kenbee:
If we all pay our tithe, Arithmetically, Over 10% of the total worth of any society should belong to churches

xcept dat not every body is a christian nd nt every christian dat goes to church nd nt every body dat goes to church dat pays tithe nd nt every body dat pays tithe pays d complete 10percent #capish

gorociano:


Like U.S. televangelists, Winners Chapel preaches the "prosperity gospel" that faith in Jesus Christ lifts people out of poverty, and that message partly explains the explosion of the Pentecostal movement in sub-Saharan Africa, where misfortune and poverty are often seen as having supernatural causes.

"We see giving as the only way to be blessed. Blessing other people is a way of keeping the blessings flowing," said Oyedepo, whose blessings include a Gulfstream V jet and several BMWs.

Realistically Christianity is a blessing.Thank God the reporter ascertained that the gospel is exported to the world, the church also employ thousands(that would probably have been unemployed),invest in education, and provide for business enterprise to grow.
All over the world,organizations registered as charity do not pay taxes, it can't be different in Nigeria and if such organizations are engaged in activities that promote profit making then its left to government to do their jobs.However, if such profits ate spent on nonprofits activities you still can't tax them.
Western countries have largely lost their Christian models and are beginning to see alot of their citizens following African churches as a form of capital flight.They have forgotten billions of dollars the catholic church and many European churches took away from Africa and across the world.paying tithes is biblical and God commanded it.if it hasn't been a blessing to those who pay I think they would have stopped paying.
churches are helping in Nigeria, most private schools are owned by them and against government failure they have helped in sustaining good standards and also created jobs for millions.
Those who complain about pastors I will advise should leave them to God as judgment will start from the pulpit and the church.I think we need more of those churches.

Karl Marx once said; religion only intoxicate the poor and less privilege. There is no better truth than this.

Jabodo:


How far....let me be your Mummy G.O.

Hehehe. . You no well. You sabi wetin be 14yrs?

gorociano:
By Tim Cocks

OTA Nigeria (Reuters) - When a guesthouse belonging to one of Nigeria's leading Christian pastors collapsed last month, killing 115 mostly South African pilgrims, attention focused on the multimillion-dollar "megachurches" that form a huge, untaxed sector of Africa's top economy.

Hundreds of millions of dollars change hands each year in these popular Pentecostal houses of worship, which are modeled on their counterparts in the United States.

Some of the churches can hold more than 200,000 worshippers and, with their attendant business empires, they constitute a significant section of the economy, employing tens of thousands of people and raking in tourist dollars, as well as exporting Christianity globally.

But exactly how much of Nigeria's $510 billion GDP they make up is difficult to assess, since the churches are, like the oil sector in Africa's top energy producer, largely opaque entities.

"They don't submit accounts to anybody," says Bismarck Rewane, economist and CEO of Lagos consultancy Financial Derivatives. "At least six church leaders have private jets, so they have money. How much? No one really knows."

When Nigeria recalculated its GDP in March, its economy became Africa's biggest, as previously poorly captured sectors such as mobile phones, e-commerce and its prolific "Nollywood" entertainment industry were specifically included in estimates.

There was no such separate listing for the "megachurches", whose main source of income is "tithe", the 10 percent or so of their income that followers are asked to contribute.

As the churches have charity status, they have no obligation to open their books, and certainly don't have to fill in tax returns -- an exemption that is increasingly controversial in Nigeria, where poverty remains pervasive despite the oil riches.

The pastors argue their charity work should exempt them.

"We use the income of the church to build schools, we use the income of the church to serve the needs of the poor," David Oyedepo, bishop of the popular Winners Chapel, told Reuters in an interview. "These are non-profit organizations."

PASTORS ON FORBES LIST

Nonetheless, the surging popularity of the megachurches among the Christians who make up half of Nigeria's 170 million population has propelled their preachers into the ranks of the richest people in Africa.

In 2011, Forbes magazine estimated the fortunes of Nigeria's five richest pastors. Oyedepo topped the list, with an estimated net worth of $150 million.

He was followed by "Pastor Chris" Oyakhilome of Believers' LoveWorld Incorporated, also known as the Christ Embassy and popular with executives and politicians, on $30 million to $50 million.

