YAHOO-PLUS LEADERS IN CHURCH?
Babatomiwa M. Owojaiye
Yahoo-plus is the employment of metaphysical, non-scientific, and unholy means to make money. This involves the use of animal and human parts, and other unthinkable elements for money rituals. This is a monumental social disorder common among young people in this part of the world – youths who want to make money fast and at all cost.
Yahoo-plus is an offshoot of internet fraud (yahoo), 419, cybercrime, advance free fraud, deception, and scam emails, just to name a few. The dorminant goals of these vices is to make money, live in opulence, and “enjoy” life at the expense of others. For these scavengers, it’s money or nothing!
Sadly the spirit behind these unholy practises common in our social space has found its way into the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. I even dare to say that a closer look at the life of Judas Iscariot, one of the first twelve disciples of Jesus Christ, reveals that a similar principle to that which is seen in lives of the practitioners of yahoo-plus in our days has been around with us for quite sometime. Below are four traits in the life of Judas Iscariot that can also be found in the lives of the yahoo-plus practitioners in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ today.
- Just like Judas Iscariot, their progenitor, yahoo-plus church-leaders would never do anything or enter into any agreement with anyone without first securing an answer to their missional question: “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” (John 12:14-16). Their prayers for you is at a cost. If they fast over a matter that concerns you, it must cost you “something.” If they pay you a visit, haa, “something” must drop from you. Securing their appointments would depend on how fat your “seed” is. You will regret it if you make the mistake of inviting them to minister to “your” congregation. They’ll use gimmicks to drain the finances of “your” church to zero. They’ll subtlety harvest the contacts of every important member of “your” congregation with the aim of following-up with them behind you…just to get “something.”
The words: sacrifice, love, and selflessness are not in their dictionary. They are good and kind to you only on the condition that you continue to “offer” them “something.” When that stops, you’ll see the other side of them. For them, nothing goes for nothing. They’re “professional” leaders who cannot go the extra mile for anyone.
- Just like Judas Iscariot, yahoo-plus church-leaders think that Jesus and the rest of his disciples are fools who do not know how best to make, value, and use money. They assume that they are smarter and are better at making and using money than their “MASTER” and His church. They are deceitful and could even steal from anyone and anywhere in order to enrich themselves (John 12:4-6). These “Christian” leaders deceive, lie, and generate misleading doctrines, visions, dreams, prophecies, and sundry initiatives with the singular purpose of being financially ahead of others. They could do anything, I mean anything for money. For them, money is everything!
- Where was Judas Iscariot when his colleagues were busy in discipleship class with Jesus? Where did he got the time to trade with the life of his Master (Matthew 26:14-16)? What was he busy with in his spare times? Was he not always busy scheming how to make more money? He must be a very “smart” man! From all indications, Judas was a truant on a mission. He was a “disciple” that was never concerned with the matters of the Kingdom. Just like Judas Iscariot, yahoo-plus leaders are never really concerned about the matters of the Kingdom of God. They say or teach something and do the opposite. They may be highly learned and well decorated but the outcomes of their “ministries” show that they do not genuinely love Christ nor His church. The main motivation behind their venturing into the Christian ministry is money, money, and money.
- They are “chameleonic” lovers. What’s more deceitful than pointing Jesus Christ to the “enemy” with a kiss. Wow, what a kiss! Kissing is an intimate form of expressing affection, emotions and greetings. Kisses mean different things to different people depending on the context, but one thing is sure about the practice, its an expression of positive emotions. But see how Judas Iscariot changed that definition. He employed kiss to betray his MASTER. Isn’t that “smartness”? Yahoo-plus pastors do not really love anyone in the true sense of the world. Their kisses are poisonous and are issued only for their self-aggrandizement.
The Bible says that, “When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders . “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said. “What is that to us?” they replied. “You bear the responsibility” (Matthew 27:2-4).
In the end, these hirelings would realise that the worth of a man does not consist in an abundance of possessions (Luke 12:15), and that true and lasting can only be found in Christ. But as for you, dear believer in Christ, be on guard. These spiritual hustlers are everywhere. Do not let them scam you.
