₦airaland Forum

Iginla explains ‘poor pastor’ comment, says prosperity, poverty is a choice.

The Lead Pastor of Champions Faith Assembly, Prophet Joshua Iginla, has weighed in on the controversy surrounding the viral statement, “I can never follow a poor pastor,” saying life is defined by personal choice and perspective.

Iginla made the remarks in a video message titled “The Poor Versus the Rich,” which has since gained traction on social media.

Addressing his congregation, the cleric said the statement credited to another pastor had been misunderstood, stressing that it merely reflected a personal opinion shaped by life experiences.

He said while the comment might not have been acceptable years ago, changing realities and exposure could influence how people view leadership and prosperity.

“What is wrong with the statement? It is his personal opinion,” Iginla said. “If you want to follow a poor pastor, follow one. If you want to follow a rich pastor, follow one.”

The cleric referenced Proverbs 19:4 to argue that wealth naturally attracts people, while poverty often repels them, noting that the scripture itself acknowledges this reality.

He challenged the church’s approach to wealth, questioning why poverty was often spiritualised while prosperity was viewed with suspicion.

“If I say today the topic of our message is poverty, will you sit down?” he asked. “Do you teach people how to be poor?”

Iginla argued that prosperity should not be confused with spirituality, adding that material possessions do not determine a person’s spiritual depth.

According to him, prosperity follows certain principles that anyone who practises them can benefit from, regardless of religious standing.

“You can be poor and make heaven like Lazarus. You can be rich and make heaven like Abraham, David or Solomon,” he said.

He warned against what he described as “terrorising” others for embracing prosperity, insisting that both poverty and wealth were personal choices.

The pastor also criticised what he called the over-spiritualisation of financial intelligence in the church, urging pastors to teach practical wealth creation alongside spiritual growth.

The comments came amid widespread debate triggered by the viral video of a pastor declaring he would never follow a poor pastor, a statement that has drawn mixed reactions across social media.

The tortoise having received different feathers from all birds in the kingdom, and invited to a party in heaven, became haughty and arrogant because of the beautiful flock of feathers he now had.

He mocked the other birds and proclaimed himself as the most beautiful bird in the world. Angered by his arrogance, the other birds all took back their feathers.

Now the tortoise was without feathers and couldn't fly back to earth. So he begged the last bird who will listen to him, that it should tell his wife, to place foams and soft things on the ground, that he will jump down and fall on the soft foams to catch his fall.

When the bird got to earth, it told tortoise's wife, that tortoise said she should put stones and all the hard things she could find on the floor for him.

Well, tortoise finally jumped, landed on the stones, irons and swords, and his shell was scattered.

And that's why the tortoise has his shells like that to this day.


This story is not about tortoise.

Stephen0mozzy:
The tortoise having received different feathers from all birds in the kingdom, and invited to a party in heaven, became haughty and arrogant because of the beautiful flock of feathers he now had.

He mocked the other birds and proclaimed himself as the most beautiful bird in the world. Angered by his arrogance, the other birds all took back their feathers.

Now the tortoise was without feathers and couldn't fly back to earth. So he begged the last bird who will listen to him, that it should tell his wife, to place foams and soft things on the ground, that he will jump down and fall on the soft foams to catch his fall.

When the bird got to earth, it told tortoise's wife, that tortoise said she should put stones and all the hard things she could find on the floor for him.

Well, tortoise finally jumped, landed on the stones, irons and swords, and his shell was scattered.

And that's why the tortoise has his shells like that to this day.


This story is not about tortoise.

used to enjoy story times with grandparents in those days.

I seem to not understand why the issues of money are mostly discussed in worship places nowadays. One question is if poverty is a choice, is wealth also a choice? Because most times people who speaks much about money are not even wealthy people themselves.

We learn from people that had genuine breakthroughs, reminds me of pastor Adelaja. MONEY WILL NOT MAKE YOU RICH.

Ogbadabada:
Iginla explains ‘poor pastor’ comment, says prosperity, poverty is a choice.

The Lead Pastor of Champions Faith Assembly, Prophet Joshua Iginla, has weighed in on the controversy surrounding the viral statement, “I can never follow a poor pastor,” saying life is defined by personal choice and perspective.

Iginla made the remarks in a video message titled “The Poor Versus the Rich,” which has since gained traction on social media.

Addressing his congregation, the cleric said the statement credited to another pastor had been misunderstood, stressing that it merely reflected a personal opinion shaped by life experiences.

