The London-based Nigerian designer and larger-than-life pastor glide in luxurious cars and bling outfits. There have been many accusations about his ostentatious lifestyle. Is this what Jesus has called us to do?

I heard about this pastor from a friend of mine who’d share his photos and videos which overtly bespeaks vanity. Something was off about him and his ministry and I decided to take my time to thoroughly research, investigate and discern to come up with an objective opinion.

Pastor Tobi who went to London at 25, based in Peckham at that time, which is a suburb of South London, said he was inspired to start his ministry because of the prevalence of knife violence in his neighborhood at that time. His mission is to lead gang members to Christ. However, over the years there’s been a billow of indictable allegations ranging from fraud, to the exploitation of young vulnerable members and emotionally manipulating them into taking loans to fund the church which many claims to be a cult. Is he a pastor?

I launched into YouTube to search for his sermons, because you know a man of God by the word and the fruit he bears, but I couldn’t find enough sermons; just a few and there was a high emphasis on wealth, wealth and wealth and empowering young people.
Firstly, people need to understand that the gospel is not about empowering young people; the gospel is just not about giving — anyone can do that. The gospel is the message that only Jesus validates and validates Jesus. It’s a message that births every other fruit in Christ. I had to point that out because many people mistake philanthropy for the gospel! The gospel is something the secular world can never give you. Even the devil is generous. He promised to give Jesus the world, remember? The gospel is an eternally relevant message.

I listened to some of Pastor Tobi’s messages and they revolve around hope, wealth, and reestablishing gang leaders into a lifestyle of wealth. This is a deeply warped theological stance with no depth and care about the gospel of Jesus Christ. The hope that Christ gave us was not the hope of getting a better job; not the hope of living a lavish lifestyle. It’s the hope of eternal glory. The hope of life beyond time. It’s the hope of our salvation. It’s a hope that’s not about anything material, but ethereal. I observed that throughout his interviews, he barely makes adequate references to the Bible. Same during his sermons(motivational talks). He caresses the ears of his listeners with wealth-driven motivational phrases with his dispassionate laughter/smile.

Now, is it wrong for a pastor to drive luxurious cars? I don’t think, but when his ‘brand’ is built on luxury and these superficialities; it indicates service to mammon. Pastor Tobi flaunts fleets of cars, always in Fendi and other designer brands. What’s this communicating?
This defies the Christian rubric of modesty. We are called to modesty. Modesty isn’t just about how much skin one shows; it’s also about economizing how we express wealth so that that doesn’t become the focus of people who we claim to lead.

In his interview with MTV UK, he said he uses his display of luxury to attract these gang boys to surrender & this is wrong theology. What attracted multitudes to Jesus was his wisdom not a display of wealth. Preach the word and let the Holy Spirit convince them, not your Gucci.

The SPAC nation also runs a problematic ministerial system where these ex-gang members and ex-convicts are ordained pastors without proper ministerial training. I went on their IG pages and it oozed luxury and everything that reminds you of this world — mammon. Pastor Tobi owns 6 Lamborghinis, 2 Ferraris, and a Rolls Royce with an 8 bedroom mansion in London which is £2.5m. What does he do for a living? Many ex-members have shared accounts of how they were manipulated to take loans to fund the church.

In the investigative exposè by BBC Panorama, the allegations were made bare. An anonymous mother said her 20-year-old daughter gave £13K in the space of 3 months from student loans, personal loans, and business loans; she was manipulated by the church leadership. He stated in his MTV UK interview that one of his greatest desire is to have a community of prosperous young people. Prosperity in the gospel was about our SOUL! Prosperity that never fades even when we die; it’s eternally relevant. The finished works of Christ! Not Gucci.

Am I insinuating that Christians should not be rich or desire prosperity? No. But even in riches, we are called to a life of modesty. Our looks should be demure and constantly remind people less about extreme luxury. They should see more of the fruits of the spirit! Biblically, the idea of the ministry is problematic. Socially, the associations pastor Tobi keeps are disturbing and the image built doesn’t glorify Christ. It glorifies Gucci. This may have worked as a community group, definitely not a church. Be discerning.

CREDIT SOURCE:  https://nobelie.com/something-was-off-about-pastor-tobi-adegboyega-of-spac-nation-and-his-ministry-life-coach-solomon-buchi-spark-reactions/