Are Pastors called or employed? This is confusing!
In a trending video, a man identified as Peter Godwin, who claimed to be a former pastor of the Living Faith Church International, AKA Winners Chapel, disclosed he was sacked by the church for not generating enough money in his branch.
Godwin said he was employed on the 28th of August, 2020.
He claimed he was invited with about forty of his colleagues by the state pastor on July 1, 2021, and were all sacked over low income in their branches.
He said, “Actually, by the special grace of God, our father in this great assembly, Living Faith Church received a mandate from the Lord to plant 10,000 churches in Nigeria and by the special grace of God, I was privileged to be one of the pastors that were employed on the 28th of August, 2020, that was last year.
“So after that, I started working, engaging myself in the work of the Lord. I tried my possible best to make sure I win souls for Christ but unfortunately, on the 1st of July, I received a call that the state pastor wants to see me, so I thought I was the only one. I was surprised, so I went to his office.
“When I got there, I saw other pastors too, over 40 of them, so I joined them. A few minutes later, we were issued a letter. I opened the content of the letter to see what was there and I saw that it was a sack letter.
"The content of the letter says ‘Consequent upon the recent performance review which revealed that your church growth index falls below expectation. Please be informed that your service as the pastor in charge is no longer required in this commission with immediate effect. You are to vacate your official accommodation and hand over all properties including the official ID card to the area pastor before departure.
“So I called the management the next day to know what happened since I wasn’t involved in any dubious activity or evil act. I was told by the management that the church doesn’t operate at a loss, they also told me the total income that is being generated from my station should be able to cater for my welfare and accommodation, so as a result of low income, I’m hereby dismissed.”
From SaharaReporters
I am shocked!!!
Daddy Freeze over to you.
ReplyDelete😀😀😁😀😁 be nice naaaa
DeleteHes already on it.
DeleteVisit his IG
😂😂😂
DeleteAren't they all companies? Mtchew!
Delete🤣🤣🤣
DeleteYou got free accommodation and other perks, I believe church rent is not free too, To perform, you cannot perform! You most likely were using the little income meant for church rent renewal and for other things for personal use yet you are on social media ranting! Which employer will not SACK a non performer?? Because it's church, the center should keep sending you money for your personal and church rent? Gosh! These entitled hypocrites! Who bewitched you? In your mind now, you are trying to shame the church? I laugh in Greek! Yeye dey smell. Swerve my friend. Nonsense and ingredient
Delete🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 11:05, are being real or you are being sarcastic?
DeleteReal no sarcasm here
DeleteShe has an ID but the hypocrite herself went under to call out someone who owned his call out with full chest. With this crass mentality displayed by 11:05 how will there be revival in the church. To you church is a business you can hire and fire at will. Religious hooligans every where.. Idiot.
DeleteLovelace
Haha no sarcasm oh. But he is right though. The pastors are on full time salary. No other work. So if the income from your church can't cater to the needs of that particular branch you get the sack I presume.
DeleteIs the HQs supposed to be paying the salaries of branch pastors?
Anon 11:05 … I present to you a religious fanatic worshiping in the body and not in the spirit. You are such a dumb skull
DeleteThank you 11.05
DeleteI wonder oooooo...We Christians has digressed from the norms and value God taught us..He taught and charged us to win souls and not running God's work like a business venture.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, it's a pity you were sacked but truth be told, If you are truly called by God and not employed by man, then God will surprise u.
I move
Ofcourse!! You are so right.
DeleteNeeds 10,000 churches, for what? That is why they place undue pressure on congregants, pay your tithe, sow a seed, first fruits, partnership, etc, just to feed someone’s ego as GO of the largest growing church in Nigeria, bla bla bla.
ReplyDeleteWhen new pastors are introduced, they call them ‘called’ and ‘full of the spirit’, what has now happened?
Anyone who follows the Christian God should seek him in the Bible, these churches are mainly business empires and are not a good model for our lives. Can’t fault their decision from a business perspective, but if truly you (the GO and other senior pastors) are called by God into evangelism, revenue can’t be a reason for discarding pastors.
I’m telling you, 10k churches for what exactly, redeem too has the same missing to build thousands of churches, are there no churches in these states, it has become a competition and a means to an end
DeleteFor any business venture to strive and succeed, the management staff has to be proactive and dynamic. And the weak links examined and annuled.
ReplyDeleteThis church has same modus operandi, taking out their frustrations on newly recruited Pastors, forgetting that the pandemic has open quite a number of eyes to their gimmicks, it's no wonder why Pastor Jerry Eze live viewers keeps multiplying.
