Pastor Adewale Giwa, Senior Pastor of Awaiting the Second Coming of Jesus Christ Ministry  has made an appeal to members to stop paying tithes and offerings till Covid-19 pandemic is over.

COVID-19 pandemic safety protocols

The Federal Government had earlier declared  the relaxation on the ban on gatherings by worship centers across the country.

This, however, has been based on following the safety protocols on COVID-19 directed by the Federal Government. Nevertheless, in a report by The Nation Newspaper, Pastor Giwa in an address to his members declared that it makes no sense to ask them to pay tithe and offering in these hard times.

Moreover, Pastor Giwa condemned the way the Federal Government has made it mandatory for members to wear masks. He asked the Federal Government to retract the mandatory condition stating: “They have further showed us that they don’t mean well for us by asking us to be wearing masks.”

Payment of Tithes and Offerings

On tithe and offerings, the pastor also said: “I don’t think it makes sense for pastors to ask their members to pay tithe and offering during these difficult times.

“Things are extremely difficult now; giving is not by force but by one’s own volition. The Scripture tells us in the book of Exodus 35:29 children of Israel brought a voluntary offering to Jehovah, every man and woman whose heart prompted them to bring for all manner of work, which Jehovah, by the hand of Moses, had commanded to be done.

“I have begged my members to stop giving out tithes and offerings till everything becomes normal.

“The Scripture also tells us that one can give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctant or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

“However, if any of them chooses to still give out their voluntary offerings and tithes, so be it.”

Pastor Adewale Giwa

The pastor also criticized the one hour service mandate given to churches. He stated: “Let me also use this medium to tell the federal government to withdraw some conditions given to the church. It’s wrong to give us time to end our services.

“It is also not acceptable to mandate us to be using masks in the house of God. You don’t love us by telling us to follow the guidelines laid down by human beings.

“Our God is bigger than any disease. We will maintain social distancing, but wearing a mask is unhealthy.

“If they love us, they would have fixed our electricity since 2015. If they love us, they would have made arrangements to deal with hunger in Nigeria.”

Source: The Nation Newspaper