A Pastor in Nigeria has publicly repented on tithe collection in his ministry and vowed never to continue the habit.
Pastor Ufuoma Bernard, a religious radical and spiritual activist claims Christians are not obligated to pay tithes, a revelation he received after a month of poring through the Bible and critically examining both sides of the arguments for and against tithing.
“I am a pastor but I don’t know everything. I am a work in progress. I learn everyday and from everyone. I am open to new things. I am not stuck in dogma and tradition. I am a liberal person. I hate fanaticism. I am not interested in making money through church business or attracting large crowd or having branches of my church in every street and road. I am only interested in sharing the truth as I know it,” he purported while speaking his audience on social media 13 December.
In Nigeria, “Tithing” has become a controversial issue on social media for a long while now. Another Church leader, Ifedayo Olarinde, who is better known as Daddy Freeze took to his social media accounts to speak out against paying of tithes and offerings claiming “they are only meant to enrich the Pastors and General Overseers while the members end up in poverty.”
“We have been miseducated in many ways. If our teachers can admit that they were wrong, why can’t our pastors?” Daddy Freeze said. “The greatest blessing to Christianity was the sacrifice Jesus made; it was when he died on the cross and I don’t remember him charging the Israelites for it.”
“Your blessing is not connected to your tithe, or an offering, or a dangerous seed or a pastoral sacrifice – it is free,” he added.
In response, The President of Benson Idahosa University – Edo State, Nigeria Bishop Faith Emmanuel Benson Idahosa through local press, pulse.ng, advised Christians in Nigeria to avoid being misled by the Pastors against tithing.
He observed: “Tithing is a matter of love between me and God.”
“Tithing should not be an issue where someone is forced to tithe because the truth is, if you don’t tithe today, the church would not die. We have as part of our Core Values in the church that we tithe to show our commitments to God and show His commitments to us, to supply our needs,” he said.
“For me, I tithe because I love God and I do it because I trust Him to supply my needs. I give Him a part of my income which could be 10, 20 or 30%. There are pastors who give 40% of their income as tithe, not to other pastors but they inject it back into the church,” the scholar stated.
On the same note, General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, was prompted to address the matter, as naija.ng reported.
“The truth is, whatever you are paid may never be sufficient to meet all your needs because you are limited to that source, whereas you are open to various devourers,” he stated.
“In contrast, when you tithe, you will have access to resources beyond your income because God’s storehouse will be opened to you, and He will also block every source of losses in your life. It is a matter of choice. Why don’t you start trusting God from today by paying your tithe faithfully?” he added.
By Staff Writer.
