Sunday, 19 May 2013
Jesus As A Businessman By Rudolf Ogoo Okonkwo
Columnist:
Correct Me If I Am Right By Rudolf Okonkwo We have to get the politics of religion right if we are ever going to get the religion of politics right.
Over two decades ago, at the library of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, I came across an essay called “Jesus as a Businessman.” What I read in the essay shocked me. Until then, I didn’t know that it was possible for normal people to think such unusual thoughts. Before that day, I believed I was the only crazy one. I feared my mind was going to send me to hell. But after reading that essay, I knew I was not alone. And even if I went to hell, I would have company.
So I photocopied the essay and carried it on me for a very long time. Every now and then, I reread it just to marvel at the audacity of the writer. I watched as the photocopy ink faded off the papers but the thoughts the essay put in me did not fade. Until recently, I did not know who wrote the essay neither did I know the book it was extracted from.
The other day, I found out that the essay was just an introduction and the first chapter of Bruce Barton’s 1925 book called “The Man Nobody Knows: A Discovery of the Real Jesus Christ.”
In the book, advert executive, Bruce Barton, retells the story of Jesus Christ. Barton emphasizes some aspects of Jesus’ life that portrays him as an epitome of a modern day business man. The author asserts that Jesus used today’s marketing tools and advertizing strategies to build a formidable business empire. For example, Barton highlights the way Jesus picked his workers and the way he appointed his successor as proofs of great managerial skills. He contends that Jesus’ message was streamlined and spiced up with everyday real life stories. Barton insists that Jesus’ odd lifestyle was attention grabbing. Critics of Bruce Barton’s bestselling book accused him of “strained anachronistic exegesis” and of turning Jesus into the image of his advertizing world.
I presume that Bishop David Oyedepo has read that book. And so has Pastor Enoch A. Adeboye, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, Pastor Chris Okotie, Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo, Prophet T. B. Joshua and all the other pastors who brandish the prosperity preaching brand across Africa. If they haven’t read it, they must have read a book written by someone who read Barton’s book- like George Barna’s 1988 book, “Marketing the Church: What They Never Taught You About Church Growth.”
It all came together for me in the last few weeks. After my interview with Pastor Tunde Bakare and Rev. Nimi Wariboko, I was very close to an epiphany. And last Sunday, in twitter exchanges with two Nigerians over Bishop David Oyedepo’s declaration that he did not build Convent University with church members’ tithes, offerings or donations, it clicked.
We have to get the politics of religion right if we are ever going to get the religion of politics right.
The obvious reason for the above statement is that our sense of ethics, or what remains of it, comes from our religious base. We have all but abandoned the ethics of our traditional African ways of life. So if the religious ethics fail, everything else will fail. The other reason is that the majority of our people take their cue from these religious leaders than all the media in the country. More people watch Bishop David Oyedepo each week than all the people who watch NTA news.
So let us begin with Bishop Oyedepo’s defense against those who criticized his lifestyle and how he runs his church. “The last time the church paid my salary was December 1987,” he said. “Nobody heard it, not even the ministers in the church until 1997 and church members didn’t hear this until 2007.”
On reading that, the first question that crossed my mind was, so how has Oyedepo been surviving without a salary? There were other questions like, why did it take ten years before the ministers knew? Let me leave out the evil questions like, doesn’t accountability and transparency require that the church members should know? And are we supposed to be impressed by the revelation?
Before we even get to the answers to the questions above, let us look at other things Bishop Oyedepo revealed. He said, “In January of 1988, my wife asked me of money for feeding and I told her I had given my salary to God. And that was the last time she ever had to ask for feeding money ‘til date.”
To crown it all, Oyedepo told his audience that, “Covenant University was built within seven months without any collection of any one naira tithes or offerings or donations of any kind from anywhere.” It was a direct response to those accusing him of building the university with contributions of members while setting tuition beyond the reach of an average church member.
Based on my interview with Pastor Tunde Bakare and Rev. Nimi Wariboko, my best guess is that the likes of Bishop David Oyedepo, Pastor Enoch A. Adeboye, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, Pastor Chris Okotie, Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo, Prophet T. B. Joshua and others have been surviving on Pentecostal opaqueness. It works because nobody around them asks any questions. People who should hold them accountable are busy worshiping them.
