A pastor in Lagos, who spoke to our correspondent, said tithes (10 per cent) of their salaries were usually deducted before salaries were paid.
However, the pastor refused to be drawn into a detailed explanation of how he makes ends meet on such a salary. He said, “The job of a pastor is a sacrificial one, no doubt, but what we are paid cannot ordinarily sustain us. The money is definitely not enough to meet our needs even with our access to loans and free accommodation provided by the church.
“Our parish members are most supportive and I encourage my wife to work. Some of our wives own small-scale businesses or crèches.”
The pastors said that members of the parishes are expected to generously support the upkeep of the pastor’s families and provide “comfortable accommodation” for them. They also added that the RCCG paid half of their children’s tuition fees in schools established by the ministry.
Further investigations revealed that the RCCG is cutting the costs of running its various missions by encouraging born-again and well-trained members to lead the parishes, zones and provinces on a part-time basis.
Attempts to get the official position of the church on the welfare of its pastors failed as a member of the church’s media team, Olanike Olaomo, told our correspondent that she was not competent to speak on the issue, when contacted on phone.
She also refused to give out the phone number of the head of the team.
“If you ask for my candid opinion, I will tell you to drop your story because no one will give you the information you are requesting for,” she said.
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