Reasons Why Pastors Cannot Be Millionaires

by Deji Yesufu

In a generation that regards Christian ministry as the next “big thing”, where young men, who ought to be using their productive lives for worthwhile ventures, now regard “ministry” as a short cut to quick wealth, it is important we remind ourselves that if Christian ministry is carried out in the manner stipulated by the Bible, Pastors will not be wealthy talk less of being millionaires. Therefore if you have a desire to be rich, which in itself is not wrong, Christian ministry is not a career path for you. Consider with me a few reasons why I am convinced Pastors cannot be rich.

There are no biblical examples of wealthy Pastors. There simply is none. Rather we hear the Bible writers making stringent call on those in ministry to stay sway from the love of money (1 Timothy 6:6), not to be lovers of filthy lucre (1 Timothy 3:3), to be men given to helping the poor (Galatians 2:10), etc. When Jesus sent out the 70 disciples to preach in all cities of their time, he instructed them clearly to eat only whatever is set before them (Luke 10:7). The idea of negotiating a salary or a honorarium is foreign to that text. In 1 Corinthians 9, where Paul argues vigorously for a Pastor to be paid a wage, he insists on the fact that his greatest authority to speak truth to the Corinthians was because he was not indebted to them financially in anyway. The general notion of the Christian minister’s financial status in the New Testament is that it is usually bestowed on him as a gift – a reward for his spiritual work.

The Old Testament itself does not give any proof of wealthy ministers. The ministers at the temple at that time where the Levites and not once do we find any of them wealthy. The sons of Eli, who were pictured as something close to rich, were young men who were defrauding the Israelites of their offerings to God. And for this they were judged. It will be inappropriate to list men like Abraham, Isaac and Solomon as wealthy Old Testament ministers. While these men were rich, non of them occupied a position of priest or minister to people in a strict sense.

Secondly, there are no historical records of godly, wise and influential pastors who were wealthy individuals. Right from the early Church fathers to the 16th century Reformers, God’s servants were known more for their wisdom, writing and godly influences than for the amount of money they had. Augustine was Bishop of Hippo, a city in present day Algeria. His books are still being read by millions of Christian adherents all around the world. There is no record of his wealth anywhere. Among the Reformers, there was probably no greater theologian than John Calvin. When he died, his will indicated that a paltry amount of money was to be donated to the Theological College he founded.

And then we have the greatest of the Puritan, John Owen; the preacher of “Sinners' in the hands of an Angry God” – Jonathan Edwards; John Wesley, George Whitefield, John Bunyan (whose book “Pilgrim Progress” is the all time best selling Christian novel - information for those who credit Pastors' wealth to book sales), etc. Non of these were rich men. After years of laboring and preaching at the London Terbanacle, the Prince of Preachers himself, Charles Spurgeon, was bought a house to live in by his congregation.

On other hand, one of the things that precipitated the 16th century Reformation was something called “simony”. It was the practice of Roman Catholic Priests selling religious items to devotees with the promise that it will incur God’s favor. The result was the tremendous wealth it brought the Catholic clergies. They made so much money that it was enough to build the luxurious St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Catholic Popes and priests were the wealthiest folks of those times. In reaction to growing wealth in the churches and reduced piety, the monasteries were birth in the 6th/7th century. The monasteries encouraged the cultivation of piety mostly through a sworn oath to poverty and celibacy, and at the same time a commitment to living a communal life.

Today we may frown at the idea of a monastery but God in his Providence used them to preserve much of what we have - both scriptures and early Church father’s writing. They were also often a rebuke at the hedonistic lifestyle that the Priests then pursued. The whole idea of modern Universities began in monasteries because they were often centers of learning. Eventually, the Reformation itself began in a monastery 500 years ago when a little known monk by the name Martin Luther nailed 95 theses on the wall of a Church in his hometown, Wittenberg, Germany, protesting the Roman Catholic practices of indulgence and others.