What is salary? Isn’t it that ugly thing you demand as an entitlement for the work you do? It gives a good public image to say the church does not pay you any salary when in fact the church takes care of most of your needs. These pastors also have at their disposal the ministries. In many cases, while churches may not pay these pastors, ministries do pay them. Most often, the churches do not own the ministries. Traditionally, it is the general overseers and their cronies who legally own the ministries.
The average church members do not know there are demarcations between the ministries and the church. Those who are aware of such do not understand the demarcations. The ministries may handle tasks like printing the pastor’s books and selling the holy water. The ministries may own the churches’ fleets of vehicles, chains of schools and universities. Many church members would be surprised to find out that the private jet they gave as a gift to the pastor was not registered under the church’s name. If not registered directly as the property of the pastor it is registered as a property of one of the ministries owned by the pastor.
Now the average reaction of a church member is to say that it is not his or her business what the pastor is doing with the offerings and the tithes and the donations. They argue that what they give in time, money and materials, they give to God and not to the pastor. So, they can afford to look away. They consider their contributions to God as something spiritual that do not follow the dictates of temporal matters.
Such posturing sounds noble. Grand. Superior. But upon close examination, it appears hollow. It is more of an excuse not to be involved, not to accept any responsibility and not to demand accountability. Without acknowledging it, that nonchalant attitude sets the stage for the inevitable scandals that will ultimately cripple the same institutions members are trying to build with their resources.
The real question to ask as a follower of Jesus is, if Jesus were to attend the same church as you, would he tolerate all the gamesmanship going on there? Would the man who chased the money changers out of the temple close his eyes to all the iniquities going on in your church? Doesn’t being a Christian make you a mandatory reporter? A reporter who must not just report an abuse but is required by the law of conscience to stop it? If you see abuse and you don’t stop it, doesn’t that make you as guilty as the abuser? Doesn’t that make you an accomplice and an enabler?
We have to get the politics of religion right if we are ever going to get the religion of politics right.
If you cannot ask what Jesus would do on matters happening right inside your church, what are the chances that you will ask what Jesus would do on matters outside your church? Those who do not care where tithes from their pockets go, cannot care about where Nigeria's oil wealth, picked up from the ground, is going? It is attitudes like these that lead to the thinking, “I voted for Goodluck Jonathan but not for the PDP.”
Our church goers are willing to sow a seed without going back to water the seed and tend it as it grows. Yet, they are surprised at what happens to the seed - like the Winners Chapel flock who are surprised that the seed they thought they sowed towards the building of Convent University did not grow. They are surprised that actually Bishop Oyedepo built the university all by himself without a dime from anybody. Consequently, what they thought was ‘ours’ is really Oyedepo’s.
Bishop David Oyedepo and other pastors like him are people nobody knows- not even their church members. They abhor transparency and accountability. They apply the principles of modern business in running their Christian empires. The structure of their empires is simple. At the head is a church under which are chains of subsidiary companies called ministries but are legally known as charities. The church itself operates like any other franchise - Starbucks, McDonald’s, or Tantalizers. Everything is about product and profit. These General Overseers/CEOs set up rubber stamp board of directors who sign off on whatever the CEO wants. Meticulously, they prepare their children to succeed them and continue the family business.
Bruce Barton may have written the book about Jesus as a businessman but it is the Oyedepos who are living it. Oyedepo and his co travelers have successfully forced Jesus into the image of their world instead of turning themselves into Jesus’ image. They are the epitome of Jesus as a businessman.
Correct me if I’m right.
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You are a shameless, lame
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on December 12, 2012 - 02:06.
You are a shameless, lame duck! you deserve not a mothers breast milk for your brains are underdeveloped! imagine your lame response! go and pay to him on sunday morning.. he is all knowing God abi? mumu! What is Theology compared to common sense, was is not developed an put together as a field of study by someone with common sense?
It is not being thought in school by people with common sense? can a mad man in street be a lecturer if his common sense is impaired? why do you see these fools as gods.. when you are actually a god? )jesus rightfully warned you about the good Shepherd and the hireling! They tend the sheep for what money they make what offering you give! and what fat tithe you throw in the box! pay it twice and they nominate you an elder or deacon. give you a sense of responsibility as to tie you down and make you not to leave their sheepfold! this is the game. wake up!
Abolish some "churches" in Nigeria
Submitted by Wähala (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 23:59.
