I was motivated by an article yesterday about a church event, but although the write may not have scripted from a deep spiritual sphere, yet did he convey the truth... the sincere truth. It was talking on an issue that erupted from a well known church, which I shall be dealing with today.
Extortion and Mammon in the Church!
Now leme give this straight away: I personally hate it when people out of some cowardish fear use the word:
"Let's not judge!"
Who is judging who?
Pity, principles which should have been the building block of Christendom today have far away dilapidated. It is now all a quest for money and wealth and survival afterall, yet He shall destroy them both! First we must understand some basic definitions of the church, which if not put in place, shall go a long way to temper some essential elements that built it in the foundation stages.
1. The church, though a spiritual institution, yet falls in the category of the earthly house and was why Jesus proved that by paying his own tax. Hence the church forms an integral part of the local community and must be in isolation in developing the local community. I would want to buttress on this point, sighting examples on the missionaries who first visited Nigeria, they brought along education at almost free costs, brought health care and a fight against dangerous ethnic beliefs. Do still remember Mary Slessor and the stopping of the killing of twins in Calabar?
Hence today's church must speak in the politics of the day and help in some intervention. The church must encourage the basic necessity of the local community, providing housing, food and education etc at very affordable rate, am sure they do not want their members to go stealing and coming back to drop the monies in the church bags. Money should never be the ultimatum of the church's language. We must bring back the days where the Catholic and Anglican mission owned the schools and offered free educations and community services.
2. The Church is the Spiritual / Heaven Communique to Earth and the reformer's refinery. In this vein the church must point its followers to heaven and mainly that be.
But what we have today in the church, especially here in Nigeria, is total a reverse. The love for money and fame and recognition and mammon has taken over the church and yet the very Mormon faith the dares to straight head stand for that is being criticized. What a shame?
I would like to give my own personal principles on acquisitions and wealth:
1. May I not have too much enough to acquire two private jets when the community I live in has a lot of developmental lacks. For Christ sake, Warren Buffet, one of the world's richest men on planet earth whose company builds the Bombardia Private Jets for Rich folks don't have a single jet and when he was interviewed he said strictly that most people who buy those mainly pursued by greed and fame, as he asn't been so busy enough as to own a private jet! What a motivation?
2. May I not as wealthy as owning private houses and not living in them.
3. May I not have so much as yet to own it all.
For Christ sake, we shall all die and leave behind everything we have acquired here on earth, so why scramble around and try to won it all and paste our labels on every property, yet believing the truth that this earth shall be burnt with fire some day?
If I shall not live for the local or global community I yet belong, then I have not done right.
And yes the Nigeria church is failing woefully, worldliness and dirtiness have crept into the church. How rich was Jesus Christ when He was here on earth? If He interacted with a class of the wealthy then sure He also knew how wealthy a man could be, which He wasn't, not because He didn't want to but because He saw that place the Christian faith should play in the community.
Peaneal said: "How do we begin to justify asking members of a congregation to donate such a huge amount of money when poverty is smiling at most of the country’s citizens? The last time they were told to donate generously for the Lord towards a University project, as ordained by God, they all gladly did. The sad thing is atN510,000 per session for College of Humanities (100L & 200L), N520 for Management Science students and N550 for Natural Sciences students; Redeemer’s University is not for a Redeemer whose minimum wage is around N18,000. So they have contributed to a project, believing they are sowing for God, yet cannot send their wards/kids to such schools. Interestingly, many of the Pastors (and church leaders) running private Universities today, all enjoyed free education (absolutely free, including free lunch of Rice and Chicken – every Sunday) under Awolowo’s magnanimity. Education is now for rich members only but poor members are not exempt from donations. Hmmmm!
Many so-called 'pastors' in 'churches' have exposed their covetous hearts and have become masters of this evil art.......one has merely to turn up to a Sunday service when money is being preached about or at almost any collection to experience the practice.
