@benedictac


wow good point you made in there ,i never knew its a christian way no to show consideration and concern.christianity as u say is now a way to acquire material things.hmmm

Be careful of those who encourage selfishness and self concern.

@Benedicta

1 Timothy 6:5-11:
5And protracted wrangling and wearing discussion and perpetual friction among men who are corrupted in mind and bereft of the truth, who imagine that godliness or righteousness is a [a]source of profit [a moneymaking business, a means of livelihood]. From such withdraw. 6[And it is, indeed, a source of immense profit, for] godliness accompanied with contentment (that contentment which is a sense of inward sufficiency) is great and abundant gain.

7For we brought nothing into the world, and obviously we cannot take anything out of the world;

8But if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content (satisfied).

9But those[b] who crave to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish (useless, godless) and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction and miserable perishing.

10For the love of money is a root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have been led astray and have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many acute [mental] pangs.

11But as for you, O man of God, flee from all these things; aim at and pursue righteousness (right standing with God and true goodness), godliness (which is the loving fear of God and being Christlike), faith, love, steadfastness (patience), and gentleness of heart.

Men of God were specifically warned in this passage to desist from love of money. Whilst there is nothing wrong in being rich christianity should not be used as a means of attaining wealth by church leaders.

Private Jet = layman's term

Business Jet = Professional term

Why do organisations acquire these aircraft? Because it makes business sense. Most large fortune 500 companies have FLEETS of aircarft complete with a corporate flight department. In some cases, companies actually make money by owning these jets, e.g. lease it to a charter company when not using it. Aircraft are like real estate, they keep their value well. Citigroup just offloaded its fleet of aircraft in its quest to source for much needed funds. If Redeemed decided to offload this aircraft a few years down the line, it might end up not costing them anything.

The GO is a busy man who travels a lot, usually with an entourage. Add up his ticket fare and that of his entourage and you'll be suprised that the difference btw the total and the cost of operating his aircraft will not be as significant as you think.

He needs privacy, which might be difficult for him to have while waiting in the departure hall of MMIA or ina crowded 450 seater Boeing 747. half the passengers will wants to shake his hand or ask for a prayer or just catch a glimpse of the man of God.

Nigeria's road network is dangerous, and it is suicidal for anyone who can afford air travel to opt for road transport. The GOs tight schedule may render road travel unfeasible. Lets examine a scenario. He has to attend his friday night vigil @ camp then preach in yola the next day followed by another programin jos. If he used the airlines his route will be lagos- abuja-yola-abuja-lagos-jos. if he used his private aircraft,it will be Lagos(or ibadan)-yola-jos. ability to fly directly between any two cities means he can be more productive. More convention/services/crusade per year=more souls to Christ.

The G-IV is a top of the line long range aircraft, thecouldhave probably gone for something slightly smaller, maybe something in the "super midsize" category.

Just another look at the whole situation from an Aviation worker (not a redeemed member)

Pastor Adeboye: Buying a plane to see God
By Tunde Fagbenle, Punch newspaper, Lagos; Sunday March 15, 2009

Have you heard the news? That our pastor, Pastor Adeboye, has acquired a brand new aircraft for N4 billion? Jesus is a mighty God, a mighty God, Jesus is a m, "

"Sharaap! Are you mad? So what business of mine is that? Now you see why I am not a Christian, and certainly cannot be your kind of mumu Christian. You are hungry and jobless and you are singing praises to Jesus that your bishop has gone to buy an aircraft for 4 billion naira! I am sorry for you. Please, get out of my sight."

"Na bad belle dey worry you. Can't you see the glory of God in that? A Gulfstream 4XP aircraft, whao, that's a pleasure ride, man, I mean a pleasure fly. Our pastor is the first to buy that kind of aircraft and he didn't even borrow a kobo to buy it. Cash down. I told you, our Redeemed Christian Church of God is the biggest and best church in the world, and buying this plane has just confirmed it, he has beaten others to it. We lead; others follow. Hallelujah!"

(Shaking his head) "Are you sure you're well? So, tell me, where did your pastor get N4billion from? With that kind of money, do you know what industry he can set up to provide employment for thousands, the likes of you jobless graduates who throng his churches in droves seeking the "salvation" of a job? In a land full of poverty and deprivation, a "man of God" goes ahead collecting monies from the poor and rich, promising them the kingdom of God, and going ahead to buy such luxury aircraft. Psshhh!"

