This is an article from a medial doctor/ blogger, Peter Adeosun Keyz, which i found quite interesting. His website is http://peterkeyz.com/

Read more below


No. Pastors shouldn’t own private jets. But it’s only people who can think properly that will give the answer I’ve just given. Those who have been brainwashed can’t think so. They will use the last drop of their blood to defend their pastor’s right to own private jets. If you say anything contrary, they will curse you, threaten you, and throw epileptic fits. Some of them attempt to produce some arguments which I will try to counter in this write-up.

For me and for any right thinking person, pastors that own private jets are fraudsters. But it’s a kind of special fraud because unlike any other kind of fraud where the defrauded is angry at the fraud, here the defrauded even springs into defence of the fraud. God is such a very powerful name: you can defraud people in that name and the same people will still be asking you to defraud them more.

Oyedepo leads the host of Nigerian pastorpreneurs who own private jets and derive staunch support for their luxurious lifestyles from their penniless followers.
Oyedepo leads the host of Nigerian pastorpreneurs who own private jets and derive staunch support for their luxurious lifestyles from their penniless followers.
Briefly, let’s run through the list of the arguments some people put forward in support of their pastors’ private jets.

1. Other rich men have private jets too

The argument goes thus:

‘If Dangote and other private people own private jets, our pastors too can own private jets.’

No. Your pastor is not Dangote. Dangote doesn’t live on people’s donations. He has a right to buy anything even more than a private jet. He works for his money. He doesn’t ask people to donate money to him like your pastor. He doesn’t scare people with ancient literature so that they can drop money. So you can’t compare them.

And if you want us to recognize your pastors as entrepreneurs, let’s know. They go around saying they’re servants of Jesus and are concerned about the spiritual welfare of people. They don’t call themselves business CEO’s. So why should they live like business CEO’s? Dangote can buy anything he likes. He owns a private profit-making organization. Your pastors can only own jets if they were similarly running privately owned profit-making organizations. But as long as they register their churches as non-profits, they just can’t buy private jets off their members. Anything else is pure corruption. They register as charity organizations. That’s why they’re exempted from paying tax. A charity organization that overlooks poor people but procures a jet for its CEO is a fraud and a destruction of the meaning of the word ‘charity’. Charity organizations are supposed to be financially answerable to the government. That they are not is an anomaly that we should all join hands together to stamp out.

What do church members have in return? Spiritual blessings. Why can’t the pastors ride spiritual jets too? They collect physical money and ride physical private jets while the church members have spiritual blessings. Why not the other way round? Why not the pastors collecting spiritual money and riding spiritual jets while the church members have physical blessings?

2. The private jets may be gifts

The argument goes thus:

‘The private jets may not have been bought with the poor people’s donations. One single church member could’ve just donated a jet.’

No. It still doesn’t justify the private jets. If the pastor is serious with people’s welfare, he can actually ask the rich church member to donate towards providing employment for the poor church members instead of giving him a jet. And any pastor that collects private jets from someone without finding out where they got the money from is surely a fantastically corrupt pastor.

3. People who represent God must live in luxury

The argument goes thus:

‘They deserve the best things in life because they represent God on earth. If God is using them for great things, then they deserve the best of things.’

No. They don’t deserve the best things in life. They’ve not earned it. They’ve not solved any problems. All they’ve done is reducing suicide rates by psyching people up every week. And stand-up comedians would do a better job! And all they’ve done is tell people to forget about the politicians and face God. But God hasn’t taken care of the people. So it’s all false advertisement. You shouldn’t own private jets if all you do is make false advertisements. I already said that in one of my previous articles (click here to read it). When people say God is using these pastors to do things in Nigeria, I ask them to give me an example of one of such things. What has God used them to do in Nigeria? To solve our security challenges or increase the value of Naira or our health indices? They tell me it’s spiritual blessings. Spiritual blessings for what?

And if they represent God on earth, what did Jesus do? Jesus didn’t represent God. He was God himself, so they say. Did he live in luxury? Did he collect tithes? Did Jesus ask poor people to bring 10% of their incomes to him? This is for you who say tithing is biblical. All these jet-riding pastors always scare people to pay tithes but they also claim to follow Jesus when Jesus didn’t collect tithes from people like they do. It’s all fraud!

There were rich people back then that had asses and donkeys as means of transportation. Jesus rode on an ass only once for a symbolic purpose. He was the Lord of lord’s and King of kings, wasn’t he? How many horses and donkeys did he have? How many ships or boats did he have? Jesus said greater things than he did his servants would do. His servants haven’t done any miracles like he did. When ebola virus came, they ran away. They’ve not gone to do crusade at Sambisa forest to end Boko Haram. All their miracle claims are fake (I’ll still put up a write-up on that). They’ve performed far less than Jesus on the miracle scale. The only greater things they’ve done is moving higher up, far higher than Jesus, on the luxury scale. Isn’t that fraud?

