By Latunde Akin
In The Apostolic Faith Church they are not after your money.
They won’t use pulpit to announce any need for tithe, offering or donations.
They teach giving well but not as expecting everyone to bring anything that can be seen publicly or that can distract the focus of congregational service.
If you have all the money in the world, and you come to church,they don’t recognize it. They only recognize your salvation in Christ or your need to be saved from sin.
There is no time allotted during church service for any giving, offering or money lunching activity. You don’t try that there.
There is no need for any usher or protocol to get ready to move around to collect any money.
There is no need for heavy security details because you can’t even know difference between the rich and the poor.
It is believed that, it’s not everyone in church that is qualified to give to church if they are not born again.
It is believed that the message of salvation will be watered down if the church begins to collect money from general audience including those who are not born again in the congregation.
Money is a distraction to the message of the gospel of salvation.
Most times, unbelievers in church use money donations to gain sympathy of church leaders and eventually get appointed into key roles. Which is the devil’s ploy to infiltrate church systems. You can’t try that in this church. They can only appoint you if they see your life shows your belief in Jesus Christ.
The system in Apostolic Faith is so much that, believers are only expected to give and not unbelievers. And the believers that are giving can only do that willingly and not by pressure from pulpit announcement or anyone.
Box-like spaces are already created at the entrance wall of the building, but you won’t even see it if you are not a member or not used to the church. Because its plum with the wall just like Post office space we drop letters in those days. This is where any believer in Christ is expected to put anything they give willingly without distraction or body announcing.
Apostolic Faith Church is not after crowd pulling. The church isn’t after serious expansion in numbers. But only after the salvation of souls of everyone God brought into their space or church to hear the message.
Nearly every of the church’s messages center on salvation. You can’t escape hearing gospel message of salvation no matter how influential or pretentious you are.
Yes,the fire may not be burning like it used to burn in those days. Yet you can’t escape hearing the truth of the gospel and cry for your sins to repentance and be baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Members give, please don’t get me wrong. But no form of psychological pressure is exerted on anyone whatsoever.
There is what’s called “saints meeting” after church service (which is occasional)and only believers in Christ with the experience of salvation can join. That’s where we discuss church needs and everyone will still have to pray on their knee for God to provide. Nothing will still be collected, everyone is left to how God puts it in their heart to drop at the entrance wall spaces created for it. No paparazzi.
If anyone ask for church account, the church must be sure he or she is born again before releasing it. Unless they get the account on the screen and sent it without their knowledge.
Apostolic Faith Church money collection is a system of the gospel that no money can influence. No politician in Nigeria can survive influencing this church. If you like give billions, it’s only God that can recognize you and reward you. They will still tell you the whole truth of salvation and place no special reference on you. This church is solely for the gospel and not any political influence.
Count this church out for money laundering. Oh you can’t play such games here. You will cry for your sins and collect your money back immediately. Way leadership is structured does not even point to a figure who has sole power to do anything he likes.
A thin line though. There is a great possibility for most members of Apostolic Faith Church to relax in giving. Their ministers may be suffering and they will still get relaxed not to minister to them. But those whose inner eyes are open will understand this need to cater for their leaders privately.
I am not saying that the church is perfect. Not at all. Infact,there are small small hypocrisies as well,but they can’t subvert the system of operation and the message of salvation in this church.
I personally have issues as well with the spiral spiritual coldness pervading that church now, the water water group has quenched the fire fire group. 🤣 Those who are inside understands this better. May the Lord revive His church in Jesus name.
Oh how I wished many churches come to learn from this church’s focus on how to maintain balance with the message of the gospel and attitude to money collection. But they won’t because it will reduce their income.
The destruction that money has caused the churches of Christ in this nation is enormous. What do we say about many many compromising stands influenced by wrong money donations and laundering going on in many denominations.
If the church of Christ in Nigeria can overcome influence by money ,I believe there shall be true revival and dominion across and sundry.
Pastor Kumuyi was tutored in Apostolic Faith. He grew up with that kind of good mindset against misuse of money collection. Though in Deeper Life now I heard they now tax themselves because of expansion and expensive public retreats and crusades.
There is no where you pressurize people to give against their will and their souls will not become lean.
There is no where you collect donations from lean souls and you expect your truth to be weighty on their hearts to transform them.
You can’t eat your cake and have it at the same time. So it is better to avoid the bait of money and be contented with only what God provides than pressurizing others for heavy projects.
God isn’t interested in projects than the souls of men. We must beware against prioritizing projects.
In my missionary activities,I make sure I do not exercise burden on men that God has not burden them with. If you support the work,you must be very fortunate because it is God accepting your sacrifices.
This is because Intercessions goes on day and night from the throne of grace to those people. And God doesn’t hide information about sacrifices that are not acceptable from us. Which means,the truth of the gospel can’t be spiritually bought when we continually interceed for souls and avoid influence by money.
May the church in Nigeria arise and stop collecting money from wrong sources. This is what is reducing the influence of the churches positively. Despite numerical growth, revival of righteousness isn’t growing.
May Jesus come quickly. Amen
God bless you.
