Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has publicly apologised for a previous statement in which he implied that Christians who do not pay tithe might not make it to heaven.
Speaking at the ongoing Youth Convention of the RCCG at the Redemption City along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Thursday, Adeboye described his earlier comment as a mistake.
Adeboye clarified that tithing is not a biblical prerequisite for entering heaven and emphasized the importance of peaceful and holy living, as outlined in the Bible.
“I apologise for saying ‘If you don’t pay tithe, you might not make it to heaven.’ I’m sorry, that’s wrong, and it’s not in the Bible,” Adeboye said.
“What the Bible says is ‘Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see God’.”
The pastor explained that even though he initially believed tithing was essential for salvation, he has since come to realize that this belief was incorrect.
Drawing from his scientific background, Adeboye used the example of light traveling in both straight lines and waves to illustrate how one can be right and wrong at the same time.
He added that while 10 percent tithing is a standard practice for beginners, he has personally increased his contributions beyond that percentage, encouraging others to do the same.
Adeboye also shared a story of a man who committed to giving 90 percent of his earnings to God after starting a business with $500, which later grew to generate $50 million in turnover. This story, Adeboye said, inspired him to steadily increase his own tithe contributions over the years.
“It’s wrong for me to say you should be paying only 10 percent,” Adeboye concluded.
