Why tithe is not problem of Nigerian Church

It’s amazing how the subject of tithe has become hydra-headed. The debate will not just go. Since Ifedayo Olarinde a.k.a Daddy Freeze stirred the hornet’s nest a few years ago, social media has not enjoyed a respite. It’s a daily battle between tithe payers and non-payers. Every message on tithe attracts attention and generates heated debate.

It has become so engaging and disturbing that even the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye has time to listen to little talks about tithe despite his seemingly busy schedules.

I was alarmed when he lampooned one of his pastors in Abuja who derided preachers who collect tithe and wondered why tithe should be collected when Jesus and the apostles did not collect tithe.

 Apparently, Pastor Adeboye has been monitoring messages on tithe. He is not alone. So many other pastors take a keen interest in the tithe message. This is understandable because it touches on ministry and personal survival

Adam and Job

It has become so embarrassing that all kinds of conjectures are being made by some preachers who evidently don’t have regard for the written Word. They now tell us what Adam ate in the garden was his tithe. That was the message preached by Pastor David Ibiyeomie of the Salvation Ministry in Portharcourt.

He is one of the chief promoters of tithe. And had boasted how he gave God N1 million dollars. Wondering how he could have given God such money knowing well that God does not deal in any currency. And he does not have a bank account either. But that was his claim. And then, Bishop David Oyedepo gave a message saying Job suffered because he did not pay his tithe.

 That is the most unfortunate level the tithe debate has taken. Many who hate the word tithe on the other hand would do everything to hack tithe promoters. There are no signs it will end soon.

The dilemma

The truth is that the average church person is in a dilemma. They want a word from their fathers in faith to tell them the true position on tithe.

Many of them lack the capacity to read through the Bible. It is one boring book that does not appeal to them. They would rather wait for a pastor to tell them what the Bible says. They can’t wriggle through the Bible to take a position.

Some who pay tithe are doing it out of fear and not of conviction. They fear that one evil will befall them when they refuse to pay. Some pay religiously because, for them, it is the only sure way to get blessed.

There are however people who live their lives and would not care. They are also in the church and sometimes they pretend to pay tithe and even preach it while they pay nothing. A pastor once shared with me how a minister under him does not pay tithe but that it was that minister who normally makes regular announcements asking people to pay tithe

Is tithe the issue?

.So we have had this debate over and over again. Is tithe the issue or something else? It seems to me that at the end of the day, it may not be tithe that people are fighting. It could just be a fight against greed, lack of accountability, and unguarded display of opulence by church leaders who should live exemplary lives of modesty and chastity.

The church for several years has been collecting tithes and sundry offerings. In some orthodox churches, they ensure the church dues of members are paid before they can benefit from certain church services like burial and wedding ceremonies.

In fact in the Anglican Church for instance there are hidden levies like class fees and many other payments that are being collected over the years. Nobody complains about the church. Why are people not complaining? because every kobo collected by the church is accounted for at the end of the year in their annual meetings. The church is even so transparent to the point that every money that comes into every parish is published every week. The same tradition applies in other orthodox churches. There is transparency and accountability.

Enter the era of greed

 But then an era came in the church when Pentecostals became egregious about money. Before now, many Pentecostals hardly talked about money. There was no offering time and blessing time in many Pentecostal gatherings in the 80s. They only had boxes in their assemblies with the inscription; offering. People who have something to give simply visit the box and drop it. There was no noise. There was no drama.

But then a time came when Mammon sneaked into their midst. The era of my God is not a poor God. That era was the era of greed and avarice. It has refused to leave the scene. Many preachers are now more concerned about money than any other thing. The bulk of the messages are always about sowing monetary seed. It is that era of greed that stirred the tithe debate.

What I think people are simply asking for is accountability. Unfortunately, asking for accountability got the wrong side of many pastors who feel nobody has a right to question how God’s money is being spent.

The truth we fail to tell ourselves is that God has nothing to do with our money. He does not even need our money to do what he will do. The money we collect today is used for our comfort and has nothing to do with God. We don’t need money for the gospel of God to spread. Peter and John had no money when God used them to perform a miracle at the beautiful gate of the temple in Jerusalem. God will do his work. We are the ones who need money.

Give to Caesar what is Caesar

Jesus was confronted with the question of paying tax and he asked a profound question about money. He asked the people whose image was on the coin. He was told Caesar’s image. And then he said, give unto Caesar what is Caesar and to God what is God.

Money is for Caesar. And by extension for man and our comfort here on earth. God did not create money. But if you flip that statement, you will notice that Jesus said, give to God what belongs to God. The question is what belongs to God? What image is on Man? It is the image of God. We are made in His image.

By implication what God wants from us is to give ourselves to him because his image is on us. He wants us to present ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to him. It’s in order to give as much as possible in or outside the church. This should be encouraged. But we should let this sink, that the money is being spent by us. God does not spend money. And he does not need money. Money is never the wheel of the gospel and it can’t be the wheel.

 It is an embarrassment to God even to contemplate that mammon is what we need to power the gospel. Jesus did not ask the disciples to wait for money or go look for funds before they could preach the gospel. Rather, he asked them to wait for the Holy Spirit.

When the holy spirit comes he will inspire every other thing that is needed for the gospel to be preached. The holy spirit will stir the hearts of men and cause them to give sacrificially. It is an error to make money an issue. It’s a big distraction. Let pastors learn to go before God and ask him to make supply. He will touch the hearts of men to give towards His work.

Repentance we need

If we don’t repent as a Church the debate on money and indeed tithe will continue. the Church will always be dragged. And the way to repent is to take our eyes off money. We should rather look up to God and trust that he will touch people to make supply.

We should be accountable to the people. Let’s begin to carry our members along on how we spend money and how money comes in. Let the churches be bold to publish their statements of account and also publish how money is spent. When people see what we use money for, they will talk less about how the money comes in. But then, we must be responsible in the way we ask people to make contributions. It is more noble for people to be inspired to give than to be manipulated to give.

We should not put undue pressure on people and invoke curses all in the name of making them support God’s work. It’s presumptuous to think we can help God do His work. He is the owner of the church and he knows what to do, to build His church. It is even criminal and ungodly to borrow money to do his work. It is a shame.

Quit preaching instead of begging

Why must the name of God be dragged in the mud to satisfy our lust? It’s better we quit preaching than to keep begging people to support God’s work. You can beg to eat and have stuff,  even though I also think that is not noble. But don’t beg for money to do God’s work. It’s putting the name of God to shame. Calling for support is different from begging. You beg when you go to the ridiculous level of manipulation and blackmail to collect money from people.

So in response to Pastor Adeboye’s seeming solution to the tithe debacle, it will be hard for the debate to end if the church, especially the Pentecostals continue to act the way they act. It is not doing the right thing of being accountable and discreet in their request and management of funds that is fueling the debate. The debate will only stop if churches are accountable.

By Gbenga Osinaike