In 2010 when I was still a law student on Chamber attachment (internship), I attended one of the Full Gospel Business Men Fellowships at The Oriental Hotel VI with my boss. The fellowship was really interesting and they had a visiting pastor who appeared to be simply awesome. He was a very robust and respectable looking man who seemed to be in his early 50s. He was full of fire and energy and his spiritedness was very contagious. I remember him talking about how blessed he was, how he hadn't had a job in years as ministry was his sole passion but God always overly abundantly took care of all his needs and even more.
He also said, with so much confidence and self-assurance, that there wasn't anyone whom he had prayed for that didn't have the prayers answered. To listen to him, one would think every word he spoke was straight from his mouth to God's ears and voila, like magic; done! And with those convincing words, he eagerly gave out his number.
When you're in law school and you see some of the smartest students getting a pass, conditional pass or fail, you'd begin to realize that Bar finals isn't only about smarts but also God's grace or sheer luck perhaps. With that in mind I studied real hard but stayed prayed up, even to the point of asking everyone I knew to please put me in their prayers. I then remembered the selfless pastor whose prayers had never gone unanswered. I called him, introduced myself and told him my exams would be starting soon and to please remember me in his prayers. He chuckled and said God had already done it.
Well eventually Bar finals turned out not to be the rocket science I had expected and I knew I'd do just fine in my result. And when the result came out I still remembered to call him, whether or not success was as a result of my hardwork, grace, my parents' prayers, my loved one's prayers, happenstance or this man's prayers. However unlikely that it was his prayers, I still called him. I re-introduced myself and told him my result was out and it was good and I'm just calling to share the good news and also say thank you.
And that was when the demands began.
He sent some text about money for ministry this and that and attached his account details. I remember thinking that it wasn't fair of him to ask someone whom he knew was barely out of school for money, but I immediately sent him 30,000 naira.
Less than two months later he said his wife was ill and he called on everyone help out. I was broke at the time, remember I was barely out of law school and hadn't even gone for service. Still squeezed out 20,000 naira and sent that same day.
A few more texts came over the next few months which I ignored, mainly because I was either broke or had more pressing needs for my money, but I remember receiving another text from him about money for ministry and sending about 45,000 naira.
Over the years more of these texts have come and I have ignored each and every one of them since the last 45k. I was younger, naive and less responsible (or very irresponsible) with my finances. But the older I got the more his texts began to get my goat. I noticed that he was quick to text and attach his account details but would never text back to say thank you.
I noticed that he never sent any other texts, I mean, even during Christmas or Easter or New Year. You would not receive a single Merry Christmas of HNY text from him. But later that month, a text would come in without fail, stating that monies were needed and demanding you to make a deposit into his personal account.
Also I resented the fact that these were bulk texts and only God knows how many of us he sends these to, and then we will all begin to send money to his "personal account" and enrich this supposed pastor's pocket while some of us got broker. I, for instance. In those times when I sent those monies it wasn't because I had a lot, I remember that 20k I sent was ALL the money I had to my name at the time...
So for the first time in years, when I got a text from him yesterday, I responded. See below.
He called me this morning for the first time since I met him. He wanted to know why I had sent "God's anointed" such texts and don't I know I'm playing with fire?
Which brings me to my questions, please who exactly is God's anointed? Anyone that calls himself a pastor? Anyone that mounts and pulpit and can quote the bible in the loudest voice? Anyone that so chooses to be called? Anyone that has accepted Christ as his Lord and Saviour? Who???
Help me out here guys.
Ps; it 'pains' me that I never once wondered why money for the ministry was always instructed to be paid into his personal account.
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