Left to me, I'd abolish those fake penticostal gatherings in Nigeria. They're fraudsters contradicting the purpose of Christianity. Imagine, a small girl wins "Nigeria's Got Talent" and claims God is "using her" to convey a message. Tango message! Tomorrow if she ends up as another Tonto Dikeh, she will blame Osofia. My point is, mention God in Nigeria and all knees are bent. That's why we have a certified Mumu as President, because he knelt before a fake clown and people thought he was humble. If God's "Blessings" through Adeboye earned us Dumbo, who wishes for more? Adeboye should have seen through the veil and told the fools to set aside sentiments and vote judiciously. But as the GO, he was blinded by the size of the brown envlope "donation" to his Baba Alawo's Temple. Poverty is actually what drives the search for God in Nigeria, the rich only go there to thank God for Not Getting Caught stealing our commonwealth, Desperados for Daily Bread. Shikena!
I am not surprised at d
Submitted by Ngbede (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 23:17.
I am not surprised at d writing. Why? Because d writer did not know the Bible. He did not make reference 2 any book of d Bible. What a shame. For someone 2 call Jesus all through but no biblical reference. Jesus never missed Church as recorded in Luke 4:16, on one of those days He even commended a widow in Mark 12:41-44, but He never one day question d Pharisees of what use is d offering eventhough He knew that d Pharisees are not righteous. So on what basis did u write this. Why incur God's wrath for being ignorant. "Touch not my anointed ones (Bishop Oyedepo, Pastor Adeboye, Pastor Ashimolowo etc) and do my prophets no harm". Psalms 105:15. Repent or perish. May God have mercy on you.
Juju Men of Satanic Cults ...Hell awaits y'all !
Submitted by Wähala (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 21:44.
Our Church bazaar was two weeks ago, last week the proceeds were announced as €47k which was given to me to send to Rwanda as usual. Next Sunday, I will submit the transaction transcripts to the Parish Council and that ends it. That's transperancy. Otherwise, questions will be asked and the law involved if doubts persist. Not so in Nigeria, the evil men will burst your eardrums for asking questions. These Naija pastors belong to a cultic and criminal cabal, just look at their names! Christmas is around the corner, fools are trooping in droves to "camps" ...a mugu is born every day afterall.
@ Rudolf O' jare : Respect !!!
This should serve as an eye
Submitted by Jude (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 21:25.
This should serve as an eye opener. Can we all spread this excellent and well researched TRUTH by Rudolf to Nigerians in particular and Africa in General. This is the Truth and nothing but the Truth. Any dissenting opinion on this must be sick.
You are ignorant please.
Submitted by Rudy (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 21:16.
The bible says believers are not to cast holy pearls before dogs. Most of the things said by Bishop Oyedepo cannot be understood with human sense. So spirutual ignoramuses like Rudolf do not understand. Rudolf, you turned every statement Bishop Oyedepo made upside down. There is what we call in 'Tent Making' in theology. Oyedepo's HANDS ARE WHAT IS GIVING HIM THE WEALTH YOU SEE.
I’m all for free enterprise mister.
Submitted by Naija East Coast...Uh Yesoo (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 21:13.
Full disclosure: I’m a Christian but I’m not a member of any church and thus, don’t pay a kobo to them pastors. Church doesn’t disturb me and I don’t disturb church. I belief in GOD, I pray every day and, I love my neighbours.
Rudolf, if we agree that churches are like Starbucks, McDonald etc. We should also agree that nobody drags and/or forces anybody to visit those outlets. We go to McDonald because it serves us a purpose. The return on my money in McDonald is a padded big mac with fries. My point is that those church goers that donate money must be gaining something in return. I’m all for free enterprise mister. God that created the smart Rudolf also created stupid church goers. Just like the way he created man and woman. Yes Christ chased the money changers out of the temple. We shouldn’t also forget that GOD destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for the evil that existed in those cities.
Thanks
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 19:50.
Thanks You are very correct Our GOs/CEOs are the problems we have in Nigeria They have not the discipleship of Jesus Christ to rule in them They
should repent
Emeka
Please, leave Jesus out of this!
Submitted by Danboyi Gomsuk (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 19:18.
