OF PASTORS, MONEY AND THE GOSPEL OF JESUS
There is a popular saying that “the dog that will be lost will not hear the whistle of the hunter.” *The bible warns us many times, to preach the gospel freely and not do it for sordid money. (1Pet 5:2). Some translations say, preach the good news not out of greed, or for base gain, or for filthy lucre, or for defiled profit. If we attend to the mission of preaching the Gospel, with dedication and sincerity, money will not be a problem because a labourer also deserves his wages. (Luke 10:7; 1 Tim 5:18)

However, today, the preaching of the Gospel by supposedly Christian pastors has become a lucrative million-dollar business and many are rushing headlong into it and into perdition. Be warned!

The row about tithe is not yet doused because pastors have couched it with the garment of fear instead of true love of God. Paul reminds us that perfect love casts out fear. (1 John 4:18) If you give out of fear, it is useless, if you pay your tithe because of fear of not getting the reward, it is useless. If you pay your tithe because a pastor threatened you, it is useless. Freely, you received, freely you should give back to God, as Paul reminds us, “God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor 9: 6-7)

Before the uproar about tithe, Christians were faced with the scandal of pastors who have become obscenely rich to the detriment of their members. It was a scandal because, sheep were dying of kwashiorkor while pastors were riding Hummer Jeeps and buy private Jets. Schools were supposedly constructed for the poor from the money extorted from the poor, but only the rich can afford the tuition. That scandal has not been effaced, and it is still a blithe on our collective identity as children of God.

Jesus told us to build up structures for ourselves in heaven, where there are no thieves to rob or moth to destroy (Mt. 6:19-20). Nigerian pastors have become adept as building earthly mansions in the ocean of poverty. Remember the Psalmist said, “they will leave their wealth to others and the grave will be their home.” (Ps 49,10ff) Prophet Jeremiah castigated the kings and princes of his time who lived off the poor. The same is happening today. They need to be reminded “this hoard of yours, to whom shall it belong?” (Luke 12: 13-21)

The mission of Jesus is clear. Read again Luke 4:16-18: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom to the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” The Church has no other mission, but the mission of Jesus. As someone said, the Church has no mission, it is the mission of Jesus that has the Church. Ask yourself, which Church is working to realize this mission?

The poor are paramount and we need to set them free instead of enslaving them. We must empower them instead of despoiling them. What is the difference between many churches today and the Ponzi schemes? They are all network businesses and the unsuspecting ultimately pay a great price – they are always at the receiving end. This is not the Gospel practice handed down by Jesus. The mission of Christ is one of compassion, he went out to meet the people and uplift them from their misery, pain and poverty.

What is the way forward? The solution is simple. Church collection, tithes, donations, etc., whatever name we call them must meet certain criteria. They must be given freely, and joyfully. The giving must not be conditional, that is: “I will pay my tithe, so that God can bless me.” Job has taught us a lesson, He says, “Even if he kills me, I will still love him.” (Job 13:15) Even if you get nothing from God, (which is impossible) you are obligated to contribute to his mission. This is what is called a faithful giving. You are giving because you want to be faithful to the mission of God not because a pastor threatens you or would not pray or bless you until you have given.

Furthermore, only the best is good for God, hence Jesus praised the woman who gave two small coins, because she gave her all, not just 10% or tithe, or 50%. She gave everything she had to live on. In this giving, she surrendered not just her resources to God, but herself. This is a total giving? Total giving cannot be forced, cannot be demanded by a pastor, it must be preached as the truth taught by God and people must be left to make their own decisions. Even in the Acts of the Apostles, where this was practiced, it was still voluntary. When two of the early community members pretended to have given their all and yet kept parts back, they faced the punishment of God.

In Nigeria of today, we do not need a stadium size church anywhere when people don’t have good roads. We do not need any one kilometer or three-kilometers Auditorium when people are jobless and have nowhere else to turn to. We need hospitals to provide health care and lead people to life in abundance, even in its material dimension. We need schools to lift people out of ignorance and vocational training centres to develop much needed man-power. Where are our churches in this regard?

It has been said that “He who loses wealth loses much; he who loses a friend loses much more, he who loses faith loses all.” We must not allow this to happen to our people. Many of our people don’t believe in God, they believe in their pastors and the bubble will burst one day because many so-called pastors are wolves in sheep clothing – with no inner core, no value but only ephemeral. When that happens even the true church will suffer. Now is the time to talk, but let your live do the talking.

In the final analysis, Jesus is deserving of the best of our life because what is it that we have that has not been given to us? If you become engrossed on the 10% debate, then you are a minimalist, not a lover of Jesus. If conditional tithe is your specialty, then you have not risen with Christ and embraced his new covenant. Tithe is good, but it is an elementary demand for infants in the faith. It is good if you want to pay your tithe, but please remember that it is just a starting point. Jesus upbraided the Pharisees as hypocrites who paid their tithes of spices, mint, dill and cumin, yet neglected the more important matters of the law- justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. (Mt. 23:23) So pay your tithe, but also do charity. To the pastors what does the Lord asks of you? Prophet Micah says it well: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:

The answer is not blowing in the wind when we apply this to the situation in Nigeria today. Where is mercy when sick people are not cared for and pastors fly Jets around the world? How are they walking humbly with God when Jet flying is their hallmark or when they are surrounded by bull-like guards? Where is justice when shepherds live lusciously and the poor go hungry and our youths are jobless in their thousands. Where is justice when pastors no longer fraternize with the poor and the weak, but associate only with the powerful and the rich? When Jesus comes back again, would he find faith true faith in Nigeria? This is my humble contribution to enlighten Christians and all lovers of truth.


Rev. Fr. Richard Omolade.
THANKS FOR READING.

Hmmm....

I think the Catholic church is the only institution allowed to speak on matters like this.

The question is what are pastors doing with people's tithe?
Most of em are just wasting and living luxurious life.
I know a very popular Lagos pastor. He and the wife are sole signatories to church account. Is that right?