₦airaland Forum

If You Have Salvation and You’re Poor, You’ll Still Sin” — Pastor Tobi Adegboyega Sparks Debate

Controversial UK-based Nigerian preacher, Pastor Tobi Adegboyega, has stirred reactions online following his bold comments linking poverty and sin during a recent interview with content creator Shank. Eyes Of Lagos reports,

According to the founder of The Nxt Generation Church, salvation alone is not enough to guarantee a righteous life if an individual remains in poverty. He argued that economic hardship often drives even well-meaning believers into compromising situations, despite their spiritual convictions.
“Poverty Can Push Even the Saved to Sin”

Speaking in his usual candid tone, Pastor Adegboyega stated:
“If[b] you have salvation and you are poor, you will still sin. Because you want to eat. Because you have no choice.”
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He emphasized that true Christianity must balance spiritual and material empowerment, adding that faith without financial structure leaves people vulnerable.

Churches Must Empower, Not Exploit

The pastor went on to criticize the structure of many traditional churches, where pastors live in wealth while members struggle to survive. He noted that such systems fail the essence of Christian leadership.

“Your own pastors take from people. We build communities to make people rich — prosperity alongside salvation. A pastor’s duty doesn’t end at preaching; it must include creating opportunities and systems that help members prosper,” he said.

Adegboyega maintained that economic empowerment is a form of ministry, and pastors should build businesses and initiatives that enable their congregations to thrive. He argued that prosperity and salvation must go hand in hand, as both are essential to a fulfilling and righteous life.

A Divisive but Relevant Message

His comments have sparked mixed reactions across social media. While some applauded his honesty and practical perspective on faith, others criticized his message as materialistic and contrary to traditional Christian teachings.

Still, the conversation highlights an ongoing debate within modern Christianity — whether the church should prioritize spiritual growth alone or combine it with tangible financial empowerment.

https://eyesoflagos.com/if-you-have-salvation-and-youre-poor-youll-still-sin-pastor-tobi-adegboyega-sparks-debate/

It is not determined by poverty. Many people are poor but don't commit crimes. They manage. What is important is to have a source of income as a human being and many who don't have do not commit crimes. They just beg. Being rich can't improve your character

The Bible never said this because even if you are rich, you can still sin.

The Bible said "If any man sin, we have an Advocate before God". We are in a world of sin and we are humans, we will sin. Whether rich or poor, it doesn't Matter

I have seen many people who are content with the little they have, and do not covet wealth of others

I'm not a fan but I agree with him about success an blessing in salvation but not the aspect of sin if you are poor. Mind you poverty is also a mindset and acceptance. Someone may appear poor to people but is accomplished and can afford the needs for himself and family.

He's right and being realistic. Most people give their lives to Christ on Sunday and take it back the following week.

Poverty is like a brain disease, if not, tell me how a sane person even after these years of suffering and hardship will still collect few cups of rice with #5k from politicians during election. Please y'all read down!

I agree. Especially as a nigerian u are in sin or still battling the consequences of sin

He knows his target audience. He knows the group he rolls with

This man and swag na 5 and 6, he knows fashion sense.

Religion is the cause of poverty
Invention of religion is the worst thing that ever happened to earth, because all I see is hypocrisy.
You milk the poor dry and you have the ordacity to rob it in this face.
No wonder there are lots of churches but we are still wallowing in poverty, useless hate, tribalism, corruption, eye service, Reno oMockery, Tinubulism.

The world would continue to be in chaos until religion is eradicated and people start helping one another. It is because of prosperity being preached in religion that make people to do scam, engage in corruption to amass wealth and be seen as being blessed by doG.

Hmmmmm, Nigerian pastors preach according to their daily feelings

End time pastors.. so people should go into fraud or robbery to get rich by all means?

I thought I read it that they wanted to deport this man?

Dem don cover the story ni?

You that is rich why are you still a sinner?

Abi sin has a new meaning that I am not aware?!!

PerfectStranger:
He's right and being realistic. Most people give their lives to Christ on Sunday and take it back the following week.

Poverty is like a brain disease, if not, tell me how a sane person even after these years of suffering and hardship will still collect few cups of rice with #5k from politicians during election. Please y'all read down!

