Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Pastor Adeboye, Buying a Plane to see God

By Tunde Fagbenle
Sunday Punch Newspaper, Nigeria
Sunday, Macrch 15, 2009

Have you heard the news? That our pastor, Pastor Adeboye, has acquired a brand new aircraft for N4 billion? Jesus is a mighty God, a mighty God, Jesus is a miracle God.

"Sharaap! Are you mad? So what business of mine is that? Now you see why I am not a Christian, and certainly cannot be your kind of mumu Christian. You are hungry and jobless and you are singing praises to Jesus that your bishop has gone to buy an aircraft for 4 billion naira! I am sorry for you. Please, get out of my sight."

"Na bad belle dey worry you. Can't you see the glory of God in that? A Gulfstream 4XP aircraft, whao, that's a pleasure ride, man, I mean a pleasure fly. Our pastor is the first to buy that kind of aircraft and he didn't even borrow a kobo to buy it. Cash down. I told you, our Redeemed Christian Church of God is the biggest and best church in the world, and buying this plane has just confirmed it, he has beaten others to it. We lead; others follow. Hallelujah!"

(Shaking his head) "Are you sure you're well? So, tell me, where did your pastor get N4billion from? With that kind of money, do you know what industry he can set up to provide employment for thousands, the likes of you jobless graduates who throng his churches in droves seeking the "salvation" of a job? In a land full of poverty and deprivation, a "man of God" goes ahead collecting monies from the poor and rich, promising them the kingdom of God, and going ahead to buy such luxury aircraft. Psshhh!"

"What you fail to know in your ignorance is that that money is not just our collections, not just our tithes and offerings, it is the blessing of God. How is it possible to collect N4billion just like that if God did not bless it? It is like the miracle of the five fish and two loaves with which Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour fed five thousand people. These things are not possible except through God. Look at all the wonders that are happening to us, look at the size of our churches, look at our university, everything. And we can still buy a N4billion aircraft and you think that is done by man? You are ignorant. May God open your eyes and let you see His wonders."

"O, I see! You guys collected N4,000 and your pastor performed Jesus miracle, prayed on it and it turned to N4billion! I wonder where is the taxman. About time religion stops being the excuse for not paying taxes. I am ignorant, ehn? Well, I would rather remain so than belong to your "enlightened" group."

"So, what's your gripe, anyway? What's an ordinary N4billion aircraft when even smaller boys own bigger planes in America, and even here in Nigeria? After all, Bishop Oyedepo of Winners Chapel, also has an aircraft. But ours has beaten his own."

"So, it's a case of 'my Mercedes is bigger than yours'? Hehehe."

"Stay there. If only you know how busy our pastor is and the magnitude of the evangelism he can achieve by being able to fly all over the world at short notice and convert people and expand our size, then you wouldn't be saying the nonsense you are saying. With that plane, now you have to know that no matter the money you bring to God through our church, you know our pastor is bigger than that. You bow."

"Hmmmmm, I see. But tell me, when will you get a job, now that your bishop has bought this plane?"

"Leave that alone. What you don't know is that in the same way that God has been faithful to Bishop Adeboye and granted him his wish for this plane, so will He be faithful to the rest of us and grant our wishes. Even with this plane, how do you know it wouldn't be a means for our bishop to be able to carry our supplications to God in heaven faster?"

"O, I see. You must be right. The plane flies in the sky, and heaven is in the sky, sebi? So your pastor will literally fly in his new plane to take your supplications to God? O pari o!"

"The fool says in his heart, there is no God. Please stop being a fool. I want you in paradise with me."

"I pass. Your pastor should be enough company there."

"So, what about the N100 I asked for? I'm really hungry, man."

"N100? Hundred naira ko, hundred kobo ni. Adeboye no dey there?"

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

As I read this I remember the story in Matthew 26:11 and what comes to mind as I read this is that God is more concerned about PURPOSE and motive rather than cost.

Furthermore I ask myself who am I to judge another's servant ?Before his master he stands or falls and even at that his master is able to hold him up-Romans 14:4.

I kind of think for me the conclusion is that I have to work out MY salvation with fear and trembling, not another's.Phil.2:12

JESUS IS LORD

Faith Ekpekurede

XtianDoctrine said...

How much does a private jet cost really?

Along with a price tag that ranges from $6 million to $50 million for a new private jet, factor in necessities such as insurance, fuel, catering and pilots--who are in short supply. Aircraft management companies will take care of these needs for about $100,000 to $200,000 per year, depending on the size and usage of the jet.

