I saw a lot of tweets and Facebook posts by Nigerians
expressing their disgust about the all white yacht party you did in Dubai. What
is most worrisome is that the (touch not my anointed) believers won’t tell you
that you are glamorizing the ministry by putting your lavish lifestyles on
display and deceiving lazy Christians that the party in Dubai is what God
wants, what God can do, and what God has provided.
You may ask why Nigerians are so angry. – Everybody wants
nice things, right? And what better way to get them if God does it for you?
Pastor Fatoyinbo, it is true that there is nothing wrong with having nice
things. Everyone loves to have more and live a richer life but is that the only
reason why we (should) go to church? We should also go to church because we
love God, desire to worship God, draw closer to God and are in fellowship with
other believers.
Your followers have defended you as expected – that most
people who are frustrated by your unnecessary display of wealth are those who
are struggling to get by day to day, trying to make ends meet, save enough to
meet their needs and that of their families. Therefore, they are the ones
finding it hard to digest your lavish lifestyle. How do we digest your lavish
lifestyle ehn, knowing that you and many so called men of God are able to live
this way because of people who give monetarily to support your ministry? You
think anybody likes to feel like they are being hustled or pimped by their
pastor for profit? People love God enough to give and trust that their money
will be used to touch lives and souls with the Word of God and not to be used
for throwing lavish birthday parties in Dubai.
Pastor Fatoyinbo: If you are going to build your own
“kingdom,” do not build it on the backs of hardworking people who really just
want a more intimate relationship with God and believe that you can point them
in that direction. Don’t “floss” on the people; it is wickedness. It’s as if
you’re saying, “Look at what I bought myself with your money. Don’t you like
it? If you want it too, pray about it!”
American rapper Kanye West said in one of his songs, “I’ve
been talking to God for so long, if you look at my life I guess he’s talking
back.” But today, he is telling us he is Jesus “Yeezus”. He has deified
himself. Pastor Fatoyinbo, your party in Dubai also suggests that you are
deifying yourself, and on your own Yeezus tour, getting high on your own
supply. Jesus said, “If I be lifted up.” (John 12:32) Unfortunately, you “with
your lavish lifestyle” are lifting up yourself and making golden calf idols of
your possessions. Pastor Fatoyinbo, unless you willfully left heaven to take on
human form, lived out a nomadic ministry on the margins, was crucified for your
ministry, died, was buried, then rose again — sorry to say, it’s not about you.
Your followers are defending your frivolities arguing that
pastors are people too, human and flawed. Of course, they are. But as a pastor
“you don’t show people your wounds, show them your scars.”You do so as evidence
that the journey with God brings about healing and transformation. People need
and want to be whole. The question Jesus asked was “do you want to get well?”
(John 5:6 NIV)
Christians often ask why Davido and Wizkid and entertainers
should be the only ones with Bentleys and mansions. First, Bentleys and
mansions don’t measure the quality of one’s life. Secondly, entertainers are
people selling what people choose to purchase — music, movies, etc. As
ministers of the gospel you are not selling God and faith. The Gospel is free.
The Bible is not the best-selling book in history because it has a good price
point. It’s because people want to know God and know God loves them. Yes, there
is a business side of ministry but literally for God’s sake, keep it to
yourself. You don’t have to throw lavish parties as evidence of how much money
you make. It only perpetuates the negative stereotypes true believers are
constantly trying to disprove. Your expensive all white birthday party has only
made people who are leery about church say "shebi I told you so."
The mentality of most Nigerian believers that being rich and
thinking money sets you free, gives you peace of mind and eliminates injustice,
is a lie of the devil. Assimilation is not liberation. You can have all the
things you want and still not be whole. The true test of how you live your life
and success is what will be written in your obituary. What will people say
about you, and what you did with your life? I’ve yet to see an obituary list
all the expensive items someone owned. So, Pastor Fatoyinbo, go on your knees
and cry to God for forgiveness
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