I believe one can still write on Oyedepo et al, regarding the contemporary issues related to them, without bringing in this type of derogatory reference made of Jesus Christ! Such a reference to Jesus Christ had sacrilegious or blasphemous connotations, especially when considered against the background of the source of the said reference. Bruce Barton, like a loose cannon that he was, was driven by the forces of atheism and agnosticism to pen such drivel and gobbledygook.
True talk
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 19:18.
I first read Oyedepo's statement through a friend' post and my comment was just "with what then did he build the University?" And my friend got annoyed asking me to ask Oyedepo. I just laughed. Gullible Nigerians. Its a pity
I am a man who left
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 18:52.
I am a man who left everything to answer a call I was convinced is from God. After 21 years in the call, I had the shock of life working in Nigeriaria. The most unfortunate thing is that this same attitude is in all in the churches in Nigeria- Catholics, mainline Protestants etc. in Lagos catholic archdiocese the priests live in Lords. No accountability. In Nnewi, the priests call it 'immi oil' drilling oil. The bishop Hilary Okeke is sucking the people dry. It so sad that I had to beg to transferred out of Nigeria to gain some sanity. Catholic priests spend all their life learning the same business principles from the Pentecostal pastors.
The whole truth.
Submitted by Netanyahu (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 17:58.
Rudolf, you needed to have been in PH in the past month. You will see people you will ordinarily think are capable of basic rational reasoning driving around town with a flag of oyedapo and his wife sticking on the roof of their car. Men, women all celebrating the coming of this same man. You can imagine how much the man carted away as SEED sown by very corrupt people who have come to believe that by dumping ill-gotten wealth in the church will wipe out the punishment that awaits them. Nigerians are the worst hypocrits.
BAD BELLE Rudolf
Submitted by Dele Awogbeoba (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 17:54.
Go and sit down Mr IGBO bigot.....your probably annoyed that there is no major church headed by an IGBO. The catholic church is one of the richest organisations in the world. Its real estate portfolio is in the hundreds of billions (in US dollars).
Nobody is forced to pay tithes. The tithes are paid in line with biblical teaching. If misused by pastors, that is between those pastors and God.
Numbers 12:1-10
Submitted by Anonymousx (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 17:22.
"And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous." (Numbers 12:10).
God is the Righteous and only Judge....try to keep your opinions to yourself if not you'll reap the fruits of what you sow soon!!
Nwanza the little bird!
NUMBERS 12:1-10
Submitted by Anonymouss (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 17:12.
"And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous." (Numbers 12:10).
God is the Righteous and only Judge....try to keep your opinions to yourself if not you'll reap the fruits of what you sow soon!!
Nwanza the little bird!
ouch
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 17:02.
So, this is new in Nigeria. In every 10 rich Americans 7 out of 10 are pastors, nowadays churches are nothing but a corporation, busineess entity and many more, perse. Sorry, this is old.
NUMBERS 12 : 1 - 10
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 16:57.
"And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous." (Numbers 12:10).
God is the Righteous and only Judge....try to keep your opinions to yourself if not you'll reap the fruits of what you sow soon!!
Nwanza the little bird!
Bravo. Well said. Dogmatic
Submitted by Observer (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 16:45.
Bravo. Well said.
Dogmatic translation of the tenets of Christianity is a cancer eating away at the soul of the masses in Africa and Nigeria especially.
We need to emancipate ourselves from this 'mental' slavery of blindly following our 'men of God.
Imagine if the needy in all these big churches demanded to be helped by their pastors and apostles etc What chaos would ensue... I bet some of these worship centres would fold up. The churches would rather take than receive. I would rather visit a pastor who can turn a few loaves,fishes and kobos into a several hundreds or thousands. He'll have my attention.
Oga Rudolf
Submitted by atinsola on December 11, 2012 - 16:41.
May be you don't know, there use to be a church at Apapa Lagos, where the members were cajoled/bewitched to sell of their property(ies) and use the money to sow seed, the same church will separate member from his/er partner and re-marry him/er to another member.
The most amazing thing, the member were told to watch out for manna from heaven, and you see people you think they should know better watching out.
There will always be
Submitted by Sophia (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 16:38.
There will always be naysayers. The Jesus you have mentioned and Who these men of God identify with had the likes of you criticising things they do not understand. You have chosen what you want to see in all the several aspects of the ministries you have spoken of.
The bottom line is that it is
Submitted by nyarawo` (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 16:10.
