Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa - Religion - Nairaland
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| Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Nobody: 9:35pm On Nov 06, 2011 |
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits, So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit…Thus you will recognize them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15-20). I begin this blog by apologising to all my Nigerian brothers and sisters for its title. At first sight it is rather offensive, but I hope that as you read on you will see why I elected to still use it as a title. As nations or tribes or social groupings we take on a certain characteristic that is not true about each person in the group but which we come to be identified with. Hence, Paul could write, “One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.’ This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith” (Titus 1:12-13). In the same way, we tend to (rightly or wrongly) identify Americans with arrogance, Kenyans with marathon running prowess, West Africans with fraudulent activities, Afrikaners with racism, etc. I have just returned from a consultative meeting in South Africa where the first day was spent surveying the spiritual state of the countries in the southern African sub-region. Central to all this was the state of evangelicalism in all these countries. Nation after nation reported on the arrival of “Nigerian religious junk” that was changing the landscape of what there once was of evangelicalism. One or two of the countries were blessed exceptions. Evidently, this junk originated from mega-churches in the USA and then found ready soil in West Africa, and especially in Nigeria. Having given it an African flavour, it is now being exported across Africa at a phenomenal rate. I feel very sad to write about this, but by “Nigerian religious junk” I mean the phenomenon of churches that are personal-to-holder. They exalt the personality of their founding father, who is still alive somewhere in Nigeria (or elsewhere) and is treated with the aura of a state president or paramount chief. It does not matter which country you go to, the bill boards of these churches do not have the faces of the local pastors of the congregations in those towns but of the founding father in Nigeria—or wherever he has since relocated. It is all about image and power. This “man of God” claims to hear the voice of God and proceeds to minister to you accordingly. If you do not obey him you are resisting the ministry of God into your life. So, the churches are often called “ministries” rather than churches. And to make them even more impressive, the term “international” is often added to their name. The Africanisation of this religious junk is primarily in the way it has been made to appeal to African spirituality. The pastor is the modern witchdoctor calling all and sundry to come to him for “deliverance”. Just as the witchdoctor appealed to us by inviting us to see him for spiritual protection or when we were struggling with bad luck, childlessness, joblessness, illness, failure to attract a suitor for marriage or to rise in a job or get a contract, etc., these pastors do precisely the same thing. So-called prophetic utterances are made which explain why all this is happening, holy water or oil is prayed over and dispensed, and some money is extracted from the persons seeking help. Thus their churches attract thousands of people who are there for purely selfish reasons. The motivating factor is not reconciliation with God through Christ but rather “deliverance” from perceived evil and to be blessed through the supernatural powers that “the man of God” possesses. Let’s face it: this is our African traditional religions coming into the church through the back door. The self-centredness of all this is seen in the worship. Churches are being turned into entertainment centres instead of edification centres. People come to church to be entertained, healed and blessed . The fact that professionals, who engage their brains when working with their hands five to six days a week, stop thinking and just dance and laugh in worship is extremely sad, in the light of the demand of God that we are to love him with all our hearts, minds, souls and strength. It has been the failure of Christians to think through the implications of their Christian faith on the whole of life that has left Africa filled with Christian churches and lack of development at the same time. Surely, if these professionals were thinking they would have added up one-plus-one by now and seen why their pastors have become stinking rich. It is not their faith but the money of their congregants, whom they cheat with promises, that makes them buy expensive cars and clothes and put up mansions. If one thousand individuals are “sowing the seed” every week to be blessed by the man of God, of course the man of God will get very rich while they will get poorer. That is simple common sense. The result of this phenomenon of personal-to-holder churches has been the selective nature of church discipline. You do not discipline a Sangoma (i.e. witchdoctor)—or a chief! It is a known fact, even among the church members, that a number of these pastors have serious moral problems. However, “you do not touch the Lord’s anointed” and so they are not disciplined, even when they have impregnated girls in the church. One such