- His message, however, aligns with the prosperity gospel often preached in some modern evangelical circles, where material success is seen as a sign of divine favour and spiritual growth.
Founder of Salvation Ministries, Pastor David Ibiyeomie, has sparked widespread debate with a controversial sermon claiming that Jesus Christ disliked poverty and deliberately avoided associating with poor people during his time on earth.
Speaking to his congregation, Pastor Ibiyeomie said Jesus’ earthly mission went beyond spiritual salvation to include delivering believers from financial lack.
He argued that poverty is incompatible with a true understanding of Christ’s message.
“Jesus never visited any poor person in his house; check your Bible,” Ibiyeomie stated.
“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. Tell me one poor man Jesus entered his house.”
The cleric went on to emphasise that poverty should not be a permanent state for Christians.
“He hates people who are poor. He died for you not to be poor. You can come poor but you’re not permitted to remain poor. There’s nothing wrong with you coming to Christ as a poor man, but it’s wrong for you to remain poor,” he said.
At this point, nothing surprises me again… pic.twitter.com/0dZ9RoNQzy
— PstBenny (@bestbennie) April 13, 2025
Netizens react
Pastor Ibiyeomie’s remarks have drawn mixed reactions. Some applaud his emphasis on financial empowerment, while others criticise the interpretation as a misrepresentation of Jesus’ teachings on humility and compassion for the underprivileged.
His message, however, aligns with the prosperity gospel often preached in some modern evangelical circles, where material success is seen as a sign of divine favour and spiritual growth.
As reactions continue to pour in, Pastor Ibiyeomie’s interpretation reignites longstanding theological debates over the role of wealth, poverty, and social justice in Christianity.