What he said is opposite of what the Bible said. As a matter of fact, Jesus said that it is "easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God", Mathew 19:23. In other words, wealth can be an obstacle... The rich are exposed to more temptations than the poor. Go and ask. Btw, true richness comes from a life focused on God, with priorities set on eternal things not on bank accounts. You can have billions in your bank account and still be considered wretched by heaven. It dey Bible too.

PerfectStranger:
He's right and being realistic. Most people give their lives to Christ on Sunday and take it back the following week.

Poverty is like a brain disease, if not, tell me how a sane person even after these years of suffering and hardship will still collect few cups of rice with #5k from politicians during election. Please y'all read down!

I takes being a disciple to be a Christian. Jesus asked that we make disciples of all nations.

What would your pst tobi say of the early Christians who lost estates and were offered the opportunity to reclaim them if they denied christ but bluntly refused. Some were offered their lives back on same condition but turned it down.

Now I know pst Tobi is a baby believer.

Mynd44:
The Bible never said this because even if you are rich, you can still sin.

The Bible said "If any man sin, we have an Advocate before God". We are in a world of sin and we are humans, we will sin. Whether rich or poor, it doesn't Matter

Is that what you tell yourself so you can sleep at night after supporting evil men who have plunged Nigeria into the sorry state she is now.

"We are in a world of sin and we are human, we will sin"

I ask you.. Shall we continue in sin cause grâce abides (because we have an advocate in Christ for us) ?

The day of reckoning will come.

If you are really a born again spirit filled Christian and you remain very poor for a very long period of time then it means you just deliberately want to be poor. Once you received christ and the holy spirit into ur life you will definitely start receiving divine ideas and directions on how to be rich and contribute ur own bit to the growth of the church.

U can be rich and still sin and poor and still sin. sin isn't stopped by financial status.

These men keeps bringing shame and ridicule to Christianity. Lazarus was a poor man and not a sinner. He was Jesus friend. So wetin this one dey misyarn

Meedon:
Religion is the cause of poverty
Invention of religion is the worst thing that ever happened to earth, because all I see is hypocrisy.
You milk the poor dry and you have the ordacity to rob it in this face.
No wonder there are lots of churches but we are still wallowing in poverty, useless hate, tribalism, corruption, eye service, Reno oMockery, Tinubulism.

The world would continue to be in chaos until religion is eradicated and people start helping one another. It is because of prosperity being preached in religion that make people to do scam, engage in corruption to amass wealth and be seen as being blessed by doG.

I agree that religion is a cancer and that's what christianity offers, the cure.

The early Christians had everything in one accord. They looked out for each other's welfare. No one was teaching prosperity, they taught christ.

erniok:
I takes being a disciple to be a Christian. Jesus asked that we make disciples of all nations.

What would your pst tobi say of the early Christians who lost estates and were offered the opportunity to reclaim them if they denied christ but bluntly refused. Some were offered their lives back on same condition but turned it down.

Now I know pst Tobi is a baby believer.

Denying Christ is a different case here,he's talking about sin in general. Daily sinful temptations and all that. Yours is a different context.

Let's try to reason


Is this salvation of just talks

This no wonder people they steal any how

Apcnewrecruit:
These men keeps bringing shame and ridicule to Christianity. Lazarus was a poor man and not a sinner. He was Jesus friend. So wetin this one dey misyarn

Mr man are you Lazarus? He's simply talking about present day reality and you're here quoting Lazarus. Why can't you use yourself as an example as a present day Christian

The only truth there is that the church should empower and not exploit. The rest is a man trying to subtly exalt mammon.

Scammers hiding under the guise of Christianity.
Thieves on the pulpit.



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PerfectStranger:
Mr man are you Lazarus? He's simply talking about present day reality.

Bible even said it in Genesis that the poor can never cease in this world. So whether U are a Christian or not, it can change it

PerfectStranger:
Denying Christ is a different case here,he's talking about sin in general. Daily sinful temptations and all that. Yours is a different context.

Nope, it's not. Sinning is being made an offer: christ or the attraction and you chose the attraction. Same thing, they could have their estates back but chose christ

They always attach materialistic gains to salvation.

These are the type Damina keeps exposing.

They have no Christ centered message, so they feed on people's lust and center their messages and importance around such.