According to 2000 World Development Indicators, Nigeria has been in stagnation and relative decline since 1981, from a per capita GDP of US$1,200 in 1981 to about US$300 in 2000. In 1992, 34.1 percent of the population was below the poverty line, according to the CIA World Factbook 2000; about 70 percent fell below that line in 2000, according to the World Bank.

For many Nigerians the quality of life has declined rather than improved since independence 40 years ago. By contrast, the standard of living for a few privileged Nigerians—military officers and their civilian associates, corrupt politicians, and big contractors—has improved substantially. The average salaried worker cannot earn enough to support a family because of inflation and rises in food prices and transportation costs. The national minimum wage of N5,500 (about US$55.00) per month, adopted by the federal government but rejected by most of the states, falls far short of what is needed to cover housing, food, education, health care and transportation. The material condition of women, who comprise 50 percent of the population, is even worse than that of men because the welfare of women in general, including education, political participation, and workforce, had been neglected over the years until recently. The incidence of prostitution of Nigerian women within and outside the country has therefore increased.

Housing and living facilities for the wealthy are very similar to those available to their counterparts in countries of the western world. Middle and lower-level income groups in the urban and rural areas live in individual houses or crowded flats (apartments). Rural dwellers live in cement or mud block houses with tin or thatched roofs, and have no running water for the most part. Water and electricity services in the major cities are erratic. Water supplies in many rural areas are infested with disease-carrying worms, while electricity services, under government auspices, are seldom available.
There is, therefore, much despair throughout Nigeria, a situation that has led to a "brain drain" from the country to other nations of the world. Much of the despair can be linked to the abysmal quality of life of the average Nigerian, and also to the huge income disparity between the poverty-stricken masses and the few well-to-do Nigerians.

The cost does matter big time. I hope this whole thing about private jet is simply not true.

Anonymous said...

I'm hoping and believing God that all of you that posted such horrible comments about the jet will live and die in abject poverty for the utterances you made.

Forget the Bible and lets talk about the law of giving that states that give and it shall be given unto you.

Paul said, I've ministered to you in spiritual things, it is expected of you to minsiter back in carnal things, what are carnal things, physical gifts that can only be of use to you in your physical state.

As this man receives gifts he also give back in return to get more, so if you question how God replenishes the pocket of a man that practically fulfills the words of God, He will judge you.

Can you imagine him giving someone a blank check to fill after requesting for money further his education, someone like you that can never drop #10 to anybody is now complaining that God provided jet for somebody and leaves you unemployed,

the widow in abject poverty gave her last meal to Elisha a prophet of God and she never lacked again, if she had not given Elisha the meal, God would have still given Elisha meal to eat (remember how God fed Elijah for days with the favorite food of the ravens) and who would have lost? Elisha or the widow?

You better wisen up if you don't want to die the way you are, God has a plan and purpose for you but don't let stinginess rob you of your blessings from God, of course, you'll be the one to lose, God said if humans refuse to praise Him, he will raise up stones, the reason why God has not raised up stones in your stead is because other people are still praising Him while you are not praising him.

So if you don't do, others will do and you will be the only one to lose.

Someone said thats why he is not a
Christian, that is why you are where you are, well you know where you are.

Many people are suffering in poverty today not because God can't provide for them but God is just following the principles of multiplication, you give zero, he multiplies by zero and it gives you zero back.

God measures your giving according to your worth, you're worth 1000, you give 10, God will multiply it back to you according to the ratio of 10:1000, my God is a mathematician

Give and it shall be given unto you, that is the principle the man of God is following, so if you don't want God shut to your mouth forever, stop backbiting the success derived from obeying the principles of God and follow the same principles.

Move away from that stagnation today, give according to your strength.

My God is not a cheat he will surely fulfill his promises.

Samuel Ajayi

Akin said...

It is such a shame that we find it difficult to disagree without being disagreeable.

I fail to see the horrible comments this raving lunatic is referring to here. Two individuals commented on this article. One believed it is not in our place to judge the actions of a minister while the other person believed otherwise. Both comments were made respectfully.

But here comes a Mr Anonymous Samuel Ajayi, someone who apparently believes he is God's oracle, spewing vituperative utterances in the name of defending a man of God.

What a jerk!!!!

XtianDoctrine said...

What's this guy smoking anyways?

john said...

This raises larger questions though. First, how much lavishness and show of wealth is appropriate for the minister of the gospel living in a society where the majority of the people, including church members live in abject poverty? The second question is whether we are allowed as Christians, to question a minister of the gospel.