FRAUDSTERS AND PASTORS AS ACCOMPLICES

1 Timothy 6:8-9 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in
destruction and perdition.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

 Luke 3:14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.


Fews weeks ago,the whole world woke up to the news of 80 Nigerians being indicted for Wire fraud. According to the FBI it was one sophisticated network that pry on the elderly, businesses and a whole lot more. You can read sordid story on the internet and of course, i will be underating your awareness if  i think you have not heard about this. Now to Nigeria.

On sundays  roads are busy, especially in the early hours and there traffic jam because many are on their way to worship centres usually dressed up in their finest. On Fridays it is no different either as many are on their way to worship places. Meanwhile speakers are blaring from every nook and cranny with religious songs.


What baffles one is  the fact that Nigeria is one of the most religious country in the world. I will say that without mincing words. And most of these fraudsters are members of popular  churches and have free access to most of the popular clergymen in that country; talk about having a form of Godliness, but denying the power . The few honest ones in these churches like those who fund large sums of foreign currencies in their humble task of cleaning the Airport toilets are push to the corner in these churches. They are neither seen nor heard ,some will  equaint their findings to God's way of picking their calls, but they choose to die in their poverty.

I indict the clergymen in Nigeria as a whole. [ am a pastor, too and nothing i value more than this high calling] How many times do we hear quotations like the opening ones above from our pulpit? How many time do we hear  seminars that is about contentment and the virtues of starting small? It is almost nonexistent  because if i want to lunch a building fund for an ultra modern theater as a pastor, you will  not expect me to call a co pastor who preaches about virtues, or righteousness. I will rather, go for a pastor who has  many  dramatic stories to choose from. Like how God blessed him after he  he sold his only car and gave the proceed to the church, he will go on to regal the members of how a church member, a student, donated his school fees and lo and behold, before he gets home he got a call from a friend who is now residing abroad and has been looking on ways to get intouch ever since in order to bombard him with foreign funds for his education . These kinds of selective sermons are not uncommon today, from our pulpit.and they continually  ply you with such  potions from the bible to make you part with all that is in your wallet and all that is in your accounts. Not until you part with all your cash you  are not exercising faith enough to move God. Then one day you will want to try it and that is the intention of cause These salacious and flat out lies are dished out and most of the members who buys into these highly spun out lies are the poor and the average one eking out a mere living: They fall for it hook line and sinker cause they, too want to be rich .We all heard about a popular pastor who got a big chunk from one member when confronted by the police he said the money was not given to his person, but to the church of Go, therefore, he has nothing to return Yes, those who do not give are not blessed and can never be blessed  and those who always give will continue to get the contract, Most pastors have deliberately equate the money as the sole determiner of God's blessing and a sign of  approval in our lives. The reason for this kind of GROOMING, is because the clergymen are covetous and greedy. Many are covetous because they must have a primary school, secondary school, and University like the other church, too.  If these projects must be carried out then there must be a continuous awareness and preaching about the importance of giving. Thus, you have throughout the year and the year following about money and giving.when you give you are celebrated and have access to your pastor easily not to talk about the respect and and high regards you will commands.  It is the message from the pulpit that makes the man on the pew.  If clergy men will never preach about the virtues of hard work, honesty and contentment, if they do  not  talk about blessing in being upright and having integrity, how do we expect their members to imbibe these things? If we glorify wealth and call it God's blessing no matter, how  it is acquired how on earth do we  expect our youth to be good ambassador?

The message spewing out of a typical Nigerian pulpit is about the more you give to God the more he will bless you, the more you donate to any course or project going on in  the church   the more God will hear your petitions, the more you sponsor church programs, the more you will never be denied anything by God and Men. Thus the getrichmania, the avarice the covetousness and the greed as seen today from the Nigerian in the diaspora and home is the careful grooming of the church.

If  our outlook on wealth , can be trimmed and honesty and good stewardship becomes the core message we hear from the pulpit then Nigeria will have turned the path unto a people who is God fearing indeed, and not just a religious country

The bible says in  Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. But if these biblical injunctions is carried out who will pay for the projects and the pastor's dream of a bigger and more magnificent church building?And how will the university project be completed. People without vision perish , they tell you.
The opinion from the public square concerning us, pastors is below expectation. I therefore, urge us to turn up the volume of our spiritual consciousness. For now, wealth and materialism must be thrown out the window and patriotism, respect for the present government, hardwork  and contentment brought in to stay.  Any clergyman sympathetic to crime must be expose by any God Fearing member[s]

If the message coming from our pulpit is not changed it will be impossible and implausible to expect our youth and   the average Nigerian  to renew his/her mind.

Will be seeing you

Godwin Guobadia, writes from Amsterdam.