Provost of the Reuben George Theological Seminary, owned by the Gospel Faith Mission International (GOFAMINT), Pastor Gabriel Aina, speaks on the roles of churches in development, what kinds of tithes/offerings are abomination before God, and the importance of religious studies in schools, with Victor Ogunyinka. Excerpts:
When did you join the ministry?
I joined pastoral work full time in 1991, but before then, I had been in the ministry leading God’s people in interdenominational fellowships. However, I had a strong calling to leave other things for proper training to go into full time ministry.
There are many schools of theology in Nigeria today, producing clerics in their thousands, yet moral standard in society seems to be dropping. What are these institutions not doing right?
We should understand that right from the days written about in the Bible, there were different categories of people and till date, we still have same. There are those called by God and they have that sense of calling, which brought about the seminary and ministry. But there are also some that were borne out of financial intentions. Now, those who know their God and are sure of their calling contribute in no small quota to making things right. I put it to you that with the present situation of Nigeria, if there was no presence of the church, teaching and preaching the genuine gospel, it would have been worse. The presence of God’s people, pacifying and pleading against the wrath and anger of God cannot be overemphasised. Again, God hasn’t left His people without testimonies. Even when some people don’t believe in churches, there are still people that can distinguish the good from the bad.
So, is the church not doing enough?
I believe that the church can do a lot better than what they’re doing presently, especially in the area of preaching the authentic gospel – the kind of gospel that Jesus preached; the gospel that made people submitted their lives to Christ. Sadly, that gospel is not being preached in all quarters. Instead, we hear sermons where people preach to take advantage of their unsuspecting followers; using sermons of economical and political relevance as their bases.
The Bible encourages tithing. Is the church expected to query the sources of tithes?
The Bible commands tithing, but the Bible also reveals what kind of tithes and offering that should not be brought to the church. For instance, tithes from robbery, prostitution and other vices, are abomination before God. The church has the responsibility of probing the sources of such money.
What if the person lies?
For any man of God worth his/her onions, something inside of him will tell him something is not right about questionable proceeds. Remember the many gifts Naman brought to Prophet Elisha. Even though he urged him to collect it, the prophet refused. It is not every offering or tithe the church should accept.
Are pastors supposed to be poor?
No, pastors are not supposed to be poor.
Are they supposed to be very rich?
No, they are not supposed to be very rich. A pastor is supposed to be averagely rich. Now, if you find the average of the contribution of the rich and poor, it will amount to an average. So, I think the pastor isn’t supposed to be at the bottom economically, but they shouldn’t be at the very top either.
There are quite a number of churches with higher institutions these days, but sadly, the poor among the church are not able to find their way into these schools. Don’t you think there’s an imbalance somewhere?
Before we judge a person, we must understand the system that person operates in. The federal and states institutions get subventions from the governments managing them. They scarcely run on the fees the students pay. Now, if we factor that into the running of private institutions, infrastructural development, payment of staff and other projects, we know that there’s likely going to be difference in fees paid by students who attend such institutions. But then again, I believe that there should be moderation. If a church has collected tithes and offerings from people, the fees should not be so exorbitant such that members of their church would not be able to attend such schools. A church is supposed to be a platform for alleviating the suffering of people and not adding to it.
What is your take on the lingering debate on the revised education curriculum, as it relates to the study of CRK and IRK?
I believe that religious studies, whether Christianity or Islam, should be part of the educational curriculum. Religion plays a vital role in the life of a person. If religious studies are scrapped, it will make people practise religion in the wrong way. We know that in matters of religion, you catch them young; what it inculcates into the lives of the children goes a long way in shaping their ideologies in life.
Should religious studies be optional or compulsory?
I believe it should be compulsory, depending on whether the person is a Christian or Muslim.
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