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Locals complain of scary church
A Christian sect with links to an American “cult” is trying to establish itself in Kogarah, angering locals who fear its secretive ways.
The dispute began over parking and descended into allegations of unsavoury religious practices and counter claims of physical assault.
The Every Nation Church, an evangelical denomination founded in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1994, wants to build its first permanent Sydney home next to the Princes Highway.
Originally known as Morning Star International, it is linked to an earlier youth-focused organisation subject to allegations of cult-like practices in the US before it was disbanded in 1989.
Every Nation has been operating at the Kogarah site without planning approval for more than a year, prompting complaints from neighbours about noise and parking during church services and functions.
According to Every Nation Pastor Joshua Opadiya, tensions boiled over during recent confrontation about a parking space.
He said that a pregnant worshipper was pushed and shoved by a local resident.
Another resident, Megan Knoetze, said police were called but no charges laid.
She said the incident and the church’s hostile attitude scared the community.
You can see from the people walking down the street that they are sort of culty,” the mother of two said.
“We can’t see what’s going on inside. It’s all very secretive and hush-hush. I suppose that’s partly why we’re a bit worried about having them in our street.”
Kogarah Council has sought legal advice about granting approval to the church on a trial basis.
Every Nation first appeared locally in 1999, when Dr Opadiya moved to Sydney to spread the word with his wife, Yinka, after training as a pastor in Europe.
Many of Every Nation’s founding members also belonged to an earlier organisation, Marantha Campus Ministries, active in US universities in the 1970s and ’80s.
Marantha became notorious for its concepts of “discipleship” and obedience. This included a ban on dating and an expectation that marriage partners be vetted or even selected by church officials.
Dr Opadiya, who earned a PhD in environmental toxicology in his native Nigeria before finding his vocation, said the church still had a focus on youth, and preached a conservative message on dating.
However, it had repudiated Marantha’s more authoritarian teachings, as well as any involvement in selecting marriage partners.
“That was a bit high-handed,” Dr Opadiya said.
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