"What you fail to know in your ignorance is that that money is not just our collections, not just our tithes and offerings, it is the blessing of God. How is it possible to collect N4billion just like that if God did not bless it? It is like the miracle of the five fish and two loaves with which Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour fed five thousand people. These things are not possible except through God. Look at all the wonders that are happening to us, look at the size of our churches, look at our university, everything. And we can still buy a N4billion aircraft and you think that is done by man? You are ignorant. May God open your eyes and let you see His wonders."

"O, I see! You guys collected N4,000 and your pastor performed Jesus miracle, prayed on it and it turned to N4billion! I wonder where is the taxman. About time religion stops being the excuse for not paying taxes. I am ignorant, ehn? Well, I would rather remain so than belong to your "enlightened" group."

"So, what's your gripe, anyway? What's an ordinary N4billion aircraft when even smaller boys own bigger planes in America, and even here in Nigeria? After all, Bishop Oyedepo of Winners Chapel, also has an aircraft. But ours has beaten his own."

"So, it's a case of 'my Mercedes is bigger than yours'? Hehehe."

"Stay there. If only you know how busy our pastor is and the magnitude of the evangelism he can achieve by being able to fly all over the world at short notice and convert people and expand our size, then you wouldn't be saying the nonsense you are saying. With that plane, now you have to know that no matter the money you bring to God through our church, you know our pastor is bigger than that. You bow."

"Hmmmmm, I see. But tell me, when will you get a job, now that your bishop has bought this plane?"

"Leave that alone. What you don't know is that in the same way that God has been faithful to Bishop Adeboye and granted him his wish for this plane, so will He be faithful to the rest of us and grant our wishes. Even with this plane, how do you know it wouldn't be a means for our bishop to be able to carry our supplications to God in heaven faster?"

"O, I see. You must be right. The plane flies in the sky, and heaven is in the sky, sebi? So your pastor will literally fly in his new plane to take your supplications to God? O pari o!"

"The fool says in his heart, there is no God. Please stop being a fool. I want you in paradise with me."

"I pass. Your pastor should be enough company there."

"So, what about the N100 I asked for? I'm really hungry, man."

"N100? Hundred naira ko, hundred kobo ni. Adeboye no dey there?"

look at all you hypocrites and people pleasers, what is wrong if the baba feels he needs an aircraft, and buys one? is it your money? did he come to you and ask for a loan to buy the aircraft? abi did he defraud your father? Why would you always behave like Nigerians? the people in government that are stealing you money and amassing wealth in foreign accounts what are you all doing about it. go to saharareporters.com and see what they are using your money for and you are here criticizing the pastor, make the thing dey una left mind jare, o you generation of beefers, if u no like am, jump into the transformer and romance it,
Repo

Nigeria's road network is dangerous, and it is suicidal for anyone who can afford air travel to opt for road transport.

the irony of this statement is that Adeboye's convention ground at the lagos-ibadan expressway contributes to road congestion.

mikesleek:

look at all you hypocrites and people pleasers, what is wrong if the baba feels he needs an aircraft, and buys one? is it your money? did he come to you and ask for a loan to buy the aircraft? abi did he defraud your father? Why would you always behave like Nigerians? the people in government that are stealing you money and amassing wealth in foreign accounts what are you all doing about it. go to saharareporters.com and see what they are using your money for and you are here criticizing the pastor, make the thing dey una left mind jare, o you generation of beefers, if u no like am, jump into the transformer and romance it,
Repo

Hmm when did it becomes his money, i thought the money was meant for the Church. Is abeboye using the jet for missionary work? or for "privacy"

Adeboye needs a jet to be closer to god so he can hear what God has to say clearly.

Driving in cars makes him too far away from God

I have to say, we Nigerians are something else!
Pastor Adeboye bought a jet/RCCG bought a jet. So what? Is Pastor Adeboye or RCCG the problem in Nigeria?
I bet if it was in the papers that Femi Otedola, Aliko Dangote, or Mike Adenuga bought a jet, no one would think anything of it. Despite the fact that all of these three men have benefitted hugely from government patronage at the expense of taxpayers. So much so that these criminals have even made it to Forbes' top 500 list!
I bet also you guys are not aware that the NNPC GMD has a HS-125 jet with call sign 5N-NPC assigned to him. At least that one is a government parastatal. None of the big 4 oil major CEOs in Nigeria has a jet assigned to their personal use, at least none that I know of.
RCCG's (or if you like, Pastor Adeboye's) jet is not a matter for Nigerians to hold court over. If the church feels they need a jet, well, they need a jet. It's the problem of RCCG members. Not the problem of Nigerians.
Yet we cut off our nose to spite our face as is our custom.
Peace Y'all.

