By Mwansa Besa
The last few decades have seen a massive mushrooming of churches and people claiming to be prophets sent by God. It is a common sight these days to see men of the collar doing miracles or lack thereof. Every other day there seems to be a new prophet on the block ready to perform mind-blowing miracles, like turning water into oil, or making women without wombs give birth. It seems like the more miracles one is able to perform the more one is revered by his followers. A friend of mine once told me a story of an acquaintance who was a seasoned illusionist from childhood, who is now swimming in riches, thanks to having reinvented himself as a “man of God” or “man of gold” depending on which side of the fence you are sitting on.
Just the other week the Minister of National Guidance and Religious Affairs Godfridah Sumaili exercised her powers and deported Prophet Uebert Angel, a man known for stunning miracles like enabling unearned monies to be supernaturally credited to people`s bank accounts by angels. In defending her decision, she said, “Only men of God, be it pastors, missionaries and prophets preaching the true gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ will be allowed in the country. My ministry wants to see sanity in the body of Christ. It is taking people for granted, especially those desperate for spiritual attention. Is the gospel for the rich people only? What about the poor Zambians? Some prophets just want to come and extort money and go back, which my ministry will not allow.” She was prompted into action after she heard that the Zimbabwean prophet was charging K2,000 for a “Millionaire Academy” meeting he was scheduled to conduct in Zambia.
Her decision attracted a backlash from his followers resulting in her being bombarded with a lot of unprintables. Prominent among the people who reacted angrily to the minister`s decision was Malawian prophet Shepherd Bushiri who even went as far as threatening to personally sort out the minister, it remains to be seen if he will carry out his threats. Bushiri has carved out a niche for himself as a leading miracles man, chief among his recent miracles was walking on thin air, which perhaps explains his reaction.
I have friends and relatives who have tithed and given their all to their already rich pastors and are still wallowing in poverty 10 years after the tithing and the so-called planting the seed, while their prophets and pastors continues living it large. When they ask their pastors why their seed didn’t germinate they are accused of lacking faith.
Prophets with larger than life lifestyles have become popular these days. It is a common sight to see modern charismatic preachers and prophets leaving their big mansions while putting on their million dollar suits as they drive their super expensive cars on their way to the bank, to deposit money contributed by their mostly poor church members.
Godfridah Sumaili surely has a good case in her quest to protect the miracles seeking gullible masses who keep on flocking into churches run by Pastorpreneurs (entrepreneurs who sets up churches as a business venture), apparently spurned on by unemployment, poverty and diseases. But this raises a question; how easy is it to tell who is and who is not a false prophet? Please somebody tell me where the standard she used to arrive at her decision, before I become another victim of a money hungry conman using the bible to get rich. It seems like the hunt to perform the best miracle is the new gold rush. Did I hear somebody say, “go deeper papa?” I can maybe go deeper if you equally dig deeper in your pocket. When you pay it will show!
The masses are gullible because of the high poverty levels in the country. They have fallen prey to these so called “men of God” because of poverty, disease and other afflictions. As long as unemployment levels, hunger, and poverty are not addressed, the the so-called prophets, bishops and pastors, foreign or local, will continue taking advantage of the vulnerability of the impoverished masses, milking them out of even the few kwachas they have.
Sumaili and team need to economically empower Zambians…..denying prophets entry into Zambia won’t solve problems.Tackle the real causes of the problems.
There are a lot of miracle working”prophets” like Benny Hinn and the like in developed countries. Your assumption is not true
This article reminds me of Victor Kanyari from Kenya who was exposed after through hidden cameras. He was caught training a group of his co-conspirators on how to carry out his fake healing miracles in front of his congregation with the aim of tricking desperate church members into paying for miracles
The truth of the matter is that the Church has been invaded by con men purporting to be servants of God. Most of these televangelists don’t even have a formal education let alone been to Seminary, yet they claim to teach the Word of God.
