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"You don't expect me to preach the gospel all over the world on a bicycle"
- An African preacher on why he owns two private jets.
Today, the gospel of Christ has been preached in nearly every nations of the world. And with the translation of the original texts of the bible into thousands of tongues, it is no exaggeration to say that the name, Jesus, is one of the most popular in the world. As the fame of Jesus penetrates the world, however, it is unfortunate that several modern day churches have diluted the gospel of Jesus, commercializing it; more interested in making money than redeeming lost souls. What do we get in the end? We get an adulterated gospel, the gospel which enriches the churches and empty the pockets of the congregants.
The major gospel dominating the churches today is the gospel of prosperity, the gospel of sowing a seed (money) and harvesting great blessings. This gospel projects Jesus as the proprietor of a ponzi scheme who collects money from investors and returns profits in a hundred fold.
In Africa, some popular churches have profited so much from prosperity messages that the presiding pastors now own two or more private jets and universities which charge tuition that cannot be afforded by over 80% of the church members. This is a misnomer in a continent where only a microscopic few live above two dollars per day according to a World Bank report.
At this point, it is pertinent to point out that the original gospel of Jesus was not materialistic. Instead, Jesus' teachings and parables stressed love and selflessness. Jesus himself lived a simple and straightforward life, laying down his own life for the redemption of mankind. Here is the Jesus today's churches no longer preach:
The Jesus Who Had No Where to Lay His Head
In the book of Luke 9:58 Jesus declared,
And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
The above scripture does not literarily mean that Jesus was sleeping on the streets. Jesus intentionally made the comment to show to his followers that he cared less about worldly possessions because they are distractions to the works of the kingdom. To stress this point, Jesus told us in the parable of the sower about how the cares of this world snatched away the word from the listener.
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The Jesus Who Did Not Discriminate Against the Poor
We read in the book of Mark 12:42-44 the story of the widow who dropped two mites in the offering basket, together with other rich men who gave greater gifts. Afterwards, Jesus told his disciples that the widow gave the hugest offering. Jesus did not disregard the widow because she gave very little. Is this the case in present day churches? Certainly, no. The rich, those who give more to the churches, are highly regarded than every other members of the church. We now have a situation where the biggests donors are kings in the churches.
The Jesus Who Did Not Fly A Private Jet
The reader may be tempted to argue that Jesus simply did not fly a private jet because there was no private jet in his age. I strongly hold a contrary opinion because Jesus advocated modesty through his teachings and lifestyle.
For instance, on the important occasion of his triumphant entry (see Mark 11:1-11) into Jerusalem Jesus did not ride in an expensive private chariot. Instead, he rode on a colt with a zero budget. He did not tell his disciples to sow seeds, so that he could enrich himself. What gospel do we preach in the churches today? The gospel which saya that Jesus became poor so that the preachers and the listeners could become rich enough to own private jets.
The Jesus Who Enriches the Poor; Not Himself
In the book of Luke 18:18-23 a fine, rich gentleman came to Jesus, asking him what he could do to be saved. After some discussions, Jesus instructed him to sell all his possessions and give it to the poor and follow him. The rich man went away, sad. If this same scenario had played out itself in present day churches, the preacher would have probably told the rich man to sell all that he had and give the money to the church.
Jesus demonstrated severally that giving was to be done for the poor, not the church. This does not mean that the church should not receive offerings. Giving should be more about enriching the lives of the poor and less privileged than enriching preachers and the churches. See Matthew 25:34-46
The Jesus Who Did Not Receive Tithes
There is no record of Jesus receiving tithes from his followers. Jesus knew that the book of Malachi was existing during his time but he never quoted it to intimidate and frighten his followers into paying their tithes to him. He knew that he was not a Levite and by right had no inheritance in tithe. Are today's preachers wiser than Jesus? Are they holier than the Pope? Where is the scriptural foundation for tithing in the new testament? There is no scriptural foundation for tithing in the new testament and, unfortunately, it is too late for today's preachers to write their own gospel.
I will conclude by admonishing churches all over the world to preach the undiluted word of God, so that the spirit of God can freely manifest himself in the lives of the children of God. Christians should also endeavour to find out the truth for themselves from the scriptures. This will prevent Christians from being misled by charlatans who call themselves preachers in the churches.
Not only in Africa, but in America too many pastors are not preaching about holiness, the blood of Christ, and hell. They do not want to offend their donors by teaching about the eternal rewards for suffering for righteousness and the name of Christ.
The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
I love this piece because you actually poured out your mind and I agree to that.
The pastor of today love interpreting the word of God to suit there needs, the pastors of today have respect for the rich but doesn't care about the poor. The churches of today are more concern about prosperity than salvation forgetting wealth and riches does not guarantee a spot in heave the case of Lazarus.
Well, I hope these things changes and the present churches realise that salvation is actually free for all.
Thanks for your comment on this. Your contributions are well received. I also hope these things change because young Christians are becoming atheist every now and then.
This problem is all over Latin America as well, we see preacher who ask for money and accumulate wealth going against scripture. This reminds me also the church history with indulgences sales of the middle age that faced Luther and the reformers, we are repiting the history. We can learn from the scripture and our church history how to face this problem. We can try to correct every wrong teaching that is coming out everyday or we can preach the truth and the heresy will disappear.
Great post, totaly agree with you.
Really wonderful post! Thanks for sharing. God bless
good post, you deserve a good ranking, I follow you.
Thanks for reading. I appreciate
So good to see people of like mind on steemchurch! Permit me to tell a story of myself!
I lost my job and had no money to care for my immediate family. Some of bosses in my office approached me to sponsor me while I open a church because according to them, I had what it takes to run a church and draw multitude! These were nominal church goers who were yet to know the Lord!
