Mrs. Oritsejafor's limo
There has been a lot of tittle-tattle lately as
well as so many discordant tunes on the propriety or otherwise of jets
and gifts to pastors and men of God. The debates have been loud and
raucous with so many people speaking from a position of little or no
information. A lot of emotive vibes and outrage, for or against the
perceived or real manipulations by men who supposedly have been given
charge over the souls of millions, has become public fodder. Everyone
appears to be venting their spleen wherever you turn.
Hosea 4:7-9
New King James Version (NKJV)
7
“The more they increased,
The more they sinned against Me;
I will change their glory into shame.
8
They eat up the sin of My people;
They set their heart on their iniquity.
9
And it shall be: like people, like priest.
So I will punish them for their ways,
And reward them for their deeds.
But what exactly should we do or say? Supporters of ostentatious and
obviously manipulative men of the cloak are quick to put the critics in
check by quoting “touch not mine anointed” lines ostensibly to show that
men of “God” are above reproach and as such “lesser” men have no right
whatsoever to criticize or condemn perceived wrong doings of these high
men of “God.” But is this the case? Are these men truly above reproach?
Is it biblical for the “under shepherd” to feed fat on the flock while
the flock groans and hopes for a better day? All these we shall examine
in this piece. Let me appeal that this treatise may exceed the usual
length allowed for articles on this blog as it comes laden with
supporting Bible passages, but I assure you, it will be worth your
while. Take a sip of water and follow me patiently.
And plead with your boss at work to learn from it as well if he
frowns at you. Who knows, your boss may have unwittingly contributed to
purchasing a Limo, Hummer or Private Jet for his Pastor lately.
Christianity was first brought to the shores of Nigeria by the
European missionaries in the early 1800s. When they came, they built
hospitals and schools. In fact, many Nigerians aged late thirties and
above, were products of missionary schools, which were either free or
came with negligible or paltry school fees. The early missionaries and
churches in Nigeria were predicated on love and social services to their
immediate communities. Many people in the age range I quoted above got
quality education and even health care, courtesy of missionaries and
churches.
But fast forward to the present day. Church members are coerced to
part with money they barely have, with either a promise of God blessing
them in return or with stern warnings of perpetual poverty or even
threatened with the danger of hell if they refuse to give “cheerfully”.
God’s blessing in church today is now for sale and even your offering
must be spoken to, so that it can bring forth plenty harvest.
(remember our local priests “babalawo” have a culture of asking
clients to rub their bodies with monies and ask for whatever they wish
for).
As a matter of fact, a particular church I know, a few years ago had a
special offering called ‘dominion jet offering’, where adherents were
made to donate towards the “ministry’s” jet only for the jet to be
converted for the use of the self styled Bishop later. *My lips are
sealed*
In the course of my research, I discovered that a teacher’s son in a
secondary school of one of these various prosperity promising centers,
who lives in the church enclave, could not afford to send his son to the
school, as a teacher and also amember of the church. His son was rather
sent to school in a nearby town.
The modern Nigerian church tasks it’s members to donate towards various
projects such as universities and elitist secondary schools, but
curiously, the poorer members of such prosperity centers can neither
send their wards or kids to such schools, neither do the churches have a
program to cater for the poor amongst their flock.
Unlike the early missionaries who accommodated both the rich and poor
in their schools, it is no longer business as usual for the poor. You
either sow and get rich so that your children can also benefit from the
schools built by the church you attend or find a lesser alternative,
while hoping for a better day! The Church has become a class conscious
body.
The passage in Act 4:34-35 which Reads: “(34) Nor was there anyone
among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses
sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, (35)
and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as
anyone had need.” has been totally ignored. In Nigeria’s contrivances of
prosperity churches, it is survival of the fittest, elimination of the
“poor” or unfit. How wonderful, won’t you say? No longer are we our
brother’s keeper. Like 50 Cent, we have resolved in churches to get rich
or die trying.
We have been told that prosperity is a sign of God’s favor to his own
people, but after reading and studying the lives of great men of God–
men who brought great revivals in their time– I had to ask if Jonathan
Edwards, a man who preached and thousands wept to the altar in one day,
yet he wasn’t rich, or Smith Wiggleswort, a plumber whom God used to
heal many sick and raised a lot of dead men, yet wasn’t stupendously
rich, were missing a trick. Tozer, John Wesley etc were great men of
God, who neither built castles nor owned the choicest properties in
their time, but they made such differences in the body of Christ so much
so that till this day, their works still speak for them. Unlike our
spirito-christian magicians, these men lived simple lives, but turned
many around towards righteous and holy living. Their time was termed the
period of the great revival in history.
