PUNCH
Founder of Power City International Ministry, Pastor Abel Damina, is often viewed through the lens of controversy and known for stirring the hornet’s nest with doctrines that many consider to be at variance with true biblical teachings. In this interview with Tessy Igomu, he discusses tithing, his criticism of Nigerian pastors, and relationships with Dr Paul Enenche, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and Bishop David Oyedepo, among other issues
How do you feel being described as controversial, especially by Christians?
The truth is that I can only seem controversial to those accustomed to hearing lies. When someone used to lies hears the truth, it will sound different.
When falsehood becomes an institution, truth sounds like rebellion.
My teachings are not really controversial because they are from the same old Bible that has been used for thousands of years.
When it comes to biblical teaching, just like it was in the days of Jesus, the Pharisees and Sadducees were already teaching the bible before Jesus appeared in the four gospels and differed from the way they taught the Bible.
It was said that He sounded very different, controversial, strange, spoke mighty words, and with authority.
The reason is that the Bible is an ancient material written in a word review that is not our review word, in a language that is not ours, written in a culture that is not our culture, and in a vocabulary that is not our vocabulary.
The Bible was written by 40 authors, spans over 1500 years, and is in three languages – Greek, Hebrew, Latin, or Aramaic.
The Bible was also written on three different continents. When it was collated, it had only one message.
In John 5:39, Jesus said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”
So the entire Bible is the testimony of Christ; it has one message, one character, and one emphasis.
So we say the Bible is a Christocentric material that carries with it a Christ-centered emphasis.
Tible is a theology and the theology of the bible is Christology and the mission of Christ is Soteriology, which is salvation.
So once a preacher’s emphasis is not Christ or salvation, anything I am saying will sound controversial to him and his congregation.
So, it is not controversial, it is just that what the people were fed before is not what the message of the Bible is.
Now that we are preaching the message of the Bible, which is Christ and salvation, it sounds controversial to those not used to hearing them.
Has your approach to Christian doctrines alienated you from the PFN, CAN and the rest?
It’s been wonderful and the truth is that all sincere, truth-loving men of God who are sound, we are talking about those who are theologically sound, are excited about what I am doing.
The only people who are frowning at what I am doing are those using the Bible for money-making purposes, and those using the Bible to extort from the poor for personal interest. They are the ones angry with me.
However, people who are sound theologically and are genuinely into the ministry are excited about what I am doing.
I have not been isolated from the Christian bodies. I was the National youth chairman for the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria for eight years. So, I am an ex officio of PFN and PFN is in the Christian Association of Nigeria.
I am not fighting anybody; I am just teaching the Bible. I don’t even call names and don’t attack individuals.
But of course, when light shines, darkness will feel attacked. I am not attacking; rather, I am just explaining the truth of the scriptures in the light of Jesus Christ.
You said Christians are not obligated to pay tithe, why? Also, will Christians miss heaven for not tithing?
The issue of tithing has been over-flogged and this is because of the way some men of God interpret the scriptures when it comes to tithe.
Tithe was first mentioned in the Bible in the book of Genesis 14:19-20. In this passage, Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils of war to Melchizedek, the king of Salem and priest of God.
This act is considered the first recorded instance of tithing in the Bible.
Nobody asked Abraham to give tithe and nobody gave him a law on tithing. It was just his way of showing appreciation to God. He didn’t give the tithe for blessings; he only gave it as a show of appreciation for the victory he got at the war front and the blessings pronounced over him.
In the Book of Numbers, God wanted Israel to be a kingdom of kings and priests. The Israelites said they wanted God to talk to Moses and then, Moses would speak to them.
Because of this, they appointed Moses as their mediator and God honoured it because He is not a tyrant.
Moses then set up the Leviticus priesthood, which was the tribe in Israel, set apart to serve in the temple. So, because they are to serve in the temple, they are not allowed to go to war or do business.
So, Moses made a law that every Israelite should pay tithe, which would be used to sustain the Levites, and also take care of the poor, widows and strangers.
In the book of Malachi 3:10 the bible says that because you do not pay tithe, you are cursed with a curse, but if you pay tithe, God will rebuke the devourers for your sake.
We must understand that in Bible teaching, there is the rule of Bible interpretation. Every time you read a context, you must look at the pretext, and understand protext to understand the context.
When Malachi was talking about those not paying tithe going to be cursed, he wasn’t talking to the Israelites, he was talking to the priests, who were collecting tithes from Israel but were not paying tithes to their higher priests.
Remember the Bible consists of the Old and New Testament. The New Testament is a relationship that is predicated on what Christ has done that qualifies a man.
So tithe was in the Old Testament, which is a relationship with God predicated on human performance.
That’s why in Matthew 23, Jesus called the Pharisees and Sadducees hypocrites for paying tithe but failed in the issues of love and compassion.
In Galatians 4:4-5, the Bible says, “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.”
Christ saved us from the curse of the Law. So every curse that tithe should bring to us, Christ has redeemed us from it.
Christianity is apostolic and historic. During the time of the Apostles, nobody paid and received tithes.
The only thing you saw then was generosity. So, people sold land and brought the money, and provisions were made for people to cater for the needs of others in the church. That is what we see in the New Testament.
So what do with do with the tithe today? In Romans 15:4, the Bible says, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the scriptures and the encouragement they provide, we might have hope.”
Why was tithe paid? Number one, so that the needs of the priests can be met. Number two, so that the widows, strangers, and orphans can be taken care of.
Now, when we give, we give generously and willingly to support the church, the poor, widows and orphans, and with no percentages.
We are not to give tithe as a transaction. God is not transactional, God is a Father.
Romans 8:32, says, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
Anything that comes from Jesus is freely given. Jesus told his Apostles, freely you have received, freely you give. God does not demand anything from us. The only thing God demands from us is our faith. We give out of responsibility because we want the work of God to continue and for people to hear the gospel.
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