I CAN’T COLLECT IT!
Early this month, I was invited to minister somewhere in Lagos, after the program, food was packed in a take-away for me as food was served for everyone in the program, I collected the food and as I was about to leave, one of their leaders approached me and presented an envelop to me containing cash, I smiled and said, “Sorry, I don’t take such.” He objected that I couldn’t refuse it because he was instructed to do so. I told him to he would need to go back to those who instructed him that I’m sorry I can’t take it.
Does that makes it wrong, as a minister of the gospel to collect honorarium? As a matter of fact, I spent money even to transport myself to the program, went there with a private taxi, and as the program ended a taxi also came to pick me to where I stayed at my brother’s house in Lagos.
No, it’s not wrong for a minister of God to collect honorarium as long that is not his focus, but it is wrong for a minister of God like me to collect it. The reason being that God has given me a source of income, a business, to take care of my work of ministry. Before I entered there to minister, I answered business calls, and as I went into the program, silenced my phone, several calls from customers were waiting for me, so would I still collect money for ministering? It would not only be bad but also barbaric.
As a minister of gospel, if God blesses you with a good job or business, do you still need to sell your ministrations and collect every money offered to you for ministration? Such is wrong.
It’s always baffles me when I see our multimillionaire preachers still selling their CDs and books, yet they claim no man can enrich them and their blessings are supernatural, but they sell everything and collect every money and still tax even the youth and unemployed in their churches.
Godliness with contentment is a great gain. I am not here to be rich but to richly bless lives.
“Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
– 1 Timothy 6:6-10
RTEM: rtemoutreach.org