Pastor suspends offering in church due to harsh economy

Nigerians have reacted differently to a viral video showing a cleric announcing the suspension of offering collection.

In the video, the cleric tells his congregation that offerings will no longer be collected due to the country's current situation.

The cost of living in Nigeria has been more than double since President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of the fuel subsidy on the day of inauguration. The situation became more compounded since the floating of the naira.

He said:

“Stop collecting offerings for now because of the situation of the country. For now, we are pending the offering.

“In our church, we are not collecting offerings for now. Come and serve your God; go until the pressure comes down. It is not easy. You are going to your work tomorrow.

“To all pastors all over the world, stop collecting offerings for now.”

Some Nigerians have taken to the video's comment section and expressed mixed feelings about the development.

Below are some of their reactions:

Emray Owolabi commented: "Correct Pastor. Now let Adeboye and Oyedepo tell all their members to cease collecting tithes and offerings for now." A social media user with the handle

@Non_Binary12 wrote: "This is nonsense, but he should go on.

"I know all church enemies will attack me now; we all know, according to the scriptures, you’re not doing your pastor favour by paying offerings.

"And it’s from that offering that the church also runs, too, who will be buying fuel for the church programs and the like." A user with the handle

@Ayomiepat_ tweeted: "You’re making sense, sir; people should use their discretion to contribute money to the growth of the church."

Irikefe Hopez posited: "I don't buy this idea. The church can't run without basic needs, like rent, fuel, electricity, etc. Sometimes, the pastors have a family, except they have private business."

@_omoaje said: Okay, that's a good one. We also know a lot of big names who can’t emulate this same gesture: men of God who see tithes and offerings as a passport to heaven, pastors who cruise private jets and fund their expensive lifestyles at the expense of poor members' tithes, and a pastor who once task his members to pay tithes and offerings through bank transfer in the middle of a Pandemic when members should be getting back."

Pastor stops offering in his church for now,
because of the situation of the country 🙏 pic.twitter.com/EgppcvWwn0

— Oyindamola🙄 (@dammiedammie35) May 17, 2024