During a Sunday service, Pastor David Ibiyeomie of Salvation Ministries stirred controversy with a bold claim: Jesus Christ did not spend time with poor people during His time on earth.
Known for his outspoken views, the pastor argued that poverty and Christianity are incompatible. He told his congregation that Jesus’ mission extended beyond saving souls — it also included delivering people from poverty.
According to Ibiyeomie, remaining poor after accepting Christ reflects a lack of understanding about the true essence of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
He urged believers to study the Bible closely, suggesting they’d find that Jesus only visited individuals who were not impoverished. He cited Lazarus and Zacchaeus as examples of people Jesus associated with, claiming both were not poor.
While he acknowledged that people may come to church in poverty, he emphasized that staying in that condition contradicts the life of a true believer. Poverty, he insisted, has no place in the life of someone who genuinely follows Christ.
Pastor Ibiyeomie’s comments sparked a wave of reactions online, with many taking to social media to share mixed opinions about his interpretation.
could there be a truth in what he said? This should be a call for everyone to go into indept study of the word of God.