TB Joshua, pastor of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, at the center of the recent diplomatic storm over the deaths in its guesthouse, was thought to have $10 million to $15 million.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) declined to comment on how churches fit into their GDP figures, but a source there said they were included as "non-profit", which falls under "other services" in the latest figures. In 2013, the category contributed 2.5 percent of GDP, the same as the financial sector.

A former banker at Nigeria's United Bank for Africa, who declined to be named, recalled being approached five years ago by a church that was bringing in $5 million a week from contributions at home or abroad.

"They wanted to make some pretty big investments: real estate, shares," he said. "They wanted to issue a bond to borrow, and then use the weekly flows to pay the coupon."

In the end, he said, the bank turned down the proposal on ethical grounds.

Yet Nigerian churches do often invest large amounts of their congregations' money in shares and property, at home and abroad, he and another banking source said.

One pastor bought 3 billion naira ($18 million) worth of shares in the defunct Finbank, which later merged with FCMB, after it was rescued in a bail-out in 2009, a fund manager who handled the deal told Reuters. The pastor used a nominee trust account to keep his name off the books.

In 2011, Oyakhilome was investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and charged with laundering $35 million of contributions to his church in foreign bank accounts. He denied all wrongdoing and the case was dismissed for lack of evidence.

Oyakhilome was not available for comment and Joshua's media team declined a request for an interview with him.

MIDAS TOUCH

Oyedepo's headquarters, "Canaanland", is a 10,500-acre (4250-hectare) campus in Ota, outside the commercial capital Lagos. It comprises a university, two halls of accommodation, restaurants and a church seating 50,000 people, with a total overflow capacity of five times that.

"You can see that everything this man touches turns to gold," Nigerian Agriculture Minister Akinwumi Adesina said in a speech at a reception for Oyedepo's 60th birthday at Canaanland last month.

"May the grace of God abide with you," he added, to a rapturous "Amen!" from the guests in a marquee.

Other dignitaries present included twice-president Olusegun Obasanjo and former military ruler Yakubu Gowon. A choir sang gospel songs as the guests cut an elaborate six-tiered cake and popped fizzy grape juice out of champagne bottles in golden wrapping -- alcohol is banned in Canaanland.

The next day, he delivered four Sunday services in a row to tens of thousands of cheering followers, his white-suited figure projected onto large flat-screen televisions all around.

"From today, no evil spirit, no demon will survive the Almighty!" he shouted, and the crowd roared "Amen!".

A spokesman said the church has 5,000 branches across Nigeria, and 1,000 more in 63 other countries across five continents. But Oyedepo's empire also includes two fee-paying universities that he built from scratch, a publishing house for Christian self-help books, and an elite high school.

Other pastors have similarly diversified ways of getting the Gospel of Christian salvation out.

Oyakhilome owns magazines, newspapers and 24-hour TV station, and Joshua draws miracle-seekers from all over the world with claims that the holy water he has blessed cures otherwise incurable ailments such as HIV/AIDS.

Before Joshua built his 10,000-seat headquarters at Ikotun-Egbe in outer Lagos, the area was part swamp, part abandoned industrial estate.

Now, it is a boom town with shops, hotels, eateries and bars catering largely to the travelers who come not only from West Africa but also from all corners of the globe to hear his sermons. Joshua also runs a TV station.

"BLESSED BY THE LORD"

Guests entering Oyedepo's birthday marquee in Canaanland would have seen a picture of the poor household in southwest Nigeria where he grew up, testament to a rags-to-riches story that many Nigerians would love to emulate.

Like U.S. televangelists, Winners Chapel preaches the "prosperity gospel" that faith in Jesus Christ lifts people out of poverty, and that message partly explains the explosion of the Pentecostal movement in sub-Saharan Africa, where misfortune and poverty are often seen as having supernatural causes.

"We see giving as the only way to be blessed. Blessing other people is a way of keeping the blessings flowing," said Oyedepo, whose blessings include a Gulfstream V jet and several BMWs.

