Pastor Isaac Oyedepo, son of Living Faith Church founder Bishop David Oyedepo, has sparked discussions among Christians following the circulation of a sermon clip in which he suggested that the biblical figure Job suffered because he did not pay tithes.
In the video, which resurfaced on social media in October 2026, the clergyman argued that although Job was generous towards the poor, the Bible did not record him paying tithes.
“Job was not a tither,” he declared, encouraging listeners to examine the biblical account for themselves.
According to the preacher, Job’s charitable giving did not prevent Satan from attacking him, a situation he linked to the absence of recorded tithe payments.
The statement has generated mixed reactions, with some social media users questioning whether the book of Job supports such an interpretation.
Critics have pointed to Job 1:1 and Job 1:8, where the biblical figure is described as blameless, upright, God-fearing and someone who turned away from evil.
Others have referred to Job 1:6–12, which describes a conversation between God and Satan about Job’s faithfulness before his suffering began.
The passage does not explicitly identify failure to pay tithes as the reason Job experienced hardship.
the controversy is not entirely new within the Oyedepo family.
In 2019, Bishop David Oyedepo faced similar criticism after teaching that Job’s blessings were not protected because there was no biblical record of him paying tithes.
Previous religious commentary has also documented Pastor Isaac Oyedepo expressing a similar interpretation, although the original recording date of the clip currently circulating has not been established.
The renewed discussion comes months after Pastor Isaac announced in January 2026 that his independent ministry in Abuja would not collect offerings during its Sunday meetings, explaining that he believed God had directed him to focus on discipleship and spiritual growth.
the ongoing debate highlights differing christian interpretations of tithing, divine protection, suffering and the lessons contained in the book of Job.