A revolution about the financial system in
Nigeria is imminent with articles against the payment of tithes to pastors
renting the media space.
The tithe debate kick-started by the radio presenter known as
Daddy Freeze is causing ripples in the Nigerian church. It has done one big
thing among Christians: It has reduced the fear that has enveloped Christians
for decades – the fear ingrained in them not to question whatever is said by
the spiritual leaders – for fear of incurring the wrath of God.
In spite of the fact that the mission of Jesus Christ was to set
the captive free (from sin, eternal damnation, bondage, fear, baseless
traditions, sickness, etc), right from the time the Roman Empire took over the
control of the church till this moment, most religious leaders have employed
fear and emotional blackmail as tools to hold the people captive. From
generation to generation, someone rises to open the eyes of the people and set
them free, but soon after, the same person who set them free would start a
gradual process of using a different form of fear to imprison the minds of
worshippers.
In 1517 (exactly 500 years ago), Martin Luther got tired of the
deviation that had taken place in the Roman Catholic Church where certificates
called indulgences were purchased from priests for sins by members of the
church, as well as other doctrines that ran contrary to the teachings of
Christ, and published the Ninety-five Theses. He knew that he could be killed
for heresy for challenging the Church, which held absolute political and
religious powers, yet, he was ready to die for his belief, which he saw as
standing for Christ rather than standing with man-made doctrines.
The publication of those 95 theses led to what is known today as
the Reformation. The eyes of the people were opened and they began to question
the doctrines, dogmas and practices of the church. Gradually, Protestant
churches emerged from the Roman Catholic Church with the aim of returning the
Church to what it was in the days of the disciples of Christ.
Unfortunately, soon after pulling out of the Church of Rome, the
Protestant churches began to fall into the same pit they accused the Roman
Catholic Church of. The kings used the church to keep the people in financial
and mental bondage. This led to the French Revolution. Europeans decided that
nobody should have absolute power over them anymore either politically or
economically on the grounds that he was the representative of God on earth.
Years later the fire in the Protestant churches began to die.
Churches became like social clubs. The gospel took back stage. Some people felt
it was time to revive the church. This led to the emergence of Pentecostal or
Evangelical churches. In Nigeria, they gave the older churches sleepless
nights. The Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, the Methodist Church
saw their membership depleting, as the Pentecostal churches preached like Jesus
Christ and His apostles did that one must be born again to be truly called a
Christian. They condemned the doctrines and rituals of the older churches.
Their prayers were characterised by speaking in tongues. They held crusades
with claims of healing and deliverance from evil spirits. They preached
financial breakthroughs. Their leaders wore designer suits instead of cassock
worn by the older churches, and moved around the church during sermons rather
than preaching from the pulpit like the older churches. They called themselves
pastors, prophets and general overseers instead of priests, bishops, primates
or Pope.
The older churches began to adapt most of the things the newer
churches did in order to remain relevant and stop losing members. And unlike
when a Catholic priest could hardly make two sentences without condemning the
Anglican Church and vice versa, the opponent to be condemned became the
Redeemed Christian Church of God, Winners Chapel or the Synagogue Church of All
Nations.
But the newer churches have one weakness: they are usually owned
by the founder and his family. Even in a few cases where the church is not
owned by the founder, the general overseer is so powerful that his word is
synonymous with law. Their founder or general overseer, therefore, cannot be
challenged or questioned. Whatever he says is said under the “direction of
God”, and no serious member of his church will publicly criticise it or even
question it.
The founders of the modern churches are also smarter. They have
studied church history and found out that the two ways preachers of the gospel
ran into trouble or suffered persecution and even death were by criticising
those in authority and embarking on evangelism. For example, it was by
criticising King Herod that John the Baptist was arrested and later beheaded.
It was by evangelism that Stephen as well as many other disciples of Christ was
killed. It was by evangelism that Pastor Eunice Olawale was killed in Abuja in
July 2016. In addition, preaching against sin, speaking about repentance and
telling people that God will not accept money made through corruption, fraud,
drug trafficking and other crimes annoy worshippers, scare them away and make
them keep their money.
On the contrary, preaching to people about breakthrough, healing,
protection, and long life makes worshippers feel good. And if they want to
experience these blessings, they have to first of all sow a seed, give
offerings, and pay their tithe. But those who don’t do so will not only
experience no blessings, they will even be victims of calamities like sudden
death, fire incidents, terminal illnesses, marital turbulence, filial
waywardness, career stagnancy, joblessness, etc. Definitely nobody wants to
experience such disasters.
So, if things are not going well for people, they are advised to
give to break the cycle of failure in their lives. If things are going well,
they are told to give to show appreciation to God and receive more open doors
or open heaven.
Pastors are now superstars flaunting their Rolex, Rolls Royce,
and Gulfstream. The richer a pastor is, the more it is seen that God’s
blessings are abundant in his church. So, if you want to experience such divine
visitation, you need to start attending his church.
Tragically, we are faced with a church where most people have
been made to believe that wealth is the primary aim of going to church. And
little or no emphasis is placed on how it is acquired. That is why an employee
stole millions of naira of his company and used it to “bless” his pastors and
church, even though he did not have a car. It shows the power of preaching and
the influence pastors of the new churches have on their members.
The effect of this focus on prosperity and healing is that Nigerian
Christians have become less godly and more religious. There is a kind of race
to make money by all means that bribery, fraud, adultery, cutting corners and
similar crimes are not seen as crimes but smartness and pragmatism. As long as
one gives to the church, these sins don’t count as much, since this is the time
grace.
It is, therefore, not surprising that Daddy Freeze’s anti-tithe
campaign has given many Christians voice to start a campaign of taking back the
church from prophets of Mammon and returning it to Christ who instituted it.
Happily, the ploy to use threats, blackmail and curses to instil fear in the
minds of those who support Daddy Freeze is not working. They know the Berean
Church was commended in the Bible by Paul for not swallowing whatever was said
by Paul but checking the scriptures to confirm if what he said was true.
Perhaps, we are about to witness another Reformation of the Church in Nigeria.
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