Giving to support the church and its work is something the faithful are encouraged to do, a Christian tradition that was a pillar of the Roman Catholic church in medieval Europe, just as it has been a major money-spinner for U.S. televangelists.

Aneke Chika, a business analyst in an oil services company, told Reuters on the steps of Oyedepo's church that she set aside 20,000 naira of her 200,000 naira ($1,218) salary every month.

Asked about Forbes' estimate of his fortune, Oyedepo told Reuters: "For me, to have fortune means someone who has what he needs at any point in time. I don't see myself as having $150 million stacked up somewhere. Whatever way they found their figures, I am only able to say I am blessed by the Lord."

He said he could not estimate the church's total revenues or expenditure on items such as salaries because the various departments, including education, were too diverse.

The enterprises on the Canaanland campus, from the shops selling cold sodas and bread, to a woman boiling instant noodles and eggs for breakfast in a lodge, to pop-up book stalls hawking Oyedepo's prolific literary output, are owned by the church's estate, which employs their staff on its payroll, workers at all the outlets told Reuters.

Winners Chapel's Corporate Affairs department said the church employed more than 18,000 people in Nigeria alone.

Oyedepo says the wealth the church gathers is invested in expanding it, and that if he did not use a private jet, he would be unable to oversee its many foreign operations and still return to Ota every week in time for Sunday's worship.

Britain's Charity Commission says it is reviewing potential conflicts of interest in his finances, and last month the Home Office (interior ministry) barred him from Britain, though it declined to say why.

Oyedepo said he knew nothing of the commission's review, nor had the Home Office explained to him why he was barred.

A national conference to debate Nigeria's constitution this year proposed that the megachurches should be taxed.

But with an election coming up in February, it is debatable whether President Goodluck Jonathan, who is close to several megapastors, would risk upsetting these influential men and their hefty congregations with a fat tax bill.

"There is no single government input on this premises," Oyedepo told Reuters in the interview. "We supply our water, we make our roads, then you ... say: 'Let's tax them'. For what?"

(1 US dollar = 164.2 naira)

(Additional reporting by Chijioke Ohuocha in Lagos and Ahmed Aboulenein in London; Editing by Pascal Fletcher and Kevin Liffey)




From: http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0I104F20141012?irpc=932

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degbads:
The funny thing about this tithe thing is that those of us dat pay don't complain, those dat don't pay keep complaining and drinking panadol over what should be our headache. You say they are scamming us, we don hear, leave us na. Haba

The hypocrisy of the whole thing is just funny, several of us spend money every weekend to watch english preniership, buy club jerseys, a lot of these monies eventually get to the footballers who earn what some call obscene salaries, even the mere tuning in to watch a match on free t v means you are making cr7 or messi and co richer, but you do it gladly, many of these peeps are even morally bankrupt yet we do it gladly, then when it is a man of God we go all up in arms. What more right does Obama have to a private jet than bishop oyedepo.

For those of you that think they are scamming think again. You think it is easy to just beguile millions of educated people to consistently part with hard earned money without a cause. If it was that easy how come God as powerful as he is 'hasn't succeeded' in making you pay your tithe. U can also try and scam ur neighbour into giving you 5000 naira and see how easy it is. As long as its not your money going to the Pastors, please SHUT UP and leave us tithers to worry about our problems. U can keep dashing ur own money to footballers, celebs, your chick or whatever else works for you

God bless you.

All these pastors are opposites of JESUS and his apostles.
-Jesus perform miracle to feed the hungry. The pastors threaten the poor and hungry to pay tithe.
- Jesus Wine and dine with sinners. The pastors wine and dine with who is who in the society.
-Jesus goes to the wilderness to fast and pray. These pastors sleep in mansions with airconditioned rooms and prays only for more prosperity.
-Jesus had no house or properties. These pastors are businessmen with mansions and private jets.
-Jesus preaches about holiness. These pastors preach prosperity, how you get it is not their concern.
-Jesus was a friend of the poor. If you are not a gov, senator, president or a man of timber and caliber, these pastors will not associate with you.
-Jesus had no body guards or house guards. These pastors move in convoys with powerful security escorts. Devil baptize you if you go near their wellfortfied houses, the security men will beat hell out of you.
-e.t.c
-

