Pastor David Ibiyeomie of Salvation Ministries has reiterated his stance that Jesus avoided associating with poor people because He “detested poverty.”
Ibiyeomie earned backlash after advocating for the rich and belittling the poor.
In a follow-up statement, Ibiyeomie advised believers to help the poor but not associate with them, likening it to avoiding sinners.
He claimed the Holy Spirit confirmed his statement, citing scriptures to support his view that poverty is a mentality.
Ibiyeomie urged followers to reject poverty, promising that those who do will not be identified with sin, poverty, or sickness.
The cleric said: “Some persons called me and said internet was on fire. I wasn’t interested, but out of curiosity, I checked. Then I asked the Holy Spirit to tell me if I’m wrong and I would take the blame.
“He was dictating God’s word to me verbatim in the bathroom, he said ‘you’re not wrong, you’re right.’ I said how? he said ‘I became sin for humanity, true?’ I said yes. He said ‘do you like sin’? I said No. He said you can only lead people to Christ, but you cannot be a friend to a sinner. He said if a believer is mixing with sinners, everybody gets angry. So if a believer mixes with the poor, everybody should be angry.
“He said ‘I was made poor. so you can be rich’. So poverty is not of me.
“He said ‘you can help the poor but don’t associate with the poor’. You don’t have money does not mean you’re poor. Poverty is mentality. And he gave me scriptures. He said ‘I paid a price for sin, poverty and sickness’. Why will you reject sin and accept poverty. And those who rejects poverty in line with God’s word, these three things will never be identified with you.”
