A lying pulpit and a corrupt society

By Rev Toyin Kehinde

There is a saying that when the pulpit lies, the nation rots. The pulpit, once a sacred symbol of truth and righteousness, has in many places become an echo chamber of half-truths, theatrics, and self-promotion. When truth loses its voice in the church, corruption gains confidence in society.

It is no coincidence that in many nations where churches are found on every street corner, dishonesty still prevails in the marketplace, public offices, and even family life. When truth becomes negotiable in the house of God, integrity becomes optional everywhere else.

The pulpit was never meant to entertain; it was meant to enlighten. But in the age of performance, many of us preachers have traded conviction for applause. Instead of confronting sin, we court popularity. Instead of shaping character, we chase crowds.
And so, while sermons grow louder, society grows darker. When a preacher manipulates Scripture to serve personal interests, he teaches his congregation to do the same with their lives.

When a spiritual leader hides greed behind the veil of “faith,” the people learn that deception can also be called “wisdom.”
A lying pulpit produces lying politicians, dishonest businessmen, and hypocritical worshippers. It becomes a factory of moral confusion. Corruption does not begin in government; it begins in the heart—and the pulpit is meant to be the heart surgeon of the nation. When that heart becomes diseased with falsehood, the infection spreads to the entire body of society.

The prophet Jeremiah lamented in his day, “From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit” (Jer. 8:10). It was a divine indictment not only on the leaders but on the entire nation that had followed
their example. The same pattern repeats today. When ministers mislead, the people lose moral direction.

The solution is not to silence the pulpit but to purify it. We must return to the fear of God—to messages that may not trend online but can transform hearts. A nation cannot rise above the integrity of its pulpits. Truth must once again become the foundation of ministry, not an accessory to ambition. A lying pulpit can build a crowd, but it cannot build a nation. Only truth can. Only truth has the power to set men—and societies— free.

I come in peace
Toyin Kehinde
Watch Out For …. “TRUTH ON TRIAL”

The post A lying pulpit and a corrupt society first appeared on Church Times Nigeria - News, features and more.