God never told me that!
Family also rejected me because people who knew less scripture and less anointing were changing cars after entering full time ministry, and I was barely looking for food to feed my family!
Wherever one goes, you don't have money, it means God is angry with you!
The amount of people you can bewitch to collect money from in the name of praying for them, telling them to sow seeds for miracles determines how much of the work of God you are doing!
It is difficult to see where to fellowship sincerely without worshipping mammon in my side of the world!
The saying of Jesus that
[[Mat 6:24]] KJV No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Is the truth now!
Several quotes are created now!
Jesus was born I amamger that I might be born in the maternity; He rode on an ass that I might ride in limousine,
Yes! It is written that He was made poor that we might be rich; but rich in what? In gold and silver that perishes?
We really need to have a personal revelation of Jesus or our race is in vain.
I love you post sir and I will follow you. You have my brand of the gospel.
If I make sense, kindly upvote and let's share more of the truth. @rabiuaudu from the sides of Africa.
Thanks for the fresh perspectives you have brought into this conversation. I am really impressed. I've already followed you.
God bless you.
Sad but true, well said
I grew up in Christianity. At one point, I had to know for myself what I ought to believe. I settled for what the resurrected Jesus told His disciples: "Teach the nations to observe the things whatsoever I have commanded you".
Lay no treasures up for yourself on Earth.
Sell the earthly treasures you have.
Give to people who can't pay you back.
Treat people the way you want to be treated.
That last one needs explanation. All of us need others to work with their hands. We need servants to grow food, make clothes, deliver water, build houses, and work cheap. Since that's the way we want others to behave toward is, we should return the service.
No one needs a guy who spends all his time talking - telling us how we ought to treat him.
I understand fully what you mean when you said,
You made a very good point. Thanks. I appreciate you.
No one should even be going to "church", Christ warned us quite a few times about going to those "unrighteous assemblies", those "dens of thieves"... He encouraged us to gather and fellowship in open areas or near rivers, lakes, or seas, even in our own private homes.
God encouraged us to tithe, to bring our first fruits to the storehouse, Christ taught us that the storehouse is no longer a building, but is within the temple which is our bodies and the storehouse is within our hearts. So in a sense, God was teaching us how to save.
Paul, writing on behalf of not only himself but all the apostles, declared that to be yoked together with unbelievers was to receive the grace of God in vain. The remedy, he said, was to come out from among the unclean to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. Perfecting holiness requires us to live in community. Living in community requires oversight. For that purpose, he taught how to recognize overseers. Peter wrote that the ones who were true elders should take the oversight.
Take the oversight. Assume it. Create a New Covenant community. For men, they should learn to be a sons, first. Then, they should learn to be brothers. At some point, they may be required to learn how to be husbands; and, then, fathers. Eventually, every Christian man who learns to be good neighbor (having the supporting testimony of those who know him) should become an elder taking oversight of the flock of the Lord.
I wouldn't be surprised to find out, some day, that the monasteries and abbeys and friaries of the Orthodox churches are - though they seem nothing more than vestigial remnants of religious tradition - communities that reflect something of the first expression of Christianity.
Paul said that if he built up what God tore down, it would be a disgrace to God. Being that Christ tore down the temple and built it up in us, our body. It then becomes apparent that such buildings are a disgrace to God, and God calls His people to come out and depart from them.
Christ did not come to bring peace, but a sword... He came to cause separation, but in this time, it's apparent that all the unrighteous assemblies are worried more of unifying all relgions.
Agreed. Community is all the "temple" we need. We are the body of Christ. We know that our body - the one Body into which we have all been placed - is the temple.
No cost, no repentance, no denying self, no becoming least if you want to me the greatest. I guess it is possible someone might need a jet, but two? Is this jet available for the Body of Christ? I believe there is going to be a special kind of judgement for the preacher who smooth talked the poor and the widow out of their little to build a kingdom for themselves and live like kings. These folks that live in luxury while people are starving and naked. “You did it not unto me”
Judgement will start from the house of God. Glad reading your feedback.
So true!
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Hmm,you said it all man.I read through the lines and i must say that i am impressed.
But if the the truth be told,we should have known that even the scripture said that times as such shall come and its now!it is a good thing to speak up, and its entirely to defend our course.
I am glad you read this article and gave a sincere feedback on it. Thank you so much.
But, Jesus should be the focus of our messages.
WE need to exam ourselves.
Thanks
I agree with you.
Well what you have said is true and most people agree with that. But the question is do we try to look inwards by examining ourselves first and then the religious group we belong. Well, sadly some of us
Find ourselves worshipping among people whose goal is as you described above n still we believe we can still be there and render sacred worship?
We can still render sacred worship as long as we follow the true doctrine.
Wonderful article my brother. Which congregation?
Thanks for reading. I belong to the congregation of Christ.
Oh really that's good
May the Lord pour out his blessings abundantly and beyond human measure on this steem community of Christ Followers! in Jesus' precocious sweet name, the name above all other names!
I say amen to your beautiful prayers. Thanks.
I will love to enlighten you on this grey area in my tomorrow post. But I really love your post and will immediately follow u
I will be looking forward to your article. Regards.
Sorry this came late, but you @gandhibaba can check out my article on "Tithing" here: https://steemit.com/steemchurch/@joejoesky/all-you-need-to-know-about-tithing
I would ask everyone, especially in the West, to consider that we are all living in the midst of a Holocaust, the blood of the innocent aborted has polluted the streets of our cities, and we are all guilty. The only weapon against evil is the Word of God, and yet the churches are silent, regarding "fighting abortion" as a "special calling" for the few so the rest can go on living their peaceful comfortable lives.
Beautiful post
Hello, god bless you! Thans for you publicacion!