How The New Pentecostal Churches Are Failing Nigerians
By Akin Olukiran

Wherever one looks in this great nation of ours, there is an abundance of human misery. The four dreaded evils of disease, squalor, want and ignorance are mercilessly ravaging our societies, with children, the elderly, the disabled and the sick, bearing the brunt of the impact. Our cities are teeming with homeless people and unemployed adults, disabled and sick people, who have become full-time mendicants, whilst our hospitals are crowded with children and young adults from poor homes, dying unnecessarily from curable diseases simply because they cannot afford the costs of their remedial medication.


The mendacity of a vast majority of the pastors is beyond adjectival qualification. Their capacity to use “hope” to extract money from their very eager congregation is worthy of study by the most accomplished American salesman. The Christian faith in particular emphasizes the pre-eminence of charity in Christ-like behaviors – to love our neighbors! It is an unambiguous admonition of our Lord Jesus Christ to provide food, shelter and clothing for the sick, widows, children, the prisoners, the elderly and all those who are suffering.


Where has the Christian ethos as exemplified by Christ gone?


Many of the new Pentecostal Churches in Nigeria are no different from sole businesses. The only major difference is that whilst the pastors take your money, you at the same time thank and revere them – some even as demigods. There is no accountability. What theological or moral justification can there be for a pastor in Nigeria, through the congregation’s tithes and donations (majority of who cannot afford school meals for their children), to build a multimillion Naira mansion for himself, buy a holiday home in the United Kingdom or America, drive a top of the range 4x4 car, and sending his children to a fee-paying public school abroad? Haba! I could hear some brainwashed followers scream! The truth is, this is no exaggeration. The fact is, from the founding of early Christianity to the modern age, genuine Christians have carried with them, a beneficial concept of charity that has had, and continues to have, a substantial impact on humanity. Many of Jesus Christ’s teachings emphasize the role of caring for the poor in the Kingdom of God (Matthew 25:35-40). Your expression of love for the poor and disadvantaged is an expression of love for God.


Luke 14:13 says “When you give a reception, invite the poor, the disabled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous”. It is preposterous that many of these pastors are aware of the penurious living conditions of many of their congregation members and choose to do nothing about it. There have been arguments about “elitist” schools and universities being set up by some churches, charging exorbitant fees which are beyond the reach of 99% of the population, who incidentally form the majority of the congregation. What is wrong with a church using its surplus funds to provide food houses for the poor? For members to volunteer to come and cook and wash up and do all that is necessary to make the kitchen run. Many people go to church on empty stomach, not knowing where or when the next meal is going to come.


As a born again Christian, I find it rather painful writing this. We have profaned the good name of Christ and have not been Christ-like in our behavior. Christ teaches us humility by his actions. He washed His disciples’ feet (John 13:5) and even went and touched the leper (Mark 1: 40-42), to show his concern for the outcast, the downtrodden and indeed, the seemingly untouchables of society. The new testament book of Acts records that the Jerusalem churches established a common fund for the support of widows (Acts 6:1-6). Christians are further enjoined in James1.27 “to care for orphans and widows in their distress”.


The Bible is quite clear about the need for practical support for the needy. James 2:15-16 says “if a brother or sister is without clothing and is in need of daily food and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?”. These poor children of the Almighty God, who are being systematically defrauded of their widows’ mites should begin to ask questions of their pastors. We cannot be in the midst of the unimaginable destitution that plagues our society and feel contented with the excesses, frivolity and uncaring detachment of the so-called pastors.


In my church where I worship in London, my pastor is salaried and there is proper accountability with its accounts audited by an independent firm of registered accountants and auditors. My church’s acts of charity are reflective of our Lord’s expansion of the scope of obligation as exemplified by the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke10:30-37) which goes beyond members of one’s family, religious affiliation, ethnic, social or racial class. My church (City Gates) identified a need in far away Philippine and set up a City Gates Academy to cater for the education of children from dejectedly poor backgrounds – all for free, including free school meals. Many of the pastors in Nigerian churches who claim to engage in charitable activities of some sort are doing nothing more than an exchange of favors or sheer politicking. True charity is an act of graceful giving when you have no expectation of getting anything in return. More so, when the recipient has no known means of ever repaying.


A work colleague of mine (of Iranian extraction) recently said sarcastically that I would be richer if I went back to Nigeria and set up my own church. That is the gutter level to which we have been dragged by the actions and inactions of many of our Pastors in Nigeria. The act of charity is preached by virtually every religion of the world. Islam actually makes zakat obligatory and sadaqa, voluntary. Islam has established this institution to make concern for the poor a permanent and compulsory duty. Qur’an (2:177) specified eight categories of needs on which the collected funds must be spent namely: the poor and destitute; the wayfarer (traveller); the bankrupt; the needy; converts; the collectors of zakat; and finally, in the cause of the almighty God.


How can we profess to follow Jesus Christ of Nazareth who said “suffer little children to come unto me …” and our children are starving in the gutters, right before the eyes of our pastors and no one cares. Let our pastors lift these helpless and most vulnerable ones, for the sake of pure love, into the arms of God, for we are all His creation, from the same progenitors – Adam and Eve. The government cannot do it all, even in developed countries. This is where those who have the love of God, who have been mightily blessed, follow the examples of Dr. Thomas Barnardo (1845-1905) and others who were inspired by Jesus’ respect for children and the poor to establish an “ever open door” home for children where shelter, food, clothing and medical attention are provided at any hour of the day or night. This was once home to our very own John Fashanu (yes, John Fashanu!). The International Red Cross was established by a Swedish Evangelical who was moved by compassion after witnessing the leftover carnage of a battlefield. Let our pastors and churches begin to show some compassion and give back to their communities in the forms of practical social provision.