anointed one in Zambia changed wives three times through divorce in less than six months and still remains the apostle of his church. To be fair, this man is a Zambian, but he has imbibed this personal-to-holder phenomenon from Nigeria. There must be accountability from everyone in the church—including the church pastor. Yet another characteristic of this phenomenon which is particularly African is the craze for titles. We Africans love titles! Once upon a time, evangelical pastors were content to simply be called pastors. Terms like “bishop” were left to those who had an Episcopalian system of church government, which was a formal structure that rose to national and global level. Alas, that has now changed! With the advent of this Nigerian religious junk, it is titles galore! You now have bishops, arch-bishops, prophets, apostles, chief apostles, etc. Some are not even content with that and so have combinations like, “chief apostle prophet doctor so-and-so.” This is certainly very different from the teaching and personal lifestyle of the Lord Jesus Christ whom they claim to serve. Many of these churches have since been discovered to be nothing more than fund-raising outfits, with sole proprietorship maintained by the pastor and his wife. The pattern seems to be: start a church and then milk the congregation. The pastors basically prey on the vulnerable and gullible. They are crooks and conmen. In a number of the southern African countries represented at the consultation, governments have sent these pastors packing upon finding undeniable proof that large stashes of money were being milked out of their citizens and being shipped to West Africa. This has made these governments very suspicious of anyone coming from any other African country as a missionary into their country. They now think that all African missionaries are just mercenaries. Yet, the saddest part of all this has been the loss of the gospel. Once upon a time, you could go to any church that purported to be evangelical and once you survived what was called worship, you would hear a sermon that finally pointed you to Christ and him crucified for pardon from sin. That is now largely an exception, and is as rare as my great grandfather’s teeth. What you hear now are calls for “deliverance”, and you experience this by coming forward to be prayed for. Inevitably, once you lose the gospel, you lose true spirituality and morality. Christianity becomes a thin veneer of respectability but inside there is total corruption and decay. The church becomes a wardrobe full of skeletons. Or, to borrow a more biblical expression, the church is filled with white-washed tombs. This explains why, although Nigeria is packed with such mega-churches (and is now exporting them across the continent), it is still the most corrupt nation on the continent. If church leaders are milking the people like this, what hope is there to correct things among the politicians and the civil servants? It is impossible! You cannot grow true spirituality where the cross of Christ and the Christ of the cross is absent. We must insist that the Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit. Where holiness is conspicuous by its absence, we should never attribute what is happening there to God’s Spirit because he is a spirit of holiness. Crowds and people falling backwards upon being touched prove nothing if holiness of life is missing. Jesus said, “You will recognise them by their fruits.” In this blog I have avoided naming names. This is because the consultation I have just come from did not name names. However, all I can say is, “If the hat fits you, put it on!” Anyone who has eyes to see and ears to hear knows what I am talking about. Let me end by once again apologising to any genuine and sincere Nigerian pastors who distance themselves from all this junk. Just as I know a number of sweet American folks who are very humble, Kenyans who cannot run halfway around a football ground, and Afrikaners who are colour blind, I am sure there must be many West African pastors—and Nigerians for that matter—who will have nothing to do with this spiritual corruption. I only wish they were more vocal in condemning this religious junk being exported from their country! Original Article Author : Conrad Mbewe  1 Like |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Nobody: 9:48pm On Nov 06, 2011 |
Psalm 119:136 Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed. Jeremiah 9:1 Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain ( deceived ) of my people. Jeremiah 9:18 Let them come quickly and wail over us till our eyes overflow with tears and water streams from our eyelids. Lamentations 2:18 The hearts of the people cry out to the Lord. O wall of the Daughter of Zion ( Christian Church ) , let your tears flow like a river day and night; give yourself no relief, your eyes no rest. |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by ogajim(m): 10:40pm On Nov 06, 2011 |
The so called giant of Africa has been reduced to this? These con men using the Bible to line their pockets will receive what is coming to them but the unfortunate part is that they're taking the Country down with them. Pure stealing in the name of the Lord is what they do, can'twait for the CEC rabid dogs to be unleashed on the thread. 2 Likes |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Revolva(m): 11:07pm On Nov 06, 2011 |
