The claims Money

Does the money given at Go Church go to Bishop Dag Heward-Mills?

No evidence shows that it does. Go Church told VRT that its collections pay the rent and running costs of the halls where it meets and that no percentage goes to Lighthouse in Ghana, and the former bishop who said the money is channelled to him added, on camera, “What he does with it, I don’t know.”

By See For Yourself24 October 20262 min read

What the documentary said

It’s not about God at all. It’s about fame, for me. It’s about money. / So there’s a strong pressure to give, and there is a strong pressure to give to him.

Het gaat helemaal niet om God, maar om bekendheid en geld. Er is dus een grote druk om te geven. En vooral een grote druk om aan Mills te geven.

Former bishops Lawrence Odonkor, then Emmanuel Oko Mensah24:00 in the broadcast

The money is channelled to him. What he does with it, I don’t know.

Het geld wordt naar Mills doorgesluisd. Maar wat hij ermee doet, weet ik niet.

Former bishop Emmanuel Oko Mensah30:22 in the broadcast

I have heard him say he is arguably the richest pastor in in Ghana and it is very possible.

Het gaat om miljoenen… ik hoorde het hem zeggen… rijkste pastor? - Dat is goed mogelijk

Former bishop Lawrence Odonkor30:35 in the broadcast

Watch VRT at this point · VRT NWS Pano24:00 (opens the recording on YouTube at 24:00)

Go Church’s written answer

Het geld wordt gebruikt om de huur en andere operationele kosten te betalen voor de locaties waar onze kerken samenkomen. … Go Church België maakt geen percentage van de tijdens diensten en evenementen ingezamelde donaties over aan Lighthouse in Ghana. … Go Church België brengt geen verslag uit over haar ledenaantal, financiën of activiteiten aan de organisatie in Ghana.

Go Church written reply to VRT (published on vrtnws.be, 21 Oct 2026). VRT broadcast one sentence of the reply. Read the full reply in Dutch and English.

What the film left out

In English: the money pays the rent and other running costs of the places where Go Church meets. Go Church Belgium sends no percentage of what is collected at services and events to Lighthouse in Ghana, and it does not report its membership, finances or activities to the organisation in Ghana. None of this was in the broadcast.

The two men VRT asked about money are former bishops who have been suing the church in Ghana’s labour court since April 2021. One of them, Lawrence Odonkor, was convicted by a criminal court in Madagascar in April 2023, in his absence, of fraudulent breach of trust and embezzlement over the church’s vehicle there. Two appeals were dismissed, in 2024 and 2025.

Bishop Dag Heward-Mills has preached against chasing money for decades, in Paris, London and Accra, and in print. He says his own money and the church’s money do not mix, and that nothing in the church’s buildings is in his will.

The record: his own words, across the years

2017

Accra, Ghana, Give Thyself Wholly conference, Day 3

To pastors from many countries, on the church’s money and his own:

Because my money is different from the church’s money. It doesn’t mix… The church is for God… I have a will… not even one centimetre of this place is in my will.

Watch · Accra, Ghana, 201747:06 to 47:42 (opens the recording on YouTube at 47:06)
2009

Paris, France, Conference sermon

In Paris in 2009:

If I had followed money, I would not be preaching to you today. I would not be preaching to you today if I had followed money. Most of the real ministry, you do it, it’s not for money. You don’t get anything. No, it’s the opposite. You have to know that money is telling lies.

Watch · Paris, France, 200951:46 to 52:22 (opens the recording on YouTube at 51:46)
2019

Katima Mulilo, Namibia, Pastors’ conference

To pastors in Namibia:

No one does well. If you want to make money, don’t come to the ministry… Ministry is not meant for making money.

Watch · Katima Mulilo, Namibia, 201945:56 to 46:12 (opens the recording on YouTube at 45:56)
2020

Accra, Ghana, FLOW, reading from his own book

Reading aloud from one of his books in 2020:

Today many Christians no longer love God, but seek wealth. There can be no greater perversion of the gospel than this unfortunate emphasis on materialism.

Watch · Accra, Ghana, 202044:12 to 44:28 (opens the recording on YouTube at 44:12)
2007

London, UK, Conference sermon

In London in 2007, on his books:

I don’t earn money from my books… I’ve never earned even $1.

Watch · London, UK, 200713:09 to 13:50 (opens the recording on YouTube at 13:09)

In his books

Let us not become ministers of wealth but rather ministers of the gospel.

The Top Ten Mistakes Pastors Make, Chapter 10: Laying Up Treasures on Earth

Great gain is ministry without greed! Great gain is ministry without preaching constantly about money, prosperity, success and wealth.

Attempt Great Things, Chapter 20: Attempt to Have Great Gain

The scripture

freely ye have received, freely give

Matthew 10:8

Jesus sent His disciples out to heal and preach without charging for it. Free crusades, free clinics and free medicine follow that instruction.

Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

2 Corinthians 8:21

Paul kept the churches’ gifts separate and above suspicion. Bishop Dag’s rule that his money and the church’s money never mix is the same rule.

The verdict

The case that Go Church’s money goes to Bishop Dag rests on two men suing the church, one of whom says in the same breath that he does not know what is done with it. Go Church says the money pays for its halls.

Questions people ask

Where does the money collected at Go Church go?

Go Church told VRT in writing that it pays the rent and other running costs of the places where its churches meet, and that no percentage of collections goes to Lighthouse in Ghana.

Is Bishop Dag Heward-Mills the richest pastor in Ghana?

That claim came from a former bishop who is suing the church, answering a VRT question. He offered no figure or document, and the other former bishop said he did not know what is done with the money.