The founder of Power City International Ministry, Pastor Abel Damina, has recently stirred controversy by asserting that tithing is not a requirement for Christians in the New Testament.
During an episode of the Honest Bunch Podcast released on Monday, the pastor made a bold declaration, stating that God does not demand a specific percentage of income from believers.
In a snippet of the podcast released on Sunday, Damina’s statements sparked significant discussion within the Christian community due to the nature of the topics covered.
Addressing the issue of tithing, he stated, “In the New Testament, we don’t tithe; there is no percentage. God is not demanding something from you like a taskmaster. Christianity is historic and apostolic, meaning what the apostles didn’t do, we are not supposed to do.”
Damina further explained that neither Jesus nor his apostles, including Paul and Peter, engaged in tithing, as the New Testament church was built on the teachings of the apostles and prophets, with Christ as the cornerstone.
“If you read the book of Acts, nobody paid tithes to anybody, but people gave. The Bible tells us that people sold houses and land, and the proceeds were distributed so that everyone was taken care of, and no one lacked in the church,” he emphasized.
Instead of tithing, Damina advocates for generous and willing giving in the New Testament
“God loves a cheerful giver. When you have experienced His goodness and love, nobody will need to tell you to give to His work. That is New Testament; it is generosity,” he said.
In the podcast, Damina also touched on the issue of miracles within the Christian faith. While acknowledging that genuine miracles do occur, he expressed concern over the increasing number of staged miracles intended to deceive followers.
“I believe in miracles. I have been healed and have seen others healed, including a blind person whose sight was restored and even raising someone from the dead,” he recounted
“But these staged miracles we see today, with brand-new crutches and wheelchairs, are not genuine. God is not desperate to perform miracles because the ultimate goal is eternal life.”
Damina also took issue with the popular slogan, “What God cannot do does not exist,” popularized by Pastor Jerry Eze of Streams of Joy International Ministry.
He argued, “That statement is not true. People think I’m jealous of Jerry Eze, but it’s not about sentiment. It’s about knowing what the truth is.”
Damina’s comments have reignited discussions on the role of tithing and the authenticity of modern-day miracles in the Christian faith, highlighting the ongoing debates within the religious community.