well, all i will  say to all who dont know is that it is not Adeboye s property. the fact that he is the head of the church is another thing. Am not sure he has that money. the jet belong to RCCG. not Adeboye ok?
   church  has always be known from History to be channel of civilization. check this out!, i mean in those days it use to be church motor bike, church car, church buses. BUT NOW! what do you expect to see church JETS of course
    may God bless Pastor Adeboye, he is a light and a shinning example of a good leader. he is a father and will contnue to be MY father, he will not fall in Jesus name, he will not miss heaven in jesue amen
  NOW, to all the emeies of the Gospel, may never see success in all ur labours in Jesus. Just keep fightin the gospel ok? YOU HAVE NOT seen anything yet, not only will RCCG buyin a jet, prophet Abiara will soon land his own, Rev DR Ademola Ishola,prophet TB JOSHUA,pastor chris oyakhlome,pastor Chris okotie,oyedepo, samson Ayorinde,Gbile AKANNI, Bishop mike okonkwo,pasr orisajafor,etc.to If not the church then who  do want to is it NASFAT that u want or YOUMBAS islamic society??
    pls stop disgracing the ministers of God in this trend. Dont allow all those RAG Heads to insults the church and the minsters, let God judge those who are not ok among them!

Remember the rich young man that went to meet Jesus on how he could make heaven and Jesus told him to go and sell all his belonging give it to the poor and follow him.

The love of money that left Eununch to see the truth and avoid it. His redemption camp is now the Jamboree for all corrupt politicians and business execs and heavily jazzed traditional rulers

Why didn't Jesus command his own friend Lazarus to go and sell all his belongings, give it to the poor and follow him? Why didn't Jesus make the same ruling in the case of all the other rich men he mingled with? Can we please be honest in our interpretation of the Bible? GOSH!!! You people are so full of yourselves that you can not even see the flaw in the way you choose to judge here. Are you for real? @Dayokanu



Did Jesus actually state that his SIN was being rich?? Do you have proof that this purchase was made out of the love of money or is it that you are convinced that any Christian Church that makes a purchase in an amount your mind cannot handle, does so out of love of money? If it be so, please share. What is the cut off mark allowed in by you? Unbeweavable!!

dayokanu:

Adeboye needs a jet to be closer to god so he can hear what God has to say clearly.

Driving in cars makes him too far away from God

Oh Wait!!! It is ok to spend thousands on a car but definitely never millions on a jet? Roflmao!!

papa giddy:

well, all i will  say to all who dont know is that it is not Adeboye s property. the fact that he is the head of the church is another thing. Am not sure he has that money. the jet belong to RCCG. not Adeboye ok?
   church  has always be known from History to be channel of civilization. check this out!, i mean in those days it use to be church motor bike, church car, church buses. BUT NOW! what do you expect to see church JETS of course
    may God bless Pastor Adeboye, he is a light and a shinning example of a good leader. he is a father and will contnue to be MY father, he will not fall in Jesus name, he will not miss heaven in jesue amen
 [size=18pt] NOW, to all the emeies of the Gospel, may never see success in all ur labours in Jesus. Just keep fightin the gospel ok? YOU HAVE NOT seen anything yet, not only will RCCG buyin a jet, prophet Abiara will soon land his own, Rev DR Ademola Ishola,prophet TB JOSHUA,pastor chris oyakhlome,pastor Chris okotie,oyedepo, samson Ayorinde,Gbile AKANNI, Bishop mike okonkwo,pasr orisajafor,etc.to If not the church then who  do want to is it NASFAT that u want or YOUMBAS islamic society??[/size]
    pls stop disgracing the ministers of God in this trend. Dont allow all those RAG Heads to insults the church and the minsters, let God judge those who are not ok among them!

the man buy plane some people want  to die just imagine when he buy their house and convert it to church.  for all the ills of some churches in nigeria, majority are a force for good.  just imagine that land without the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

i just  pity the women receiving the bad belle sperms some men on this thread has.  imagine the toxic kids being produced by the wicked and envious minds. some people surely have disadvantage.

Why has the leadership of redeem church not come forward to explain to the general public reason behind the Private aircraft purchase?

