Several Christian leaders have criticized Pastor David Ibiyeomie of Salvation Ministries for his recent sermon claiming that Jesus Christ hated poverty and never visited poor people.

In a video that went viral, Ibiyeomie told his church members that Jesus never went to the homes of poor people, which he said shows that Jesus disapproved of poverty. He also said Jesus didn’t just die for our sins but also to free people from poverty.

According to Ibiyeomie, if someone becomes a Christian and stays poor, it shows they don’t understand their faith well. He said, “Jesus never visited a poor person’s house… He hates poverty… You can become poor, but you are not allowed to remain poor.”

This sermon sparked strong reactions. Pastor Abel Damina of Power City International strongly disagreed. In a video, Damina said Ibiyeomie’s message was wrong and misrepresented what the Bible teaches. He accused Ibiyeomie of loving money too much and twisting the message of Jesus for material gain.

Damina explained that Jesus did care about the poor. He reminded people that Jesus was born in a poor family and lived among those who had little. “If Jesus hated the poor, He would have been born in a rich home,” Damina added.

Bishop Stephen Adegbite, the Lagos State chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), also disagreed with Ibiyeomie. He said the sermon was a misrepresentation of the Christian faith. He warned Christians not to be fooled by “fake pastors” who focus more on money than the message of salvation.

He said, “Jesus is a friend of the poor and came to bring salvation to everyone, not to promote wealth.”

In summary, many respected Christian leaders believe Pastor Ibiyeomie’s teaching on poverty is not in line with the Bible and could lead people away from the true message of Jesus.