Amidst the ongoing controversy surrounding tithing in the Nigerian church and in Christendom, generally. Following a recent interview with Nigerian clergyman, senior pastor of Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC), London, Matthew Ashimolowo, where he shared his ordeal in the Nigeria stock market, specifically with some banks in Nigeria, Reno Omokri, a member of the People’s Democratic Party and former Special Assistant on Digital Media to Former President, Goodluck Jonathan has accused Ashimolowo of contradicting his own teachings on prosperity.....CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE
Omokri, in a post he made on his Facebook page on Friday emphasized that the KICC senior pastor’s personal life experiences wholesomely contradicted what he has been teaching about prosperity.
Stunned Omokri expressed shock over Ashimolowo’s revelation of losing money in some stock businesses, leaving Reno to ask if the Prosperity preacher did not pay tithe, to have amassed such stupendous loss.
Matthew Ashimolowo, during a recent interview had narrated his near-hell experiences in stock exchange business in Nigeria, noting that “In Nigeria shares’ space, I have suffered, I wouldn’t touch it. I bought for 36Million Naira (SIC), first bank, at 36Naira per shares, it fell to 12Naira, I lost that. I went and borrowed 60Million Naira in 2005 or 2006 from Sterling bank, to buy sky bank shares, it fell from 14Naira to 2Naira and 50Kobo, washed away! Sterling bank showed up in our office with four police men, to come and collect their money, I had to look for that money within 2-3 months. I bought GTB for something like 18Naira, GTB fell to 3Naira and 60Kobo. All those monies I told you I lost, imagine if 20 years ago, I used it to buy land”- Matthew Ashimolowo lamented.
Matthew Ashimolowo has been one of the most audible voices in the world of prosperity gospel. Ashimolow believes and teaches that there are ‘kingdom principles’ that must be adhered, to be financially successful, some of which are paying tithe, sowing seeds, among other monetised principles.
Other Nigerian pastors who associate paying of tithe with financial prosperity is the Redeemed Christian Church of God’s General Overseer, Pastor E. A. Adeboye, who once said that “Anyone who does not pay tithe is going to hell, full stop!”; Winners’ Chapel’s Bishop Oyedepo, one of the richest pastors in the world, he also taught his congregation that the biblical Job faced tribulation “because he was not a tither”, and many other preachers.
However, some pastors, with Pastor Abel Damina of Abel Damina Ministries International championing the campaign in Nigeria, have refuted claims that tithing assures financial prosperity, described the claim as unscriptural and imaginary transactional gospel.
To not deviate, Reno Omokri while reacting to Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo’s interview, further explained with some Bible verses like Hosea 4:6; Leviticus 20:13; Deuteronomy 20:11; Samuel 12:8; Acts 2:44-45; Hebrews 7:4; Joshua 13:14; Deuteronomy 14:24-26; Matthew 23:23; Malachi 3:11; John 8:32 and Hosea 4:6 to substantiate his position, that “Tithing can never make you wealthy, and Matthew Ashimolowo’s experience in the stock market is a testament to that fact. Tithing has NOTHING to do with financial prosperity.”
However, some of the critical questions Omokri asked include: “If tithing is the way to wealth and this prosperity Gospel is effective, why would Mr. Matthew Ashimolowo complain about losing such large amounts? Why will he borrow from a bank?