@FlyinNaija
Your post is full of misinformation

FlyinNaija:

Private Jet = layman's term
Business Jet = Professional term

1.There is nothing layman in referring to such units as private jets (as opposed to commercial jets). Business Jets and BizJet originated from marketers aiming to sell the units to corporate executives. The term corporate jet is more formal.

Why do organisations acquire these aircraft? Because it makes business sense. Most large fortune 500 companies have FLEETS of aircarft complete with a corporate flight department. In some cases, companies actually make money by owning these jets, e.g. lease it to a charter company when not using it. Aircraft are like real estate, they keep their value well. Citigroup just offloaded its fleet of aircraft in its quest to source for much needed funds. If Redeemed decided to offload this aircraft a few years down the line, it might end up not costing them anything.

2. Am not sure what you mean by 'business sense' but private jets are not bought because they are cheaper than flying commercial (in fact they are very expensive to maintain). The main reasons for having private jets is the comfort and flexibility of schedule. Also it serves as a status symbol as it is definitely a step above flying first class.

3. You don't make money by owning a private jet, but you could alleviate/share your cost by time sharing with others.

4. Aircrafts are definitely not like real estate, but more like cars. They require regular maintenance and depreciate value exponentially.

5. I don't know where you got your information on citigroup's fleet from, as they are still trying to sell them. The intend to downsize their fleet from 5 to 2 aircrafts. They will likely obtain a poor value for the planes, as the market is being glutted with units. The bank is willing to take the financial hit vs the public criticism and pressure from the government as they are receiving TARP funds. Citigroup recently declined to take possession of an earlier ordered plane, and would be losing the initial deposit (part will be recovered if the jet is sold).

6. The plane, which is likely a Gulfstream IV-SP (as opposed to 4XP), was likely bought used as Gulfstream no longer makes the G IV. The market value of the plane will have depreciated significantly and resale will likely not be a viable option. The serviceable lifespan of an aircraft is usually defined by pressurization cycles which depends on how often it is flown, but the loss of value will also be influenced by obsolescence as it is a technological item. Irrespective,for tax purposes, private jets are usually depreciated over a seven year period, which should give you an idea of the life expectancy

The GO is a busy man who travels a lot, usually with an entourage. Add up his ticket fare and that of his entourage and you'll be suprised that the difference btw the total and the cost of operating his aircraft will not be as significant as you think.

He needs privacy, which might be difficult for him to have while waiting in the departure hall of MMIA or ina crowded 450 seater Boeing 747. half the passengers will wants to shake his hand or ask for a prayer or just catch a glimpse of the man of God.

Nigeria's road network is dangerous, and it is suicidal for anyone who can afford air travel to opt for road transport. The GOs tight schedule may render road travel  unfeasible. Lets examine a scenario. He has to attend his friday night vigil @ camp then preach in yola the next day followed by another programin jos. If he used the airlines his route will be lagos- abuja-yola-abuja-lagos-jos. if he used his private aircraft,it will be Lagos(or ibadan)-yola-jos. ability to fly directly between any two cities means he can be more productive. More convention/services/crusade per year=more souls to Christ.

The G-IV is a top of the line long range aircraft, thecouldhave probably gone for something slightly smaller, maybe something in the "super midsize" category.

Just another look at the whole situation from an Aviation worker (not a redeemed member)

@FlyinNaija
Your post is full of misinformation (please note that am neither in support or against the purchase of the jet as I feel I am not privy to enough information to take a conclusive stance on the issue)

FlyinNaija:

Private Jet = layman's term
Business Jet = Professional term

1.There is nothing layman in referring to such units as private jets (as opposed to commercial jets). Business Jets and BizJet originated from marketers aiming to sell the units to corporate executives. The term corporate jet is more formal.

Why do organisations acquire these aircraft? Because it makes business sense. Most large fortune 500 companies have FLEETS of aircarft complete with a corporate flight department. In some cases, companies actually make money by owning these jets, e.g. lease it to a charter company when not using it. Aircraft are like real estate, they keep their value well. Citigroup just offloaded its fleet of aircraft in its quest to source for much needed funds. If Redeemed decided to offload this aircraft a few years down the line, it might end up not costing them anything.

2. Am not sure what you mean by 'business sense' but private jets are not bought because they are cheaper than flying commercial (in fact they are very expensive to maintain). The main reasons for having private jets is the comfort and flexibility of schedule. Also it serves as a status symbol as it is definitely a step above flying charters and a few steps above first class.