mandarin:
Realistically Christianity is a blessing.Thank God the reporter ascertained that the gospel is exported to the world, the church also employ thousands(that would probably have been unemployed),invest in education, and provide for business enterprise to grow.
All over the world,organizations registered as charity do not pay taxes, it can't be different in Nigeria and if such organizations are engaged in activities that promote profit making then its left to government to do their jobs.However, if such profits ate spent on nonprofits activities you still can't tax them.
Western countries have largely lost their Christian models and are beginning to see alot of their citizens following African churches as a form of capital flight.They have forgotten billions of dollars the catholic church and many European churches took away from Africa and across the world.paying tithes is biblical and God commanded it.if it hasn't been a blessing to those who pay I think they would have stopped paying.
churches are helping in Nigeria, most private schools are owned by them and against government failure they have helped in sustaining good standards and also created jobs for millions.
Those who complain about pastors I will advise should leave them to God as judgment will start from the pulpit and the church.I think we need more of those churches.

Sorry what you write is not tru.

I can tell you from my country that most of the followers from this new african pentecost/charismatis churches are africans about 95% are africans who run to this churches.
A nigerian student has opend his own church in a student home in a two bed room, that is the church adress.
Your pastors what that you belief this.

I know why Oyedepo is not telling why he is not allowed to enter UK again it is about his witchhunting and he has problem with the money because his church is not working like the Uk non profit law is.

Adeboye was this year in main europa because every second year he is coming to visit one country and he was in poland normaly you see photos from this event but you didnot see photos from this poland event because only few people where there.

He told his stupid followers that he need the jet to spreed the gospel so to visit main europa every two years is very much I have to tell you and there are many countries so he is a big liar.

There is a time appointed to every man to die, then we all shall face the great judge, God almighty who is above every SAN or QC. Judgement awaits all good or bad, rich or poor, Car owners or trekers, free born or prisoner, Master or Slave, black or white. The toil of man under the sun is all vanity. Vanity upon vanity is vanity. All we are doing is being chronicled in the BOOK OF LIFE. Book of Life will be opened and all accounts while alive will be read to every living being. Use your time and opportunity wisely.

jamace:
All these pastors are opposites of JESUS and his apostles.
-Jesus perform miracle to feed the hungry. The pastors threaten the poor and hungry to pay tithe.
- Jesus Wine and dine with sinners. The pastors wine and dine with who is who in the society.
-Jesus goes to the wilderness to fast and pray. These pastors sleep in mansions with airconditioned rooms and prays only for more prosperity.
-Jesus had no house or properties. These pastors are businessmen with mansions and private jets.
-Jesus preaches about holiness. These pastors preach prosperity, how you get it is not their concern.
-Jesus was a friend of the poor. If you are not a gov, senator, president or a man of timber and caliber, these pastors will not associate with you.
-Jesus had no body guards or house guards. These pastors move in convoys with powerful security escorts. Devil baptize you if you go near their wellfortfied houses, the security men will beat hell out of you.
-e.t.c
-

1000000000000000000 likes that is tru.

WE SHALL SEIZE THE CHURCHES' WEALTH
When Nigeria Jerry Rawlings comes, the Church wealth will be recycled into our economy........... so let all patriotic Nigerians pray hard for the coming of OUR OWN JERRY RAWLINGS.

OP, if the growth of these Churches annoys you please pull out of them and go wherever you want to or better still remain where you are and shut your latrine up.

I'm sorry to let you know that all of your statistics won't change the mind of any member of the afore mentioned churches. If you think you've got list and facts then I tell you that more churches are coming up that will one day lend to this nation called Nigeria.

#TeamChurchRules

makazona:
so church members pay 10% tithe from dia labour.
the pastor shld pay 10% of dia income as tithe

or wont they pay tithe too?

haba, na dem be the tithe collector nah

unlimitedbosco:
smart nd greedy men making money from poor nd stupid jesus

May God's light also locate you this day....

Better get used to this because the church can never be poor, yes, not when God is alive

thoexynne:


Which part?

Exporting Christianity globally.

