My neighbor's son just told me he wants to be a pastor because of the money

I was sitting outside my gate this evening in Enugu, just enjoying the harmattan breeze, when Chinedu, my neighbor's 14 year old son, came and sat beside me. We were quiet for a while then he said, 'Uncle, I want to be a pastor when I grow up. The pastors in my church drive big cars and travel to America every month.'

My heart just sank. I looked at this boy, innocent face, still believing that ministry is a career path to wealth. I asked him if he had ever thought about what he would preach. He said, 'I will preach prosperity, that is what people want to hear.' I did not know whether to laugh or cry. In my counseling experience, I have seen many young people enter ministry for the wrong reasons and they end up bitter and broken. The thing about life is that when you chase a calling for the wrong rewards, the rewards will eventually expose you.

I told Chinedu that if God calls you, the money is not the point. The money might come or it might not, but the calling will keep you when the money runs dry. He looked at me like I was speaking Greek. I just smiled and told him to focus on his JAMB first. But honestly, this generation is watching us. The prosperity gospel has created a whole new set of problems. How do we teach young people that ministry is service, not a business plan?