The bottom line is that it is indiscipline among all of us to accept whatever is giving to us without questioning. It is not only the pastors but anybody and "everybody" that have access to opportunities that is involved in preying on the people. Most people are predators of their ilk. As the street saying goes "mugu fall, guy man wack". The society is disfuctioned,the structure has collapsed, indiscipline reign supreme. What is happening among the pastors is what you see in the police, politicians and any other person in custody of peoples patrimony.Money is rule of the game and nothing else.
The Debate is Welcome
Submitted by FA (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 16:09.
Dear Rudolph, I am a fan of your satirical show and i commend your outpouring of intelligent humour and enlightenment. Your piece above resonates with me, though I may not be so quick to align wholeheartedly with the personality comments.
I however seek only to make a clarification on the comment here - "Traditionally, it is the general overseers and their cronies who legally own the ministries". The law states that Churches are owned by Trustees of the Church....and not the GO's, founders or any other name they might be called.
That is why the discerning in the public welcome the need for these registered entities to submit accounts like so many others.
It the first move by the FRC and we may be headed into a process that will allow the church retain its integrity and the public a modicum of respect for church finances. Thank you for the contribution.
Its high time Christians open
Submitted by kayode (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 16:07.
Its high time Christians open up their heart n mind for these men they revere, worship n love are nothing less than the devil incarnate. How can a pastor look straight into the church eyes and tell them to their face that i am made without your dime, meaning you are no benefactor to what the church own and you have no right to ask about my chain of businesses attributed to the church. Its obvious that these men are not in pursuit of salvation but the material things of this world, no wonder almost everybody is getting a call (from i don't know where) to preach the gospel.
1000% CORRECT...NOW, I HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR YOU!!!
Submitted by 8:37! (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 15:51.
1000% CORRECT...you just eviscerated "the church" in nigeria. i have sat in with nigerian pastors plotting how they can duplicate oyedepos "success". YOU ARE FEARLESS...NOT YOUR TYPICAL RHETORICAL FLOURISHES. YOU ARE BOLD...VERY BOLD IN WRITING THIS. EDUCATION FREES THE INTELLECT TO ROAM BEYOND OUR CULTURAL NORM INTO THE FORBIDDEN - in this case, THE EPITOME OF TRUTH. we can see the metamorposis from ABU as a yound man beclouded by our religious dogma, to now a free mind not afraid to go beyond the boundaries. this i wish for every nigerian. just imagine if our leaders focus on education, we would break this prison religion has put us in. spiritual...YES, religion...419. the scary thing is these pastors now BELIEVE THEIR OWN LIES...THEY BELIEVE IT.
Oga Rudolf you re right
Submitted by atinsola on December 11, 2012 - 15:32.
There lots of literature about this topic but, my people will never change sometime I wonder what kind of jaz those men of god use.
the bible say "my people perish because of lack of knowledge" but how do you explain when people perish even though they are knowledgeable ?.
may be the government needs to step in.
Nothing in naija surprises me anymore
Submitted by KS (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 15:27.
Come to think of it. Do u know that a dog or cat born in England stands a greater chance to attain adulthood than a child born in Nigerian rural village? And we are staunch 'Christians'!! .Nothing in naija surprises me any more.
Well done again!
Submitted by mathelize on December 11, 2012 - 15:19.
Another thought provoking articile from one and only Dr. Njakiri Damages.
You've continued to do your best by enlightening Africans. It's now up to them to think critically and decide whether to dump these fake men of God or keep worshipping them.
Oyedepo and other pastors keep stealing from poor people because they know there's no judgement after death.
Africans, think!!!
Olusegun Olaleye
Spot on. But will they see
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 15:02.
Spot on. But will they see and change? Or just hypnotized beyond redemption.
Another thing is teh bible actually warns of this but with a caveat " the people like it this way" thats why the "Prophets" getaway with the untruths.
Also note that this absolution by the followers includes any guilt for their own wrongs!!! they have handed over their sence of guilt along with their blind followership. I could go on.
Knock,knock anybody home?
Submitted by Marshall (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 14:45.
Knock,knock anybody home? Where are the skeptics, any observations?
YOU ARE RIGHT
Submitted by Igida Eyefo (not verified) on December 11, 2012 - 14:19.
NO NEED FOR CORRECTION. YOU ARE RIGHT
