The Tribune

By IVOINE INGRAHAM

Originally conceived as a sanctuary for the brokenhearted, the church has veered from its intended path. Its mission was to proclaim good news to the poor, freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, and to set the oppressed free. This noble purpose of the church, to be a beacon of hope and comfort, deserves our utmost respect and admiration.

There are many genuine institutions and god-fearing people walking the straight and narrow path.

However, the church is a perfect example of disunity. The slightest disagreement and a new church is born: a group of disgruntled members pointing out all of the negative behaviours of others but never confessing their sins. If the church, which is supposed to be “Christlike”, is behaving like that, no wonder we have a problem with conflict resolution throughout the country, that has led to numerous extreme antisocial behaviours.

The moral authority has abandoned the ship.

However, the stark contrast between this noble purpose and the current state of affairs, where trust is shattered, financial greed prevails, and exploitation runs rampant, demands immediate and urgent reform. The urgency of this call cannot be overstated, as it is crucial to restore the church to its true mission. This is not a matter to be taken lightly, but a pressing issue requiring immediate attention and action.

The church, traditionally a place of refuge, has been tarnished by these actions.

People who have been through hard times and are having challenges finding their way go to church and empty themselves in anticipation that they will find solace. So they expose themselves to a stranger and trust them with their most intimate, deepest secrets, expecting relief; tragically, trust is shattered.

Pastors, entrusted with the most personal information, have used it in their sermons. Even if names are not mentioned, the discomfort of having one’s private life made public is excruciating and downright embarrassing. This betrayal of trust, this breach of the sacred bond between pastor and congregation, is not just counterproductive; it’s a grave injustice that should outrage us all.

Overbearing pastors place members under extreme pressure to satisfy their insatiable greed. They use extreme psychological tactics to make members feel guilty for not obeying them. For instance, the documented ten percent tithe is insufficient, so the pastor takes advantage by asking for a second offering. It is no secret that they plan to ensure no one goes home with a dime in their pockets.

The pastors’ “love offering” takes the cake. Pastoral Day needs an Academy Award.

This financial greed and blatant disregard for the congregation’s well-being is not just a betrayal of trust; it’s a grave injustice that should outrage us all. For example, Single mothers pressured to give their entire savings as a ‘seed’ for a miracle, leaving them and their children in financial distress.

Like a predator, the slick pastor preys on this vulnerability, taking a second and third bite at the apple. People temptedwith a promise that if they want to realize their dream, they should sow a seed of their whole Asue. This is a flagrant and unjust exploitation; it is a real, tangible betrayal of the trust these vulnerable members have placed in the church. This is a matter of financial loss and a deep emotional betrayal that should stir our collective empathy and concern for these vulnerable members.

It’s a mockery of faith when Jesus’s name is used as a cover while the pastor milks the members. This misuse of Jesus’s name, this disrespectful and blatant betrayal of the very essence of the church, is a wound to the soul of the congregation, a betrayal of the highest order that should incite a sense of deep outrage in us all.

There is no use in saying that the church does not help the sick and the poor, but the line should be drawn when a single mother who is desperately looking for a way out is tricked into emptying her purse expecting a miracle.

After repeatedly attending church and giving everything, it became painfully clear that there was no miracle and no more money to give. The single mother, frustrated and dejected, realised she was taken advantage of. Her children were hungry, and she could not feed them. This is not just a financial loss; it’s a deep emotional betrayal that leaves families in despair. This is not an isolated incident but a pattern of exploitation that is causing widespread suffering in our community.

Astonishingly, the pastor masquerades the scared woman in front of the church for prayers and drives the game deeper by pushing her to the ground in a highly emotionally charged prayer until she passes out a full-blown con game.

However, the pastor’s lack of conscience is disturbing. The church has now become big business. There is a fee for everything. Baptism costs something; Funerals cost top dollar. There have been as many as almost two thousand dollars for a pastor to perform a funeral. The cold and callous greed is strange. Someone in the business office came up with the idea, so ‘thus said the Lord’ has now been put on sale. It’s sickening!

We need to implement strict financial transparency and accountability measures in our churches to prevent such exploitation and ensure that the church remains a place of compassion and support. This is not just a suggestion, but a necessity for the integrity of our institutions.

Compassion has taken a vacation, and the pressure on members to keep up financially is nerve-wracking. Notice that the target is on the vulnerable women already broken because the men have abandoned the family. That is why she runs to the church, and rightly so, but for relief, not to add insult to injury.

Many churches give back with soup kitchens, food and clothing drives and genuine concern, but shysters are giving the church a black eye and should not be covered up or condoned.