The Sunday News
Donald Saddam Mushaikwa
President Mugabe recently lamented moral decadence in the Zimbabwean society, especially in the Pentecostal churches — a scenario which has left many worried! One editor once said: “Zimbabweans are very good people, but they can be very mean; especially if you mess around with their national treasures”. I would want to add that they can react the same way when one plays around with their divine treasure. It is usually so when one takes a diversion from directing them to such treasures, but rather masquerades as a Man of God and employs dubious means to fleece innocent and unsuspecting congregants of their hard-earned earthly treasures.
In contemporary Pentecostal churches — particularly those footed on prosperity, miracle and abundance —there are more persuasive and to some extent tempting sermons on seeding, offering, tithing and being blessed after “giving”, than there are on the need for salvation and eternal life.
Of concern is how the so-called miracle-working prophets are fond of living lavish lifestyles which have developed into a culture of some kind. Society itself seems to accept that these “prophets” should live extravagant lifestyles, and that the ordinary church-goers should shoulder the burden and expense.
There is one mordant and corrosive element that has penetrated our society today. Paradoxically, society itself seems too blind or too busy to notice. It is rather supporting its existence with both hands. The lamentation by President Mugabe at Kutama Mission last Sunday lays bare the ills of the society that have infiltrated the social vein and are settling among citizens.
In our contemporary society, the standards of living are so low. Many are living below the poverty datum line. They live in abject poverty. Amid such low living standards, the ordinary citizens have become desperate to get a better life. On the other hand, there is a rot that has infiltrated the armpits of the economy and society, and has even been noticed by the Head of State himself.
Some individuals have capitalised on the situation on the ground and have become inventive with the church, with some becoming hyper- enterprising to the extent even of selling salvation, packaged as holy oil and other paraphernalia. Some of these church founders, the so-called prophets, are living better lives — they are indeed flying and frying — because of their furcated tongues that promise abundance and prosperity.
Desperation begets superstition. And people are getting converted in numbers. The question is: “Are they all receiving the salvation that they are supposed to get in this institution of socialisation that we call the church?”
It must never be ignored that for these prosperity gospel churches, a congregant pays for a seat at a venue or crusade. More moola for the VIP section. Payment is also administered to see the pastor or to have special prayers and appointments. Discs with sermons, probably on seeding, giving and anything on or around that subject go for at least $5 each, “but will be given away only on special offer for $2”.
Wrist bands, car stickers, T-shirts, and other items are NOT given away for gratis. In this vein, mention must be made of the controversial anointing oil.
In the above regard, it is evident that the majority of the congregants cannot afford to have a special prayer, meeting or appointment with the prophet. This is because more than 80 percent of the Zimbabwean population earns less than $300 as their basic salary, and are therefore living way below the Poverty Datum Line (PDL). The other thing is that because of desperation, born out of superstition, the ordinary citizen surrenders all they have in the hope and belief that they may also get rich.
In November 2014, the media reported that Uebert Angel hade made a decision to “step down as the President of Spirit Embassy Church with immediate effect”. The 36-year-old miracle money inventor said that he was embarking on a five-month prayer retreat and his wife would take over their “church business”.
The striking question that a concerned citizen can ask is: “Retreat from what or against what if one is a genuine prophet serving God Almighty?” The whole “‘retreat” move is as absurd as saying that one is taking a rest from praying. A devout Christian only rests after he dies; when the soul finds a heavenly place in God’s Kingdom.
The public watchdog, the media revealed that illicit car deals by Uebert Angel began way back in February 2012. This so-called prayer retreat may be taken by some to be his own way of distancing himself from the scene where his botched deals have been busted. Whether or not he will return in April, when his five-month retreat ends, stands to be seen.
In yet another incident in November 2012, The United Family International Church (UFIC) founder Emmanuel Makandiwa left heads shaking all over the world when he performed a miracle in his church where a congregant, Mai Moffat, “conceived and gave birth inside three days”. The baby, who was named after the founder-cum-prophet, lived for only six months and was reported dead in May 2013.
