PCC watchdog group, Truth House, warns against use of churches as revenue centres.

They have warned that current practices amount to levies that put the poorest believers under intolerable pressure.

Speaking at a meeting in Douala on Saturday, September 13, to prepare for the harvest season, the chair of Truth House, Victor Epie Ngombe, and other members including Chief Ada Kesi, Sir Dr Ntumfor Nico Halle, Dr Helen Manka Ntonifor, Ms. Njumie Irene, Bicharr Edward, Labah Polycap and Nkweti Patrick, set out a short but practical agenda.

The group insisted on return of harvest to a freewill act of thanksgiving, urging PCC authorities to stop imposing fixed levies.

They equally asked authorities to declare clearly what the contributions will fund while redirecting unclear or coercive collections toward supporting the church’s poorest.

“Harvest should be a freewill offering, born of gratitude to God, not a levy,” Dr Helen Manka Ntonifor told reporters.

“We are seeing people borrow, ask their children abroad for money, and even deny themselves basic needs to meet church demands. That must stop,” she said, adding that exaggerated levies have been the reason why the church membership keeps dwindling in recent years.

Call for transparency, dignity

Truth House members say their intervention is not an internal power struggle but a push for spiritual accountability. The group’s core criticisms are narrow and practical.

The group said with levies masquerading as thanksgiving in many congregations, members are allocated fixed sums they must raise for the harvest. 

Often the money is sourced from relatives overseas or through loans, meaning the individual “giver” is not always the contributor.

Lack of transparency

The group claimed parishioners frequently do not know how harvest funds are spent.  

Truth House argues that when collections are intended for staff salaries, buildings or specific projects, the purpose should be publicly stated.

Confusion between thanksgiving and fundraising

The group suggested the renaming some harvest events as “project fundraising”. The body bemoaned the fact that internally displaced persons, IDPs and the poor are sometimes pressured to give beyond their means. 

Truth House has urged that where the purpose is unclear, collections should instead support the said vulnerable groups.

“Christians should be able to worship without being shamed or excluded because of limited means,” Truth House members said before insisting that “If the purpose of a harvest is not spelled out, the money should be used to help the poor among us”.

The root causes…

Speakers at the meeting argued that the problem is systemic. They said for years, the church’s emphasis has drifted from spiritual nourishment to material accumulation, big buildings and multiple fund drives, while the poor are neglected. 

They complained that the new church administration has been slow to act on concerns, and that pastoral authority can be constrained by the influence of powerful actors within the institution.

They alleged that the wings of the current Moderator of the PCC, the Rt Rev Miki Hands are 'clipped' by the influence of the former Moderator. 

“We measure the church by how people feel at home and how they can manifest their spirituality — not by the size of our edifices,” Ntumfor Nico Halle said.

He added that “When the leadership cannot or does not act, ordinary Christians pay the price”.

Truth House said it has written to the church administration seeking dialogue. Members of the group had expressed frustration at a lack of response. But the group insisted it does not seek division. 

“We are not an opposition group,” its chair said. 

“We stand for the body of Christ and spiritual truth,” Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle insisted, saying they as Christians are pillars of the church and what they want is for the PCC to regain its splendor as of old.

Practical steps and outreach

Truth House laid out a two-track plan which hinge on education and grassroots outreach. 

The group said, they will sensitise congregations about the biblical meaning of harvest, press for clear accounting of collection use, and encourage congregants to refuse unjust levies. 

It also plans to reach out to pastors and church structures at divisional levels to identify local problems and propose solutions.

“We will go to different towns…, hear from the people, document problems and recommend corrective measures,” the chair said. 

“Change begins gradually, but it must begin,” he said. Members argued that the church’s multiple income streams — schools, businesses and other institutions — should be managed transparently so ordinary tithes and offerings do not become a substitute for sound financial governance.

What congregants, leaders must do

Truth House has requested three concrete behaviours from Christians and church leaders as harvest season approaches.

They have called on them to “be intentional, understand what you are giving toward and why, speak up, question unclear levies respectfully and insist on accountability, protect the vulnerable — prioritise aid to those in need over large building projects when purposes are not transparent”.

“We say these things because we love the church,” Chief Ada Kessi said. 

“Truth will set us free — and we want a church that welcomes everyone, not one that drains its people dry,” she said.

Truth House’s intervention taps into a broader debate across Christian denominations about the boundaries between legitimate fundraising and pastoral responsibility. 

For many congregants, harvest is a joyful expression of thanks. For others, it has become a source of anxiety and exclusion. 

By calling for voluntary giving, clear project labelling, and accountability, Truth House is reframing the harvest conversation as one about dignity, fairness and the church’s mission to care for its most vulnerable members.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3567 of Wednesday September 17, 2025