And you know what? That luxury of owning private jets puts a very serious strain on the economy. Expatriates are paid to fly and maintain these jets for the owners. According to this report here, all of that sums up to an average of $550,000 per annum per private jet owned in Nigeria. That’s the amount of forex we’re losing as a country just because some people choose to own private jets. And your pastors are part of that decadence. Your tithes and offerings go into this thing, crippling our economy the more, but you’re here talking. Are you thinking at all?

A modern day slave is someone who thinks he’ll keep inconveniencing himself even in his dire state of poverty to keep sustaining the luxurious life of another person. If you still drop your money for a pastor that rides a private jet and worse still, you defend his owning a private jet, you’re a modern day slave. In case you don’t know better things to use your money for, click here and here to read what you should use your money for instead.

4. Pastors need to fly around the world

The argument goes thus:

‘Our pastors need to attend a crusade in Canada and on the same day hold a meeting in Singapore. Private jets make their global work of ministry easier.’

Even Adeboye himself justified his owning a private jet. In 2013, an Aljazeera reporter quizzed him about his private jet and his answer will shock you. Watch it in the video below:



No. They don’t need to fly all over the place. Why should flying all over the world be part of their work description? Does their flying all over the world solve any international crisis or lead us to any discovery of any lasting solution to any of the problems facing humanity? Who flying all over the world don epp? Nobody.

Paul the Apostle successfully planted churches in so many places. He traveled long distances several times to plant these churches and administer them. He didn’t have his a private ship like the rich people of his time. Shouldn’t a private ship make his journeys easier?

The Catholic Pope is twenty times bigger in influence and global reach than Adeboye and Oyedepo put together. The Pope is the head of the biggest religious organization the world over. Do you know how big the Catholic Church is? The Pope addresses UN summits. Can Adeboye even get that much recognition? The Pope is recognized as a head of government and there’s even a Nigerian ambassador to the Vatican. Yet the Pope does not have private jets. The Vatican doesn’t maintain one for him. He flies Alitalia, a commercial airline, for his journeys. Is Adeboye or Suleman busier than the Pope?

The Catholic Pope flies a commercial airline for his global engagements. He doesn't own a private jet.
The Catholic Pope flies a commercial airline for his global engagements. He doesn’t own a private jet.
Let’s go to the politicians. There are no private jets dedicated to the office of the British Prime Minister or the Queen. They have some aircraft that can do short journeys but when they’re embarking on long journeys, they fly commercial and as at late 2015, the argument about whether David Cameron should own a private jet or not was still ongoing. I’m sure David Cameron has more global engagements to attend than Adeboye and Oyedepo. So how do they keep up with their engagements without owning private jets?

David Cameron flies a commercial airplane. He doesn't own a private jet
David Cameron flies a commercial airplane. He doesn’t own a private jet.
Apart from the president, how many Nigerian politicians have private jets? You think your pastor should own a private jet?If all of your politicians — ministers, senators, legislators, etc — have a private jet each bought with our money, you would scream ‘Corruption!’ but if you pastor spends your tithes and offerings on private jets, it’s not corruption? You see your life now? How do politicians who don’t own private jets keep up with engagements all over the world?

It’s not as if I believe that every biblical story about Jesus or Paul is true. However pastors can simply practise what they preach and if they don’t, we should call them out. See. I know you’ve been brainwashed. You can’t think straight anymore. That’s why some of us are here to do what I call percussive maintenance on your brain like I said the other time.

Summary
Should pastors own private jets? No, they shouldn’t! They’re human beings too. They also want to live with some swagger and swagu. Their selfish and materialistic tendencies also push them into these things. You simply need to realize that and stop defending them. There’s no sound argument for the luxurious lifestlye of these pastors. None!

Thanks for your time.

Perhaps if the Pastors change their titles to 'CEO' of XYZ church [/s]limited[s] they are permitted to own private jets?
If they can afford it, let them own it. It's not against any law.
Worry for the people that fill their pockets.

Anyone can own and fly private jets. But when the source of the private jet is from proceeds of donations, tithes and offerings, then there's a problem.

What does sections 418 to 439 of our constitution say? Yet churches break these laws every minute of the day and when anyone says anything he or she will be threatened with hell fire.

Same way some people put up religious books to justify murder in the name of working for God. Generations to come will have lots of things to laugh at especially the deluded belief in heaven and hell.

Why do you drive private cars? Why don't you take public transport . Anyone who can afford a mode of transport should be free to get one if there is a need for such.

Joagbaje:
Why do you drive private cars? Why don't you take public transport . Anyone who can afford a mode of transport should be free to get one if there is a need for such.

This would have made sense if their members were also buying jets.

It is a question of vanity and moral rectitude. An excess of the former and a complete lack of the latter. Any pastor who owns and operates a jet whilst even one member of his congregation has to go hungry is a fraud.

