Founder of Abel Damina Ministries International (ADMI), Pastor Abel Damina, has sparked renewed controversy with a bold claim that tithes and offerings are not given to God, but are instead spent by people.
In a viral clip from a Sunday service sermon, Damina stated, “No offering goes to heaven; men spend it every time we gather offerings in this church. All the offerings we give to God go to men.”
Known for challenging widely held Christian teachings, Damina has frequently questioned doctrines he believes are used to manipulate churchgoers. In January 2025, he drew similar backlash for teaching that smoking and drinking are not sins under Christianity.
During the latest sermon, the preacher criticized what he called the misuse of tithing doctrines, arguing that some pastors use them to psychologically control their congregations. “Even those tithe mongers that say when you pay tithe, the doors of heaven will open, the doors have been opened since Jesus rose from the dead. They are just working on people’s minds,” he declared.
Addressing criticism of his anti-tithing stance, Damina said, “I heard some of them saying I am evil because I said you should not pay tithe, that ‘he and his children would pay tithe’. He has to talk like that to keep collecting from people.”
He went on to accuse many church leaders of hypocrisy, alleging that some who demand tithes from their followers do not pay tithes themselves. “Most of them are greedy; they collect from everybody but they don’t pay anybody. I was there. There is nothing you will tell me that I don’t know because there is nothing new under the sun,” he added.
What you should know
Pastor Abel Damina is once again challenging traditional Christian practices, asserting that tithes and offerings benefit men, not God. His comments are sparking debate over the motives and transparency of church leaders regarding financial contributions.