He said while the comment might not have been acceptable years ago, changing realities and exposure could influence how people view leadership and prosperity.

“What is wrong with the statement? It is his personal opinion,” Iginla said. “If you want to follow a poor pastor, follow one. If you want to follow a rich pastor, follow one.”

The cleric referenced Proverbs 19:4 to argue that wealth naturally attracts people, while poverty often repels them, noting that the scripture itself acknowledges this reality.

He challenged the church’s approach to wealth, questioning why poverty was often spiritualised while prosperity was viewed with suspicion.

“If I say today the topic of our message is poverty, will you sit down?” he asked. “Do you teach people how to be poor?”

Iginla argued that prosperity should not be confused with spirituality, adding that material possessions do not determine a person’s spiritual depth.

According to him, prosperity follows certain principles that anyone who practises them can benefit from, regardless of religious standing.

“You can be poor and make heaven like Lazarus. You can be rich and make heaven like Abraham, David or Solomon,” he said.

He warned against what he described as “terrorising” others for embracing prosperity, insisting that both poverty and wealth were personal choices.

The pastor also criticised what he called the over-spiritualisation of financial intelligence in the church, urging pastors to teach practical wealth creation alongside spiritual growth.

The comments came amid widespread debate triggered by the viral video of a pastor declaring he would never follow a poor pastor, a statement that has drawn mixed reactions across social media.

Ride on pastor, Jesus didn’t wear coats of many colors in his days, I hope it was his choice to be poor too 😂. He was one of the least here, yet the biggest there. Let pastors start bragging about their spiritual capacities instead, let’s see how quite the room will become 😂.

merrymike47:
used to enjoy story times with grandparents in those days.

I seem to not understand why the issues of money are mostly discussed in worship places nowadays. One question is if poverty is a choice, is wealth also a choice? Because most times people who speaks much about money are not even wealthy people themselves.

We learn from people that had genuine breakthroughs, reminds me of pastor Adelaja. MONEY WILL NOT MAKE YOU RICH.

It's a mentality thing. Many of these people never really had "wealth", but when they were fortunate to now get some money from the generosity of others in numbers, they feel that their "ability" made it possible.

And the only way they are able to communicate this achievement is to embrace classism - they segment people and a measure of their faith, based on what they have in their account.

They dwell so much on prosperity, because preaching righteousness and purity will drive away corrupt and sinful people, who will take their tithes and offerings to another person who will make them feel comfortable in their sins.

Many of these "places of worship" are nothing more than sanctified GNLD/Neolife seminars these days.


Hehe: You picked the tales by moonlight stories right. Those were good times 😁

If Jesus was here ehn, the kind of koboko He will wipe all these blind leaders and modern day pharisees who are turning the House of God into a den of thieves ehn?

Dem for know how far.

Stephen0mozzy:
It's a mentality thing. Many of these people never really had "wealth", but when they were fortunate to now get some money from the generosity of others in numbers, they feel that their "ability" made it possible.

And the only way they are able to communicate this achievement is to embrace classism - they segment people and a measure of their faith, based on what they have in their account.

They dwell so much on prosperity, because preaching righteousness and purity will drive away corrupt and sinful people, who will take their tithes and offerings to another person who will make them feel comfortable in their sins.

Many of these "places of worship" are nothing more than sanctified GNLD/Neolife seminars these days.


Hehe: You picked the tales by moonlight stories right. Those were good times 😁

I soo love this your reply, that everything that’s within me is feeling joyous. God bless you bro.

merrymike47:
I soo love this your reply, that everything that’s within me is feeling joyous. God bless you bro.

😅 God bless you too, my good Sir

God bless pastor iginla
God bless pastor kordre Komaiya...
Most pple critizing dat statements do kmow d scriptures...
If u like follow and listen to poor pastor...
If u like listen to pastor dat is poor who will teach you poor mentality...
If u like don't believe what d 3John1:2..
If u like choose a poor man as your father
If u like go listen to a poor teacher...without result..
Its your choice my guy....just as your want it...simple!

papagiddy:
God bless pastor iginla
God bless pastor kordre Komaiya...
Most pple critizing dat statements do kmow d scriptures...
If u like follow and listen to poor pastor...
If u like listen to pastor dat is poor who will teach you poor mentality...
If u like don't believe what d 3John1:2..
If u like choose a poor man as your father
If u like go listen to a poor teacher...without result..
Its your choice my guy....just as your want it...simple!

Below is 2 Corinthians 6:10.

New Living Translation
Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything

In the verse above, did Paul admit that he was poor?