 |
| Etcetera |
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of
the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the
flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Marvel not that
I said unto thee, ye must be born again” (John 3:1-7).
Pastors are supposed to be the conscience of the society. They are
supposed to be God’s representatives here on earth. Like Elisha in the Bible,
they are supposed to warn the people about the dangers of disobeying God and
guide them to the path of righteousness. They are supposed to lead by example.
Today, some pastors are the problems of the society. The lifestyle of
some pastors is contradictory to what they preach. It has got so bad that when
a man introduces himself as a pastor, he attracts immediate suspicion. Scandals
and controversies have eaten too deep into the church like an incurable cancer.
Like electric poles, churches are springing up all over the country and
their general overseers or CEOs are fast emerging as the richest men in the
country. Some Nigerian pastors represent their stomach instead of Christ.
Churches have been turned into banks and business centres with branch pastors
given targets for increased turnover by headquarters.
Most of these new breed churches only preach prosperity because
preaching salvation will impact negatively on the church’s GDP. Some of today’s
pastors, after t
Most Nigerians have been brainwashed to see their pastors as angels of
light instead of the men of lies and hypocrisy they truly are. When I hear some
of our so-called men of God talking, I hear a well rehearsed speech delivered
with sugarcoated tongue. I see feigned sympathy and fake listening ears trying
to milk their unfortunate audience. I see people being washed, rinsed, dried
and ironed with rehearsed miracles wooing gullible Nigerians to their churches.
To some pastors, the church is no longer the stairway to heaven. It is
more like the Lagos-Ibadan expressway to wealth. No trick is too dirty to
enslave their followers. While many in their congregation cannot afford three
decent meals in a day, pastors convey offerings to their banks in bullion vans.
They use offerings to build schools their congregation cannot afford to
send their wards to. They cruise about town in their exotic cars, and jet off
to spend vacations in the most exotic tourist destinations across the world.
Jesus Christ fed the multitude with five loaves of bread and two fishes
(Matthew 14: 13-21). He could have auctioned it to the wealthy and more
privileged amongst the multitude but he asked his disciples to share to all
without discrimination. Except for a few, the majority of pastors will not lift
a finger to ease the sufferings of the poor in their congregation.
It was in the news how two girls from an Abuja church openly accused
their pastor of having sexual intercourse with them and his followers said, “Touch
not my anointed and do my prophets no harm.”
A popular Lagos pastor has married and divorced more times than the
randy king of Swaziland and his followers said, “Touch not my anointed and do
my prophets no harm.” I wonder what a pastor who cannot keep his marriage has
to tell his members during their marriage counselling classes.
A popular UK based Nigerian pastor who was to be arrested for tax
evasion in the UK, fled to Nigeria to escape the authorities and his followers
said, “Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm.” A flamboyant pastor
in Warri bought a jet when people in his community were displaced as a result
of one of the worst flood disasters to hit this country. And his followers
said, “Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm.”
Rev. King the self-acclaimed “god” and “Jesus of our time” was arrested
and charged to court for using a girl for human barbecue. And the 69-year-old
grief stricken father of the victim lamented that he went to the church to see
his daughter, and followers of Rev. King denied knowing her. But one follower
later told him that she was Rev. King’s wife and was in the hospital. Getting
to the hospital, he found his daughter Anna Uzoh on the hospital bed roasted.
After a long inquiry, she revealed that Rev. King set her on fire. And Rev.
King’s followers said, “Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm.”
Apparently, Justice Joseph Oyewole of the Ikeja High Court thought otherwise
and sentenced Rev. King to death.
It was in the news sometime ago how a man stole money and confessed to
giving it as offering to a church. When asked, the pastor said the money was
given to God and can’t be returned. Things like this can only happen in a
society like Nigeria.
Pastors should be judged by their words as well as their actions. This
is a country where a pastor organises a healing crusade for his members but
jets off to the United Kingdom the next morning for a medical check-up.
In Nigeria, pastors pray and ask God to protect their members but employ
the services of bodyguards. It won’t be a surprise when Nigerian churches get
enlisted in the Nigerian Stock Exchange for the public to buy shares.
It is a fact that when you scare people badly enough, you can get them
to do anything. I wasn’t surprised to hear that a South African pastor ordered
his congregation to eat grass, that it would bring them closer to God and of
course, the members obeyed and ate to their fill.
We heard of how a Kenyan pastor ordered all female members of his church
to attend church services without bras and panties for Christ to enter their
lives. My brothers and sisters in the Lord, do not be deceived by these
pastors. Seek God’s face, pray and read the scriptures and ask for the Holy
Spirit’s guidance and interpretation.
The Bible says you should study to show yourself approved. As I end this
article, my prayer is that rapture takes place on a Sunday during first service
so that all fake pastors will be caught pants down.
Amen.
Etcetera is a Nigerian soft rock artiste.
He must be talking sense cos here is what people are commenting about his piece on other blogs:
ReplyDelete"Just like Karl Marx rightly asserted "religion is the opium of the masses" and many Nigerians are so high on this opium that they could rarely differentiate fake from original even when its staring them in the face.
We boast of being the most religious country and having the highest church building in the world,but our country still remain one of the most corrupt. Our actions are far cry from the physical religious structures we have.
Our level of hypocrisy is so alarming that it can help sound a bell at the West ministers Abbey.
Even politicians are now cashing on our religiousity, that they now throw in the dagger of religious sentiments in other to achieve their gains.
Due to the economic condition of the country, teachings these days are centered on prosperity, exploiting gullible members,and after they will be asked to shout "let the poor say I am rich and the weak I am strong"
Et cetera don't be surprised to see many of them go for your jugular,for what they perceived an attack on their daddies.
On the last day,judgment will start from the house of God."
I agree with etcetera. Totally
ReplyDeleteRemember Soyinka's The Trials of Brother Jero. That reality is still very much with us.
ReplyDelete"Some of today’s pastors, after their failed attempts at finding a means of livelihood, hire a classroom and start a church."
ReplyDeleteSo true
Chijioke, I remember you recently posted something about Africa being a place where those without any formal education lead the 1st and 2nd class graduates. Isn't Etcetera's writing a confirmation of that? Terrible.
ReplyDeleteAnd the confusion in our country continues.The Churches are flourishing because no suffering and hungry soul will keep hearing about the sufferings of Jesus Christ.So the consoling and only option is to run to the place where he/she will hear sweet things.Hearing is free of charge,though you will have to pay for sitting by 'sowing a seed" as you wait expectantly for its unending germination.
ReplyDelete