Founder of Salvation Ministries, Pastor David Ibiyeomie, has sparked controversy with claims that Jesus Christ detested poverty and avoided the poor during His earthly ministry.
VIDEO: Jesus hates poor people, never visited them – Pastor David Ibiyeomie pic.twitter.com/MNdOksjrAU
— Pulse Nigeria (@PulseNigeria247) April 14, 2025
Founder of Salvation Ministries, Pastor David Ibiyeomie, has stirred widespread debate after declaring that Jesus Christ despised poverty and deliberately avoided close ties with the poor. In a sermon video that began trending online Sunday, Ibiyeomie said, “Jesus never visited any poor person in his house, check your Bible. That means he hates poverty. He visited Lazarus, they were not poor, they were giving him food. He visited a sinner, Zacchaeus, who was rich.”
The pastor continued, “Tell me one poor man Jesus entered his house. He hates poverty, that’s the meaning. He hates people who are poor. He died for you not to be poor.”
Ibiyeomie emphasized that Christ’s death and resurrection weren’t solely about salvation but also deliverance from poverty. “You can come poor but you’re not permitted to remain poor,” he said. “There’s nothing wrong with you coming to Christ as a poor man, but it’s wrong for you to remain poor. It is wrong.”