We have examples of Nigerians (non-pastors) engaged in charitable activities beyond their family or ethnic backgrounds. An elder friend of mine recently established a private Foundation to support the environment (he is from Delta State but supporting the people bordering the Sahara Desert in the North), provide scholarships for disadvantaged students and supporting a school for the blind. In his words, “God has blessed me and I want to share His blessings. The foundation is to give structure and permanence to my charitable efforts whilst at the same time giving dignity and anonymity to the beneficiaries”. These are individuals practicing practical Christianity. Let our churches and pastors take their rightful place in blazing the light of Christ in the relief of distress to disabled children and adults, provision of shelter, food, clothing and health for the elderly, orphans, widows, prostitutes, prisoners and the chronically poor and sick in our midst.

Nigeria will be a better place as we await the return of our Lord Jesus Christ!
______________

Akin Olukiran is the CEO of CAPS Ltd and can be reached by email at olukiran@yahoo.co.uk

the question should be how much have you given to the needy?

donstevico:
the question should be how much have you given to the needy?

However much I can afford at the time I can afford it though my particular charities.

If you're asking for a dollar amount, that's personal - not something that needs to be broadcasted.

That's boastful, IMO.

So...what does your question have to do with greedy pastors who fleece their flocks for their personal gain?

zboyd:


However much I can afford at the time I can afford it though my particular charities.

If you're asking for a dollar, that's personal - not something that needs to be broadcasted.

That's boastful, IMO.

So...what does your question have to do with greedy pastors who fleece their flocks for their personal gain?

....

Over here, most pastors are very conscious of any criticism directed at them, particularly, if it involves tithes and other monetary donations. The last thing they want is for any member/s to question their use of those tithes and monetary donations. They fear legal investigations like the plague and know their gooses will be cooked, if the investigations reveal any wrongdoing and the press gets wind of it. The most arrogant of these pastors seem to fall the hardest, when their names are dragged through the muck of indignant public opinion. They are the ones you see on TV boo-hooing and begging for mercy and forgiveness. Some even resign. How the mighty fall!

Anyways, most pastors of these mega churches in Nigeria may have copied the 'flash' of the greedy, self-serving American pastors over here but not the talent of doing those things that keep their critics at bay. Their arrogance knows no bounds.

First, before ANY pastor starts a church, they should know the Bible front to back. The last thing ANY pastor needs is someone who DOES know the Bible, front to back, challenging him or her in church, in the media or on the internet, regarding unscriptural teachings, especially from atheists. Unlike some pastors, most atheists DO know the Bible, like the back of their hand and will call them out on unscriptural teachings or point out scriptures they're deliberately twisting. Lord help any shifty pastor who dares to challenge an atheist who was once a Christian, particularly a Christian pastor. These ones will hand these pastors their heads on a silver platter. The 'touch not my anointed' threat doesn't work on atheists or those already critical of Nigerian pastors living lavish lifestyles and guilty of twisting scripture to suit their selfish need to control and milk money from gullible church members.

Second, Nigerian pastors of these mega churches should pay close attention to what some of their wiser American counterparts are doing for the needy - things that keep criticism or suspicion at a minimum and away from their ministry.

So...what are some of these things Nigerian pastors of these mega churches could be doing for needy Nigerians, with all the millions of dollars they rake in?

With those millions of dollars, they could...

...offer job training and job placement assistance

...set up food and clothing pantries and emergency aid programs

...establish daycare centers for parents who need them

...offer free adult literacy classes for those who need them

...organize street ministries that feed and clothe the homeless

...use church land or buy land with acreage enough to build tuition-free Christian schools for needy Nigerian children from ages 4 and up, offering optional boarding choices

Example:

Free Private Schools

http://privateschool.about.com/od/usschoolsonline/tp/freeschools.htm

...establish tuition-free higher learning Christian institutions for needy Nigerian students, offering optional boarding choices

Example:

20 Of The Best Colleges Providing Free Tuition

http://www.thebestschools.org/blog/2012/12/10/20-colleges-providing-free-tuition/

...build libraries and recreation centers

...build health clinics and/or hospitals that offer free medical treatment and preventive health care

...establish working farms with vegetable gardens, livestock and poultry to be used to feed students and needy Nigerians

...establish 'seed money' loan programs to assist needy Nigerians in establishing small business ventures

...establish specialized programs for the elderly and infirm

...set up orphanages and/or programs for Nigeria's street kids

All churches aren't financially capable of doing many of these things but mega churches are more than capable of implementing many of them.

So why aren't more of them doing more for needy Nigerians?

What does this say about the Pastors?

Better yet, what does it say about members who'd rather jump to the defense of those who dare criticize their darling Pastors, rather than look with discerning eyes at their lavish lifestyles and ask themselves "What would Jesus say?"

Funny. I would reply to this tomorrow

Nigerians and entitlement mentality. This is why we have so much money rituals in the system.

The church is doing a lot and it takes a wise man to see that so I am not surprised by OP. "Thou shall lend to nations" is Gods plan for us and we have needy nation(s) all around so any church project that provides services we are being taxed for is a project for the needy and not just wants borne out of directionless-ness or greed.
We have church schools, scholarships, housing projects, roads, hospitals, and even library.
OP needs to take a shot of communion have his eyes of understanding opened up to see with his inner eyes.

HigherEd:
Funny. I would reply to this tomorrow

Imagine the daft question? Need isn't show off that you do to impress men but to lift men up. The OP didn't see any road, school, infrastructure, hospital, donations, or projects around by church.