STEALING IN JESUS' NAME

“Give”, “seed”, “tithe”, “offering” and like words are synonymous with the Christian faith. Each time any or some of these expressions are made in the church, worshipers are expected to deep their hands in the purse, pull out some money to give into the church’s money box. But the recent ill practices in most ecclesiastical have become nothing but stealing and exploitation in Jesus’ Name, (did I hear you add Amen?).

‘Giving’ is a principle obtainable in every part of the world, in history and in our contemporary society. It goes beyond the bounds of religion and culture. The art and character of giving has no strong attachment to any constellation. Everybody gives. You give; I give.

However giving is understood by any tribe or tongue, Christian giving is different. Its act, practice and protocols are definitely defined by the Holy Bible. It has a natural reminiscence of ‘sowing and reaping’. He who sows shall reap “good measure, pressing down, shaking together and running over...”

In practical Christian giving, few seeds are sacrificed into the soil, while plenteously abundant quantity is explored during harvest. That is how God has designed it that he who has the attitude of giving will receive boundless measures just as he gives. This is because giving is sacrificial and it transcends from the heart of the giver.

Nowadays, it is unfortunate that most churches explore the ‘sowing and reaping’ practice of the Christian faith to rob their worshipers. They compel their worshipers to give to the church and always promise a ‘harvest time’ which never comes.

They take giving as the primary responsibility of every Christian. This is false Christianity! It is an apostasy. The perpetrators of these acts are ‘’thieves in sheep clothing’’. They exploit the humble and non-violent nature of Christian religion to hypnotize the unsuspecting worshipers and rob them of their resources.

I am a non-religious entity. I have no strong attachment with any religion or church or sect. I believe in God Almighty who created you and I and whose Royalty we must serve our submission. Of all, I believe in the principle of giving.

Let us consider this: the Government collects taxes from its citizens. The churches collect tithes and offerings. The government uses the tax to provide social amenities for the citizens, free of charge. The churches use theirs to build Christian Hospitals, Christian Schools and all other stuffs in the “Christian” something category.

The church leaders tell us that these amenities are built to serve the interest of the church members but what do we see today?

Nigerian churches have the most expensive schools in Sub-Saharan Africa. The pupils and students live in luxury; they are been treated like lilies. The school fees are exorbitant.

Most of the church members whose tithes and offerings were used to build these schools do not have as much as it takes to send their wards to these schools, rather politicians, business big-wigs and so called ‘’worldly’’ cash-bags send their children their because they can afford the bills . The members have no benefits.

The proceeds from the school fees are been usurped by the GO (General Overseer) or GS (General Superintendent) of the church without accountability. The members can go to hell! Or rather they should pray hard and be “holy for your father in heaven is holy”.

It was Christian missionaries that introduced western education in Africa. The likes of John Wesley who were early missionaries in Africa came with the Gospel on one hand and education on the other hand. Believers of those days were given privilege to send their children to Methodist school, Catholic schools, Presbyterian collages. The only condition was to be affiliated with the church. With the privilege, collage kids and students were on scholarship in those missionary schools.

But today, our church leaders establish “Christian schools” to exploit the members of the church, build estates for themselves and dwell in opulence.

The church leaders go for your pockets. When you do not have what they want (money), be sure nothing goes to you. The amount of money in your pocket will determine the quantum of prayer you receive, the duration of the prayer, the grammar the pastor will use and the vocal tone too.

They deceive us. They only gather you on Sunday and worship days to trap the little cash from your pocket and leave you the rest of the days to repose on your own volition. They care less for your welfare and care more for your money.

The highest level of injustice is found in churches. Church leaders are not answerable to any of their members. They take decisions at will. The sins of members are judged by the Pastors and leaders; as for the sins of the Pastors and leaders, they believe that “God will judge”. This has led to reckless judgements, witch-hunting of members by leaders; impunity is not a new character among the leaders.

These can easily be traced to deviation of interest, quest for worldly riches by church owners and obvious “love for money” which creep. No wonder the bible says that “the love of money is the root of all evil which while some have coveted after they have erred from the faith... 1Timothy 6 vs 10-KJV

If church owners GOs and GSs or whatever they choose to bear do not come back to the track and line of Christianity, as defined by Christ, they will alight on hot coals.

Churches should engage in soul winning businesses. They should be moral theatres for the world which we live in. But it is unfortunate that most (if not all) of them have turned to ‘Kingdom of Heaven Industries’.

Christ fed 5000 people without collecting offerings. He could have collected monies from them and they would have paid willingly. He took 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes from a boy to feed the 5000 people who he preached to. At the end of the day, the boy that gave the bread and fish went home with 12 baskets full of the fabrics of such like. That was a perfect example of sowing and reaping.

Churches should be communal in structure and administration.  They should be social cum welfare organization. In Acts, we were told that the early church “had all things in common”. That was a perfect communal organizational structure which should be a blueprint for Churches today.

Church administration should be in the best interests of their members. Church leaders should fashion modalities to impress development of their members. They should encourage youth development by mapping out strategies to develop the human productive capacities of their youths. They should award scholarships to their youths. They should make donations to the widows in the church and the less privileged. They should show love to the children and women who are impoverished by economic harshness rather than building castles for themselves on earth. Remember, King Solomon summed it up by saying that “...all is vanity”.

EMMANUEL SHEBBS