The Founder of Salvation Ministries, Pastor David Ibiyeomie, has warned Christians against neglecting the payment of tithes, claiming that believers who fail to fulfil the religious obligation could expose themselves to problems they might wrongly attribute to the devil.
In a viral video trending online sighed by PUNCH Online on Sunday, the cleric, in a sermon ahead of the Christmas season, urged Christians to prioritise tithing before spending money on festive clothing and other personal needs.
“Don’t buy a Christmas cloth when you have not paid tithe. It’s dangerous. It’s very dangerous,” he said.
He insisted that Christians should not treat tithing casually or contribute whatever amount they choose, stressing the need to pay what he considers the correct amount.
The pastor illustrated his message with accounts of alleged incidents involving vehicle tyre bursts, which he linked to drivers who, according to him, had failed to pay their tithes.
Recounting one incident, he claimed that two tyres of a vehicle conveying him burst during a journey.
“I said to the driver of the passenger, I said, you don’t pay tithe,” he recalled, adding that he attributed the incident to the driver’s alleged failure to pay tithes.
The cleric also narrated another experience involving a driver employed to drive his Rolls-Royce. According to him, two tyres burst while he and his wife were travelling in the vehicle.
“I said, go and check his record. Truth was not a tither,” he claimed, referring to the driver.
He further alleged that he had encountered similar situations involving other drivers who were Christians but had not been paying their tithes.
According to the pastor, the incidents reinforced his belief that some misfortunes experienced by Christians should not automatically be blamed on the devil.
“Not everything is the devil,” he said, urging believers to examine their religious commitments rather than attribute every problem to spiritual attacks.
He also warned Christians against neglecting tithing during the festive season, suggesting that doing so could affect their families.
“I’m telling you this December, don’t tamper with your tithe. Otherwise, they may rush your children,” he said.
The pastor criticised Christians who, according to him, paid tithes inconsistently or failed to calculate the amount properly.
“Many of you are Christians, but don’t pay the correct tithe. You pay as you like. It’s not pay as you go. Pay correct tithe,” he said.
He concluded by urging believers to take the practice seriously and avoid blaming the devil for problems he believes may be connected to unpaid tithes.
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