COVID-19 PANDEMIC:

‘It is Satanic, Evil and Greedy for any pastor to demand for tithes, offerings from members at this trial period of global health crisis’-Nigerian pastor, Ambassador Ephraim, founder of Power House and Ephraim Ononye Ministries Worldwide

…’I am more angrier and it is very dangerous that some men of God are coercing their members to pay online’

* ‘Where do those pastors involved expect their members to get the money from when markets are closed down, most offices are not working and civil servants do not go to work instead of being concerned about their welfare and well being in this trial period?’

* BY AMAECHI DANIEL/REPORTER, ABUJA

AMID THE CHALLENGES facing the world in the health sector regarding the hardship generated by Coronavirus, a Nigerian pastor, Ambassador Ephraim Ononye, the founder of Power House and Ephraim Ononye Ministries Worldwide, an interdenominational assembly has expressed anger over pastors who demand that tithes and offerings should be paid online by their members during this trial period in the country. He described it as “satanic, greed dangerous.”

Ambassador Ephraim, in a statement issued on Saturday in Lagos, wondered how somebody who claims to be a man of God would have such greedy thought that members from his church should send tithe and offering to him or to the church account by transfer, asking: “What kind of wickedness is that? Most of these pastors are only interested in making money from members, how to fill their pockets and extort from members.”

“Where do those pastors involved expect their members to get the money from when markets are closed down, most offices are not working and civil servants do not go to work instead of being concern about their welfare and well being in this trial period?”

Ephraim, who is reputed to be endowed with an Apostolic gift of deliverance said he felt so bad when he read on Internet that Pastors were telling their members not to forget to pay their tithe/offering through online banking.

“Instead of proffering solutions to the deadly disease in the country during this trial period when people are dying of starvation, they are making such demands. Those pastors are wicked and heartless.”

The cleric revealed in one of his recent publications addressing church goers that miracles are not for sale, while advising them to stop giving money to pastors for prayers and miracles.

“According to him, only ignorant church goers give money to pastors and prophets for prayers and miracles, adding: “Miracles are free, don’t allow yourself to be fooled.”

Referring to pastors who own schools, particularly Universities, he lamented that the schools are built with the same money made from the congregation yet their members cannot afford to pay the fees in those same schools.

“How can you build a school with money raised from the church and the school fees are so high that the poor members of their church cannot afford to school in them.”

He blamed those he called the “big men of God” who he said are the problem of the church, adding that all they are after is to build mansions, fly private jets and answer the richest pastors in the world while the church members are dying of starvation.

“These so-called big men of God don’t care if their members don’t have enough to eat but all they are after is extorting money from them and demanding online tithe/offering from members in this trying period. They are from the pit of hell. Anybody telling you to bring money for prayers is evil and not of God,” Ambassador Ephraim said.

He therefore enjoined the Federal Government to set up a task force investigate the activities of the pastors.

On the state of the nation, Ambassador Ephraim expressed hope that the viral virus will become history very soon and asked individual to stop panicking but advised them to pray and exercise faith in God.

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