Exporting Nigerian culture and indigenous Christianity globally would be more accurate imo.

ayusco85:
Nairaland app on my blackberry, u no know say I dey church?

Abeg gimme link to download the app.

nora544:


Sorry what you write is not tru.

I can tell you from my country that most of the followers from this new african pentecost/charismatis churches are africans about 95% are africans who run to this churches.
A nigerian student has opend his own church in a student home in a two bed room, that is the church adress.
Your pastors what that you belief this.

I know why Oyedepo is not telling why he is not allowed to enter UK again it is about his witchhunting and he has problem with the money because his church is not working like the Uk non profit law is.

Adeboye was this year in main europa because every second year he is coming to visit one country and he was in poland normaly you see photos from this event but you didnot see photos from this poland event because only few people where there.

He told his stupid followers that he need the jet to spreed the gospel so to visit main europa every two years is very much I have to tell you and there are many countries so he is a big liar.

A whole part of the western world could not imagine Africans leading global brands whether in secular or spiritual, may be the coming of Obama started changing that and their press can castigate any such successfully persons who do not draw inspirations from their fathers or are partners with their wards as either incompetent or insane.God is no respecter of persons and He can use any man. That African or Nigerian pastors are building large organizations in a world that is increasingly Sodomized is a no surprise to me for your criticism, but you must bear in mind that religion had been a part of the African sphere and if we are not travelling to the moon or invent B2 spirit, we can work with the Holy Spirit to travel to heaven.
To those who see the church as opium,I know millions still want to drink in Africa.I have countless testimonies of what God has done in me through the church of Christ, those who consult doctors can tell you how much it cost them, I get my healings for free.if a student starts a church in his house,most churches started that way.if u are called by God, what a hell of respect do an ignorant deserve?

I'm not sure these people re emulating the kind of life jesus lived...jesus wasn't known for having fleets of chariots or plenty houses or even extravagant living. his sole aim was to reach out to the unreached#i think moderation should be the watchword here

When money changers refuse to do business with a 'man of God' on ethical grounds e get as e be.

Oyedepo's highest claim to charity are his schools yet we all know the students pay market rate fees

$150m as at 2011and 'business' has been booming since then. Has naija already minted its first dollar billionaire pastorpreneur?

While Jesus said we should give unto Caesar that which belongs to Caesar, Oyedepo says if you have had to supply your own water etc you don't need to pay taxes. By that standard no Nigerian should pay taxes then.

BTW I know he had gun toting Naval ratings guarding the Canaanland 'ranch' when it was first acquired and the omo oniles were trying to renegotiate terms. Who does he think pays for those naval ratings? Tax dodgers like him?

Who pays for the soldiers fighting Boko Haram in the North and keeping them from kicking Winners Chapel and every other church in naija into the Atlantic Tax dodgers? Whenever people like him choose to rewrite principles long established by Jesus they expose themselves for what they are: money grubbers who are in it just for the filthy lucre.

$5m per week yet our political misrulers refuse to do the needful and capture this BUSINESS sector in the tax net Someone should be suing the whole lot for treason and economic sabotage. Is this what NOI learnt at Harvard, MIT and the World Bank

Ultimately Oyedepo's greed - owning every business in a city of that size and paying peanuts to even his top ranking staff - will be his downfall. Soon and very soon he will have enough disillusioned staff and collaborators in breaking the laws of the land and in scamming the masses who will break ranks and do him in. He and others of his ilk won't get away with this if only because God is still in His heaven.

flexing11:
those it amount to calling me fool people are entitled to their own different opinion your school of thought might not be mine'God created man in his own image and likeness but some scientist we tell man came about through evolution because that is their own believe.pls learn some decorum and dont pour out words like one of those hooligans roaming the streets mushin!

so imushin symbolises hooliganism and thugery abi? Did u say someone called you a fool? Dat guy is correct.

chacoonder:
Karl Marx once said; religion only intoxicate the poor and less privilege. There is no better truth than this.

who the hell is Karl Marx beside the Holy Bible & how is tithing an intoxicant to the 'poor' only?

someone said his Beatles will outshine Christianity, where is the group today?

