A Christchurch church has been thrown into turmoil after former members raised concerns about its leader, prompting emotional scenes within the congregation and a number of people leaving.

Chris Lynch Media has spoken to multiple former and senior members of Light of All Nations Church.

Several said they were too afraid to speak publicly about their experiences within the organisation. The concerns raised by former members have not been independently verified and no official findings have been made.

The Christchurch based religious group is led by Peter Emadi, who is referred to by members as “prophet” or “papa”.

The church has operated for a number of years and has attracted followers across Christchurch and other parts of New Zealand.

Several former members described shock within the congregation after concerns began circulating in recent days.

One former member said she had been attending the church until Friday, and left after hearing the concerns. She described the meeting on Friday involving members and church leaders.

“I just was in complete shock,” she said. “It was really weird, and it felt heavy.”

“There were people crying, there were people yelling and screaming,” she said. “Everyone was angry. They were calling on him to respond.”

She said the church leader did not, in her view, provide clear answers during the meeting.

“He was barely answering anything,” she said. The former member said concerns raised by members included questions about financial transparency.

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“Everyone was wanting to know transparency, because there’s a lot of money that’s been going and where has it been going?” she said.

She also described what she said was pressure on members around financial contributions and participation in church activities.

“It was almost like a test of faith.” She said the environment within the church could be intense, with expectations around attendance and engagement.

“It was really taking over your whole life,” she said. The former member also described what she said was a culture where members were discouraged from questioning leadership.

“It became like a bit of a sheep mentality,” she said. She said some members felt fearful about leaving the church.

“We were made to feel like this is the only place where we’re protected,” she said. Despite this, she said a number of members have recently chosen to leave.

“We feel free now,” she said. Another former member described what they said was a culture of strong influence within the church, including expectations around private meetings and financial contributions.

A further former member said she joined the church as a child and remained for about a decade. She described what she said was encouragement during her teenage years to pursue a relationship with an older man connected to the church.

“Don’t tell your parents, this man is God’s blessing to you,” she said she was told. She said she later ended the relationship but was encouraged to reconsider.

Chris Lynch Media has not been able to verify this account. The allegations remain unproven and no findings have been made.

Another source, who requested anonymity, raised concerns about financial practices within the church, including how funds were collected and used.

They said there was limited transparency around finances and leadership decisions. They also said some members who questioned financial matters had since left the church.

Peter Emadi was provided with detailed information about the concerns and given an opportunity to respond but had not responded by the time of publication.

Chris Lynch Media will update this story if a response is received.

Chris Lynch Media spoke to a senior member at the church office who said following the Friday meeting, all church leaders had left the church and were not expected to return.