I will normally look through the
dailies mostly online and simply pass by several articles without even passing
a comment. Though reading through the comments is sufficient to make one have a good laugh.
It could also upset one sometimes when you read ridiculous perspectives people
bring to bear on issues. But as they say everyone has his or her opinion. But I
could not just ignore Femi Aribisala’s article on Pastor E.A.Adeboye tagged
‘The Richest Man in the World’. I first stumbled on it in an online blog but
later saw in the Vanguard Newspapers. Inu bi mi igba ti mo ka article na
(translation: I was upset after reading the article).
At first I thought the article must
have been written by an ignorant atheist who has no idea about spiritual
things, but on a closer look I discovered that the writer is regarded as a
scholar, well published essayist and a Pastor, which even gets me more confused
as what the intention of the shallow and one-sided article is. I am not going
the route of ‘touch not my anointed …’ even if you have to touch them, let your
assertions be true, fair and just.
I was personally at the Redemption
Camp during the recently concluded annual convention when Daddy G.O. as we
fondly call him said, ‘I am richer than Bill Gates…’’ and I just had a feeling
that some soft-sell magazine would quote that statement out of context without
reference to the G.O’s explanation. But let me start with City of David’s
Trinity Towers project which Mr Aribisala likened to the Tower of Babel being built with church funds designed both for the worship of God and for
the worship of money. I attend bible study services sometimes in City of David
which by the way I enjoy thoroughly and I also a fair idea of the new project
which will house ultra-modern facilities like gym, sports arena etc apart from
the church auditorium.
Dear Mr Aribisala it is either of two
things. One, your idea of God is that he is a Pauper who sits in heaven upset
by the wealth of Christians or even though you have quoted several scriptures
you simply don’t understand what the Bible is talking about. In scriptures the
building of the temple is significant and even considered as an act of
reverence for God. David desired earnestly to build a temple for God – ‘See now
I dwell in a house of cedar but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.’’ (2 Samuel
7:2). In fact in Haggai God was upset with the people because they were
building houses for themselves while the house of the Lord was left in waste
(Haggai 2:4). I know we are of the new testament and now God does not just dwell
in temples but we are now the temple of God. Consequently the church is not the
location, we are the church and wherever Christians come together and call upon
the name of the Lord he is there in their midst
Should we then begin to hold church
services by the dust bin? I don’t understand the hypocrisy, it is fine to live
in luxury apartments, spend the summer holidays at choice resorts and even
drive fancy cars. But yet there is something not right about an ultra-modern
church building as it connotes the worship of money. Perhaps the lamest point
in Mr Aribisala’s article is his reference to City of David’s construction as a
blatant celebration of wealth in a poverty stricken country. Really! The church
which is supposed to be the light of the world should adjust its ‘behaviour’ to
the poverty in the country. Or would even the 2billion referred to as the cost
of the foundation for Trinity towers solve the poverty in the country? I am
disappointed at such thinking from a Scholar. This same Church feeds thousands
of people in need every Sunday through an intiative called ‘A Can can make a difference’,
runs a free cancer diagnostic centre, owns a football club which encourages grassroots
soccer development.
All these things don’t impress Mr
Aribisala, his concern is that “Of what relevance is a supermarket in a church?”
If you go to church regularly, you will realise how hungry one can be after
service. I eat bread and egg every Sunday after service, a supermarket in my church
would help me get my Sunday brunch recipe in time, I hope that answers your
question.
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