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The Gospel is a burden removing, yoke destroying power of God. It is not for sale. Church is not a business. Jesus did not die to make men millionaires but primarily to save us from our sins, and to produce sons and daughters who will be kingdom role models, heaven’s diplomats on earth, and genuine disciples of Christ in word and in deed.
I will never be part of any scheme or ministry related programme or project that’s intentionally designed to financially enrich me at the expense of God’s people, much less poor people. Never. In recent times, we held ministers’ conferences in a couple of places in Nigeria. Ahead of the programmes, I instructed my people who organised the programmes that every single offering or sales of my books must be given back to select pastors with serious needs in those meetings. We had planned all of these ahead of the programmes. Aside from feeding the ministers twice a day, I instructed the organisers to give back all the proceeds from the sales of my books to the people we had identified, without a single penny coming back to us. I am not saying this to brag, but wait until you find out what’s behind this story.
Furthermore, our ministry, by God’s grace, has done all manner of things over the years to help so many people we don’t even know, and that only God can reward. His name alone should be praised. I consider it an honour to be given this opportunity to shine the light of Christ. Now, this is not to say that because people are poor, they must not give to God. That’s not correct. In fact, God may even inspire or lead you to give to him right in your state of poverty, to trigger a miracle into your life. But this must be a God inspired instruction.
If it’s not from God, you may suffer after giving your last meal. In fact, I have personally experienced this in the past. But here is my point: “we must not be intentional about profiting personally from people.” We must not design programmes for the sole purpose of personally profiting from the people. In the story I’ve just shared about our ministry, I knew how much of economic stress was on the people. If the programmes were held in America, we might not have done that, except under a specific leading. But this was a very bad season in Nigeria when people were just recovering from the pains and loses of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was moved with compassion for the people, and I made up my mind that every single fund must go back to pastors who were really going through hard times.
Now, here is the background to this story. My heart was grieved when I saw a beloved minister of God, whose name I would never mention, charging fees for people to attend a programme. I don’t mention people’s name in circumstances where I’m trying to address negative issues.
It is impressed on my heart to encourage younger ministers to be wary of profiting from God’s people. If you are blessed with honorariums, praise the Lord for it, and trust God to guide your hearts into how you could build up resources for your work.
Now, here is the background to this story. My heart was grieved when I saw a beloved minister of God, whose name I would never mention, charging fees for people to attend a programme. I don’t mention people’s name in circumstances where I’m trying to address negative issues.
My heart was grieved. Have we lost every atom of fear for God? This minister is rich and already very prominent, globally. What do you want that God has not done for you? Let’s stop this nonsense. The gospel is not for sale. If you want to make money, start a business. Bring out your products and services, and brand them very well. You will make money. The time of keeping silent has passed. I am a transgenerational thinker. I look beyond my generation to the second, third and fourth generations. We have to think about the faith and fate of our children, many of whom are struggling to stand for Christ when they see the shenanigans going on in our churches. We must be defenders of the gospel. That’s our call. You don’t have to be a pulpit minister to stand for truth.
The level of apostasy and falling away among the brethren is heart rending, and at an all-time high. It is time to set the trumpet on our lips, mount the pinnacle of our temples, and scream out loud at the top of our voices, “The Gospel is not for sale.” It cost Jesus His precious blood. It has cost thousands of saints in Christian history their blood.
Please note that every new generation is always an improvement on the previous one. Our children will amplify our values. If we don’t clean up the current mess, the future is very bleak. Like the sons of Eli and Samuel, they will not just charge poor people money to attend services, they will sell church properties in exchange for business interests. To avert that, the change must begin now. They must see the purest form of worship from us. They must see us separate business from the worship of the true God. The time for speaking in a hushed tone has gone. This is not the time for hiding under the curtain to address issues. We are in a very bad time now.
The level of apostasy and falling away among the brethren is heart rending, and at an all-time high. It is time to set the trumpet on our lips, mount the pinnacle of our temples, and scream out loud at the top of our voices, “The Gospel is not for sale.” It cost Jesus His precious blood. It has cost thousands of saints in Christian history their blood. If the same gospel must advance in our generation, if the same gospel will expand the frontiers of personal and national transformation, it must also cost us something – the denial of the flesh so that the spirit can be saved on the day of the Lord!
The Gospel is a burden removing, yoke destroying power of God. It is not for sale. Church is not a business. Jesus did not die to make men millionaires but primarily to save us from our sins, and to produce sons and daughters who will be kingdom role models, heaven’s diplomats on earth, and genuine disciples of Christ in word and in deed.
Ayo Akerele, a le
Source: Premium Times | Read More
