This is a moot point - which I think is at the heart of many Nigerians.

This morning I read on Nairaland, that the road to Pastor Chris’ home town is in a deplorable condition; and he has a private jet.

As many of you might be aware, ‘corporations’ over the world are constantly required to give back to the society from which they make profits. It is more of a moral obligation, and not particularly a legal obligation.

So it got me thinking.

Is there anything wrong with requiring churches - who make so much money off their members - to give back to the society?

To break this down into bits.

* Are churches corporations? - considering many of them are registered with CAC and they even have boards and offer a service to the society?

* Does the fact that their earnings are not audited and taxed make a special case for them to carry out constant CSR?

* Could Christ feeding of the 5000 and 4000 be considered a CSR? - even though he had no obligation to?

* Should individual pastors be held accountable for the failure of their churches to conduct a CSR?

*Is it the work of God to ensure that the environment and society is economically sustainable?

My opinion.

Pastor Chris’ case may not be that bad, a host of other wealthy people have families in the same home town.

However, which ever way we want to construe it... I do think whatever advances the gospel of Christ and gives the body of Christ a fair chance of good living should be the major pre-occupations of churches.

Personal wealth was never the purpose of Christianity. On the contrary, Christ was critical of riches (it has a tendency to take your heart away from God) - but there is nothing wrong if we can balance the love of money with the love of God.

As such, I think Churches have a moral obligation to the society. I am not talking about giving bags of rice or money: these are not the kind of things that sustains a society - food is for the stomach.
I am talking about setting up Free skills acquisition schools, building infrastructures and subletting them at subsidised rates or even giving them for free etc.

This was the intention of the communal living practised in the early church.

No one should be too rich in Christ - while many suffer!

What do you think?

Yes, but that is part of their service to God and not obligation to Government or the people

sainty2k3:
Yes, but that is part of their service to God and not obligation to Government or the people

I suppose that’s where the dilemma is.

Do churches have responsibilities to God? Or the people? Or to both?.

I think they are obligated to the people... cos when they help the people to lead a decent life... they are rendering the service to God as well.

Of Churches should be able to perform Corporate Social Responsibilities. It's in their nature to do so. It's not just enough to offer people hope and word on salvation. What are you doing to improve people's lives? What are you doing in the society you're in?


I think the main authority on this should be when Jesus fed the 5000, and later the 4000. He should have just sent them away after all what was his business if they were hungry? Don't they have homes? Don't they have a government? So why should he have bothered himself with their feeding?! Still He did it. He did it. And that one important thing is what most churches, particularly these Pentecostal churches who are most interested in tithe, fail to perform.



Many of us know how the early missionaries in Nigeria (Catholics, Methodists, and co) set up schools, hospitals and the rest for people at little or zero cost. That is an example of CSR. Afterall it wasn't their business if the folks weren't educated or didn't receive medical attention. Still they did it.

CSR by the church should be performed out of piety. The church shouldn't feel it as a burden to feed the poor or shelter the homeless. Sadly this is a duty performed only by Orthodox churches these days. Pentecostal pastors are just concerned with giving so God would bless you. What is the harm if they give too?

Venerable612:


I suppose that’s where the dilemma is.

Do churches have responsibilities to God? Or the people? Or to both?.

I think they are obligated to the people... cos when they help the people to lead a decent life... they are rendering the service to God as well.

You are right but the obligation is to God . And it will be carried out through the people.
I am not a pastor but i have obligation to God to help the poo, if i didnt do it no man can hold me responsible. But i will answer to God