no just dey repeat careless English wey one drunk vomit, use your own head

datguru:
Don't they sow seeds, pay tithes and give offering in mosque?

yes they do, but it is given to the needy, poor, warfarer and not the imam directly. u don't have to give the leader of the mosque kobo if u so wish. that is hub can't see any imam been super rich unless he has some other business apart from been a leader in the mosque

datribune:


They don't force people, they employ d same tactics as scammers & con men - deception. These master manipulators use d bible as a stealth weapon of deception. In their hands, d bible & religion bcoms d opium of d masses. They use their charming personalities, charisma & flair to persuade d gullible by eloquently using convenient bible passages as tools of deception to make them part wit their money in very subtle ways.

So u believe you're smarter than the millions of intellectuals and business magnates who still attend the Churches and still keep paying their tithes and offerings. You do not sit down and analytically try to examine why why these people keep giving their monies despite they're being robbed. Who goes back to a con after being duped by such? Na u wise pass the hundreds of millions who don't care if you will join them or not abi? You don't even know that its the small fraction of you who don't believe that come here to spew rubbish. YOUR DETRIMENT MAN!

hensben:
lie! pastors indirectly tax their members by using scriptures which doesnt mean the exact thing they are saying to create fear, manipulating them that those that sow seed receive blessings n the more ur seed the more ur blessing...you hardly hear them preach 'give to the needy' rather sow seed, pay tithe, month of bliss seed, et al.

Well FYI, in my life I have never come across anyone who pays tithes because he/she is scared. And don't think they're deceived too - no pastor needs to tell me to pay my tithe. Its in the Bible, I have read it, God has blessed me more for it. If you can't reason that out even by the law of nature - sowing and reaping; that's your business.

FINAL SUBMISSION.

If you don't believe in tithing and offering...


1. If you're an atheist, I don't blame you for not understanding; you don't believe in God or religion before

2. If you're a Muslim , I don't blame you too. You cannot understand the deep things of the spirit revealed to Christians in the Holy Bible



3. If you call yourself a Christian and speak against tithing and offering; I'm sure you know the truth and what the Bible says. You're just castigating because you have not been faithful in doing it. Its only natural that a prostit*ute will claim the Bible didn't mandate us to be virgin. Its just GUILTY CONSCIENCE!
And if you say its not in the Bible, well you lack knowledge then. Even the Bible says my people (Christians) perish for lack of knowledge. I really pity you pass.

THOSE GIVING ARE NOT COMPLAINING, AND IT IA NOT YOUR MONEY EITHER - what is your business then. Simply don't give and enjoy your own life!

redcliff:

My friend delete the app if its dusturbing you and stop posting trash

U well so?

olaeffect:


Jesus had a treasurer who was a thief and Jesus still never begged his uncle nor anybody for money

Do the maths.

.

GlorifiedTunde:


So u believe you're smarter than the millions of intellectuals and business magnates who still attend the Churches and still keep paying their tithes and offerings. You do not sit down and analytically try to examine why why these people keep giving their monies despite they're being robbed. Who goes back to a con after being duped by such? Na u wise pass the hundreds of millions who don't care if you will join them or not abi? You don't even know that its the small fraction of you who don't believe that come here to spew rubbish. YOUR DETRIMENT MAN!





Well FYI, in my life I have never come across anyone who pays tithes because he/she is scared. And don't think they're deceived too - no pastor needs to tell me to pay my tithe. Its in the Bible, I have read it, God has blessed me more for it. If you can't reason that out even by the law of nature - sowing and reaping; that's your business.

FINAL SUBMISSION.

If you don't believe in tithing and offering...


1. If you're an atheist, I don't blame you for not understanding; you don't believe in God or religion before

2. If you're a Muslim , I don't blame you too. You cannot understand the deep things of the spirit revealed to Christians in the Holy Bible



3. If you call yourself a Christian and speak against tithing and offering; in sure you know the truth and what the Bible says. You're just castigating because you have not been faithful in doing it. Its only natural that a prostit*ute will claim the Bible didn't mandate us to be virgin. Its just GUILTY CONSCIENCE!
And if you say its not in the Bible, well you lack knowledge then. Even the Bible says my people (Christians) perish for lack of knowledge. I really pity you pass.

