Friday, March 29, 2024

A true pastor should not be rich- Theologians’ president

…as ACTS sticks to gun on ‘wrongfulness of tithe’

The Association of Christian Theologians, at the weekend, expanded its criticisms of modern churches, saying true pastors are not supposed to be rich.

The ACTS had last week drawn the flaks of many Christians, who disagreed with the body for declaring that Christians should not pay tithe, considered as the 10th per cent of their income.

The body, in condemning tithe payment, said the rite was meant for the House of Jacob, to which Nigerians and Africans do not belong. Rather, it said Nigerians descended from Ham, a race of the Gentiles.

Reacting to accusations of heresy and demonism placed on the body of theologians over its anti-tithe stance, the ACTS National President, Prof. Kunle Macaulay, said, “We are not in any way moved by people raining curses on us or calling us the devil; what matters is that we have spoken out the biblical truth.”

Macaulay said since the anti-tithe story was published, he had received many hostile telephone calls filled with all sorts of uncomplimentary remarks, but that he was not deterred.

The 80-year-old president of the theologians, however, expanded his scope on the criticisms of existing modern churches by saying “all the extravagant lifestyles that pastors live nowadays have clearly shown that they are not true pastors.

“It’s important to know that true pastors, who devote themselves to the propagation of the gospel and of feeding the flock with the words of God, are not supposed to be rich in the way we have nowadays.

“Even, take the missionaries, for instance; when they came to Africa, they lived frugal lives, not taxing the congregation or engaging in secret love affairs that result in them having many children outside wedlock. They left all they had and focused on the gospel of Christ.

“Again, it is wrong for pastors to register churches in their families’ names and lodge contributions from the congregation in personal accounts, from which they build mansions, buy six, seven cars, while some even procure private jets.

“Some of these pastors, as we know, also own universities that many of their church members cannot muster the funds to put their children there.

“In those days, churches were governed by councils of elders who determine the salary of the pastor and see to his other needs as occasions dictate. The pastor was never an overlord, as we have these days.”

Macaulay thus urged that each church should subject its clergy to sound theological training, to stem the tide “of these perversions in Christendom.”

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