Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has issued a public apology for a previous statement linking the payment of tithe to making it into heaven. Speaking at the ongoing RCCG Youth Convention on Thursday, held at the Redemption City along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State, Adeboye acknowledged that his earlier remarks were a “mistake” and clarified that the Bible does not support such a claim.

“I apologize for saying, ‘If you don’t pay tithe, you might not make it to heaven.’ That was wrong, and it’s not in the Bible,” Adeboye stated while addressing the youth congregation. He emphasized that the true biblical requirement for seeing God is found in peaceful and holy living, quoting Hebrews 12:14: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”

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The prominent pastor explained that it’s possible to be both right and wrong at the same time, drawing from his background in science to illustrate how perspectives can evolve. “For years, we believed light travels in straight lines, but later, we discovered it moves in waves. Similarly, it’s wrong to limit tithe to 10 percent when people are offering much more.”

Adeboye recounted the story of a man who pledged N3.5 million during a fundraising event hosted by the late American preacher, Kenneth Hagin. The man had committed to giving 90 percent of his business profits to God, far exceeding the traditional 10 percent tithe, after his company grew from $500 to a $50 million turnover within five years.