When Church Financing Turns Ponzi Scheme

The reigning phrase among Nigerians this moment is “MMM”. I am told that the site is visited more in this country than Facebook. Now that is some traffic. The very optimistic believe it cannot “la'no” (literally means burn down in Yoruba); the less optimistic consider themselves entrepreneurs whose investment is a risk that can fail. The underlying principle for all such investment though is a promise of a big return on investments. And whatever you may wish to say about it, many of these MMM folks are smiling to the bank.

Lest my Christian friends are strutting around in a self righteous garb of not investing in MMM, I wish to show here how church financing can become a bigger, better and even more wicked Ponzi scheme than MMM.

Before I am misunderstood, I have not said giving to a church is Ponzi. Indeed Christian giving is a veritable proof of a lively faith in the Savior Jesus Christ. When the Spirit was poured out at first on the early church, a community was formed where everyone lived off each other – those with land and property selling them off to give to the church for all to share and have in common. They gave 100%. Indeed proof of the presence of the Spirit is love and giving. But there is a giving that is not Christian and in these days of Ponzi scheming, I see nothing better to compare it with.

Every time a person’s motive for giving is a means of getting money back – albeit from God, such a fellow is investing in a church Ponzi scheme. Have you ever heard of the term “Seed Faith”? Now that’s the foremost Ponzi in the churches. It teaches essentially that your money is your seed and the more you give, especially to a church or a Pastor, you are actually sowing seeds and in future you are going to reap a lot of money. And like modern day Ponzi chaps, the preacher tells you of how he needed a certain amount which he didn’t have. So he took the money he had and gave it to a church or another preacher and, suddenly, the amount he needed appears. "It works!"

The second leading Ponzi in churches is the one that has put me in a lot of trouble discussing it but I’m yet to stop. It is tithing. It is a Ponzi scheme a great deal of churches, orthodox or modern, are guilty of. Christians are taught that the biblical tithe is a tenth of their income. They are promised that God will shield them from all life ills, while he opens the heavens and pours out a blessing on them, if they will only tithe and tithe consistently. Other popular Ponzi like promises in churches include prophet’s offering, firstfruits (giving out a whole January salary to a pastor), and all manners of “dangerous” and sacrificial giving. It never ends.

The reason I am convinced that MMM is a lot better than Church Ponzi is this: MMM and other Ponzi schemes pays at least the early investors. Church Ponzi pays ONLY the Pastors, his associates, his family and those they wish to extend their largesse to. The people are continually reaped off. Those who work hard, earn a legitimate living, and then tithe, sometimes deceive themselves into thinking they are getting a blessing from God. Most others continue to finance the Church Ponzi and will live the rest of their lives in servitude to a religious mentality – one that robs them blind of their genuinely earned money.

I walked into a church once and before the offering was taken the pastor declared that anyone who was not born again, anyone with unconfessed sin in their lives or anyone with hurt against anybody should not drop money in the offering bag. I learnt he says this every Sunday. The implication of that statement is simple: that church’s finances will be lean but pleasing to God. In such a church "offering time" is "conviction time". There is no Christian Church that will wish to live by the true biblical standard today that will come off as a wealthy church.

What then is my point of writing this? First, Christians ought to weigh the motive for their giving. Are you giving because you love God and humanity, or you are giving to get? If it is the latter, you have wasted your money and don’t insult God by saying a certain windfall is a reward for your giving – it is not. Secondly, have you investigated the true meaning of the biblical tithe? How many people gave a tithe of salary in the Bible – despite the fact that people have been earning wages since Abraham? Of all the biblical injunctions to give in the New Testament, how many times was tithing mentioned? The answer to the last two questions is nil.

Ponzi scheming is an old game and many churches are guilty of it. Don’t let anyone deceive you. If you will rather play Ponzi, I suggest MMM where there will be a certainty of profit than giving to such churches.

And let the churches fear. Judgement will start from God’s house before going into the world. Let us all beware lest we have embarked on our own marketing gimmicks and are now calling it ministry. The last time the Lord Jesus entered a church and saw a similar scheme, he drew out a whip and drove the money changers out – declaring they have turned his Father’s house to a den of thieves.

I rest my case for now.