This was more than fiction indeed! A hen takes 21 good days — three full weeks — fasting and spending much of its time in the nest warming its eggs for them to hatch a healthy chick. But Makandiwa wants the world to believe that he can even make humans conceive within three days? The normal human cycle takes nine months or 270 days, plus or minus. His Excellency was indeed very correct when he pointed out a decadence in moral values of our society, particularly in these Pentecostal churches.
Then comes Walter Magaya of Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries (PHD) — renowned for failing to totally convert pole dancer Bev Sibanda. The conversion itself, according to media reports, raised its fair share of scepticism. It could not last, and three months down the line, Bev was back on the pole. Magaya also “blessed” Sharon Macheso’s wedding which again lasted only two months.
A controversial mystery is shrouded in what they call the “anointing oil”. The anointing oil is claimed to have “resurrection power, fruitfulness, multiplication and dominion power”. Thousands of Zimbabweans have of late flocked to the PHD Ministries to seek deliverance. Reports are that “many have also scrambled to acquire the product (anointing oil) with some revealing that it is now being sold on the black market. It is also reported that more than 2 000 bottles of the oil are sold on a daily basis by Magaya’s church”.
Another deviation from the consolidated, solid, and intact values of the church has been exposed by Magaya’s militant disposition towards religion. Firstly, he attacked the doctrine itself when he said that long-held Christian beliefs that God’s answers take long to come is wrong. Secondly, he gave his final blow bluntly on religion itself when he said that it was the biggest threat to healing.
“We have heard in the past that we should be patient with regards to answers from God. Well I say that God is a God of now, now, now, now, now!” said Magaya with a huge roar accompanying the declaration.
“Religion teaches us that God’s response takes ages but in actual fact that is wrong. God answers now. His responses are swift.”
Magaya is none other than the self-styled prophet who at one time failed to foresee the tragedy that befell his congregation at a crusade at Mbizo Stadium in Kwekwe which claimed 11 lives, and left many others injured during a stampede; a situation which didn’t really require prophecy to see how dangerous the situation in the stadium could become.
Magaya, for the sake of scoring a few points about him being the greatest of them all, was prepared to pack the ground (Mbizo Stadium in Kwekwe during a crusade) with three times its capacity without the slightest regard to the safety of worshippers. Reports during the time of the incident said that an attempt was made to make a head count of the attendees. This becomes evident that his intention was more about himself than the conversion or healing of the poor souls.
What touches one most is the outcome of the stampede. The blame was laid by some on the police. Regardless of how clear it was that it was Magaya’s fault, the Zimbabwe Republic Police — a reputable and national police force, constitutionally mandated to the provision of security services and the maintenance of law and order in the country and beyond which has been and is still being recommended by the United Nations to the UN Peace keeping missions in war-troubled zones — was made to shoulder the burden of blame for Magaya’s holy, yet paradoxically tragic, crusade.
“We’re worried, I must say, by the downward trend in our morals,” said President RG Mugabe. “The rise in the robberies, murders, just the negative side going up and yet we have so many churches.”
I feel a shameful, painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt in our Pentecostal churches as cited by the Head of State himself.
My challenge therefore to all Pentecostal church leaders, who have branded themselves Prophets or Papa, who preach the gospel of prosperity and abundance, is that they should resign with immediate effect, starting with Magaya.
Uebert Angel has “retreated”, or in other words resigned as the leader of Spirit Embassy, and so should Makandiwa and Magaya.
My questions are: “How do you feel being at the helm of Pentecostal churches that are performing miracles that are not only degrading our cultural and moral values, but are also leaving even the Head of State himself worried? How do you feel being the richest Papa heading the largest gathering of mere desperate Zimbabweans? How do you feel performing miracles and preaching abundance and prosperity gospel that even opposes what is enshrined in the Holy Scriptures?”
The world is watching, the Heavens are also watching, and so is the local leadership. I advise you to obey and leave what you are doing to poor souls. Time will catch up with you. But fore-warned is fore-armed.
Enough is enough; Put your tools down and resign!