What are they teaching you? No wonder they teach on money, demons and materials things. They promise you health, money, jobs and many such things. See, they don’t know the Bible for this is not what the Bible teaches. These are thieves, con men. They do staged miracles. WATCH OUT!
But you reader, why are you going to such places? Why are you giving your money yet you are being conned. Let me tell you why. Because you are not looking for God. You are looking for quick fixes. Yes you are looking for earthly things and these con men know that and that’s…
Continued….
Yes you are looking for earthly things and these con men know that and that’s what they are giving you. These guys are no different from the con men in the streets. Again I say, WATCH OUT!
Zambia is full of religious fooools brainwashed by a white man religion. no wonder fake prophets are taking advantage and believers still remain poor?
We did not help ourselves by declaring xtian fimofimo. Christianity does not come by declaration, but by demonstration. We have heaped insult on a most holy name and we are merely suffering the very predictable consequences.
So just shut the fark up and continue giving your money and labour to false prophets and evil spirits instead of the Creator.
The religious charlatans target and exploit the feebleminded and the superstitious because they are easy targets. Education is what is needed
Just when you think you have seen it all‚ a Zimbabwean pastor has filmed himself having a telephone conversation “directly with God”.
Congregants have endured having Doom sprayed in their faces‚ being fed grass‚ snakes and Rattex in a series of bizarre – and harmful – stunts by charismatic pastors over the past few years.
Pastor Paul Sanyangore from Victory World International Ministries Church has gone one better. To rapturous applause he demonstrated‚ on video‚ that he has a telephone number for God.
He was filmed “speaking to God” while pacing up and down during a live church service in March while a female member of the congregation knelt down in church.
“Hello‚ is this heaven?” the pastor asks‚ cupping his mobile phone to his right ear as the congregation look on‚ some in…
I V been quiet, but this item has been raising my concerns every time it pops up.
Lets all be very careful how we interpret Prophecy or these Spiritual matters. If we want to Purify our Nation (Zambia) of the impurities of false Prophecy, What are we suppose to use.
Remember that the Bible clearly states that in the Last days these things will be seen amongst us.
Now the other most important question that Christ asked is, How can a blind man lead another blind man ….
Thank God for the Government’s efforts but where is the Church?
Do we need the Scholars or the wise men to interpret the times or just the Spirit of God?
Do we need the Government to select who should preach to a nation?
If a Man can do it Himself why did it take Christ to Die for him.
OK LAST QUESTION
Which…
This article does not add anything new to the what has already been said. Mwansa Besa write something with depth, something that offers? different perspective from common knowledge. You just copied what others have already said.
Ulabeja! Muleikalafye if you have nothing to say.Lol
Pastor/Dr Nevers Mumba said Zambia shall be saved, let him say something now,
where is he hiding?
we need him here. to the other hand, how are the people going to know the truth?
for sure last days are here!
It is not for me to say whether Bushiri is the real man of God or not because it is only by discernment of the spirit that you can give a correct answer. Many have concluded that Bushiri is a fake man of God by sight and not by the spirit. The man has been used to perform breath taking miracles and people testify every church service. It is true that as long as the devil is around, fake prophets will be there but it is also true that true prophets of God are there. What I refuse to be made to believe is that local Papas in Zambia are all real men of God and only foreign based prophets are fake.
The bone of contention is what criteria is the Minister using to determine between the TRUE AND FALSE PROPHETS?. Urbert Angel was denied entry basing on innuendos,rumours, suspicion, campaign of…
CONT- Urbert Angel was denied entry basing on innuendos,rumours, suspicion, campaign of calony which all can not be substantiated and it amounts to persecution. That is how it starts. Dont be surprised if tomorrow it will be against a local man of God. What is interesting is that no man of the collar in Zambia has come out so strong against witchdoctors who are dotted all over in Zambia but when their source of income is threatened, we here them lable others as fake men of God. Could it be a case of insecurity?
