“Hold your churches responsible for widespread corruption,” pastor tells Nigerians
“It is the faulty and corrupt messages we have introduced to our pulpits that is responsible for producing corrupt practices in our society.”
That is the submission of the founder of Embassy of God Church, Pastor Sunday Adelaja, on why Nigeria is so corrupt.
Nigeria is so corrupt that Muhammadu Buhari won the election probably because he chose the “I will fight corruption” mantra during his presidential campaign.
As far as Adelaja is concerned, the so called “prosperity” messages being “peddled” by Nigerian Christian leaders are the reasons the country, despite having the highest number of churches in the world, is so laden with corruption.
“A pastor could say that somebody would be a millionaire before the end of the year,” Adelaja said in an interview with The Nation.
“Whereas we are in November or December and there are 500 people in that auditorium.
“All of them will shout amen. Yet Pastors don’t correct them saying that no, you would not become a millionaire before the end of the year even if you shout amen for the whole day.
“The only person that would become a millionaire is the person that has worked for it.
“The only person that would become a millionaire is the person that has at least signed a contract.
“When pastors don’t clarify that, everybody begins to believe that some miracles would happen.
“So when such a member goes to his office and he sees an unsigned check for a million dollars and nobody is claiming responsibility for it, he claims it.
“He believes that it is God that has provided for him. That is how corruption gets from the pulpit to the society. That particular member would claim that God has answered his pastor’s prayer.
“He would boldly come to give testimony the following Sunday while the naïve and ignorant members would shout hallelujah!
“Meanwhile, they too are expecting similar miracles and on and on. That is how the vicious circle of corruption from the pulpit to the whole country runs.
“Most of our value system is influenced by faith and religion.
“That is why I am saying it is the faulty and corrupt messages we have introduced to our pulpits that is responsible for producing corrupt practices in our society,” he said.
Do you agree with the pastor?
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