Contemporary Christianity and the ethics of vanity fair
Written by Douglas Anele
Sunday, 19 April 2009

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/content/view/33892/71/

THERE have been heated debates since the media reported that the general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, had acquired a N4 billion plane.

For some commentators, it was an obscene show of opulence and crass materialism by a popular religious leader at a time when millions of Nigerians, including members of Adeboye’s church, could hardly afford the basic things of human life such as food, decent shelter and clothing, medical care and quality education for their children and wards.

Critics of Adeboye point out that the N4billion spent in purchasing the aircraft could be put to better use in providing succour for the poor and downtrodden whose numbers are increasing daily due to poor quality governance in the country.

They also argue that apart from the colossal sum used in buying the aircraft, the cost of flying and maintaining it puts a huge question mark on the general impression among the public that Pastor Enoch Adeboye is one of the few pastors of wealthy churches that have remained modest and humble in the midst of abundant wealth.

Experts in the aviation industry confirm that it would take millions of naira every month to take care of all the incidental expenses relating to the plane, money that could be put to better use in building small-scale industries, financing projects in the health and educational sectors, and so on.

However, defenders of the purchase argue that there is no big deal in a pastor acquiring a N4 billion airplane. They argue that the money used in buying the plane did not belong to the tax-payers of this country.

Rather, some members of the RCCG church mobilized the funds for it. Dele Momodu, for example, defended the acquisition of the plane by drawing attention to the terrible ordeals arising from traveling by commercial plane in Nigeria. He then described his own stressful personal experiences of using commercial flights for his travels abroad. Helen Ovbiagele, a veteran journalist and columnist, asserted that she had been wondering why Pastor Adeboye had not acquired a private plane till this moment.

After all, Adeboye did not take a vow of poverty. She referred to the story in the Holy Bible where people present upbraided Mary Magdalene for pouring expensive oil on Jesus’ head, and the remark of Jesus justifying the Mary’s action.

For Mrs. Ovbiagele, people in places of authority in this country have been getting away with their loot and nothing happens. Therefore, what is the “big deal” if the “head of a big religious body like the RCCG, which has influenced lives so well around the world, having his own personal plane, if the church can afford to give him one?”

She then added the non sequitur. “I think we should check this habit of wanting to pull down Christianity by ‘dragging’ men and women of God in the mud, particularly the crowd pulling ones”.

Private aircraft

Now, I believe that Pastor Adeboye is not the only “man of God” that has a private aircraft. The man in charge of Winners Chapel World-wide, Bishop David Oyedepo, also has one. I will not be surprised if Pastors Chris Oyakhilome and T. B. Joshua of Christ Embasy and The Synagogue, the Church for all Nations respectively, have their own private air planes as well.

In dealing with this matter, it is a useful strategy to refute specific arguments presented by supporters of the increasing mammonization of Christianity in specific situations. But a more effective strategy is to demonstrate that the undeniable tendency of Christianity in general, and Pentecostalism in particular, towards riches, fame and glorification of primitive materialism is definitely diametrically opposed to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Throughout history all over the world, the rich have always defended the rich. Therefore, Dele Momodu’s position on this issue should not surprise anyone who knows that he is the wealthy publisher of the magazine of the rich, by the rich and for the rich, Ovation. One can lament ad nauseam, the myriads of problems Nigerians face daily.

Transportation is one of the severest problems ordinary Nigerians deal with all the time. But for a pastor who is supposed to be the spiritual leader of his flock to accept without qualms a N4 billion aircraft because of flight delays, cancellations or transit stoppages and transfers, is taking matters too far. Spiritual leadership is not an easy thing.

It entails personal sacrifices which invariably involve what Fredrick Nietzsche, in The Anti-Christ, called “moderate poverty”. As a matter of fact, all genuine teachers of spiritual principles the world have known – Socrates, Buddha, Mahatma Gandhi etc – lived lives of moderate poverty.

There is a law of spirituality which asserts that the more you have, the less you are, and the less you have, the more you are.

This law is in accord with Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:19-21: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and dust does corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor dust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal; for where your treasure is there will your heart be also”.

Surely, those church leaders who have acquired or accepted private airplanes are laying up treasures for themselves upon the earth. After the last private dinner Jesus had with his Council of Twelve, the gospel of John reports that he took a basin of water and cloth, and washed his disciples’ feet as an example or model of how a leader and master should act as a servant – even to his followers.


If a pastor flies around in a multi-billion naira aircraft, while most members of his congregation move around in okadas, BRT buses, and dilapidated molues and danfos, it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for him to follow the example of Jesus in this regard.

I think that Mrs. Ovbiagele missed the key point which undergirds criticisms of private planes for pastors who are supposed to be paragons of modesty, humility, meekness and compassion for the less privileged members of the society. Sentiments apart, the crux of the matter is not w

If a pastor flies around in a multi-billion naira aircraft, while most members of his congregation move around in okadas, BRT buses, and dilapidated molues and danfos, it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for him to follow the example of Jesus in this regard.

Bad belle - so, all you want to see is for these men of God to travel the same way you travel? Would that make them holy and real if you enter a molue and stading amongst the 99 standing folks is one of the men of God? Ask yourself, will you still go to that mans church the following day? Or, you enter a Taxi between Lagos and Kaduna, and squeezed amongst one of the passengers is the man of God, this is what you want to see? What is your point now Mr Holier than thou? Jesus rode the camel - the best form of transportation at that time, I suppose, and folks all over the place was hailing him, man - what is the hypocrisy about?

i_laugh:

If a pastor flies around in a multi-billion naira aircraft, while most members of his congregation move around in okadas, BRT buses, and dilapidated molues and danfos, it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for him to follow the example of Jesus in this regard.

Bad belle - so, all you want to see is for these men of God to travel the same way you travel? Would that make them holy and real if you enter a molue and stading amongst the 99 standing folks is one of the men of God? Ask yourself, will you still go to that mans church the following day? Or, you enter a Taxi between Lagos and Kaduna, and squeezed amongst one of the passengers is the man of God, this is what you want to see? What is your point now Mr Holier than thou? Jesus rode the camel - the best form of transportation at that time, I suppose, and folks all over the place was hailing him, man - what is the hypocrisy about?

Do you think god cares about the form of transportation people use, most of all the "men of God"? You may care about that, but do you think God cares?

This comment show that you are a follower of the status and prosperity of the "men of God" rather than a follower of God. Exactly what the pastors want, they have so succeeded in brain-washing you that you now care more about their wealth, status and prosperity. In this brain-washed mindset, you are open to all forms of suggestions including financial exploitation, sexual manipulation, etc, etc.

I wish you all the best in helping to finance you pastor's next suits, cars, homes and business. Happy brain-washing.

@Huxley

Answer your oqn question yourself - do you think God cares about their mode of transportation? so what the fuss about the aircraft - I see double talk here- even yourself, if you have the means, between a moule and a mercedes banz, which one will you prefer? pls answer.