This is why Pastor Pole pole aka Nervous went into politics realizing that as a form 5 drop having failed to get a full GEC certificate he set upon a con that saw him raise until he took the plunge. Maybe by now he would have been a bushiri with three jets and numerous houses. Archbishop milingo was accused of practicing witchcraft with his healing sessions and later he was banished to the holy see. He later married and was sent to jahena because he was seen as a threat to the church. Did EM charge for these sessions? No he simply said bring water…
@Agro HH -No one is responsible for yo ignorance of Dr Mumba’s academic credentials @Mwakale- God can perform miracle money but not in the manner of Urbert Angel. The miracle money of Angel is tatamount to producing counterfeit notes. The real one is Jesus sending his disciples to catch fish and get money from it. Yo miracle money is in working. Lastly both Bushiri and Angel don’t use their real names. Only in in’ganga do that like DR SIMBAZAKO was not the real name of the guy.if u can’t discern,so physical aspects can help!
Last days
Fake prophets are in their numbers because the demand for miracles is high. I dont blame Bushiri and other conmen using the bible to get rich, I blame people who frequent such churches. They are simply taking advantage of people`s stupidity. Cash Bushiri and Pastor Angels
*Cash in, Bushiri and Pastor Angels*
Call them whatever you want these brothers are no different to the Benny Hinns, Jimmy Stewart’s, Jimmy Swaggarts from back in the day throw in Nevers Mumba as well…they are all selling the same product. The only way out is studying about self.
Wake up from your docility!!
The issue at hand is not poverty if it was poverty these businessmen wouldnt be rushing to cash in zambian churches , it is because they know in churches they will trick christians who are in big numbers.
Therefore they mimic prophetic ministry to have access to christians , the same is true with politicians who go in churches to gain support during elections .
True prophets of donot get anything from the needy they pray for and get no returns as the Lord said freely you have and freely give .
These businessmen prophets we dont see them here where people need the gospel more, in the west where churches are closing at an alarming rate.
Muslims are crazy buying the empty churches turning them into mosques I pray these prophets could see beyond money and beyond zambia southafrica and zimbabwe to come and preach to the people who need to be converted from buddhism.
Our saviour Jesus Christ, the son of God never succumbed to such even when he accepted to go and eat with Zakeyo. He still wore his poor cloack and sanders as poor people, because he came to save all of us from heaven did. These prophets are simply children of the devil himself.
What saviour? Where was you saviour during slavery or colonism? Wake up
In your butt and yet you could and still cannot see or feel your boil on your ass. This magician’s pranks are history. And of course you will fall into a tantrum over my use of words. Remember Jesus Christ whipped people trading in the temple of his father Yehovah God.
Alas the sda church which was known as a beacon of truth has failed tto control hh
Saddest part is – ZRA gives a tithe refund, provided a worshiper produces a church receipt. Can’t exactly remember what the refund is called. I will need a bit more time to dig it up.
That being the case means that the tax payer unknowingly feeds into this spiritual nonsense. In my mind, only traditional churches – Catholics, UCZ, SDA, and the like – ought to qualify for such a refund in recognition of their effort to supplement govt work in the provision of social needs, particularly with regard to education and health. We all do come across social institutions run by these churches in far flung areas where very little sign of govt exists.
But there is nothing to write home about these charismatic churches, hell-burnt to enrich themselves at the expense of the flock.
The best way to identify a true prophet would be to use the Word of God alone to do so. The fact is, if a prophet is sent by the God who wrote the Bible, then common sense would be to identify a true prophet by God’s Word… And don’t forget these most important verses concerning prophets and the last days:
“But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:” Acts 2:16-18.
The best way to identify a true prophet would be to use the Word of God…
Charismatic churches should be taxed. They do little in helping the poor or supplementing government and their leaders lead very lavish lifestyles. If they want to help the poor let them pay tax, give to ceaser what belongs to ceaser.
In some quarters it is referred to as a composite sign , un folding in its various facets. Many will be misled. Those who know the voice of their real master will recognise the voice of a stranger reject him.be on your guard , not even abject poverty will justify your captivity to a false prophet.