Nigerian preacher and founder of Celebration Church International (CCI), Apostle Emmanuel Iren, has revealed why he ventured into filmmaking.

Iren is following in the footsteps of his wife, Laju Iren, and has ventured into the world of cinema with his debut movie, ‘What About Us?’, which is set to premiere on July 12.

In an interview on TVC Breakfast on Saturday, July 6, the lead pastor of CCI stated that the venture marks a new chapter in his mission to spread his message and shape culture.

He also stated that churches should adopt various methods to spread God’s word, as long as the platform can raise disciples.

He said, “There is a cultural expectation from pastors. It’s an ironic and contradictory expectation. You even hear some banter out there when people tell men of God, ‘Go and get a real job.’ And when we actually do, they are now asking, ‘Why?’

“Besides that, I just really believe in deploying all my gifts and being the best I can. If God gave me gifts, there must be a reason for it. The short answer is that I’m doing it because I can.

“So many things informed the movie. I just want creative ways to tell true stories. It is obvious that this is a faith-based movie at best, but this is a proper real-life movie.”

The preacher revealed that his children’s exposure to different influences through television also inspired him to create content that aligns with his values.