3. You don't make money by owning a private jet, but you could alleviate/share your cost by time sharing with others.

4. Aircrafts are definitely not like real estate, but more like cars. They require regular maintenance and depreciate value exponentially.

5. I don't know where you got your information on citigroup's fleet from, as they are still trying to sell them. The intend to downsize their fleet from 5 to 2 aircrafts. They will likely obtain a poor value for the planes, as the market is being glutted with units. The bank is willing to take the financial hit vs the public criticism and pressure from the government as they are receiving TARP funds. Citigroup recently declined to take possession of an earlier ordered plane, and would be losing the initial deposit (part will be recovered if the jet is sold).

6. The plane, which is a Gulfstream IV (as opposed to 4XP), was bought used as Gulfstream no longer makes the G IV (the specific unit was made in 1996). The market value of the plane will have depreciated significantly and resale will likely not be a viable option. The serviceable lifespan of an aircraft is usually defined by pressurization cycles which depends on how often it is flown, but the loss of value will also be influenced by obsolescence as it is a technological item. Irrespective,for tax purposes, private jets are usually depreciated over a seven year period, which should give you an idea of the life expectancy

The GO is a busy man who travels a lot, usually with an entourage. Add up his ticket fare and that of his entourage and you'll be suprised that the difference btw the total and the cost of operating his aircraft will not be as significant as you think.

6. Obviously you have no idea how much it costs to run a private jet. Lagos-London first class return ticket from BA will typically costs less than $55,000.00 for a party of 15. This is slightly less  than(about 80% of) the direct costs (fuel and co) for flying the gulfstream. Unfortunately the real killers is the annual fixed cost which is $800,000 -$1,000,000.

He needs privacy, which might be difficult for him to have while waiting in the departure hall of MMIA or ina crowded 450 seater Boeing 747. half the passengers will wants to shake his hand or ask for a prayer or just catch a glimpse of the man of God.

7.While I agree that he likely needs a level of privacy at times, contrary to your opinion, the world is not filled with people whose sole aim to to interact with pastor adeboye. Also there are VIP receptions and the first class cabin is not overcrowded.

Nigeria's road network is dangerous, and it is suicidal for anyone who can afford air travel to opt for road transport. The GOs tight schedule may render road travel  unfeasible. Lets examine a scenario. He has to attend his friday night vigil @ camp then preach in yola the next day followed by another programin jos. If he used the airlines his route will be lagos- abuja-yola-abuja-lagos-jos. if he used his private aircraft,it will be Lagos(or ibadan)-yola-jos. ability to fly directly between any two cities means he can be more productive. More convention/services/crusade per year=more souls to Christ.

8. I believe there are several government officials and workers that are members of the RCCG and if deemed dangerous, they should improve the road network

9. The question of safety of air travel is long discourse, but it is well known that while air crashes are less frequent they are commonly fatal

10. The faster mode of transport depends on your source and destination, as you cannot always land an aircraft close to your destination

11. He could cover the same itinerary outlined above by using a chartered flight

12. The number of convention/services/crusade per year does not necessarily equate to more souls to Christ

The G-IV is a top of the line long range aircraft, thecouldhave probably gone for something slightly smaller, maybe something in the "super midsize" category.

13. As said earlier the G IV is a discontinued model and thus top of the line wouldn't be my choice of words.

Just another look at the whole situation from an Aviation worker (not a redeemed member)

[quote][/quote]

papa giddy:

well, all i will  say to all who dont know is that it is not Adeboye s property. the fact that he is the head of the church is another thing. Am not sure he has that money. the jet belong to RCCG. not Adeboye ok?
   church  has always be known from History to be channel of civilization. check this out!, i mean in those days it use to be church motor bike, church car, church buses. BUT NOW! what do you expect to see church JETS of course
    may God bless Pastor Adeboye, he is a light and a shinning example of a good leader. he is a father and will contnue to be MY father, he will not fall in Jesus name, he will not miss heaven in jesue amen
 [size=14pt]NOW, to all the emeies of the Gospel, may never see success in all ur labours in Jesus.[/size]Just keep fightin the gospel ok? YOU HAVE NOT seen anything yet, not only will RCCG buyin a jet, prophet Abiara will soon land his own, Rev DR Ademola Ishola,prophet TB JOSHUA,pastor chris oyakhlome,pastor Chris okotie,oyedepo, samson Ayorinde,Gbile AKANNI, Bishop mike okonkwo,pasr orisajafor,etc.to If not the church then who  do want to is it NASFAT that u want or YOUMBAS islamic society??
    pls stop disgracing the ministers of God in this trend. Dont allow all those RAG Heads to insults the church and the minsters, let God judge those who are not ok among them!

