggressive threats, interpreted as demonic activity rooted in family backgrounds or personal sins.[61] Examples include a South African woman whose spirit menaced the congregation during prayer, a Cameroonian apostle freed from a ministry-destroying entity, and cases of lust-driven fornication or addiction expelled through command in Jesus' name.[62] [63] [64] Dramatic elements, like attempts to douse spiritual fire with water or ancient idols surfacing, are shown resolving after confrontation by Joshua or his disciples.[61] [65] Following Joshua's death in 2021, Emmanuel TV continues these formats through mass prayers and services led by successors, including weekly Sunday broadcasts from the Arena of Liberty, focusing on collective healing and deliverance for viewers worldwide.[66]Prophetic Ministries and Testimonies
Emmanuel TV's prophetic ministries center on sessions led by T.B. Joshua, where he claimed divine revelation to disclose hidden personal details, predict future events, and provide spiritual counsel to congregants and viewers. These broadcasts, often titled "Prophecy Time," involved Joshua addressing individuals or groups, revealing specifics such as undisclosed sins, health issues, or family secrets to facilitate deliverance.[67] For instance, during a March 20, 2016, service, Joshua delivered personal prophecies exposing charms and spiritual afflictions among attendees.[68] World prophecies were also featured, including warnings about geopolitical tensions; in one archived segment, Joshua urged Russia to secure its airspace against an impending "attack" interpreted as aerial intrusion.[69] Another early example from 1997 foresaw the death of Princess Diana, broadcast as evidence of prophetic accuracy. Following T.B. Joshua's death in June 2021, prophetic elements have continued under SCOAN leadership, though less prominently, with mass prayers and occasional revelations during services led by Evelyn Joshua.[7] These segments emphasize interactive elements, such as viewer-submitted questions or live altar calls, positioning prophecy as a tool for immediate spiritual intervention.[70] Testimonies form a core component of Emmanuel TV programming, consisting of firsthand accounts from participants claiming supernatural healings, deliverances from demonic influences, or life improvements attributed to SCOAN prayers, anointed water, or prophetic interventions. These are typically aired during or after Sunday services, with individuals detailing pre-visit conditions like chronic illnesses or financial hardship resolved post-exposure to the channel or visits to SCOAN. For example, on February 25, 2024, Ashioma Okere from Delta State, Nigeria, testified to receiving prayers for safe delivery, linking it to a successful birth.[71] Prayer line testimonies, broadcast live, include cases like a August 17, 2025, segment where callers reported breakthroughs from ailments such as infertility or addiction after remote prayers.[72]- Healing Testimonies: Viewers frequently cite cures for conditions like HIV, cancer, or paralysis; a September 18, 2025, broadcast highlighted a "first in Africa" case of restored mobility post-SCOAN visit.[73]
- Deliverance Accounts: Stories involve exorcisms of spirits causing marital discord or business failure, often tied to Joshua's earlier prophecies.[71]
- Prosperity Narratives: Financial turnarounds, such as debt relief or job acquisitions, are common, with October 19, 2025, Sunday testimonies featuring multiple such claims.[74]

