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Pastors Slam Ibiyeomie Over Claim That Jesus Hates The Poor

Published

4 weeks ago

Apr 19, 2025.

Ibiyeomie claims Jesus never visited the poor, sparks outrage.
Pastor Damina, CAN chair debunk message, call it misleading.
Clerics say Christ identified with poor, born into poverty.

Prominent Nigerian clerics and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have strongly condemned Pastor David Ibiyeomie of Salvation Ministries over a controversial sermon in which he claimed that Jesus Christ hated poverty and never associated with poor people during His time on earth.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that in a now-viral video circulating on social media, Ibiyeomie told his congregation that Jesus never entered the home of a poor person, interpreting it as evidence that Christ disapproved of poverty. According to him, Jesus’ ministry and death were not only for salvation but also to free believers from poverty.

“Jesus never visited any poor person in his house, that means He hates poverty,” Ibiyeomie said. “He visited Lazarus; they were not poor. He visited Zacchaeus who was rich. Tell me one poor man whose house Jesus entered. He hates poverty. That’s the meaning. He died so you won’t be poor. Nothing is wrong with coming to Christ poor, but it’s wrong to remain poor.”

His comments sparked widespread backlash, including from Pastor Abel Damina of Power City International Ministry, who criticized Ibiyeomie for what he described as a “twisting” of biblical teachings to promote materialism.

Damina, speaking in a video published by Saturday PUNCH, accused Ibiyeomie of distorting the gospel, calling him a “prosperity monger and money lover.”

“How can Jesus hate poor people?” Damina questioned. “Scripture says He became poor so that through His poverty we might be rich—not materially, but in grace, mercy, and righteousness. He was born in a manger, into a poor family. If He hated the poor, He wouldn’t have come through a humble carpenter’s home.”

Damina warned against interpreting spiritual richness as material wealth and urged pastors not to mislead believers for personal gain.

Similarly, the Lagos State chairman of CAN, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, condemned Ibiyeomie’s statement, calling it a “dangerous distortion” of biblical truth and a complete misrepresentation of Christ’s teachings.

Pastors Slam Ibiyeomie Over Claim

In a telephone interview with Saturday PUNCH, Adegbite said, “He should stop misleading people. Jesus is a lover of the poor and He identified with them throughout His ministry. By their fruits, we shall know them. Making billions is not Christianity. The true message of Christ is salvation.”

Adegbite urged Christians to remain grounded in sound doctrine and warned them against falling for prosperity-focused teachings that contradict the essence of Christ’s mission on earth.