The string of lies and subtle mis-representations include but are not limited to the following :-
If you are saved then you have to make God the Lord of your finances
If you are saved then you have to realise that it is not your money....it is God's
If you are saved you should also give 'first fruits' and 'offerings' to the church
If you belong to a church the way to give to God is to give it to the church organization/leadership
If you do not give you will be cursed...or excluded from enjoying God's blessings
If you are saved you must realise that Jesus is watching how much you give
if you are poor it is because you are not faithful in giving to them from what little you have
By giving them your money (it is claimed) you prove :-
that you are saved
that you have put God first in your life
that you will be in heaven
that you love God
that you love and are committed to the local church
that you have submitted to the leadership
that you are good stewards of what God has given you
that you believe that the more money you give the church, the more money God owes you blessings
that your 'church' deserves the money because it is doing God's work on earth
By being conned however, you actually show that you believe :-
that God is a cosmic slot machine that you can play games on ... contrary to Mat 6:1-4, Rom 11:35
that the more money you have the better life will be ... contrary to Luke 12:15
that God blesses you because of your giving/works of the flesh rather than your faith ...contrary to Gal 3:2-5 Rom 8:32
that God wants everyone to be rich in worldly things in the New Covenant like Deut 8:18 promised to the Jews ... contrary to Luke 14:26, 33
that God gives and blesses you with ulterior motives ...and not just out of love ...contrary to Mat 6:48
that God curses his children if they don't obey their 'pastors' ... contrary to Gal 3:13-14
that God will only keep you healthy if you tithe...and not because Jesus bore your sickness on the cross 1 Pet 2:24
that money belongs to God.....and not Caesar ... contrary to Mark 12:17
that churches should train us in how to manage money.....rather than the scriptures and the Holy Spirit ... contrary to Heb 8:11
that whatever your 'pastor' says is true....rather than what the bible teaches John 17:17
Extortion and Mammon in the Church!
Now leme give this straight away: I personally hate it when people out of some cowardish fear use the word:
"Let's not judge!"
Who is judging who?
Pity, principles which should have been the building block of Christendom today have far away dilapidated. It is now all a quest for money and wealth and survival afterall, yet He shall destroy them both! First we must understand some basic definitions of the church, which if not put in place, shall go a long way to temper some essential elements that built it in the foundation stages.
1. The church, though a spiritual institution, yet falls in the category of the earthly house and was why Jesus proved that by paying his own tax. Hence the church forms an integral part of the local community and must be in isolation in developing the local community. I would want to buttress on this point, sighting examples on the missionaries who first visited Nigeria, they brought along education at almost free costs, brought health care and a fight against dangerous ethnic beliefs. Do still remember Mary Slessor and the stopping of the killing of twins in Calabar?
Hence today's church must speak in the politics of the day and help in some intervention. The church must encourage the basic necessity of the local community, providing housing, food and education etc at very affordable rate, am sure they do not want their members to go stealing and coming back to drop the monies in the church bags. Money should never be the ultimatum of the church's language. We must bring back the days where the Catholic and Anglican mission owned the schools and offered free educations and community services.
2. The Church is the Spiritual / Heaven Communique to Earth and the reformer's refinery. In this vein the church must point its followers to heaven and mainly that be.
But what we have today in the church, especially here in Nigeria, is total a reverse. The love for money and fame and recognition and mammon has taken over the church and yet the very Mormon faith the dares to straight head stand for that is being criticized. What a shame?
I would like to give my own personal principles on acquisitions and wealth:
1. May I not have too much enough to acquire two private jets when the community I live in has a lot of developmental lacks. For Christ sake, Warren Buffet, one of the world's richest men on planet earth whose company builds the Bombardia Private Jets for Rich folks don't have a single jet and when he was interviewed he said strictly that most people who buy those mainly pursued by greed and fame, as he asn't been so busy enough as to own a private jet! What a motivation?
2. May I not as wealthy as owning private houses and not living in them.
3. May I not have so much as yet to own it all.
For Christ sake, we shall all die and leave behind everything we have acquired here on earth, so why scramble around and try to won it all and paste our labels on every property, yet believing the truth that this earth shall be burnt with fire some day?
If I shall not live for the local or global community I yet belong, then I have not done right.
And yes the Nigeria church is failing woefully, worldliness and dirtiness have crept into the church. How rich was Jesus Christ when He was here on earth? If He interacted with a class of the wealthy then sure He also knew how wealthy a man could be, which He wasn't, not because He didn't want to but because He saw that place the Christian faith should play in the community.
Peaneal said: "How do we begin to justify asking members of a congregation to donate such a huge amount of money when poverty is smiling at most of the country’s citizens? The last time they were told to donate generously for the Lord towards a University project, as ordained by God, they all gladly did. The sad thing is atN510,000 per session for College of Humanities (100L & 200L), N520 for Management Science students and N550 for Natural Sciences students; Redeemer’s University is not for a Redeemer whose minimum wage is around N18,000. So they have contributed to a project, believing they are sowing for God, yet cannot send their wards/kids to such schools. Interestingly, many of the Pastors (and church leaders) running private Universities today, all enjoyed free education (absolutely free, including free lunch of Rice and Chicken – every Sunday) under Awolowo’s magnanimity. Education is now for rich members only but poor members are not exempt from donations. Hmmmm!