Saddening to hear such from someone I assume (judging by the rest of the post) is a christian.

god will have mercy on you all

i

Biina, thanks. help me tell them, these kind of people still have poverty mentality, let them change their mind set-up

@ binna Are u an enemy of the gospel? somepple still want the Gospel to still be in the 19th century by now. some christain still thinks development in christaindom is to toooo fast, when God expect you to move at a speed of light. All northern African countries were once christain states filled with churches, but now occupied by unbelievers-muslims. can the gospel capture it back?? i dont see any thing in get a jet for God s work.if u are sad at it, then die!

I wonder of we still have hope in Nigeria. The analysis of some people here are simply warped!.

Take a deep breath, close your eyes and think of what effect will a luxurious jet have on the lifes of the suffering masses. You can say Redeem church is not the Federal Govt but they are meant to be Charity Organisation. They need to do their bits.

Politicians hide under the immunity clause , our pastors hide under "touch not my anointing". The craze for Universities have gone, now it's the Jet age.

Let the truth be told, there is no argument that can justify owning a private jet by redeem xtian church of God. For your information, I attend Redeem Church because I feel comfortable worshipping there, and this wont stop me from still worshipping.

We should start seeing our pastors as human and not God - They are liable to make mistakes - This is a grave error in my own opinion !.

papa giddy:

  @ binna      Are u an enemy of the gospel?  somepple still want the Gospel to still be in the 19th century by now. some christain still thinks development in christaindom is to toooo  fast, when God expect you to move at a speed of light. All northern African countries were once christain states filled with churches, but now occupied by unbelievers-muslims. can the gospel capture it back?? i dont see any thing in get a jet for God s work.if u are sad at it, then die!

I don't know which of my posts (or possibly some/all) gave you the impression that I am an enemy of the gospel.

If it was my response to your wishing failure on others in the name of Christ, then I am definitely an enemy of such a 'gospel'. My faith does not support one that wishes unwell on others. Unfortunately, the last part of your post ("i dont see any thing in get a jet for God s work.if u are sad at it, then die!" shows that we differ greatly on this.

If it was my response to someone else earlier post on the jet issue, I would apologize as it seems I may have been misunderstood. The bible says that "my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge"  and while the context in the passage is different, the truth is that the statement is applicable in all aspects of life. I posted not because I was in support or against the purchase of the jet, but rather to correct what I felt was misinformation by someone who (intentional or not) added credibility to his statements by saying he was an aviation worker.

The truth is I could easily argue on both sides of the turbulent river of discourse, though I am inclined towards the cons out weighing the pros. I have posted on a similar thread that I feel religious leaders should be role models, of not only piety, but also humility (which is not same as poverty). I would compare a private jet of today to a chariot in biblical times, and would then ask, "which of the prophets or apostles had a chariot?"

The rate of spreading the gospel has little to do with a private jet. While it may be more comfortable for the traveler, it wouldn't likely get you there any faster than a chartered flight. The procedure and time required would still be same, except that the vehicle of transport is now a private asset as opposed to a commercial airline. Private jets would require airports for take off and landing, and wont be landing in someone's farm or backyard. The travelers would still have to go through customs and immigration inspections, and still require visas for entry into countries where needed. Most importantly, you still can't be in two places at the same time.

If you are genuinely concerned about the northern african countries, I hope you will be at ease to know that several airlines still have regular flights to most cities in these countries.

I am all for spreading the gospel of Christ, but not in the sense that 'the ends always justifies the means'. History is littered with the evil that men have committed in the name of God, prime examples being the Christian crusade and the Moslem jihad.  

There are other ways the money involved could have been used to spread the gospel without creating an elitist image of the church or the church leaders. It seems most have forgotten that the word 'Christain' implies 'Christ like' and thus your way of life should be your greatest sermon.

I am sure sometimes in the future, private jets would possibly be common place like cars today, and the private jet would be replced by space shuttles or teleportation devices. At that time, you will find me at the forefront saying every human (not only Christians) deserve a private jet.

