‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse’: The tithe and sustainable development in Ghanaian Pentecostalism

Abstract

Background: This article explores the Church of Pentecost’s (CoP) theology of tithes and its intersection with sustainable development in Ghana. This research is grounded on the theory that the CoP through the Pentecost Social Services (PENTSOS) as well as other Church-initiated interventions, is pursuing sustainable development in Ghana through her theology of tithes.

Objectives: The objective of this research is to demonstrate that the CoP’s theology of tithes is a relevant African Pentecostal theology for the study of the relationship between Pentecostalism and sustainable development.

Method: The study adopts a phenomenological approach in exploring the CoP’s theology of tithes and its relationship with sustainable development.

Results: The key findings of this study indicate that there is a nexus between an African Pentecostal theology of tithes adopted by the CoP and sustainable development, and that the CoP is promoting the attainment of 14 out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Ghana.

Conclusion: The CoP, an indigenous African Pentecostal Church, has been able to demonstrate that there is a relationship between her theology of tithes and the attainment of the United Nation’s SDGs.

Contribution: This research proves that the CoP has been able to successfully develop an indigenous African Pentecostal theology of tithe and free-will offering from the Akan traditional worldview of the ntotosoƆ dudu [which literally means, the added tenth part] and Ɔpεmu afƆrεe [to wit, offering out of one’s volition] respectively.