Abel Damina tithe controversy sparks national debate on church offerings

Abel Damina tithe controversy stirs debate in Nigeria after claiming tithes and offerings are not given to God but used by men, challenging long-held doctrines of prosperity preaching

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n a now-viral video recorded during a Sunday sermon, Dr Abel Damina, founder and president of Abel Damina Ministries International (ADMI), argued that offerings and tithes are not divine contributions but resources used entirely by church leaders.

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“All the offerings we give to God go to men,” said Pastor Damina. “No offering goes to heaven. Men spend it every time we gather offerings in this church.”

Known for his controversial interpretations of Christian doctrine, Pastor Damina has frequently challenged popular theological teachings.

In January 2025, he made headlines for saying smoking and drinking are not sins in Christianity. His recent comments have reignited debates around the ethics and transparency of religious finance in Nigeria.

In April, Pastor Damina directly contradicted the teachings of Pastor David Ibiyeomie of Salvation Ministries, who had claimed that “Jesus hated poverty.”

Damina countered this by emphasising that Jesus never despised the poor, instead choosing to associate with them—criticising what he called “prosperity-themed preaching”.

During his most recent sermon, the ADMI leader criticised preachers who promote the payment of tithes with promises of divine rewards. He said many of them use such teachings to psychologically influence their followers.

No offering goes to heaven; men spend it.

“Even those tithe mongers that say when you pay tithe, the doors of heaven will open—those doors have been open since Jesus rose from the dead. They are just working on people’s minds,” he explained.

He went on to accuse some preachers of hypocrisy, stating that they collect tithes from congregants while failing to tithe themselves.

“Most are greedy; they collect from everybody but don’t pay anybody,” he added. “I was there. There is nothing you will tell me that I don’t know because there is nothing new under the sun.”

Also read: Adeboye clarifies tithing remarks, urges increased giving

This is not the first time Pastor Damina has faced backlash from religious institutions. In October 2024, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Ecclesiastical Affairs criticised his teachings, accusing him of promoting “an alarming rate of theological errors and heresies.”