Nigerian Christian writer and social commentator Solomon Buchi has criticised a sermon by Pastor David Ibiyeomie, founder of Salvation Ministries, in which the clergyman linked incidents of burst vehicle tyres to drivers who allegedly failed to pay their tithes.
In a video circulating online, Pastor Ibiyeomie claimed that he had experienced three separate incidents involving vehicles driven by born-again Christians who were not paying tithes.
“If a non-tither drives me, two tyres will burst,” the preacher stated while recounting his experiences.
According to him, one incident occurred during a journey when two tyres reportedly burst. He claimed he confronted the driver about his failure to pay tithes and attributed the incident to that failure.
The clergyman also recalled a similar experience involving a newly employed driver and his Rolls-Royce.
Reacting to the sermon, Solomon Buchi questioned the biblical basis for using such experiences to encourage financial giving among Christians.
“That is not the spirit of the Scriptures speaking, because in the Gospels there is no place where the early apostles cajoled people to give like that,” Buchi stated.
He explained that although Christians should support their local churches financially, giving should come from genuine gratitude, service and worship rather than pressure or fear.
“As Christians, we ought to give to our local church, but we give out of a place of gratitude. we give out of a place of service. we give out of a place of worship,” he said.
Buchi’s response highlights the ongoing disagreement among Christians over tithing, particularly whether financial giving should be presented as a condition for divine protection.
While Pastor Ibiyeomie interpreted the reported tyre incidents as consequences of unpaid tithes, no independent evidence establishes a connection between the drivers’ giving practices and the vehicle problems.
The exchange raises questions about the biblical principles of generosity and whether Christians should be encouraged to give through warnings of misfortune or through personal conviction.