A church in Anfield which offered a “dangerous” therapy to “cure” homosexuality is part of a world-wide network, with thousands of branches globally.
The Mountain of Miracles and Fire Ministries (MFM), which has 90 branches in the UK including in Liverpool and Manchester, was today revealed as offering ‘conversion therapy’ from its Breck Road branch.
An undercover ECHO investigation found the church’s assistant pastor was recommending a three-day programme involving not eating or drinking throughout in order to ‘cure’ homosexuality - which they described as a “deceit of Satan”.
While the exposé focused on a single church within the network, the global organisation advertises similar “deliverance” therapies on its global and national websites.
Founded in 1989 in Lagos, Nigeria, the church has thousands of branches around the world which cater to the Nigerian community and has previously been described as a “pray the gay away” church due to its controversial views on homosexuality.
The head of the organisation, Daniel Kolawole Olukoya, also known as ‘Daddy O.G,’ has published dozens of prayer books, many of which feature a prayer aimed at those “caught in the bondage of homosexuality, lesbianism, masturbation and prostitution’.
The prayer, named “power against sexual perversion,” has appeared in titles including ‘Drawers of Power From the Heavenlies’ and ‘Prayer Rain’ - both easily available to purchase online for as little as £4.
While our undercover reporter was not asked to pay for the therapy, MFM’s global website does allow followers to donate to the church.
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It is not known how much money is donated, but the page also features a function which allows people to ‘sow into Daddy G.O’s life’ by giving the pastor money directly via Paypal.
The Liverpool branch’s website does not feature a donation button; however during our reporter’s visit to the church a collection plate was passed around which contained an estimated £60 in donations.
‘Deliverance’ is a term used by the Mountain of Miracles and Fire Ministries and other religious organisations to describe a programme that others regard as ‘conversion therapy.’
MFM pastors teach that people can be ‘delivered’ from their sins through a programme of prayer. which in the case of MFM Liverpool also involved three days of not eating or drinking.
As well as being informed he would need to attend a three-day residential course, our reporter was told to visit the church for weekly prayer sessions as part of his ‘deliverance’ - which would also require a 24 hour period of fasting without water.
Being gay is “not what God wants”
MFM’s Liverpool-specific branch advertises their ‘deliverance’ therapy as a course offered every three months.
‘Brother Michael’, the assistant pastor, encouraged our reporter to partake in weekly visits to the church for general prayer sessions which he said required a 24-hour period without food or water.
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In a counselling session where our reporter posed as somebody questioning their sexuality, he was told that being gay is “not what God wants”.
However since the ECHO’s findings came to light, the church’s pastor Dr Desmond Sale Sanusi denied that the church discriminated against people based on their sexuality, and suggested ‘Brother Michael’ had acted outside of the church’s official guidance.
Dr Desmond Sanusi told the ECHO: “What [Brother Michael] discussed with you. It is out of my guidance. I am the pastor of this church. It is not a three-day fasting.
“We don’t discriminate against anybody. We’re a church of god. We follow what is in the bible. Jesus did not at any point discriminate against people.
“People come to the church to pray and to know God better and that’s why people come to the church.
“I am speaking as the authority of the church, as the pastor of the church, and I am telling you we are a church that does not discriminate against people.
“As the pastor of the church, any other thing you hear from any other person, either an assistant or members of the church, that does not carry the representation of the church.”
Why is conversion therapy so dangerous?
Doctors and LGBT campaigners have described MFM’s therapy as “dangerous” and “extremely concerning”.
They say that while the fasting element could be physically dangerous, the impact it can have on mental health is also profound.
Dr Louise Theodosiou, consultant psychiatrist from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, told the ECHO the fasting element of the therapy poses “huge” risks to physical health, and could impact on the brain function of those undergoing the treatment.
She said: “If a person doesn’t eat for 24 hours, while that wouldn’t lead to a significant deterioration in your brain function, you certainly wouldn’t be functioning at your normal rate of mental agility or acuity. It would be dangerous, for example, for them to drive.
“I think it’s extremely concerning to be told to fast for three days. I don’t think it would be advisable for anybody to not have water for three days.
“You can imagine a person would be extremely thirsty after that length of time so there may be a situation where you exacerbate underlying health conditions and then overload your fluids in your desperation to relieve your thirst.”
“Nobody should be told that their sexual orientation is a mental health disorder"
Rossella Nicosia, mental health lead at LGBT Foundation, said: “Nobody should be told that their sexual orientation is a mental health disorder and consequently be offered treatments in order to ‘cure’ their identity.
“Although some people may struggle to accept their own sexual orientation and/or trans status, there is evidence to suggest that treatments such as the ones described in your report could be extremely harmful to the individual.
“Offering to change a person’s sexual orientation and/or gender identity would reinforce the notion that these feelings are wrong or unnatural. This perpetuates the mistaken belief that being LGBT is a disorder needing treatment.
“Alongside other groups, we will continue to call for the government to condemn such practices and take further steps to ensure they are unavailable.
“It’s also important to remember that LGBT Foundation and other organisations are on hand to offer LGBT affirmative support and advice for anyone who is struggling with sexual orientation and/or their gender identity”.
LGBT charity Stonewall - who pioneered the famous ‘some people are gay, get over it,’ campaign - condemned the church’s actions.
A spokesperson for the organisation said: “Stonewall condemns all forms of conversion therapy in any setting, as do all major counselling, psychotherapy and health bodies, and the Government.
“‘Conversion therapies are deeply unethical, potentially harmful and based on the false premise that being LGBT is a mental disorder to be ‘cured’.
“Stonewall would encourage anyone who has experienced conversion therapy to reach out for help and support.”
Update: A petition for government to make gay conversion therapy a criminal offence has been launched. You can sign it here.