The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has rejected claims that Christians are meant to live or die in poverty, saying prosperity and good health are part of God’s will for believers.
Speaking in a recent sermon shared on YouTube, Adeboye cited 3 John 1:2, which states, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” He said the passage shows that God’s desire includes spiritual growth, physical well-being and material prosperity.
The cleric described teachings that portray poverty as a Christian virtue as contrary to scripture. “Some people have the audacity to say that if you’re a Christian, you should die poor,” he said, urging believers to reject that belief and declare that they would not die poor.
Adeboye also prayed for divine healing, saying sickness is not God’s plan for His people. However, he stressed that the promise of prosperity is tied to spiritual growth, noting that God’s blessings should never replace a healthy relationship with Him.
