simmy:

hehehehe. Yet you're bold enough to call people who administrate in churches 'agents of the devil' simply because they have chosen a different path to funding from yours?
Now I'm not saying there aren't several thieving pastors out there who milk their congregation dry, but Mr. KunleOshobs you seem to imply that any1 who asks for tithes and offerings in his church is satanic. Remember, many churches don't force any1 to tithe. They only remind you that God will bless you if you give to Him.

simmy:

like the RCC?, and so, ALL pentecostal churches are now of the devil abi?

: Hmmm, do u worship in KunleOshobs ministry/church?

Naijaa:

@ KunleOshob. I quite appreciate all your post and your vast knowledge of the Christian Faith but i will like to shed a light as regards the tithing issue, before i do that i want to ask u few question because i only defend what i believe in and i dont speak about what i dont know. 1, what does the bible says about tithing and 2, what is Gods present standpoint as regards tithing ?

Naijaa:

@ KunleOshob. I quite appreciate all your post and your vast knowledge of the Christian Faith but i will like to shed a light as regards the tithing issue, before i do that i want to ask u few question because i only defend what i believe in and i dont speak about what i dont know. 1, what does the bible says about tithing and 2, what is Gods present standpoint as regards tithing ?

simmy:

quick question, assuming i have a genuine desire to serve God and start a church/ministry, how do you intend i source for funds to run the church?

simmy:

@Kunle
how many churches preach tithing as compulsory? the worst (or best) i hear is that it is only fair to give to the source from which you receive (i.e your local assembly). We all know churches have financial needs, (rent, salaries, office maintenance etc). And any Xtian who would begrudge God 10% of his earnings hasn't learnt ANYTHING about being a xtian.

simmy:

Now i admit that many pastors do this tithing thing out of greed and armtwist their flock into buying them expensive cars and stuff, but please don't make it sound like any pastor that asks you to pay tithes is an agent of the devil. i don't think i'm quoting you out of context. that's the general idea i get from reading your posts (I've been following you quietly on Nl for a little while).

simmy:


Money is needed to run a church and as a pastor you need MONEY. You can't run away from that. If i pay my tithes and my pastor uses it to buy an expensive car and chase women about, that's his problem and God (not me) will judge him. My conscience is clear and God will bless me for being obedient

Simmy - Why do the pentecostal churches not publish their accounts and financials the way the old orthodox churches do? ? ? ?

TV01:

So point 1, no matter how genuine or deep your desire to serve God - in Christ Jesus - you can't start a church.

Deep Sight:

Yeah yeah yeah, but that is the default line, Viaro, everybody seems to be called of God to do so: including all the three Redeemed Churches on a single street not far from my house in lagos!

viaro:

To be honest with you, if we all assume just that linear and pessimistic ideology about these issues, there would hardly be any church at all. Indeed, many who are called are not actually called - and we know how to identify them. But these folks who are not called should not becloud our sense of judgement as to fail in recognizing those who are called of God in various ministries.

KunleOshob: Two years down the line, not much as changed.

frosbel: Just read the introduction and this is a master piece.

I hope to add a few small comments at the end of my study.

Well done !

KunleOshob :

Jesus Christ told His apostles to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in His name. Most people who are familiar with the Bible realize those apostles zealously embarked on that mission. Their converts were first called Christians in the city of Antioch (Acts 11:26). Since then, so many people have been born or converted into the hundreds of denominations known collectively as "Christianity" that it is one of the world's most popular and dominant religions.


They revealed that two opposing ostensibly Christian religions would emerge. One—the Church Jesus founded—would be led by God's Spirit and remain faithful to His teachings. The other—guided and influenced by a different spirit—would accept the name of Christ but twist His teachings to create a convincing counterfeit of the true Church of God.


Where do most churches get their teachings and practices? Most of their members assume they come from the Bible or from Jesus Christ Himself. But do they? Jesus commanded His apostles to teach others exactly what He had taught—"teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20, NIV). He condemned the replacing of God's commandments with traditions and human reason. Speaking to the Pharisees, He said, "For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men. . . All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition" (Mark 7:8-9).[/b]

Peter anticipated that not just a few—but many—Christians would turn aside from the truth to follow doctrines that were more appealing to the carnal mind. Later John confirms this happened. "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us" (1 John 2:19).

nuclearboy :

The persecutions of the early Christians seemed to do nothing to slow them down. So Satan decided the best thing was to attack them from inside. Constantine the Roman General, was at this time campaigning against another general for control of the seat of Caesar. He was however, seriously disadvantaged militarily. One evening whist thinking about how he could survive the impending battle against his opponent, he suddenly saw in the Skies above him, the sign of a cross and the words "in hoc signo vinces" which mean, "In this Sign, Conquer"! He had his soldiers inscribe crosses in their shields and went against his opponent. In an amazing twist, he won a war in which he has been the underdog.

In "gratitude", he decided to become a "christian" and make christianity state religion. The persecutions of Christians stopped and they now seemed in control of the known world. however, it was a surface "political" christianity. It was this Christianity that brought about the ideas of Trinity, of the Pope (Bishop of rome) being God's representative on earth and introduced Christmas and Easter which prior to now, had been pagan festivals. Whist the Sun-God had being worshipped before, now they said it was the birthday of the Son-God. What relevance has the Easter Egg and bunny to the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ? They were symbols of Ishtar, the goddess of fertility who was previously worshiped. To accommodate the pagan Romans who remained relevant in the politics of the day, Constantine allowed them bring in their festivals, holidays, only changing the names.

Thus started Satans great deceptive plot to erode Christianity from within. Add to that all the other manner of battles fought by satan to discredit Christianity and the willingness of many so-called "christians" to accept cash, power and influence to help support satans battles.

Unfortunately, [u]these things have remained till date and have become a rallying point for all opponents of Christianity [/u]who believe these things represent Christ or Christianity.

They do not!