A wise veteran on a train said to me "Change is inevitable, change is constant" he was so right.
Stella, why are you shocked? So you actually believe these people? Especially the Pentecostals? Even in the US their numbers are dwindling because the eyes of many are finally open. Those people now call themselves “Exvangelicals”
ReplyDeleteIt's been happening, this young man just spoke up.
ReplyDeleteExactly, and that’s why he will be punished for it. Winners is not the only church in the business , she should have kept his stupid mouth shut. Ddnt he know what he was going into? He knew but thought he could meet up. Papa oyedepo already made his money from the other churches, these small ones are just small small investments
DeleteThis is all shades of wrong. Even if you must relieve them of their pastoral duties, there should be a compensation to enable them adjust as they leave. This is the sole reason anyone shouldn't take pastoring as a full time job. As a pastor, get a side hustle so things like this won't throw you into frustration.
ReplyDeleteSo true Teejay.
DeleteIn living faith you have to be a full time pastor. Nothing like doing other jobs. It's RCCG and others that allow their pastors to work
DeleteAnon 09:33, if that is the case, then there should be a contractual agreement. You don't fire someone that way.
DeleteThe firing without any compensation is totally wrong. I like RCCG mode of pastoring....
DeleteAll pastors in winners are full time, nothing like side hustles, you only have to learn the tricks and trades to survive while also making money for the church
DeleteWhat happens to these sacked pastors? Open their own churches?
ReplyDeleteYou sacked them and asked them to vacate their apartments immediately. Hmmmmmm.
Now, this is a lesson to some of the pastors that were not affected, they will “shine” their eyes well now.
This one nor good at all. IT IS WELL.
Hmmm
ReplyDeleteIf this is true then🙅, I'm a member of the chur,but with what I have seen so far, the church is too money conscious, now I know why pastors keep sending us out for soul winning,nobody wan loose their job, just yesterday I was reading old post from this blog about bank marketers, I think churches too should kuku employe marketers too abi . anyway I will continue going to church,can't deny my kids the privilege I had while growing up,but you SSE offering,na as the spirit leads o
ReplyDeleteYou really think soul winning is about getting clients? You need to change your church to a more reserved one.
DeleteWelcome to the era of targets!!! So it's not only banker marketers now?
ReplyDeleteI don't blame him for sacking the pastors sha those of you criticising him should open your churches and employ unproductive pastors and see how it feels. However, we are in the season of the change of guards, any church that isn't teaching people how to grow spiritually and expect the upcoming revival will be getting emptier and emptier while churches like Koinonia, RCN, SOJ etc will keep growing. This decade is not the decade to preach financial prosperity, rather teach spiritual awakening.
ReplyDeleteHmmmmm
DeletePlease sir or ma, did you read and comprehend reasons behind the Pastors being scared?
@Anon 9:12 how does someone led by the spirit employ not 1 but almost a hundred unproductive pastors? Is this really evangelism? Is God really leading this 10,000 church crusade?
DeleteYou dey craze
DeleteIf the size of the offering basket is the measure of "profit" for a preacher or church, then Jesus and all the early disciples were failures.
DeleteHave seen this happen before in my parent's church in 2012/2013 so this is not new. Pastors who work for big churches are employees and the case i'm familiar with he was sacked for similar reasons.
ReplyDeleteThis is why I left Living Faith. Their actions during Covid lockdown opened my eyes to the kind of ministry they were running.
ReplyDeleteHow can you say you want to donate to members who do not have enough during the lockdown then turn around to tax the rich members to donate? What happened to the funds for the less privileged and things already donated?? And you still collected offering knowing that money was scarce.
I know how much I have dropped when called upon in hundreds of thousands but when my dad died,I was given 10k..lol.
Thank God for provision sha, I wasn't relying on them in the first place. It was someone who told them cos I stopped coming.
I know one thing though cos it explains alot. They follow up until you join and after that you're on your own. If you stop coming after awhile, they don't check on you or care. I know alot of people who left before and after me said the same thing.
I don't even want to begin to talk about the sexual escapades of one of the pastors who is STILL preaching on the altar but that's for God to judge I guess.
It is well.
Thank God your eyes have opened.
DeleteNa wa.
DeleteI attend RCCG and I must confess that the church has blessed me more than I've given to the church.
During my wedding,as a worker my husband and I got like 700k from church and our unit. My pastor from his pocket gave us 300k. Then a lot of persona gift from members.
If you dedicate your child my church will dash you money sef.
During covid, food yakpa from different angle.
Churches should improve.
