TribuneChurch examines the controversy surrounding the payment of tithes, as well as reports of some churches setting financial targets for their branches.
Malachi 3:8-10 states: “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye [are] cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, [even] this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it].”
Set in the commandments of the Old Testament, with references made to the practice in the New Testament, payment of tithes is a requirement – in some churches compulsory and others voluntary – for those who profess the Christian faith.
However, over the past few weeks, the issue of payment of tithes sparked controversy, with mega pastors, including the General Overseer worldwide of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor E.A. Adeboye, also taking a stand on the issue, insisting that tithes should be paid into the church.
Aside the issues surrounding payment of tithe, there have also been reports that some churches, in the bid to increase their financial base, set targets for member churches, with failure to meet up attracting varying levels of sanctions.
TribuneChurch spoke with some church leaders, who shared their views on the issues raised.
Paying tithes not outdated commandment —Bishop Aladekugbe
Bishop of Oyo Diocese, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), The Right Reverend Williams Aladekugbe, affirmed to TribuneChurch that paying tithes is not an outdated commandment.
He said: “God’s words can never be outdated. If we still believe in miracles, in the potency of his word and power to bring healing, then, His words concerning tithes as well can never be outdated. Those saying this are only doing so because they don’t want to give to the church.
“The commandment, as it is written in the Bible, is that all tithes must be brought to the house of God. It is good to give to the needy and poor, but the commandment must be upheld which says all tithes must be brought to the house of God. Anything outside this is an aberration.”
Describing the report of churches setting monetary targets in the style of financial institutions, Bishop Aladekugbe described such as news to him, stating that “I don’t know why targets should be set for church members. Whatever the church has is dependent on the free contribution of the church, which could come in form of tithes, offerings, gifts or donations.”
Those against tithing are modern-day theorists, half-baked in the things of God —Bishop Adeoye
Bishop Seun Adeoye of Sufficient Grace and Truth Ministry, who insisted that payment of tithes should not be given to pastors personally, but remitted into the coffers of the church, said it was a doctrine of the devil to believe payment of tithes was erroneous or outdated.
“It is never going to be an outdated commandment. Tithe-paying started with Abraham; Abraham paid his tithe decades before the law of Moses, and when the law of Moses came, it adopted tithes so that it could be used for the church. The Bible tells us three things that tithes can be used for: to help widows; to help the underprivileged, and lastly, help ministers of the gospel, that is the Levites. In the Old Testament the Levites were not expected to own property, because they belong to God, so it is the tithe they are supposed to use to provide for their family.
“Jesus never condemned anybody that paid tithes; there are some laws in the scriptures that Jesus Christ overrode, however, in the case of tithes, Jesus never told us not to pay tithe. It is a doctrine of the devil for anyone to be of the belief that paying tithes is outdated or erroneous. It must be noted that tithe collected from members must be used for what it is meant for. I don’t support any Christian paying tithe personally to his/her pastor; tithe should be paid to the church, so that they can use it for the purpose it is meant for. Those against tithing are modern-day theorists, who I see as half-baked in the things of God. This agitation will soon fizzle out. God’s holy injunctions cannot be wished away by mere man,” he stated.
In his reaction to the reports of churches setting financial targets, he condemned the practice, stating that the church should not be run like a business venture.
“If the general overseers of some churches give such directive to their pastors, it could lead them into a lot of negative things that they are not supposed to engage in. It could cause some members to dole out money which they don’t have, considering the present economic situation. It is morally and spiritually wrong for pastors to give instructions that a certain amount of money should be raised for a purpose,” he said.
At RCCG, the target is to win souls’
Pastor Femi Awodokun of the RCCG also denounced the reports of financial targets for churches, stating that “we don’t create financial targets, rather the target is to win souls to Christ. If there is any such church, it is not the true church of God and they don’t follow what is written in the Bible. They only want to benefit from material and worldly things.”
You don’t have a choice but to pay tithes —ECWA Gen. Sec
General Secretary, Evangelical Church of Wining All (ECWA), Reverend Yunusa Sabo Nmadu Jnr, in his reaction, said: “since the issue of paying tithes is the issue of law as you find it in the Old Testament, you just have to pay, you don’t have a choice. Therefore, if in the Old Testament the law propels us to give 10 per cent and the New Testament is the progression of the Old Testament and our propelling force in the New Testament is love, it means therefore that we should give more than ten percent in the New Testament.
“I will disagree with those who want to help the needy and take what their tithe should be and administer it themselves. I would say after you have paid your tithe, you can help the needy from the remaining percentage that is left, but not from what belong to God. Don’t forget that tithing in the Old Testament is what was used to feed and to take care of the priests.”
General Overseer, Gospel Believers Mission, Reverend (Dr) Adolphus Ayanacho, in his contribution, noted that “Paying tithes is compulsory, but we do not supervise it and it is not a criterion for membership. Up till now, I can’t see the reasons for the controversy. Our pastors remit tithes, but not all. We have a vision; where God puts you, develop it by using the resources you gather, but to show your loyalty to the headquarters, you remit part of it. The percentage remitted is not up to one-quarter.”
He affirmed that pastors of the church are given financial targets, as “five per cent in a year in terms of numerical growth, which will transcend into financial growth, but it is advisable and not compulsory. It’s just following some management principles. That is all.”
Pastor Damilare Tijani also confirmed that the target by the RCCG was to “increase the number of people that come to Christ. If everyone receives Christ into their lives, Nigeria will not become a den of robbers and thieves. Love will be spread abroad in the hearts of men. God’s commandment on paying tithes must be obeyed; paying tithes is different from financial target. Tithing is the key and not financial target.”
Daniel Akere, a member of Christ Embassy said: “It is true that churches set financial targets for their members, especially individuals that have their own and are seeking for ways to keep up with other churches. They set financial targets for members because they have targets to meet, which they set for themselves, which is to procure musical instruments and some other projects the church will work on. Pastors in our time are only interested in building cathedrals, unlike the early apostles who cared less about buildings, but were more interested in preaching the gospel of Christ, and seeing people transformed and won for Christ,” he stated.
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Business remains business, target must be met. In the name of God plc!