People would still drop offering even though pastor said no one with sin should do so. Who wants to be identified as a sinner when offering is going on. A quick God forgive me and the offering takes place. The point is not about telling sinners to keep their money, the point is teaching people about godly living.

The OP doesn't know what a ponzi scheme is.

Op, u have said it all.
Nice write-up!

delishpot:
People would still drop offering even though pastor said no one with sin should do so. Who wants to be identified as a sinner when offering is going on. A quick God forgive me and the offering takes place. The point is not about telling sinners to keep their money, the point is teaching people about godly living.

lol. Na reverse psychology that pastor dey use.

GeneralTee,

I am in full support of MMM. But to compare it to seed faith or tithing is madness. It is blasphemy. Does MMM give life? Can it deliver you from death or from the devourer? Can it save you when the evil day comes? Does it glorify God by itself?

I heard a preacher say MMM is demonic because the founder was accused of fruad. Fraud against who? A government that seeks to keep the poor poor and dependent on handouts? That's ignorance on rampage?

Is it the satanic financial system we have operating in the world that is holy and from God? Does he know those behind IMF and other global regulatory bodies? Does he know their agenda?

Image123:
The OP doesn't know what a ponzi scheme is.

The op is absolutely correct.

Attention! attention!! Attention!!!.

No Christian shd allow his or herself to stoop to respond to this Op.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Psalm:1:1

This one delights in Scorning the Body of Christ. If you engage him, you share in his woes.

Walk away pls.

Shalom.

annunaki2:


The op is absolutely correct.

Anyone who builds his ministry on criticism and condenmnation will only head downward.

God called us to reconcile the World, not attack and tear down the Body of Christ.


If some one in the fold is in error, you donot pull him out before dogs and tear him to shreds, you intercede on their behalves.

That's why we are intercessors.

We shd be Our brother's keepers, why are we now our brother's killers?

You do the right thing. Light always shines without anyone pointing to it. Shine by doing the right thing.

Do your part and leave God to deal with his erring servants.



He that is called of God, speaks the word of God.

The Op is agasint the Body.



Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
Philippians:3:2

These dogs are inside the fold, not the atheists.

Image123:
The OP doesn't know what a ponzi scheme is.

Do you mind telling me what a ponzi scheme is.

GeneralTee:

Do you mind telling me what a ponzi scheme is.

Are you by chance drumboy?

Protestants and their frequent complaints over the variety of interpretations that has led to close to 40,000 sects that serve the desires of men as the will of God. You assume/believe your interpretation of seed money and faith giving is the true biblical one but it only illustrates the quicksand foundation of Sola Scriptura. In all my years, I have never seen any self-authenticating document, never! and it is only religious fundamentalists that would believe such can exist without a myriad of problems. In Chemistry, for instance, there is IUPAC, likewise with written constitutions of nation states, there are bodies which hold a consensus on meaning and interpretation.

Protestants typically use Scripture to accuse one another. Watch even here how another descendant of Sola Scriptura points you out as a dog and evil worker using the same Bible for your expressed opinion; but I thought it was the devil that is the accuser of the brethren.

OP you see problems, which is good in a sense but you cannot inspire reforms and still remain a protestant. It is subsequent reformations that have led to the multiplicity today and depending on which side one is on, reformation and rebellion are synonyms that describe the dissenters. Also, if modern Christians were to retrace their steps, in search for interpretation from the early church fathers and apostles, no one would be in a Lutheran/reformed/baptist/pentecostal/Methodist/Presbyterian/Anabaptist etc church. They simply won't and didn't exist.

You guys hold Scripture as only authority but likewise Jehovah Witnesses, O.O.O., white and red garments and the host of others. Only interpretations are diverse. When you check all your grievances with its origins, you would find that Protestantism is a reactionary faith. Always reacting to the Roman Catholics and against one another, always checking what the other is doing. It's always a filled day. If you choose to respect the multiplicity of interpretations and doctrines only then can you have a peaceful Christian experience as a protestant without accusations.

Anyway, your bias against MMM leaves a sad taste. Did you know that MMM is the only consistent and exciting thing happening in Nigeria ever since the cattle rearer came on board? If there are others, please share. I'd suggest those you guys should take your campaigns against MMM to the Gov't that refuses to pay salaries and has no regard for human lives, freedoms and laws of the country.

MMM like the banks need people and without the people it crashes...unless you want to say that banks are completely immune from crashing and completely safe with your money. With MMM your money remains with you until you help another by paying directly to the benefactors account not MMM. Another thing, unlike the banks, MMM fully states and continously emphasise the risks involved in the concept. Banks don't tell their clients that there is a possibility of a financial crisis or total collapse do they? Or ridiculous policies like suddenly barring you from accessing my money abroad, depositing foreign currency in your domiciliary account to limiting how much of your money you can withdraw when abroad to outright block. If these were clearly stated how many people would go on to open such accounts?

Savannah bank like many others folded with all my money and I remember the owner ran for president at some point in this 'civilised' country. Those who participate in MMM know the concept and to regard it as ponzi is to be misinformed. There are risks and it pays not just the early subscribers but new ones as well. Long live MMM!

God bless you all. May this final month of 2016 bring good tidings in our Lord Jesus Christ in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen

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Are you by chance drumboy?

I'll prefer that you cease to be "Nigerian" for once and just answer the question. Who drumboy or General Tee are is not the subject of discussion. You can open a thread for that.

Define Ponzi Scheme, preferably with a dictionary.

GeneralTee:


I'll prefer that you cease to be "Nigerian" for once and just answer the question. Who drumboy or General Tee are is not the subject of discussion. You can open a thread for that.

Define Ponzi Scheme, preferably with a dictionary.

So you are, i see. A leopard cannot change its spots.

Image123:

So you are, i see. A leopard cannot change its spots.

And obviously your own English comprehension has not improved.

GeneralTee:


And obviously your own English comprehension has not improved.

Don't be mad, repent of your bile. You should see by now that there's no profit. You can keep running but you can't hide. Come out of excess carnality that you suffer from. Jesus loves you too.

Image123:

Don't be mad, repent of your bile. You should see by now that there's no profit. You can keep running but you can't hide. Come out of excess carnality that you suffer from. Jesus loves you too.

You and I do not serve the same Jesus. Your Jesus is mammon. No wonder he cannot help you define Ponzi schemes and make you see the falsehood in it. Perhaps your Jesus has also led you to invest in MMM. By then you should know that your god is your belly.

Don't patronize me with a love of Jesus you know nothing about. Good morning.

GeneralTee:


You and I do not serve the same Jesus. Your Jesus is mammon. No wonder he cannot help you define Ponzi schemes and make you see the falsehood in it. Perhaps your Jesus has also led you to invest in MMM. By then you should know that your god is your belly.

Don't patronize me with a love of Jesus you know nothing about. Good morning.

You talk too much, try being slow to speak, it might help your bile and comprehension.

Image123:


You talk too much, try being slow to speak, it might help your bile and comprehension.

Cop out na your guy name?

EyeHateGod:

Cop out na your guy name?

You probably know that i would give him a long answer if i wanted to. Don't be silly.

Image123:


You probably know that i would give him a long answer if i wanted to. Don't be silly.

I hear this all the time...

[quote author=Anas09 post=51538667]
Anyone who builds his ministry on criticism and condenmnation will only head downward.

God called us to reconcile the World, not attack and tear down the Body of Christ.


If some one in the fold is in error, you donot pull him out before dogs and tear him to shreds, you intercede on their behalves.

That's why we are intercessors.

We shd be Our brother's keepers, why are we now our brother's killers?

You do the right thing. Light always shines without anyone pointing to it. Shine by doing the right thing.

Do your part and leave God to deal with his erring servants.



He that is called of God, speaks the word of God.

The Op is agasint the Body.

[/quote

was apostle paul against the body of. Christ when he castigated apostle peter for hypocrisy in one of his very public letters? Dis is d problem with 'christians'. We should expose n criticise wrong practices creeping into d church to curtail d excesses of d wolves in d fold. Our collective silence has let to d invasion of all sorts of unscriptural and commercial doctrines.

[quote author=adelee777 post=51593136][/quote]
And did Apostle Paul rebuke Apostle Peter in the presence of Pagans? Was it not within the Fold? Did he rebuke Peter in the Presence of the unbelievers?

RELIGION: The very important part of the ENGINE that runs the PERFECTLY IMPERFECT world that we live in.

true talk

Image123:

You talk too much, try being slow to speak, it might help your bile and comprehension.

Tell us how much you have made from MMM