Senior Pastor of The Second Coming of Christ Ministry, Adewale Giwa, has strongly criticized religious leaders in Nigeria for transforming churches into what he described as a "den of robbers" by prioritizing prosperity messages over prayer.

Speaking to his congregation on Sunday in Akure, Ondo State, Pastor Giwa accused church leaders of soliciting unnecessary donations and shifting focus from salvation to wealth accumulation.

"In Mark 11 vs 17, Jesus Christ said my house should have been that of prayer but they have turned it into a den of robbers," Giwa stated, explaining that churches should be places where people gather to pray fervently to God rather than centers for collecting money.

Prosperity Over Prayer

The clergyman expressed concern about the prevalent prosperity messages in churches today. "We preach prosperity, we send prosperity messages out. If you bring N5,000 today, you will make one million tomorrow – he said no my house shouldn't have been in that mess, it should have been a house of prayer but they have turned it den of robbers," he lamented.

According to Pastor Giwa, many religious leaders now focus on advertising promises of wealth and healing rather than preaching about the redemption of souls. He questioned how many religious leaders currently prioritize spiritual salvation in their messages.

"To be stealing, taking money that is not meant for us, making people to donate money instead of making the House that of prayer," he continued, suggesting that such practices have corrupted the true purpose of the church.

Call for Spiritual Authenticity

Pastor Giwa advised believers on how to have their prayers answered: "Forsake your sins and turn to God, that way your prayers will be answered. Go straight to the point and ask God for what you want, he will answer because he is our father."

His message comes at a time when prosperity preaching has gained significant popularity across Nigerian churches, with some critics arguing that it often overshadows core Christian teachings about salvation and righteousness.

The pastor's comments have sparked discussions about the commercialization of religion and the true purpose of worship centers in contemporary Nigerian society.

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