Pastor David Ibiyeomie of Salvation Ministries has stirred controversy with a recent sermon in which he claimed that Jesus Christ hated poverty and deliberately avoided visiting poor people during His time on earth.
Speaking to his congregation in Port Harcourt, the prominent clergyman stated that according to the Bible, Jesus never entered the home of a poor person, which, in his view, signifies Jesus’ disdain for poverty.
“Jesus never visited any poor person in his house—check your Bible,” Ibiyeomie said. “That means He hates poverty. He visited Lazarus; they weren’t poor—they gave Him food. He visited a sinner, Zacchaeus, who was rich. Show me one poor man Jesus entered his house. He hates poverty, that’s what it means.”
The pastor went on to emphasize that while it’s acceptable to come to Christ in a state of poverty, remaining poor after accepting Him is unacceptable.
“You can come poor, but you’re not permitted to remain poor,” he added. “There’s nothing wrong with coming to Christ as a poor man, but it is wrong to stay that way. Jesus died so you won’t live in poverty.”
His comments have sparked debates online, with many questioning the theological and scriptural basis of his statements.