Wellsaid Pastor Conrad But that name he bears seems liek a con artist name, i have not seen any good person bearing conrad, remmeber M.J doctor, heerere, jokiing opps |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by ichuka(m): 11:27pm On Nov 06, 2011 |
Nice article. |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Nobody: 11:51pm On Nov 06, 2011 |
Lord, have mercy! Now, that Nigeria is becoming a bad example. . . .  True Christianity places more emphasis on salvation, sanctification of our hearts, holy living, second coming of Christ etc. Unlike the quest for prosperity in most of our churches now adays. . . .where people don't want to seek the kingdom of God FIRST, Lord have mercy, and forgive our heart of hearts. Show us the ancient path, lead us on and help us hold forth!!!!!!!!! |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Nobody: 11:53pm On Nov 06, 2011 |
ogajim: They will not even touch this article with a long pole, some people no matter what you tell them with regards to the truth will always reject the truth in favour of a lie. It is almost impossible for their minds to accept that they have been deceived for years. 1 Like |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Joagbaje(m): 2:02am On Nov 07, 2011 |
frosbel: So what is your own business with another mans assignment? And what would you recommend. What kind of church should people go? Critics picks hole but they have nothing to offer as alternative. The success of another man should not make you feel out of place. Every man should face their ministry, Did early apostles not have churches under them? And Who are you to judge the motive of another person? It's God that sees the intention. Philippians 1:18 18 But what does it matter? Nothing matters except that, in one way or another, people are told the message about Christ, whether with honest or dishonest motives, and I'm happy about that. Yes, I will continue to be happy |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by plaetton: 7:13am On Nov 07, 2011 |
@frosbel; You see what I'm always talking about. Junk here, junk there, junk junk junk. Yet everyday, you desperately try to sell to us in this forum that religion is good and christianity is best. I have never seen any ohter religion or philosophy or creed that stinks so much with fraud, exploitation and evil. If its not catholic priest molesting young boys today, its reverend jim jones brainwashing and murdering thousands tomorrow, the next day its psychotic preachers killing children and calling them witches, next its nigerian con-men picking the pockets of poor innocent people. When will all this crap come to a stop stop? The new dark age is quickly upon us. |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Joagbaje(m): 7:27am On Nov 07, 2011 |
plaetton: Frosbel Shey you dey see yourself. You can't be building and destroying  |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Revolva(m): 8:13am On Nov 07, 2011 |
You see what I'm always talking about. Junk here, junk there, junk junk junk.I NO FIT SHOUT YOU HAVE SAID IT ALL, Frosbel is just a follow folow |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Nobody: 10:03am On Nov 07, 2011 |
plaetton: If I was an English teacher and this was a reading comprehension test , you would have been awared a straight F9.  Let me give you a clue. You skipped through this I am sure there must be many West African pastors—and Nigerians for that matter—who will have nothing to do with this spiritual corruption. I only wish they were more vocal in condemning this religious junk being exported from their country!, and this . We must insist that the Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit. Where holiness is conspicuous by its absence, we should never attribute what is happening there to God’s Spirit because he is a spirit of holiness.and many other positives. The intent of the article has been lost in your desire to find any excuse to reject the truth. Read again . |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Nobody: 10:05am On Nov 07, 2011 |
Joagbaje: I rest my case , you said it all. Dishonest motives !! |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by plaetton: 5:36pm On Nov 07, 2011 |
frosbel:Christianity is 2000yrs old. It has has had 2000yrs to get it straight. It has undergone many different transformations in that period. What seems to be its problem? If it did not get it right during an era of superstition when churchmen defined reality, how can it ever get it right in age of science? It's already dead. what we are seeing is just a dead-cat bounce in Africa. |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Nobody: 6:11pm On Nov 07, 2011 |
^^^ Mr , I have no time for illogical arguements, if you are happy without God, good luck. See you on the other side of our existence |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Nobody: 6:22pm On Nov 07, 2011 |
Joagbaje: This is the very issue the writer of this article was pointing out - when did the body of Christ become the property (success/ministry) of one man exclusively? When did increase in material wealth, membership e.t.c. become a sign of "spiritual success"? The apostles planted churches bro . . . they didnt use them as religious monuments to their own ego! If apostle Paul were a minister today he would be far richer than Bill Gates! |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by thehomer: 7:04pm On Nov 07, 2011 |
