Commercialization of Religion in Nigeria

Sometimes, while in my thoughts I feel like we are currently in the end time period. Many atrocities happening in the world are now being practiced in the house of God. The lords temple has been turned to commercial hub for some pastors, prophets or clergymen.

In Nigeria, church work is the new most profitable business. A lot of individuals would claim that, they received the mandate from the Holy Spirit to do the lords wothey need is just to perform miracles and watch individuals en masse to these churches, without bothering whether it was staged or not.

This has led to commercialization of religion by these fake prophets. Everything has been commercialized from the anointed oil, prayers, consultation etc.

The quest to receive miracles and prophecies, have made the individuals become ignorant of what Christ symbolizes. Many don’t go to church to worship God but to seek for signs, wonders and prophecies

On daily basis, new churches are being built and some pastors have turned it to a commercial hub where they can enrich their pockets and accounts.

How can someone that claims to meditate with God and calls himself a pastor buy a bottle of olive oil at the price of around N250 which is not up to 1usd? He divides and dispense it into smaller bottles and sells it for the price of N1000 and above which is around 3usd.

The funny part is the rate huge population of people scramble to buy this so-called anointed oil. When one enquires to know the reason behind the scramble for this oil, and why they would pay so much for such a little bottle of oil; many would tell you how the oil was anointed by God through the prophet.

Now the question is whether God requests for anything from the pastor before giving him the gift of the Holy Spirit that would justify the reason behind the exorbitant price for which the oil is being sold?

According to 2 Timothy 4:3-4

for the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths

In light of the bible passage above many individuals go to church to receive prophecies that would benefit them. It has gone to the extent that many people with issues wouldn’t relate their issues to psychological, physical or environmental factors. They have already made up their minds that the issue occurred due to a spiritual factor, and resort to consulting their pastors to know their thoughts about the issue.

Some of these so-called prophets/pastors are very smart that once you consult them and explain your issues, they would tell you what your ears want to hear and that is the spiritual factor behind your issue. The individual would end up being convinced that their thoughts were right; the so-called prophet would pray for the individual and in turn receive money or gift.

God has been reduced to a bargaining chip. Blessings, prayers and official position in the church are offered to the highest bidder. In many churches, you can’t consult the pastor without paying a fee.

As it stands today, offerings have become an avenue to enrich the pockets of these so-called pastors. Some churches, observe more than eight different offerings: general offering, first offering, second offering, help the needy offering, the sick offering, building offering, widow offering etc. Seriously with all that’s happening in the church, I think it would be best to just carve out a section in your house or room, set up an altar and worship the lord from your house rather than going to all these churches owned by fake prophets where the members are being ripped off in the name of signs and wonders.

These prophets live an affluent life, but the same cannot be said about some of its members. They enrich their accounts and
pockets with the sweat of the poor/needy. Everything now has a price tag in most churches: special prayers, breaking of generational curses, home consultation, and deliverance prayers etc. all have a price.

To be frank, church work is capital intensive but the way most churches go about it is not the right way. A friend of mine would say that “Grandsons of those traders in the Jerusalem temple has returned in the form of prophets”.

The prophets are meant to be the shepherd that feeds the flock but the reverse is the case; the shepherd now feeds on the flock. Therefore, we shouldn’t be ignorant in our quest for salvation and allow these fake prophets have their way with us.

Thank you!

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