Severally we have been reprimanded to “touch not mine anointed” but
is this the correct application of this scripture? In which context was
this phrase used? It is found in Psalm 105:15 and was repeated in
1Chronicles 16:22. That passage was written to praise the works of God
when he took out Israel out of Egypt and saved them from harm, even
though they were few. It was never about a pastor or a leader, it was
written to praise God in taking care of a called out people. Anointed
vessels are men who allow God to do his bidding through them.
Note that those people who must do his bidding must be “called out”
and what is the “church”? It simply means “the called out ones”.
Therefore that Passage can also mean “touch not the church”. Do NOT be
deceived, it was never written to protect or immune “penterascality” or
‘pastopreneurs’ from criticism. It was written as a mark or seal of
God’s protection upon his chosen ones.
The concept of giving and speaking to your money to work for you is
another strange doctrine that has been introduced to make unsuspecting
and unlearned Christians to part with their money without question.
Several times they have called this subtle extortion mechanism:
‘seed’, claiming the passage of seed time and harvest in Genesis 8:22.
But God was not using seed figuratively. It was a definite and correct
use. In fact he said; the summer, winter etc shall not cease. You don’t
pay for God’s blessings. Obed edom was blessed in 2 Samuel 6:10-12 not
because he paid God aspecial seed but because the presence of God dwelt
within him and his household.
Unlike the short-cut pay and receive theology of our modern day
pastors, God’s blessings dwell securely in his presence. It is better to
live holy and have God on your side, than give plenty, while continuing
in sin.
There is nothing wrong in showering your pastors with gifts, but
let’s look at some biblical examples of men that God used mightily. Were
they louts, who busied themselves with soliciting gifts or were they
men who had reasonable sources of income? Amos was a great prophet but
hear him in Amos 7:14-15:
14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither
was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and agatherer of sycomore
fruit:
15 And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, ‘Go, prophesy unto my people Israel’.
And let’s look at Paul, one of the greatest apostles who ever lived. Acts 18:1-3:
18 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;
2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come
from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had
commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.
3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
He was a tent maker. He HAD A JOB. He was no lout neither was he a beggar or a manipulator. His hands provided for his needs.
I wish to bring a few scriptures to light in Philippians 3:18-19 18
(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
and 2 Timothy 3:1-2 3:
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
It is very clear that we are approaching the last days and like Jesus
said, “shall I find faith on earth”? It a question we all should ponder
on. Ask yourself, what is the purpose of your Christian faith? Is it to
serve God or marmon? Is amassing worldly cash and acquiring worldly
goods the reason Christ died on the cross? Do not get me wrong, being
prosperous in not a sin, but it is written in 2Timothy 2:4:
No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life;
that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
And in Colosians 2:9, we read:
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead, bodily.
If God is genuinely sought, he will be found. Having the presence of
God dwelling in you is a guarantee of his fulness. The rate at which
wrong doctrines are taught and imbibed is alarming and this is a pointer
to alarming biblical illiteracy levels among Christians. As God said,
‘like people like priests’.
1Peter 4:17 17:
“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God:
and if it first begins with us, what shall the end be of them that obey
not the gospel of God?”.
What is the gospel of God? I doubt if it means amassing wealth or
accumulating worldly goods. Pastors must be careful in fleecing the
flock as it is written that The souls of those in their care will be
required of them.
Our peculiar situation shows clearly that there are fundamental flaws
in the teachings of the church as written in our opening scripture.
Hosea, as quoted above, suggests that as the priests (pastors, bishops,
archbishops, General overseers etc) are increasing, so is iniquity and
sin on the rise. Looking at Nigeria today, we have a church in almost
every corner, yet the crime and immorality rates are rising
exponentially.
It is time for the men of GOD to face their true calling which is
preaching the gospel. But if they persist in milking the flock, God said
he will use even stones, to achieve his aims, if men refuse to do his
bidding.
Study the scriptures and be diligent. Do not let a man created in ‘like-passions’ pull a wool over your eyes in the name of God.
A lie can travel very fast in time, but in one swift moment, the truth
will pursue, overtake and annihilate it. There is too much hot air
emanating from our pulpits, but where is the fire of revival?
Saharareporters
