Help the poor but don’t associate with them- Pastor Ibiyeomie

By Aderinola Abimbola

Pastor David Ibiyeomie, while trying to clarifying a statement he made earlier regarding poverty, still maintains that the poor should not be associated with.

Ibiyeomie said this again in a sermon, addressing his church members in Lagos.

He claimed that he received the revelation from the Holy Spirit confirming that his initial statement was right.

“Everybody gets angry when a believer is mixing with sinners, so also is when a believer mixes with the poor, people should be angry. He said I was made poor that you might be rich. So poverty is not of me. He said you can help the poor but not associate with the poor. He said that if you do that you’re saying my death and resurrection is in vane. Because I died that you may come out of poverty,” Ibiyeomie said.

He emphasised that just as one should not associate with sinners, one should not associate with the poor.

“Do you like to stay with the sick? Why because Jesus became health for you. Do you like to stay with the poor? He became poor that you can help the poor. That you don’t have money does not mean you’re poor. Poverty is mentality,” Ibiyeomie added.

This controversial statement has since garnered lots of reactions on the internet.