Over the weekend, while Nigerians were mourning actor and comedian John Okafor, popularly known as Mr Ibu, a Facebook post by a pastor trended and brought to the fore the growing distorted brand of Christianity being spread in Nigeria.
Using the pictures of Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, and Mr. Ibu, the man with the profile name “Pastor Fortune Makarios” posted on Saturday, March 2, 2024:
“The Man on the left is a Pastor and He is Celebrating His 82 years old (sic) birthday today.
“The brother on the right is a comedian and He just died at 62 today.
“What do you learn from this?
“Use your life to serve GOD.
“UNTIMELY DEATH SHALL NOT BE YOUR PORTION IN JESUS NAME.”
When he received some backlash for the post, he added: “If you like insult me for saying the truth but you cannot change the truth that those who genuinely serve God with their life like Papa Adeboye cannot die untimely (sic). My name is Pastor Fortune, Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. John 8: 32.”
Despite all the examples that were shown to him to prove that his perspective is anti-Christian, the man stuck to his gun that he was stating the raw truth from the Bible. Funnily, he did not quote where the Christian teaching states that those who serve God genuinely as Christians cannot die prematurely. The irony of his post was that in March 2021, the oldest surviving son of Pastor Adeboye – Pastor Dare Adeboye – died at the young age of 42 years. In 2005, Pastor Bimbo Odukoya died in a Sosoliso Airlines plane crash at the age of 45 years. In 1998, Bishop Benson Idahosa, one of the pioneers of Pentecostalism in Nigeria, died at the age of 59 years. In 2014, popular Bahamian televangelist, Dr Myles Munroe, died in a plane crash at the age of 60. There are many other pastors and notable Christian ministers who died prematurely and even tragically.
But most importantly, the founder of Christianity, Jesus Christ, died at the estimated age of 33 years. What could be more premature than that, which is supposed to be the prime of one’s life? But no discerning Christian describes that as premature, because the teaching of Christianity is not how long but how well. Just like Jesus, virtually all His apostles died prematurely and even tragically: killed for their faith. Christianity does not teach that longevity is the reward for holiness. Rather it teaches that the ultimate target of Christians is eternal life in heaven after their life on earth.
However, many pastors in Nigeria have introduced a more convenient twist to this fundamental Christian teaching, with the primary focus being wealth and enjoying the good life on earth. This is sustained by regularly quoting isolated passages from the Old Testament, without putting the context into account. For the sake of getting people to donate more and more money to them, many church leaders have turned Christianity upside-down by using fear-mongering to regularly send the false message that as long as you make offerings and pay tithes, you will have perfect health (with no illness), long life, abundant wealth, amazing success in your career, no armed robbery attack, no kidnapping, no accident, etc., which is contrary to the message of salvation Jesus Christ focused on and the plain truth He gave to His followers that “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b).
Also, contrary to the claim by many adherents of the older churches that this twisted, manipulative, and transactional teaching is found only in the newer churches, commonly known as Pentecostal churches, this cuts across all types of churches. It also does not happen only in cities. If you visit the hinterlands, you will still see many churches whose pastors or priests use all manner of tactics to fleece their worshippers. Many of those in charge of different parishes across the country are put under immense pressure by their superiors (bishops or general overseers) to meet monthly financial targets the same way bank branches do. Those who fail to meet the target are punished by being sent to parishes that are deemed “not juicy” or “more problematic.” Some are even sacked for failing to “grow the church.”
The only difference between the more established and Pentecostal churches is that the Pentecostal churches usually have an identifiable leader and founder, who is basically answerable to nobody. This makes their leaders more brazen, which is why it is warned that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Also, most Pentecostal churches are more media-hungry, which puts whatever they do in public view. If cameras are sent to some parishes of the older churches located in the hinterlands, people will be shocked by what is done in the name of church service, crusade or Bible class.
The level of distorted, manipulative, transactional and soulless Christianity that has been infused into many people over the years by some of those who call themselves pastors, prophets, and ministers of God is not only shocking but embarrassing. It has been exacerbated by the worsening economic and security situation in Nigeria. The more the people are besieged by situations like skyrocketing inflation (which makes meeting basic needs hard), kidnapping for ransom, and wanton killings, the more they place their last hope on religion. This makes it easier for them to believe any message that promises an instant solution. And given that they are regularly threatened that any disobedience or criticism of the word of a minister of God is a serious sin with quotations like “obedience is better than sacrifice” and “touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm,” they are afraid to question whatever they are told.
Ironically, the religious leaders who spread this false message that Christianity guarantees long life, wealth, and no problems fail to explain to their adherents why non-Christian countries like Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong in China usually post very high life expectancy figures of over 80 years, while Nigeria (with 54 years) is usually among the three countries with the lowest life expectancy.
Similarly, they also fail to explain why most of the richest men in the world are those who are not Christians or don’t even believe in God, including the man who founded Facebook where the man made this inhumane post. In addition, why do the United States, China, and India have the highest number of billionaires?
Christians should not believe any human being who tells them that if they give a certain amount of money to the church, they will get rich, or won’t die within that year of covenant, or won’t face illnesses or tragedies or problems. The only thing a Christian should be certain of in this world is hope of eternal life. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). That abundant life is not on earth here.
Paul said, “To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world” (1 Corinthians 4:11-13). These happened to those who worked directly with Jesus Christ.
Being a Christian or worshipping God does not guarantee anything on earth. It does not guarantee that you won’t die of cancer or heart attack or COVID-19 or plane crash or auto crash or through stray bullet or natural disaster. It does not guarantee immunity from business misfortunes. Christianity is not El Dorado or Utopia where you have a trouble-free, jolly good ride once you pay your tithe or give your offerings or sow a seed.
This is the message that many pastors have forfeited for a new one that attracts money and power to them. And it is creating more desperate citizens who have no scruples about how they or others make money, which worsens the insecurity in the country.
Credit: Azuka Onwuka