Adeboye Apologises for Controversial Remark on Tithing, Recants Statement on Heaven

Femi Ashekun

Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has publicly apologised for a past statement where he claimed that those who do not pay tithes would not make it to heaven.

During his sermon at the RCCG’s ongoing youth convention yesterday, Adeboye expressed regret over the comment, acknowledging that it was not in alignment with biblical teachings.

“I am sorry for saying that if you don’t pay tithe, you won’t go to heaven. That is not in the Bible,” Adeboye said, pausing during his message. “The Bible says, ‘Follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man will see the Lord.’”

His apology references a widely discussed sermon from a few years ago, where Adeboye had made the controversial claim that non-tithers would be excluded from heaven. At the time, his statement sparked significant debate within the Christian community, with many criticising it as a misrepresentation of biblical principles.

In clarifying his position, Adeboye noted that it’s possible to be “right and wrong at the same time.” Drawing an analogy to scientific developments, he likened his earlier stance to the once-accepted idea that light only travels in straight lines, which was later found to also travel in waves.

While retracting his previous remarks, Adeboye emphasised the importance of generous giving, encouraging the youth to give beyond the traditional 10% tithe. “10 percent is for beginners,” he stated, urging believers to give “20 percent, 30 percent, or more” in their pursuit of financial and spiritual growth.

Pastor Adeboye’s earlier statement on tithing stirred controversy when it was first made, with many media outlets covering the strong reactions it elicited.

Some Christian leaders and theologians criticised the message for being exclusionary, while others supported tithing as a key biblical principle but stopped short of linking it to salvation.