YA'LL BETTA GET OVER IT
BIG DEAL ABI

@biina: God bless you man,,and His grace and mercies shall continue to abound in your life,,,I have gone through all your posts on this issue,,though there others who have given very useful contribution but I think you have put a balanced for only those with discerning spirits that corrolates with intelligence would understand.Once again God bless you and the likes of Kunlesho!!
In the US,,men of God like Benny Hinn and Joel Ostein had been made by their church members to retract statements initially made to the public that were controversial agaisnt the Bible,,,they came out in the public and news to apologise and correct the error and they admitted that they were Humans notwithstanding their being Pastors.Recently too,,Barack Obama pastor for 20 years during Obama campaign made statements that were inimical to Obama's aspiration,,,as result of that, the pastor was fired and a new pastor employed,,ultimately that made Obama and the family resigned from the church.Revd.Jesse Jackson,during Obama campaigns too,,made a statement that was of jealousy and inimical to Obama's aspiration,,at the end Jesse Jackson and his son had to apologise to that effect in the public.
Now you wanna wonder why these men of God above are kept under check in US??the reason is that in the US,,,they have had many pastors who had used religion to manipulate peoples life and subsequently murdered hundreds of people in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.Agood example is Revd Jimi Jones saga where almost 1000 people were murdered in just one day.
However, in Nigeria, am so marvel to note that we assume our pastors re perfect and they make no mistakes,,,that is not true they human and particularly prone to making errors and mistakes.One other thing that baffles me is that RCCG have kept quite over this saga and to me that is not right and it sparks a lot questioning and doubts from the world the church want to reach out to.And many of the contributors in favor of RCCG who are members of the church have not shown any sign of what the preach,,how can you be calling someone a fool because the person does not hold thesame view with you?or why would you wish someone death because he sees something wrong with your church which you don't see.
What RCCG members should know is that ,,,whenever they are being criticised,,they should not bother with the fact that the person critic ising is their enemy ,rather they should bother themselves with if what they re been criticised about is true or false.

This is just retarded! I wonder why people get so overly defensive of religious men. We are all human and as such are prone to making mistakes and Adeboye is not above that. So why cant people be allowed to critique him without being called names and sons of Lucifer.

rockhaven:

can a child ask his father for a jet knowing his father can afford to give him a jet?
what is wrong in a father  granting his son request for a jet.pator adeboye asked AGOD for a jet and  he has gotten one .why dont you ask your father in heaven for whatever you want.simple.CONGRATS.PASTOR ADEBOYE.im launching  a LANDROVER 18M.i JUST wonder what folks will say,with  many relatives school fees yet unpaid,

I don't know if you are joking or not, but if you actually want to spend 18M on a land rover, You apparently have saved up for it just as the case with most guys i know. Well sorry to say-but you will never be rich. So i hope u are just kidding and your last statement about school fees is hilarious

[size=15pt]Nigerians and private jets[/size]

THE new-found taste of some privileged influential Nigerians in business and socio-political and religious sectors to acquire private jets notably in the last one year is a subtle redefinition of affluence and class in a largely poor, developing economy.

The country might be witnessing a replay of the last days of the notorious Second Republic when air planes became a status symbol among the political elite. Pastors and Chief Executives of banks are said to be most notorious in the current strange rush to acquire private jets. The acquisition of a private jet either by the chief executive of a bank or by a religious leader, smacks of insensitivity to the plight of the majority who have been subjected by the present economic realities to live in penury. The purchases are incongruous with realities in a country that is credited with 80 per cent youth unemployment.

The going value of a jet alone is staggering, ranging from a low of $13 million for the Hawker 800 XP to about $58 million for a Challenger Global Express. According to reports, about five units of the Hawker 900 XP worth about $14.9 million each are parked in Nigerian airports for private use. Two brand new Hawker 4000 series worth about $21 million each and a Falcon 7X believed to be worth about $49.5 million are also on parade at our airports. Learjet and the Gulfstream G550 have also caught the fancy of the Nigerian nouveaux riche.

The jet owners' argue that the planes are business tools and not necessarily an evidence of ostentation or status symbol. But this is hardly convincing. What kind of frequent travel for example, would compel a Bank Chief Executive to acquire a private jet? Is it not more advisable to travel in commercial aircraft?

That most of the planes in question carry the South African ZS call sign as against the local 5N registration tag for whatever reason is a disservice to Nigeria. An attempt to conceal ownership is one of the possible reasons for this. We believe Nigeria's economy is being sabotaged as long as the owners of the private jets prefer foreign pilots, technicians, engineers and crew from South Africa to their indigenous counterparts who are just as competent and in need of employment. It is estimated that cummulatively, about N1 billion is expended per annum on the maintenance of a private jet covering landing and parking fees, fuelling, crew salaries and other costs.