THOSE GIVING ARE NOT COMPLAINING, AND IT IA NOT YOUR MONEY EITHER - what is your business then. Simply don't give and enjoy your own life!

na me pity u pass bro cos i am aware of tithe n offering but what we are saying here is that pastors emphasize on material things than salvation this days, every d.ck n harry wants to become a pastor in nigeria as far as they can speak in tongues, quote scriptures, why? due to material gains they see the top men of God is enjoying n its affecting the nation negatively. what happen to been an evangelist, missionary, you dont just do things anyhow...people are now calculating mathematics with God like if i give Him 1 He will give me 2...christians primary aim is salvation n be spiritually connected should in case of temptation, this ought to be emphasize on. do you know that a pagan,sinners gives too and he is blessed for it either one way or the other,which brought the saying 'givers never lack'....Are you aware that giving to the needy is the best in the sight of God....paying tithe n offering doesnt guarantee heaven rather one's selfish interest which is not bad in God's sight but you shouldnt make it a primary thing as a christian but salvation n connecting with God through holy spirit in case of temptation.

CHURCH business is the best business in NIGERIA. All you need is a bible and gullible lips. NOTE I dont mean church o. There is different btw CHURCH and CHURCH business

Here are 11 comments on “Should Church Financial Budgets be Public?” from the Christian blog...tithing.com

1. Do you believe that it’s wrong for churches not to publicly display how all the tithes and offerings were allocated throughout the year?
2. Is there any scriptures in God’s word that supports your reasoning?
3. Why do you think some churches do not show how the money was used?

Comments:

1. Speaking Truth says: YES! YES! YES! Of course churches should open the books for the givers (specifically) and the public (generally) to see where the money goes. Why would they not want to share where they put the ministry money to good use? Unless they’re stealing it or using it to grow the pastors' own bank account, of course. Luke 16:1-13 records Jesus’ parable of the unjust steward, and the punishment for financial mismanagement. Since these “ministries” are so quick to claim tax free status (like the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, and others), then they should be held to the same accounting standards (and punishments) of those organizations as well.

2. Bill says: Should church financial budgets be made public? My answer is a whole-hearted YES. I mean, when should the church ever not exercise full transparency with the very people who are funding it? I recently ASKED this question to my church and after coming up with several excuses as to why they don’t have one the tables got turned and I was told that if I don’t trust current church leadership I should join a church where I can. I have become quite disenchanted with the “seeker friendly” churches that want you to some how “buy in” to their dream…oh yea, that dream comes with a price tag–tithing!! I am saddened that Pastors aren’t willing to hit the so called pause button and listen to God to see if this is in-line with HIS will. But as long as people are coming to see the show on Sunday they can justify the dream that the pastor holds, and do it without asking ANY questions. To say the least we are in the process of looking for another church. Heck, it might be that we simply DO church in our home. I’ll support the local homeless pantry with our giving…at least I know it will be going to the very cause that Jesus mentioned in Matt 6.

3. Brian says: Of course, the church is a non-profit organization and the church budget must presented to the public if ever asked to do so. The church can’t be doing under the table money stuffs that are not right anyways.

4. Deb says: I definitely think the financial records should be made public. Our church is a large congregation that is growing every week. We are in the mist of building a new church, but never seem to be able to make our monetary goals. Yet every year, the senior pastors (all from the same family) buy new cars for each of them, and travel extensively around the world. One just got back from spending a month in London. Where are they getting all that money? From tithes of course. I would love to see the financial records!

5. Honesty says: Tithes and offerings should be handle with much respect. Respect for those that have worked hard and given in obedience. Respect in that the monies given be used to the edifying the Lord. Not leaders personal agenda’s, dreams or ideas. Doing so in an abomination to the Lord. If you are a pastor, teacher, prophets, leader in any form and have any influence with the tithes and offerings, ensure you are using for the Glory of God. I understand Pastors have to be paid, however, their salary should be established at the beginning of the year. Financial reports should be discussed in “Church Meetings”. As long as people can see that money is being used wisely and godly, they generally do not have a problem sowing.