My pain about the sacked pastors is that they are all full time pastors. What will they now be doing? How will they fend for their family now?.
@ Amethyst, you said nothing but the truth. The living Faith church is not into giving but they collect more from members...
DeleteRCCG gives more to their members and the community...
I am so disappointed.😲😲😲😲
ReplyDeleteE no shock me at all.
DeleteE shock me, make I no lie.
Deletechurch Head office always give their branches "targets". I know this when I was a worshipping with redeemed that was close the my house and we are not even up to 20 worshippers sef. so a lot of time we have to make donations to raise the money. I know of a pastor in kubwa that had to be a mechanic and his wife was hawking bread because the owner of the Church in delta state stopped paying them salaries because he wasn't making enough money for the church. The church is running like any other business out there.
ReplyDeleteI'm this era it's just to Know God for yourself simple. If i tell you wetin my eyes don see for church hmmmmmm abeg thrdr Churches are simply business ventures. A time is coming when people will no longer go to Churches/ prayer houses but rather hold worship in their homes for their peace of mind.
ReplyDeleteAnd some gullible people will still come here to defend their "god of men"
ReplyDeleteOne is already up there 👆. I don tire mehn
DeleteI typed and deleted,let God be the judge
ReplyDeleteWisdom. Don't join the bandwagon
DeleteChurches nowadays are something else, for me I go as the spirit leads but I don't drop 1 dime, instead I give to less privileged, I don't have money to fuel any daddy GOs private jet.
ReplyDeleteFeeling sorry for those carrying churches and pastors on their head, defending them like their lives depends on their pastors and churches, ndo nu. I've always known majority of these churches to be a business center. Tomorrow they'd come up with a disclaimer, tagging the exposure by the sacked pastors lies and propaganda against the church and the ordained man of god. God remains the author and finisher of our faiths that we should be looking on to.
ReplyDeleteThe church should know that Benue and most part of the middle belt and northern states have been embroiled with crisis for a long time. So how do they want the pastors to grow such churches. Then you asked the pastors to vacate their apartments with immediate effect. No six months notice and yet they insult government for breaking laws. Indeed na end time things we dey...
ReplyDeleteLovelace
The Pastors are not entitled to 6 months notice as they do not pay rent for the apartments. they are only living there on license from the church and at most can be given a 7 days notice. although, I am quite disappointed by the way the church handled the issue. The church is for soul winning and not a business center, they should go back and study the lives of the missionaries that came to evangelize in Africa. If the church is running on a loss,then it is the responsibility of the mother church to assist them financially. sacking over a 100 pastors in this harsh economy and asking them to vacate their official premises immediately is quite wicked and unchristian. Jesus Christ would never have done that, while He was on earth, He fed his followers and was not going about receiving tithes, offerings, financial contributions and amassing wealth. Being a Christian means being a follower of Christ but unfortunately, most men of God in this generation lacks the fear of God and have turned christianity into a money making venture. May God help us all to live according to his will and purpose. Amen.
DeleteEver since a friend forwarded the link to kingdom Word messages to me, I got to understand what true christianity is about. It's been a blessing.
ReplyDeletePlease forward the link to me. Me I stopped going since 2008 and I dont intend to start.
Deletepastorbankie dot org
DeleteSo many free resources - I usually listen to the audio messgaes but there is also a tracts and sermons section if you prefer reading. It is radical but solid Biblical teachings.
Stella, please could you release my comment to the anon above. I didn't include the weblink, only spelt it out. Thanks.
DeleteYeah.
DeletePastor Bankie,I love listening to his audio messages
Raw truth of God's words.
14.34 👌
DeleteThe messages changed my thinking on so many fundamental issues, made me evaluate myself, banished fear completely from my life cos I now know who I truly am in Christ. I thank God for that my friend every day.
If we talk now, dem party supporters will come out.hope they are denying it.
ReplyDeleteMy breakfast don land gidigba this early morning. Vamos!💪
ReplyDeleteI will continue to shout it: Most Nigerian pastors are FAKE! Fake, faker, fakest. Only few are different and truly have the fear of God. Many have led their sheep to the slaughter with their self-serving doctrines and preaching. Mbaka is Catholic but I have lumped him with them. Fa ncha bu ofu. No difference.