The only wonderful export of Nigeria outside of the country is the Word of God i.e Christian evangelism .

Brothers and sisters the leaders of the various churches in Nigeria and their influence outside the shores of Nigeria should be a thing of joy , pride and appreciation .

These christian movements have been scrutinized /vilified and variously attacked all over the world , but interestingly they remain an enviable and growing positive influence on the lives of their members and community in various churches all over the world .

David Cameron came to attend a Night vigil held by the RCCG in London last year ; do you know that he would not have done that if he felt that they are not worth associating with . In western societies they look at trends and positive effects via statistics , and as they said , you cannot argue against good results.
The long term indices is in keeping with increasing number of Christians of the Pentecostal mold in the western countries .
Please dont mind what the others say about the growth of Islam ; Islam mainly grows by the fact that Muslims in western countries have more kids ; however the statistics actually suggests that these same kids are most likely to convert to Christianity during the course of their life .

The Living Faith Church (Winners ) and KICC (Pastor Ashimolowo's church) both went through a massive investigation by the tax/fraud office , at the end of the day they were both cleared and commended .

The impact of these 2 particular churches in the UK will undoubtedly make any right thinking Nigerian or indeed African very proud of what has come out of Africa .

These churches are developing the next generation of rulers and influential people in the UK -Fact

The White Britons were understandably initially skeptical and suspicious of the motives and modus operandi of Nigerian churches , especially the ones whose Leadership resides in Africa(Pastor Adeboye and Bishop Oyedepo) however years of continuous wonderful operation of the the ministerial work and the power of Almighty Jehovah has made it clear that the churches are a massive blessing to the country in question .

My friends , the men of God in question are massive international figures , recognized and courted in the open and secretly by the so called leaders of the western world . We should be proud of them for submitting themselves to this work of God .

Please remember whilst most of us were sitting down and looking for ease of life , these men of God were agreeing with God's will at going into uncharted territories with the Pentecostal gospel ; and they achieved success! This is an incredible thing to do in the so called western countries where everything is 100% organised and structured .

These churches started by our fathers , uncles , brothers , mothers sisters and friends have become the single greatest wonder coming out of Africa ! I humbly submit that this indeed is the mighty hand of God in action .

The achievements of the Leaders of Nigerian churches if we critically look at it without bias obviously beats that of politicians who won elections in Europe and America to become a prime minister or a president . Im sorry there is no comparing politicians with Nigerian men of God who single handedly led by the Holy spirit built God ministries all over the world even in the most hostile places .

With every sense of humility and complete respect for the person and position of the Man of God Pope of Roman Catholic church , I think the Nigerian church leaders are been empowered by God to do what the church fathers at the beginning started . The Pope and the Catholic Church were custodian of the truth of God in the ancient times and they kept and passed same to the Pentecostals and the flames of God work burns even ever so brightly now .
Children of true God Jehovah are never upset to see their Children taking the work of God to higher heights . Even our Jesus Christ said greater works shall be done by his followers .

I chuckle to myself when as I used to say (before I understood better) our offering and tithes payed for what these pastors are doing !
I know we are blessed eternally for contributing to God's kingdom. The major source of God's work if I may say it openly on this platform are from those people who have been blessed by God and they know that without GOD THEY ARE NOTHING !
I know of people/individuals who were blessed by God so much that after their lifetime they institute special trust fund to continuously support God'd work . The combined tithes and offerings in many churches does not even equate to this type of giving .
I tell you ladies and gentleman if God directed you to a man of God and after he ministered God 's word you went on to find the cure for a disease and you became worth 100 million dollars , will you bat an eyelid to donate 10, 20, or even 50 million dollars to that ministry ? Knowing that the highest money you ever had in your account was 500k naira in the past .

Or you were already already rich(multi million in dollars) and the Lord delivered your only loving and lovely daughter/son from Cancer of the blood after your doctors in the US have collected 2 million dollars from you and told you that the cancer have spread and said the child has 2 months to live . Now after a man of God's prayer the child is restored and doctors in the US and the UK verified that there is no trace of cancer in her/him and they were baffled genuinely ! What will stop you donating the 5 million dollars that you have planned to further try other crazy treatment to the work of the God that saved you family from untimely grief . For a fact I know that we will gladly donate , even 90% of our money .

Please let us abstain from making jest of the Work of God (see I did not say men of God) . The work of God is done by the shoulders of these servants of His , ignore their robes and modes of transport . Just be joyful that the Work of God is being done . Pastor Adeboye left his PHD to embark on this humble work without any road plan ; but of course God has the master plan , ditto for Bishop Oyedepo .

In decades and centuries to come these men of God will be described in glowing terms in their achievements in the pursuit of enlarging God's kingdom .

May we also be used and blessed by Jehovah in Jesus name , Amen