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Bishop Nathanyel Ben Israel, founder and leader of Israel United in Christ (IUIC), has stated that tithing is not about giving money to pastors, stressing that pastors who take tithes to enrich themselves are thieves and conmen who are taking undue advantage of their members’ ignorance.
According to him, it is high time followers of Christ studied the Bible themselves to unravel the truth to stop pastors from ‘robbing’ them to enrich themselves whiles they (the members) become poorer and poorer.
Bishop Nathanyel Ben Israel was speaking at the grand opening of what was called the school at Denkyemuoso, a community in the Kwadaso Municipality of the Ashanti Region on Saturday, August 5, 2023.
Explaining Malachi 3:8-10, a biblical passage which pastors often use as a reference point to demand tithes from their members, the man of God refuted the notion that failing to pay tithes to pastors opens door for the devil to attack the finances of believers.
According to him, most pastors misinterpret the scripture to swindle their members or frighten them, a strategy which compels them to give without being cheerful against the teachings of the Bible.
“Most Christians in the world are being oppressed by their pastors to pay tithes. Church leaders have manipulated that scripture and say no to the crops mentioned but always demand huge sums of money from their poor members,” he said.
He continued, “Tithing in the Bible is ‘ten percent of your corn and crops. It was paid to the Levites to take care of them every three years.
Buttressing his stance with Isaiah 56:10-11, Bishop Nathanyel described pastors who demands tithes as greedy, blind and ignorant shepherds.
He, however, pointed out that pastors were not his enemies but brothers and sisters whose understanding of tithing needed to be changed, adding that tithes were paid directly to the Levites and not any other persons or tribes.
IUIC is a private organization with its headquarters in New York in the United States of America.
It was established in 2003 as a non-profit organization with branches in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, South Africa, and Uganda as well as America and England.
By David Afum