Even Jesus was recorded in the Bible as a carpenter. His disciples were corporate guys (tax collectors- like FIRS/LIRS of today), tent-makers (structural engineers and architects), fishermen etc. There was no efulefu among them except for Judas but the only things Naija pastors are good at are: quoting Malachi 3, verses 10-12, going to eat lunch and collect cheques/envelopes in Aso Rock while the nation burns, prophesying 100 things- 99 of which will not come to pass, predicting celebrities' death, praying for yahoo boys/other criminals and conjuring conspiracy theories on top corona virus. The title "Pastor" don cast for Naija nor be today. So tey if you see Pastor see snake, hug snake make you run from pastor first o before dem go pound you put for church entrance to attract crowd come their church. Of course, their wives, children and side-chicks will disagree but who dem epp? After all, if they don't protect their only source of income/livelihood, who will?
What were these sacked pastors doing before they started heading churches? What did their letters of employment stipulate in the event of a dismissal? What were the stipulated grounds for dismissal to begin with? Are they entitled to anything in lieu of notice? Did they have to relocate from their familiar territories to new states for this work? Were they aware that they were on probation or that their employment was hinged on fiscal returns? If they'd been trying to recruit new members and it hadn't started to yield fruits, were they supposed to kidnap people on the streets, tie them up with ropes and bundle them to Church by force? Hian! Na court go settle this matter laslas except they were forewarned. Leave accommodation with immediate effect with which money and to where kwanu? If the allegation is true, then this is heartless to say the least. Inside this economy just like that? Chai!
I once had a live-in staff who "refused" to attend the Catholic church with us on Sundays. I told her church was compulsory on Sundays in my house and she said she'd attend any other church apart from the Catholic church. So, I knew "there was something serious" behind her decision and indeed there was. I had the option of letting her go that very minute but instead I called an area neighbour to take her along to her own church. She followed this neighbour to church on sundays for nearly eight months before she ever agreed to follow us to Mass and of course she had a nasty experience with a priest in the past. Not even her personally o but her beloved brother. Story for another day.
So, are there bad Catholic priests too? Of course, yes! So, should people stop going to church because of bad priests and pastors? Mba nu! But test the spirit to know if it is of God and when the wrong/evil that your church/Shepherd has done comes to light, do not defend rubbish in the name of "Touch not my anointed..." If your prophet dey misyarn or misdo, we go too touch am for social media until e change. Pouring adulterated olive oil on somebody's head and issuing photocopied certificate does not make them "sacred". Who called them? Was it God's call or it was greed that flashed them? Abeggiii! Let me sip tea, kambiakwa...
Daddy freeze is that you?
DeleteDaddy freeze how? After reading the comment you still think it was from freeze? If you have sense you would have known that freeze doesn't have sense brain power to criticize in such an objective manner as the above anon.
DeleteCongratulations! Hope you are satisfied now. S/he diot
Delete
ReplyDeleteNow, why did I allow her to go with that particular neighbour? Because of her church and pastor. They worshipped at Daystar Christian Church with Pastors Sam and Nike Adeyemi and I love their ways there. God is my witness that I have never ever stepped foot in that church nor donated a dime to their church but I envy their members the good leadership, mentoring and pastoring they enjoy there. Amazing pastors, amazing teaching, [mostly] amazing members too from those I've interacted and had dealings with. So much so that it's becoming quite easy to identity their members just by their characters and attitude. The only thing that hasn't gone down well with me was their visiting Stella DANA and her horseband in America. Apart from that, nothing and rumour had it then that they went to intercede on Doris' behalf so she could have access to her son. Na Doris go fit confam dat one weda na true.
The Bible says by their fruits, you shall know them and I love the fruits that Daystar bears because of the teachings of their pastors and the character of their members. If I ever stopped going to the Catholic church, na Daystar I dey go straight. And if dem lose guard and change too, I will call them out like all these other business conglomerates with pastopreneur leaders. Over to Ndi iniquity apologists disguising as Christians.
I love Pastor Adeyemi. His teachings on business esp in line with God's Word is why I'm where I am today.
DeleteThere is no branch in Abuja if not would have attended his church. I follow him on Instagram and read everything he posts.
When I read he was made a mentor at Forbes, was so happy for him...he is a true man of God.
Choi Stelaa this amebonawork's writings dey give one orgasm. It flows so well, I'm suspecting this is WIDE EYED, bv of tey tey that's the way she writes those days.
DeleteYes it’s true, they went to interceed for Doris, that I can Telly out is 100% true and you can take it to the bank. I ddnt know people knew about the visit
Deletehahahaha omo thesw churches are now classified under financial institutions with the sole purpose of profit making... the sad reality of life..
ReplyDeleteI think the pandemic opened a lot of worshippers eyes and they now know better, that is, one can worship God anywhere and they can help the needy in their environment without going bankrupt ( pastors asking you to sow seeds for everything).