When one reads Church history one cannot but marvel at how history is being replayed today. Medieval churches got their wealth by selling faith to ignorant church people after they had either misconstrued clear Bible doctrine or having mixed superstition with truth. Similarly, the modern wealthy Pastor gets his money from false doctrine and pure superstition. If for example, the true nature of the biblical tithes are taught in churches, people will learn that there is no compulsion to tithing. In fact they will discover that tithing is not a Christian practice, and church finances with deep. All the other variants of tithes: firstfruits, prophets offerings, etc, will also stop and then the true financial state of these churches will be revealed. If money was removed from the matter of ministry, 90% of those with a certain claim to a call to ministry will vanish.

The strongest reason why a pastor cannot be wealthy is simply this: our Pastor, Jesus Christ himself, left no such example for us. Jesus was a poverty stricken Savior. In his words, while he walked the earth, he had nowhere to lay his head (Matthew 8:20). He left his glory in heaven, humbled himself and took the form of man. He was made poor that we may know the riches of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 8:9). Unfortunately, some use that scriptures to justify being wealthy today but then we found no such example in the early churches. The Apostles who took the baton from the Master themselves were poor men (1 Corinthians 4:10-1 ). So also were many of the saints of that time.

The simple argument of this piece is to state the fact that Christian ministry is not a means for making money and becoming rich. If you will be a servant of Jesus Christ and minister his word, you must rest content with becoming poor. Though the overall testimony of many who have taken up this challenge was to find out that the Master is faithful and always does meet and even surpass our needs. But the Master does not make his ministers millionaires. Any of such around have sought that status via vain and non biblical means. If you must be rich, do pursue secular business as an entrepreneur. Work hard, be productive and with God’s favor, riches will come your way. But do not go into the ministry with the intent of making money.

I say it with all confidence, and according to the records of scriptures and history, the term “millionaire pastor” is a misnomer. All those bearing such are thieves and robbers, and their judgement before God lingers not.

Cheers.

Source: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1561551330587738&id=1505609702848568

Mtcheew

Trash

na wa ooo... ftc

your network no be here o

francesawesome:
Trash

Don't let that ota pastor banish you into hell fire o

Nonsense..
A pastor is first a christian..and we are told from the bible that God want all his children to prosper which includes pastors.
So take this your satanic inspired rubbish to the garbage. Pastors will buy more jets, have more money and continue to be a blessing as they have been in greater dimensions, the hatred notwithstanding.

God bless every pastor labouring fervently in the vinyerd.
God bless evey genuine church of God out there.

The haters, pharisees, saducees can jump into lagoon.

The truth is that these days pastors, are too materialistic.

I compared the lifestyle, character, teachings of Jesus and His disciples to that of our "big men of God" today...

The difference was very clear!

...DO NOT BE DECEIVED by any man, just follow the lifestyle of Jesus!

Hehehe. Tales by daylight

Most pastor's are best selling authors of different books. That is, they sold over a million copies of one book. If they author and publish over 20 books, what stops them from being millionaires? Unless ampart of the bible commands pastors to not work and depend on the church welfare alone, then I don't see what stops them from writing and selling books on different topics. Everybody seems to forget that when they think the pastor is living completely on their 'offerings'

True talk. Tell em

So pastors should not enjoy wealth abi, they should remain poor...... Even the Bible said it in the book of psalms that the Lord delights in the prosperity of the righteous.... When Jesus was crucified even the soldiers where fighting to collect his garments..... If the garment was a cheap one they won't fight for it..... I see nothing wrong in pastors making money.....if they are using manipulative means to make wealth, then it's wrong.... Else make them enjoy... U think its easy to preach in front of crowd 5 days a week..... N besides most of these pastors have businesses, some of them are best selling authors like someone said up there...

Logical and insightful

yawn... Everything is allowed in a country that is as corrupt as Nigeria....

Checkout my signature...

Oyedepo will just be looking at u like.

True talk.
Tell em

una don start again..
leave pastors alone for christ sake
and serve your God in peace

Lol, some people will not be happy with this piece.

abeg no be wetin dey worry me now be dis jor...... my smally girlfriend just go carry belle, I just dey reason am since how she take get the belle bcoz I know say I use CONDOM the last time she com my house

People are getting confused in daily basis... People speaking against tithing nd Co always use Bible to defend themselves buh our pastors no dey use Bible.. O ti Suu wa o

This is the truth scripturally and historically. Those who have ears, let them hear.
God bless the writer.

When the crusaders catch you Op..

What business are the pastors doing to be wealthy. The money given to them by ordinary people who are themselves poor and it is for the , church administration printing of Christian literature. But today many of the pastors convert this church's money and assets into their personal pockets

Okay You Can Also Check Out This App Thats Allows You To make Money

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTjl84Wzru4

Wetin concern him? Useless Yoruba Muslim. Face your imams and sultans

VBCampaign:
Reasons Why Pastors Cannot Be Millionaires

by Deji Yesufu

In a generation that regards Christian ministry as the next “big thing”, where young men, who ought to be using their productive lives for worthwhile ventures, now regard “ministry” as a short cut to quick wealth, it is important we remind ourselves that if Christian ministry is carried out in the manner stipulated by the Bible, Pastors will not be wealthy talk less of being millionaires. Therefore if you have a desire to be rich, which in itself is not wrong, Christian ministry is not a career path for you. Consider with me a few reasons why I am convinced Pastors cannot be rich.

There are no biblical examples of wealthy Pastors. There simply is none. Rather we hear the Bible writers making stringent call on those in ministry to stay sway from the love of money (1 Timothy 6:6), not to be lovers of filthy lucre (1 Timothy 3:3), to be men given to helping the poor (Galatians 2:10), etc. When Jesus sent out the 70 disciples to preach in all cities of their time, he instructed them clearly to eat only whatever is set before them (Luke 10:7). The idea of negotiating a salary or a honorarium is foreign to that text. In 1 Corinthians 9, where Paul argues vigorously for a Pastor to be paid a wage, he insists on the fact that his greatest authority to speak truth to the Corinthians was because he was not indebted to them financially in anyway. The general notion of the Christian minister’s financial status in the New Testament is that it is usually bestowed on him as a gift – a reward for his spiritual work.

The Old Testament itself does not give any proof of wealthy ministers. The ministers at the temple at that time where the Levites and not once do we find any of them wealthy. The sons of Eli, who were pictured as something close to rich, were young men who were defrauding the Israelites of their offerings to God. And for this they were judged. It will be inappropriate to list men like Abraham, Isaac and Solomon as wealthy Old Testament ministers. While these men were rich, non of them occupied a position of priest or minister to people in a strict sense.

Secondly, there are no historical records of godly, wise and influential pastors who were wealthy individuals. Right from the early Church fathers to the 16th century Reformers, God’s servants were known more for their wisdom, writing and godly influences than for the amount of money they had. Augustine was Bishop of Hippo, a city in present day Algeria. His books are still being read by millions of Christian adherents all around the world. There is no record of his wealth anywhere. Among the Reformers, there was probably no greater theologian than John Calvin. When he died, his will indicated that a paltry amount of money was to be donated to the Theological College he founded.

And then we have the greatest of the Puritan, John Owen; the preacher of “Sinners' in the hands of an Angry God” – Jonathan Edwards; John Wesley, George Whitefield, John Bunyan (whose book “Pilgrim Progress” is the all time best selling Christian novel - information for those who credit Pastors' wealth to book sales), etc. Non of these were rich men. After years of laboring and preaching at the London Terbanacle, the Prince of Preachers himself, Charles Spurgeon, was bought a house to live in by his congregation.

On other hand, one of the things that precipitated the 16th century Reformation was something called “simony”. It was the practice of Roman Catholic Priests selling religious items to devotees with the promise that it will incur God’s favor. The result was the tremendous wealth it brought the Catholic clergies. They made so much money that it was enough to build the luxurious St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Catholic Popes and priests were the wealthiest folks of those times. In reaction to growing wealth in the churches and reduced piety, the monasteries were birth in the 6th/7th century. The monasteries encouraged the cultivation of piety mostly through a sworn oath to poverty and celibacy, and at the same time a commitment to living a communal life.

Today we may frown at the idea of a monastery but God in his Providence used them to preserve much of what we have - both scriptures and early Church father’s writing. They were also often a rebuke at the hedonistic lifestyle that the Priests then pursued. The whole idea of modern Universities began in monasteries because they were often centers of learning. Eventually, the Reformation itself began in a monastery 500 years ago when a little known monk by the name Martin Luther nailed 95 theses on the wall of a Church in his hometown, Wittenberg, Germany, protesting the Roman Catholic practices of indulgence and others.

When one reads Church history one cannot but marvel at how history is being replayed today. Medieval churches got their wealth by selling faith to ignorant church people after they had either misconstrued clear Bible doctrine or having mixed superstition with truth. Similarly, the modern wealthy Pastor gets his money from false doctrine and pure superstition. If for example, the true nature of the biblical tithes are taught in churches, people will learn that there is no compulsion to tithing. In fact they will discover that tithing is not a Christian practice, and church finances with deep. All the other variants of tithes: firstfruits, prophets offerings, etc, will also stop and then the true financial state of these churches will be revealed. If money was removed from the matter of ministry, 90% of those with a certain claim to a call to ministry will vanish.

The strongest reason why a pastor cannot be wealthy is simply this: our Pastor, Jesus Christ himself, left no such example for us. Jesus was a poverty stricken Savior. In his words, while he walked the earth, he had nowhere to lay his head (Matthew 8:20). He left his glory in heaven, humbled himself and took the form of man. He was made poor that we may know the riches of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 8:9). Unfortunately, some use that scriptures to justify being wealthy today but then we found no such example in the early churches. The Apostles who took the baton from the Master themselves were poor men (1 Corinthians 4:10-1 ). So also were many of the saints of that time.

The simple argument of this piece is to state the fact that Christian ministry is not a means for making money and becoming rich. If you will be a servant of Jesus Christ and minister his word, you must rest content with becoming poor. Though the overall testimony of many who have taken up this challenge was to find out that the Master is faithful and always does meet and even surpass our needs. But the Master does not make his ministers millionaires. Any of such around have sought that status via vain and non biblical means. If you must be rich, do pursue secular business as an entrepreneur. Work hard, be productive and with God’s favor, riches will come your way. But do not go into the ministry with the intent of making money.

I say it with all confidence, and according to the records of scriptures and history, the term “millionaire pastor” is a misnomer. All those bearing such are thieves and robbers, and their judgement before God lingers not.

Cheers.

Source: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1561551330587738&id=1505609702848568

thrash.couldn't even back ur yeye write ups with facts.

I concur with the OP

francesawesome:
Trash

What's trash, this young man said nothing but the truth, it's you (followers) that are encouraging and misleading your pastors, simply because you all bury your reasoning abilities and believe every single lies and brainwashing from this pastors.
Mind you Jesus christ at a very tender age schooled some elders, and amazed them with wisdom and intelligent discussions, had it been this generation, that same Jesus would have been shouted down, and call a sort of names,
This man gave us references and a good historical teaching different from what those thivies at the alter call prosperity teaching, just bunch of lies that feelgood gist,
So long say once more, there's nothing trashy about this writeup, it's for those who want to be free and grow in spirit.

OGA. Jesus was nt poor ibeg. he was 2rich dat moni didnt mata anymre.

Person wen dey bring money 4rm inside fish mouth. u say e stricken poor. In d history of d world, there has nt been any1 that wore d kind of cloth Jesus did. (no single stich) check ur bible.

francesawesome:
Trash

What's trash, this young man said nothing but the truth, it's you (followers) that are encouraging and misleading your pastors, simply because you all bury your reasoning abilities and believe every single lies and brainwashing from this pastors.
Mind you Jesus christ at a very tender age schooled some elders, and amazed them with wisdom and intelligent discussions, had it been this generation, that same Jesus would have been shouted down, and call a sort of names,
This man gave us references and a good historical teaching different from what those thivies at the alter call prosperity teaching, just bunch of lies and feelgood gist,
So long say once more, there's nothing trashy about this writeup, it's for those who want to be free and grow in spirit.

I am not a Pastor but just an ordinary Christian. I write and sell Christian ebooks. Also a secondary school Teacher and Blogger. God gave us wisdom(power) to make wealth. Visit my blog to get edified:

https://www.purityposts.com