In the face of global economic recession and widespread poverty at home, it is mind-boggling to find that as markets for many products are shrinking, foreign private jet manufacturers and dealers are keeping their production lines running for Nigerians. The acclaimed improvement in the operations of commercial airlines in the country, curiously does not attract the attention of a new class of rich Nigerians and this is unfortunate.

Instructively, the international community has rightly taken an interest not only in the taste of Nigerians for private jets but the sources of wealth for their purchase. This indeed should call for serious concern. For instance, who pays for the purchase of a private jet for the chief executive of a bank or any other corporate entity - the CEO himself or the shareholders of the company who may not even be aware of the acquisition? In the case of the church, is it the congregation, majority of whom are barely living at subsistence level and who are sustained largely by their faith in these hard times?

There are certain gifts a man of God should not receive, even if the private jet is a gift from a member or members of the congregation. For a corporate CEO, the question to ask is how much his or her company has paid as taxes or contributed to society. Such companies must present their books for scrutiny.

It is strange that bank chief executives in particular, are opting for private jets when their banks are going through a season of uncertainty. For all classes of people concerned, it is an unjustifiable display of wealth and ostentation. Such funds expended on loud acquisition of luxury items could have been better spent on acts of philanthropy. Unfortunately, many rich Nigerians have not learnt to give to the same country where they made their fortunes. The Inland Revenue Service must intervene by checking if the private jet owners pay their taxes regularly.

More importantly, Government has a duty to monitor elected political officer holders in particular who may be tempted to loot the treasury and launder the money to acquire high-taste luxury items. Business executives who live flamboyantly are bound to invite queries about the source of their wealth. Religious leaders who seem to place an unusual emphasis on luxury and worldly items generate controversies, if not doubts about the doctrines that they espouse. For both private jet-riding CEOs and Pastors, however, modesty should be their watch word. Conspicuous consumption of any sort in either the public or private sector, should compel the anti-corruption agencies to become more vigilant.

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/editorial_opinion/article01//indexn2_html?pdate=010409&ptitle=Nigerians%20and%20private%20jets

[size=15pt]Fresh Facts Emerge on ‘Redeemed Jet’[/size]
By Chinedu Eze, 04.02.2009

The purchase of a private jet, a Gulfstream 4XP with registration number 707EA, might have been attributed to the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, in error.
Documents available to THISDAY yesterday showed that the aircraft was purchased by five members of the church and will be run as a charter service, but priority is to be given to Adeboye who will be given “free rides” to ease his movement within and outside the continent.
THISDAY had erroneously quoted a price of $28 million but the aircraft papers showed that the aircraft, a 1996 model, was purchased at $10 million (N1.4 billion).
The five members of the church, whose names are being withheld for confidential reasons, made a down payment of 30 per cent of the cost while a first generation bank gave a loan of $7 million for the balance.
“The aircraft is the collateral,” a bank official conversant with the transaction told THISDAY.
The aircraft is to run private charters, with proceeds to be used to offset the loan and pay for its maintenance as well as settle the personnel cost of running the aircraft.
“The business plan is well laid out,” another source told THISDAY. “The Redeemed Church did not put down a kobo. It is not their aircraft. Pastor Adeboye does not have a kobo in it. It is unfortunate that the man is being savaged all over the media and on the internet for something he knows nothing about. Unfortunately, he is not the type to come out and be defending himself or issuing media statements.”
The source told THISDAY that some members of the church had expressed concern about the cumbersome flight schedules the pastor of one of Nigeria’s biggest churches has had to cope with.
“If he wants to go to Banjul, in Gambia, it is a tortuous journey, flying from one connecting point to the other,” the source explained. “This obviously influenced the decision of some entrepreneurs in the church to have this sort of arrangement in which Pastor Adeboye will enjoy free rides and can readily organise his journeys. But the aircraft will pay for itself eventually. It neither belong to Redeemed Church nor Adeboye.”
The aircraft arrived Lagos from Bahamas on Sunday, March 8, 2009.
It is a transatlantic aircraft that has the capacity of about 15 passengers – depending on the customisation.
Adeboye had come under criticism in the media and on internet discussion rooms for allegedly being “insensitive” at these economic crunch times and for allegedly abandoning his simple lifestyle for the flamboyance of jet-age pastors.
The General Overseer of Living Faith Worldwide, a.k.a. Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, has a Challenger aircraft, with number D6640.

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=139813