In 2011, a state government in Nigeria took a significant step towards fostering religious peace and harmony by convening a meeting between senior church leaders and their Islamic counterparts, chief Imams. This inter-faith meeting aimed to address the concerns and issues troubling the relationship between the Christian and Muslim communities in the state.
During the meeting, Islamic leaders were given the opportunity to express their grievances regarding their interactions with the Christian community.
One of the chief Imams highlighted a major concern: the conversion of their children, who were born Muslims, to Christianity during their time on university campuses. This phenomenon was deeply troubling to the Islamic leaders, as they observed unexpected and unwelcome changes in their children's behaviours and values after their conversion.
The chief Imam recounted that the girls who had converted to Christianity began to dress loosely, while the boys started to demand money from their parents. These changes were perceived as signs of increased greed and immorality, which the Islamic leaders attributed to their children's involvement with the current Nigerian churches.
They expressed their dismay at the stark contrast between the teachings of Jesus and other prophets in the Bible and the conduct of Nigerian church leaders, whose messages and lifestyles seemed to promote materialism and moral decay.
A church leader who attended the meeting shared his perspective on the Islamic leaders' frustration. He was deeply embarrassed and felt a profound sense of shame as he listened to the Islamic leader's narrative. The church leader acknowledged the gravity of the situation and the need for introspection within the Christian community to address the negative impact of their messages and practices on young converts.
This inter-faith meeting underscored the importance of dialogue and mutual understanding between religious communities in Nigeria. It revealed the deep-seated concerns of the Islamic leaders regarding the influence of contemporary Christianity on their children and highlighted the need for Nigerian church leaders to re-evaluate their approach to ministry.
To move forward, it is essential for both Christian and Muslim leaders to collaborate in promoting values of integrity, compassion, and respect for all individuals, regardless of their faith.
By fostering an environment of mutual respect and understanding, religious leaders can work together to build a more harmonious and morally upright society in Nigeria.
This meeting served as a reminder that the true essence of religious teaching lies in nurturing positive values and behaviors that contribute to the well-being of individuals and the community at large. It is a call to action for Nigerian church leaders to reflect on their practices and align them more closely with the teachings of Jesus and the prophets, ensuring that their influence on young converts leads to positive and transformative change.
According to Jewish temple traditions, Jews were not allowed to give offerings in the temple at Jerusalem using their coins that had the image of Caesar stamped on them. This was deemed idolatrous. Thus, when they arrived at Jerusalem from neighboring towns to celebrate the Jewish annual festivals, they were mandated by temple officials to change their coins with the money changers who hanged around the temple's premises. These money changers charged very exorbitant rates for these money-changing transactions.
Further, God specifically gave Moses the exact description of the types of animals that could be accepted for sacrifices in the temple for various annual festivals (Leviticus 22: 17-25). To be acceptable to God for sacrifice, these animals must be unblemished. Surprisingly, some Jews would still bring animals with various shades of defects and blemishes to the temple during the annual festivals for sacrifices, all of which would be flatly rejected by the temple officials. To be deemed acceptable, those who brought defective animals to the temple were also mandated to have their animals changed, a situation which also made the animal changers to charge the people exorbitantly to have their animals switched.
It would interest you to know that Caiaphas, the High Priest, according to Jewish history had a major stake in both the animal and the money changing business which explains why he and the rest of the aristocratic Sadducees hated Jesus so implacably. You would recall that Jesus once whipped the money changers out of the temple, scattering their money changing tables (John 2:14-15). You should now understand why Caiaphas, the High Priest was ready to get rid of Jesus when the opportunity came his way -- Jesus was robbing them of a lot of free money.
Famed Jewish historians, Flavius Josephus and Herodotus in their numerous accounts of Jewish history wrote that Caiaphas, the High Priest was very corrupt. Aside from plying his trade in the money and animal changing businesses, he actually became the High Priest under very controversial and dubious circumstances. He was alleged to have bribed his way through the rank and file of the Roman government to clinch the juicy position of the High Priest. In fact, according to church history, he spent more than the stipulated number of years as High Priest, having bought his way into the hearts of the Roman Government.
Aren't we seeing a repeat of history in these historical accounts?
The crucifixion of Jesus comes with an array of "behind the doors" scheming of corrupt religious leaders, ably facilitated by Judas. But here is the main point of this story; Jesus was hated to the point of death, not just because of His ministry or because of His miracles, but because He was a major stumbling block to the money mongering activities of the corrupt Roman elites, ably enabled by respected religious leaders.
History is still repeating itself again. The church of Christ has been fully monetised by a daring money mongering syndicate that has many so called pastors and ministers of God, both in word and in music, openly and brazenly trade the gifts of God in their lives for monetary benefits.
Just like our Saviour, if you dare to stand up against this money changing business, you could be cancelled or may be as good as dead. The money-changing model of the historical Roman elite is at the center of the world's financial system. It is a very lucrative business in the world, and now sadly, in the church. You cannot be part of the real Jesus of the Bible and be a monetiser of His grace and gifts.
In the heart of the Christian faith lies a profound truth: Jesus loves the poor. This message is not only a cornerstone of the Gospel but also a call to action for all believers. Jesus came into the world to save both the poor and the rich, and His love transcends all social and economic boundaries. It is imperative for Nigerian pastors and Christians to embrace this truth and reflect it in their teachings and actions.
Throughout the Bible, Jesus' compassion for the poor is evident. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and comforted the downtrodden. In Matthew 25:40, Jesus says, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."
This statement underscores the importance of caring for the poor and marginalised in society.
Across the globe, numerous churches and ministries are dedicated to supporting the poor and vulnerable. For instance, Christian Aid is a global movement of people, churches, and local organisations working to eradicate poverty and provide support to underdeveloped and developing countries.
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Another notable example is Bright Hope, an international Christian charity whose mission is to bring hope to those living on less than $2 a day. These organisations exemplify the Christian commitment to helping the poor and transforming communities.
In Nigeria, the rise of a materialistic gospel has had detrimental effects on both individuals and society. This gospel promotes the idea that wealth and material possessions are the ultimate goals, leading to unrealistic expectations and spiritual discontent. It has also contributed to the involvement of Nigerian youths in cybercrime, fraud, ritual activities, prostitution, human and drug trafficking, kidnapping, robbery, and hired killings. These activities reveal the growing materialism among Nigerian youths, including professed Christian youths, and highlight the need to address this issue.
Nigerian pastors and church leaders have a crucial role in combating the spread of materialism and promoting the true message of the Gospel. It is essential for pastors to stop preaching false messages that promote materialism and hatred for the poor. Instead, they should emphasise the love of Jesus for all people, regardless of their economic status. By doing so, they can foster a culture of compassion, generosity, and spiritual growth within their congregations. Jesus' love for the poor is a powerful reminder of the inclusive nature of the Gospel. Nigerian pastors and Christians must reaffirm this truth and actively work to support the poor and marginalised in their communities. By rejecting the materialistic gospel and embracing the teachings of Jesus, they can create a more just and compassionate society, where everyone is valued and loved.
Ayo Akerele is the senior pastor of Rhema Assembly and the founder of the Voice of the Watchmen Ministries in Ontario, Canada. He can be reached through [email protected]