ReplyDeleteThe pastors had a wrong timing, because on their part,they kept on building infrastructure that is not needed ( bad investment), they were competing with themselves to see who outshines the other. I guess, they now know better.
They are all business men...deceiving and brainwashing the gullible.
ReplyDeleteDaddy freeze finish them now.
Let the internet go viral.
The world must see their true colours.
🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 I am "gobsmacked" in our Eloquent I am's voice 🚶♀️
ReplyDeleteRead the Holy Bible from genesis to revelation and know God for yourself and obey his commandments as he has instructed us. Serve him the way he wants to be served too and all will be well with you. in addition, you will make heaven too. Church will not lead you to heaven buh knowing God, obeying God and serving him trully will. Cheers
ReplyDeleteRead the Holy Bible from genesis to revelation and know God for yourself and obey his commandments as he has instructed us. Serve him the way he wants to be served too and all will be well with you. in addition, you will make heaven too. Church will not lead you to heaven buh knowing God, obeying God and serving him truly will. Cheers
ReplyDeleteChurch business
ReplyDeleteThis is purely a business. If this was actually meant for evangelism, the bigger parishes should fund the smaller ones. Most churches around the world are experiencing a decline in revenue due to COVID-19. This church is all about the bottom line.
ReplyDeleteWell, building rents and mortgages need to be paid. And those who make an income from the church need their pay. Powerful speakers who can inspire the flock to keep turning up and giving their donations will always find work. Problem is, there are too many churches and too many ppl running corner churches, things are competitive.
ReplyDeleteHahahahaha! Una never see anything. This one is small. Christ embassy na their Oga for Target giving. All these business Churches. Soul winning is the least of their problem. It's a shame. Small small it will come out in the open.
ReplyDeleteLol.
ReplyDeleteThat is why I love COCIN church with it's headquarters in Jos, Plateau State. Pastors are neither relieved of their calling nor are they put under immense pressure to get members. It is God that touches the heart of men to repent and join a church. No one can convert you except if the Lord touches someone's heart. In a typical village that members are not up to 50, how do you expect the church to grow? Mind you out of the 50, other churches will also have members from that number.if it's God that truly called those 40+ pastors, God will direct them to where there services will be needed in appreciated. Let's pray for them that their spirit will not fail them in this trying times.
ReplyDeleteWow, that's where I worship when I'm in Jos
DeleteChurches in Nigeria, it's well
ReplyDeleteMatthew 7: 22
ReplyDelete“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’
Look only unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our Faith. The glory has departed from a lot of Pastors and denominations but the gifts & calling of God are irrevocable, Romans 11:29.
They may still be performing miracles but deep down some know they worship mammon or money. They know it & God knows it.
I go to a largely white 5k church which is huge by American standards as many people go golfing in the suburbs on Sunday or sleep in. I am close to RCCG & MFM pastors here and they are professionals. One of the mfm pastors here is a physician. He actually takes his earned money with him to church to help people and the money doesn’t return home with him. It’s his personal money. He interacts with you whether you come to his church or not. The RCCG pastors are also full time professionals. I don’t know any other churches as my spirit has never really been at ease in many Naija churches. I hear good things about the Adeyemi couple at Daystar. I’m not promoting any church as there may be exceptions but testifying to the integrity & dedication to the ministry of the pastors I know.
Search the scriptures yourself. If someone’s speech, conversation, behavior etc are consistently out of line with the word (the Bible) leave before they use voodoo to tie you. Those going to swimming pool and cheering biblical apostates are no longer sane. Refrain from every appearance of evil.
I can see how it’s possible to put a pastor under pressure that they backslide to their native religion in secret. Why emphasize big projects? The early apostles gathered in homes, they never raised money for big auditoriums!
Btw the church is one entity. Regardless of the million denominations the church has worldwide, the church is INVISIBLE, known only to God who is his own librarian, keeping the book of life and “the books that were opened” in Revelation.
The oft abused quote “ touch not my anointed” and “judge not” are taken out of context to prevent holding church leadership accountable. They are for all of us. Any Christian can all appropriate “the touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm”. Prophet is not a New Testament title. GO, and many of these titles are not in the Bible and “ judgement must start in the church” is what the Bible actually says. The entire thing going on is a tragedy of low information prosperity “gospel” that has deviated from Christ who will tell many of them that He never knew them.
Search the bible yourself, use apps and Google to check bible reference links. Many in the Nigerian church have moved away from God long ago, long ago! They capitalize on the poverty and political mayhem making people twice the children of hell as themselves. Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing.