In many churches, especially in the United States, Africa, and poverty-prone areas like South America, we tend to turn the church into a business place. I know my major outreaches are designed toward capacity building, and that’s what I’m invited to do in several places. However, truthfully, the church is not an investment scheme where you give and then receive dividends. The scripture that says, “Give, and it shall be given unto you,” has been grossly misinterpreted.
For example, I opened a school, so I gave a school. Now, people are bringing their children here and paying me school fees. So, I am getting what is pressed together and running over. In our two schools, we provide integrity, meaning we don’t cheat in exams, and we provide results. Because of this, even though other schools are struggling to get pupils and learners, we are suffocated by the demand to admit children, and we even have to reject students.
Therefore, “give” is not necessarily about giving an offering in church. Instead, provide services, provide goods, provide ideas, provide models, and provide direction, and people will give unto your bosom. That is the way it is.
In fact, the purpose of the church is not to preach wealth. The purpose of the church is to establish the kingdom, the reign, and the dominion and the atmosphere of heaven here on earth. That is the real purpose of the church. When we miss this, we become extortionists, taking money from people just to aggrandize ourselves. We become thieves and oppressors. No wonder there’s a name, “press bitter”—you press and you make people bitter. That is not the purpose of the church. Don’t let any man deceive you. I’m your friend, Dr. Charles Apoki. God bless you.
