According to reporters at the Guardian, pastors at SPAC Nation, have been accused of forcing young members to sell their blood and donate the money to the church as a form of fund-raising. The church was founded by Pastor Tobi Adegboyega, a Nigerian who resided in Britain in 2005. As we reported, authorities in the UK deported Adegboyega.
Reporters say the practice is known as “bleeding for seed” in the church and has been described as “vampire-like” exploitation by outraged critics of SPAC Nation. Adegboyega said, “I don’t care what you guys have to do to raise your seed—you’re going to raise it.” In 2020, the group rebranded itself to “The NXTION Family” to dodge controversy. Tobi Adegboyega has officially stepped down as senior pastor.
The prosperity gospel is one of the most prominent false teachings in modern Christianity. Also known as the “Word of Faith” movement, this belief centers around the idea that health and material prosperity are earned from God. Copeland has often boasted an astounding billionaire net worth he has amassed over the years. Members of the church, and most conspicuously Pastor Tobi, have been seen wearing designer clothing, and arriving in expensive cars while being touted as having founded successful businesses through their involvement with the group.
In 2019, controversy began to build as London’s Metropolitan Police started an investigation over allegations of fraud. They also noted that the group acted like a cult and pressured its young members to take out loans and commit benefit fraud to donate to the group. Other former members also made shocking allegations of abuse related to Tobi Adegboyega.
Church members are supposed to donate blood and are paid up to £100 by medical trial companies. The money is then given to the church’s pastors as a method of fund-raising to support the church. Pastors constantly set goals which could be as much as £ 1 million for church members. If members are not reaching goals, then the pastors put pressure on church members to meet this target via their sermons.
Oftentimes the donations are given by underage churchgoers. “SPAC Nation is being alleged of forcing young people to take out loans to donate to the church,” said reporters. One member stated that their blood was collected by Trial 4 US. This company is one of the UK’s leading clinical research organizations for clinical trial volunteer recruitment based in London Bridge.
These blood donations are used to develop and modify laboratory methods in the development of new medicines. Donors are paid up to £100 for 600 mls of blood or a proportional amount if less blood has been donated. The company reports that they had no idea that some of the people donating blood from the church were being pressured into doing that.
Steve Reed, Labour’s shadow minister for child protection, said “A pastor pretended to be the young person’s parent, went with them to donate blood for which they would get paid, signed a consent form as the parent to allow the blood to be given and then when the money was handed over they took it for SPAC Nation. It was about £30 a go.”