If the project was for research on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, I would not bat an eyelid. If it was for national fight against Polio eradication in Nigeria like the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation in Africa, we would see the immediate benefits. If it was some sort of entrepreneurial aid to jobless youths, we would feel the impact as a nation. In spite of Bill and Melinda Gates contributions to Polio eradication, Nigeria remains the only African country (not Rwanda, not Mali, not Somalia or Sudan) where Polio is endemic and she shares this feat with Pakistan and Afghanistan. Interestingly, Pakistan reduced the number of polio cases from 198 in 2011 to 56 in 2012; Afghanistan saw a decrease from 80 to 35 during the same period, however, Nigeria increased from 62 in 2011 to 119 in 2012.
In 2013, The Gates foundation committed a fresh $1.8 Billion to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) out of the $5.5 Billion required. Britain contributed $457 million, Canada donated $250 million while $240 million came from Norway. Even the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahayan donated $120 million. Remarkably, these donations from foreign countries are geared towards solving the Polio scourge in 3 countries, Nigeria included. Foreigners help us to fight major health challenges while our idea of development is in gigantic buildings to be used once or twice a month for religious purposes. Our own priority in Nigeria isowning jets, breaking heads with mace, fighting for 2015 elections and building bigger auditoriums. Is it not clear why we are not developing as a country?
The message I got from the pulpit was clear, concise and profound. It does not matter where the N1 Billion comes from, provided it is donated for God’s work. Ever wonder why it is difficult for Pastors and General Overseers to condemn those who have looted our treasury? Recall when Cecelia Ibru and Erastus Akingbola had front row seats at major religious conventions in Nigeria? Did any Pastor speak against their deeds, like Nathan confronted and condemned King David in 2 Samuel 12? The subtle message is clear: “we need your money for the work of God and it does not matter how you get it”. Those who have sincerely worked hard for their wealth will only donate to worthy causes such as Aliko Dangote did when he announced a relief fund contribution of N2.5 Billion to the relief effort of flood victims in 2012.
- So many churches in Nigeria have big auditoriums, yet the level of violence, ethnic hatred, treasury looting and corruption alarmingly increases in a directly proportionate way to the number of churches/mosques available. As a country, we do not need larger auditoriums but men with larger hearts (including me) with genuine love for his/her neighbour. I have been taught to obey and respect authority, more so clergy (that’s why Pastors are ‘gods’ here). I will never say Pastor Adeboye is wrong but in my honest opinion, he chose a wrong approach."
Many so-called 'pastors' in 'churches' have exposed their covetous hearts and have become masters of this evil art.......one has merely to turn up to a Sunday service when money is being preached about or at almost any collection to experience the practice.
The string of lies and subtle mis-representations include but are not limited to the following :-
If you are saved then you have to make God the Lord of your finances
If you are saved then you have to realise that it is not your money....it is God's
If you are saved you should also give 'first fruits' and 'offerings' to the church
If you belong to a church the way to give to God is to give it to the church organization/leadership
If you do not give you will be cursed...or excluded from enjoying God's blessings
If you are saved you must realise that Jesus is watching how much you give
if you are poor it is because you are not faithful in giving to them from what little you have
By giving them your money (it is claimed) you prove :-
that you are saved
that you have put God first in your life
that you will be in heaven
that you love God
that you love and are committed to the local church
that you have submitted to the leadership
that you are good stewards of what God has given you
that you believe that the more money you give the church, the more money God owes you blessings
that your 'church' deserves the money because it is doing God's work on earth
By being conned however, you actually show that you believe :-
that God is a cosmic slot machine that you can play games on ... contrary to Mat 6:1-4, Rom 11:35
that the more money you have the better life will be ... contrary to Luke 12:15
that God blesses you because of your giving/works of the flesh rather than your faith ...contrary to Gal 3:2-5 Rom 8:32
that God wants everyone to be rich in worldly things in the New Covenant like Deut 8:18 promised to the Jews ... contrary to Luke 14:26, 33
that God gives and blesses you with ulterior motives ...and not just out of love ...contrary to Mat 6:48
that God curses his children if they don't obey their 'pastors' ... contrary to Gal 3:13-14
that God will only keep you healthy if you tithe...and not because Jesus bore your sickness on the cross 1 Pet 2:24
that money belongs to God.....and not Caesar ... contrary to Mark 12:17
that churches should train us in how to manage money.....rather than the scriptures and the Holy Spirit ... contrary to Heb 8:11
that whatever your 'pastor' says is true....rather than what the bible teaches John 17:17
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