6. James says: Hi Honesty, I suggest you look up if tithing was a law under the old covenant. If you read your bible properly and not be spoon fed by pastors who promote unbiblical money, tithes for profit, then you will see it is a big lie. We all know where all lies are from, not from Jesus. So before you promote a lie make sure which side you are on because God does not promote lies. Read Matthew 23:23 properly and see what Jesus said about it if it was included in the Mosaic law or not under the old covenant.

7. Bruce says: No matter what tax exempt organization you are, your accounts should be open for public scrutiny. Your organization is kept going by all tax payers not just your supporters, the money that you do not pay tax on is paid for by me. No CEO of a non- profit should be allowed to earn more that about $60,000 to $100,000 a month no matter how much your income is. This racket is now being duplicated all over the world by ministers who have learned the American model, it’s shameful.

8. Su says: I hope more people will speak up about this matter, I truly believe that it is important to hold church leaders responsible for clear accounting of church finance including spending. The members should be allowed to question and see the records due to the fact as mentioned, members tilted as obedience to God’s teaching in the bible, if the money is used as supposed, there should not be any secret to hide. In a large congregation, the amount of every week’s tithing can be very large. Allowing the finance to be kept in the dark can lead to serious temptations for those who can access it to misuse the funds.

9. Frank Rios Jr. says: What's going on in the church today is disgraceful; Pastors are deliberately misleading their congregation in believing that if you don’t pay your tithes, a curse will be on you. What a lie? straight from hell. The apostle Paul tells us that if you go back to legalism then you are under a curse.

10. Robert says: Should each member receive a copy of the church finance report?

11. Chuck says: My father ran a YMCA. It is non-profit. They publish their finances. Everything is out in the open. If my father once said “no one is allowed to ask questions about the finances” he would have been replaced immediately. My last church never published their finances, and you were not allowed to ask the Pastor where the money went. He felt it became his money the moment it was turned in. I left and am now at a church that discloses everything. Honesty! Openness! Nothing that will shame the gospel!

Source: http://www.tithing.com/blog/should-church-financial-budgets-be-public/

Related websites:

Pastor Hides Church's Financials

"My pastor and his wife keep the church's book. They did not let anybody look at the church finance record. The church financial statements have never been presented to the congregation. Does it sound right?" -John

Read more at: http://christianblogs.christianet.com/1124406098.htm
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Re: Church Financial Records

"Do you believe that the members of the church should know where every dollar given is going? Many times in larger churches business is done without many church members' knowledge while smaller churches tend to have more accountability. I have been in both small and large churches and have seen both methods. Personally, I believe that the members are giving the money and should know where it is going. A annual or semi-annual report doesn't really cut it."

Read more at: http://www.fundamentalforums.com/oklahoma-baptist-college/17989-church-financial-records.html
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New Riverside Church pastor Rev. Brad Braxton's $600K compensation prompts parishioners' suit

Call it the stimulus package from God. Manhattan's Riverside Church - one of the country's most illustrious religious institutions - is paying its new senior pastor, the Rev. Brad Braxton, more than $600,000 in annual compensation.

Read more at: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/new-riverside-church-pastor-rev-brad-braxton-600k-compensation-prompts-parishioners-suit-article-1.362491
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Is It Ok for a Pastor to Earn $600k a Year?

Read more at: http://www.freemoneyfinance.com/2009/05/is-it-ok-for-a-pastor-to-earn-600k-a-year.html
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Who Should Know How Much a Pastor Makes?

Read more at: http://www.freemoneyfinance.com/2009/06/who-should-know-how-much-a-pastor-makes.html

How the mega churches are a hidden Pilar of Nigeria s economy is not clear to me.
In what productive way do they affect the economy.
I think they are more of a distortion!

SailorXY:

who the hell is Karl Marx beside the Holy Bible & how is tithing an intoxicant to the 'poor' only?

someone said his Beatles will outshine Christianity, where is the group today?

no just dey repeat careless English wey one drunk vomit, use your own head

...so you are trying to tell me now that,that your empty coconut head is better that karl marx's..Isnt it?..lols