Nigeria

COVID-19: People attacked me for stopping tithes as virus spreads - Pastor Idahosa

Tuesday, May 05, 2020 at 8:12 AM by Khadijah Thabit

- Bishop Isaac Idahosa of the God First Ministry says no one can preach about God to a person with an empty stomach

- Idahosa argues that nobody can profess love for God, yet leave his neighbours in hunger and want

- The clergyman says he faced some attacks for stopping members of his church from paying tithes

Bishop Isaac Idahosa of the God First Ministry has told Legit.ng how he was attacked for stopping members of his church from paying tithes amid the lockdown caused by COVID-19.

In an exclusive interview, the bishop whose church is headquartered in Lagos, said the decision to stop the payment of tithes at this period was based on personal conviction and other factors.

He explained that before the lockdown, he had seen the coming hardship in the country.

"So the reason I stopped them from tithing and offering is because it is already acceptable since they have the mind to do. That they have the heart to do simply means they have done because actions are judged according to intentions.

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"It is already acceptable. So use it for your daily needs. That is not to say they would not tithe tomorrow.

COVID-19: People attacked me for stopping tithes as virus spreads - Pastor Idahosa — Bishop Idahosa recently distributed food to people in Lagos
Source: UGC

"In fact some people have attacked me asking why I stopped tithing. But I told them that is me, it is my own conviction and I am entitled to it," he said.

He clarified that he is not against men of God who still urge members to pay tithes at this critical time since he also supports tithing. "I am only saying things are tight, so avoid tithing for now," he added.

Speaking about the food and other materials recently given by his church to residents of Lagos as part of efforts to ease the lockdown, the bishop argued that as it were currently, nobody listens to any gospel about God with a hungry stomach.

He recalled how God expressed love by giving His only son to prove that 'giving is living'.

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"If you profess you love God that you have not seen at any time and then your own neighbour, you don’t love him...You can’t be feeding three meals a day and still have your conscience without stretching your hand.

"God expects us to be good Samaritans. The best we can do is not always enough because of the situation," he said.

The man of God said whatever his church had given out cannot be enough, especially with the situation of the country.

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He said those who benefitted cut across religion adding that there are people in desperate need of as little as N3,000.

He also argued that to give, one does not necessarily need to have all the wealth.

"Some can have billions but they don’t have anything bulging them to give while some will have the little they’ve got and would want to share," he said.