frosbel: Why can't he name names? How are the members of the affected congregation to know the pastors to avoid? Is he afraid of something? Or does he simply want his own cut to be larger? If he and the members of this consultation cannot name those involved, then as far as I can tell, they are unserious in tackling the problem. |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Nobody: 7:18pm On Nov 07, 2011 |
My goodness thehomer, you of all people. What does the below mean, please tell me : In this blog I have avoided naming names. This is because the consultation I have just come from did not name names. However, all I can say is, “If the hat fits you, put it on! |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by eddy1977(m): 11:19pm On Nov 07, 2011 |
its wrong to stereotype people because of their national background. i am not a nigerian and have never been anywhere near west africa, but i wouldnt use the name Nigeria as a reference of the origin of christian deceits. white americans and white southafricans preached for years that blacks were cursed by noah,and yet nobody ever points that out. just by reading the bible, i see that deceitfulness has always plagued christianity from day one. maybe the zambian blogger was asleep all this while. |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Nobody: 11:27pm On Nov 07, 2011 |
eddy1977: If you read his article carefully ,you will notice that he took the pains to make sure that Nigerians understand this is not a stereotype. His emphasis was more on Mega churches and their Mega pastors than anything else , and as a Nigerian I can confirm he is correct !!! |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by sheyguy: 9:34am On Nov 08, 2011 |
pple when neva taste the product, dey talk rubbish abt am, na waa oh!!! keep deceiving yourself until u fall under course ur so called true MOG have no clue abt. |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Mikocake(m): 9:42am On Nov 08, 2011 |
THE BIBLE ALSO SAYS; "JUDGE NOT SO THAT YOU WON'T BE JUDGED" I think we should leave kind of matters to God rather than to come here & dirty the name of a whole nation all in the name some research that we knew nothing about, PLS PREACH THE WORD OF GOD THATS WHAT PASTORS DO & LEAVE THE JUDGEMENT FOR GOD. |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by tunnytox(m): 9:42am On Nov 08, 2011 |
Christianity has been almost completely hijacked in Nigeria by conmen and fraudsters calling themselves MOG. The unfortunate thing is that there is a large pool of guillible people to be exploited so business is really booming for them. All I know is that one day the judgement of God will descend upon all children of disobedience. |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Gadols(f): 9:50am On Nov 08, 2011 |
I agree with the Conrad guy but again he needs to realize that this phenomenon is not only in nigeria and it will be wrong to come up with such title. Nigeria is sure corrupt but the church you would agree has help in curbing the menace. it could have been worse. |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by ochukoccna: 10:31am On Nov 08, 2011 |
Gadols: It is true that the phenom is not peculiar to 9ja yet as of today its epicenter is located here America pioneer this technology 9ja has modernized, patented& exported it Imagine worshiping mammon and calling him God Even Nigerian gospel music is seriously infected with this virus How many times have you heard Ron Kenoly or Don Moen songs singing about money, houses and cars like hip hop gangsters?  |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by numo86(m): 10:47am On Nov 08, 2011 |
my problem is just hw quik d present prosperity teachn clerics forget what Jesus himself taught, Jesus said things like **it wuld be easy for a camel to pass through d eye of a needle that for a rich man to enter into Gods kingdom, Jesus also said that we cannot slave for 2 masters,we cant slave for God & riches, apostle paul thru timothy warned that those who love money and d desires of this world are headin for destruction, also d apostles also warned that those who r determined to be rich fall into temptations dat plunge men in destruction, the wisest man solomon also gave timely advice on how material things shuld be viewed, what God assures us of as true servants of His is our basic needs not material wealth, sometimes i ask if d 9ja pastors are d 1st sets of men of God dat ever existed  werent d apostles d pace setters of christianity, how did they live there lifei can sincerely tell u all that they were poor people materially but xtremely rich spiritually, but that is not d case today, why will all d general overseers and co pastors be rich?why?it only tels us 1 thing, that they think godly devotion is a means to financial gain, let all of us read 1timothy6:5-10, if Jesus was on earth today he would have wiped all these prosperity pastors with koboko becos they teach opposite of what he taught, imagine d apostles not wantin to put expensive burdens on d christian brothers back then,rather they toiled day n night wen they were favorably disposed to work, and so d apostles were tent makers,fisher men and engaged in menial jobs to suport themselves & also there fellow brothers amongst them, the apostles took d lead in giving rather than recieving, read acts 20;32-35, but today d pastors do d opposite, they tell there followers to sew in them, And today d clerics eulogize corruption thru d politicians, They practice exactly what Jesus condemned, they give d rich and famous and thief thief politicians front special sits to sit down ,while d few followers who try to obey Gods word sit down on relegated sits, read james2:2-9, What about d pastors today gatherin names for themselves and love to be called prestigious names by there members they like to be called daddy,Father and so on when Jesus @ matthew 23:5-12, jesus said we shuld call no earthly man daddy or papa or father in d religious setting, rather all those titles belong to God and his son, D truth is even wen many read this scriptures & see d churches doin d opposite they feel they cnt ask questions or uphold truths, biblical principles guide true religion not what our imperfect heart thinks is right, Jesus d former of christianity has laid down specific instructions,do' &dont's that each christian shuld follow suit, so if we'v decided to follow him frm d heart while nt keep up wit his legacy??, a runner does not dictate how a competion shuld go, he doesnt dictate d rules in order for him to engage in a race, rather d body in charge of d competition gives d rules n regulations, any 1 who wants to run must abide by those rules if nt u cnt even qualify to run, so it goes wit christianity, d bible is our blue print, why try to practice d opposite tinkin Gods grace wil cover it up lets be careful |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Nobody: 11:05am On Nov 08, 2011 |
Is like Nigerian pastors are trying to run him out of business in his country. Guess he should to be at the top of the business. He should step up, re-strategies and stop complaining. |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by ochukoccna: 11:18am On Nov 08, 2011 |
my problem is just hw quik d present prosperity teachn clerics forget what Jesus himself taught, Hold it Just hold it The key thing here is motive Christ speaking about a rich man meant one who took pride in himself and his abilities and not in God's supply of grace Paul's admonition to Timothy emphasized the love of money. Money itself is not bad, the love of it is. Remember money is the medium of exchange on this planet not speaking in tongues. Same goes for the apostles, they were pointing out the motive, determining to be rich [which in the original language interprets as strong compelling lusts] Nicodemus was rich, Christ never told him to be poor Joseph of Arimathea was influential that's why he could have audience with Pilate for Christ's body God is not against us been rich What counts is the process we come about it Especially not in the way this Babylon themed Papa and Mama churches go about theirs woodcook: The true church is not a business So there is nothing to re-strategize about it Same message then, Same message now Jesus Christ is the only way, truth and life Gerrit? |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Nobody: 11:38am On Nov 08, 2011 |
Kwabata is right on the money here - sometimes the truth is a bitter pill to swallow. Like him I have also adopted an oath to help curtail the spread of Nigeria's avaricious export. I consider this a civic duty  |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by PastorAIO: 11:40am On Nov 08, 2011 |
eddy1977: Apparently you know nothing about nigeria and nigerians. Mikocake: I saw the rise of pentecostal christianity wither away the moral fibre of my country and my countrymen. It might not have been the only cause, but it was a major cause. When I say that this movement is evil people gasp and look at me with horror. Now foreigners are telling you the same. If you didn't want to assess yourself before, then hopefully shame and bad name will force you to assess yourself. tunnytox: The judgement is coming swift, and in fact has already come. |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Nobody: 11:51am On Nov 08, 2011 |
Pastor AIO: A lot of Nigerians do not understand the involvement of the CIA in promoting this development. I recall just like yesterday watching several coaches pull up outside my school, with Nigerian missionaries (Scripture Union students from the College of Medicine, UNILAG)) bearing Greek gifts: bags containing fan ice, biscuits, chocolates in one hand; a copy of Gideon's bible, which dwells on the new testament, in the other. I am wiser now to know where some of the funds for that project came from |
| Re: Zambian Pastor laments about Nigeria Gospel Junk exported all over Africa by Nobody: 12:09pm On Nov 08, 2011 |
The church in Nigeria is in a pathetically moribund state.In a church of say 4000 pple in Nigeria,u can b sure dat all 4000 including d pastor are not living d xtian life as laid out by Jesus Christ.Instead,they only pursue their own interests,they sow seeds because expect to get trees in return,their reason for serving God is shockingly n entirely selfish.Dat's d reason y they run 4rm church 2 church.All these are as a result of the defective,selfish prosperity gospel preached in almost evry church in Nigeria n amplified by American pentecostal preachers.the words "charlatan" n "con-artiste" av bcom synonymous to "pastor".Infact,these days i find church so repelling,so disgusting,so nauseating n i feel like i don't want to av anything to with it.even those pastors i thot were an exceptn are no exceptn:they only do their "thing" in a more coded way dat's hard 2 decipher. |
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