By Eddie Onuzuruike
It is not a coincidence that Nigerian preachers, in their largest numbers are having problems. Among them, Oyakilome, T B Joshua, Chris Okotie, Oritsejiafor and many others. Strange as they appear, they are not new, as we can establish some similar cases before the early church.
A critical look on the account on Gamaliel will give some insight. The Acts of the Apostles, chapter 5, verse 34-39,went thus. ‘But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
That was Gamaliel, member of the Sanhedrin council, a high judicial authority of bible times. From the speech it is obvious that false religion, religious and spiritual misrepresentation is nothing new. We read about Bar Jesus, his simony and sorcery e.t.c.
Not too long ago, in the eighties, the American Evangelist, and televangelist, of the PTL fame, (Praise The Lord –People That Love) owned by a couple Jim and Tammy Baker, was rocked with scandal that resulted in the man going to jail. In truth, the story of the bakers should be a lesson to clergies in Nigeria since the mould of televangelism in this country is modelled after the American experience.
Jimmy and Tammy Baker met in a bible school and got married after. From that point, it was step by step to success. Once the toast of Pat Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network, CBN, and the 700 Club. Their serial success gave birth to PTL. They were so loved and patronized by Americans to the extent that they were able to raise millions of dollars, donated by viewers and subscribers from which they were able to build a multimillion dollar television and broadcast empire.
They indulged in scandalous opulence to the extent that a 287,000 dollar payoff was made to one Jessica Hanns to buy her silence over Jim’s sexual escapades.
The news of this backhand financial dealing alerted the authorities who investigated their abuse of public fund which finally led Jim to jail.
In another circumstance in the seventies, an unbelievable case of mass murder occurred under a religious guise. The incidence of mass suicide in the People’s Temple, an agricultural commune in Jonestown, Guyana mentioned above is chilling. On the orders of their leader, Jim Jones, more than 900 followers of the cult, mostly Americans, took poison and died.
The father of televangelism in America, Rev Billy Graham, dubbed the American Pastor by President Ronald Reagan, was asked by the press why most of his successors were having sex scandals while he had remained spotless. He retorted that all through his ministerial leadership that he never had audience with female members without his wife being around.
From reports worldwide, some clergies have ignored their previous injunction of ‘for better for worse’ and divorced, forcing it on members that God directed such. Others went into politics alleging God’s direction but what happened? With available evidence, churches have aided divorce. Pastors have taken members’ wives, others have prayed for armed robbers, earning handsomely from such unholy services to men of the underworld. Other notable clergies have actually urged some to commit sin and confess as the lord would always forgive.
A known prostitute bemoaned the lack of customers during the preceding weeks of Christmas but prayed and assured her colleagues that they will make it in Jesus name, as her pastor was busy doing midnight prayers for them. A young man caught by operatives with cocaine at the airport confessed that he spent so many days in the church, praying for protective concealment from God.
Speaking in tongues, a gift of the holy spirit can now be taught by some pastors and many believe as they easily break into tongues with little prompting, muttering cococo and cacaca. It is obvious that many hardly can decipher the voice of God from self as happened between Eli and his servant Samuel during his apprenticeship.
From their fruits we know them. We praise Adeboye, Kumuyi and many true men and women of God for keeping the faith without blemish and human coloration.
Something points to an anomaly especially with the miracle making clergies. The collapsed building in the Synagogue of Church of all Nations has raised multiple questions. If T B Joshua was a true child of God, why wasn’t the fall of the synagogue building revealed to him? Why did he embark on such questionable defense that an aircraft flew over the building? Was he trying to raise another debate on UFO? Why would anybody arrogate awesome powers to himself and build without authorization from applicable authorities when the lives of many nationals were involved?
In over twenty years ago, the Methodist Church was embroiled setting out two groups of which one was called the Idowu group. There are so many cases of crises in the house of God where some were known to have consulted native doctors.
An accountant with one of the top hotels in Lagos emptied the tills of his employer and sowed seeds in a church. The church leader was fully aware that the member hasn’t such financial muscle yet he kept and concealed the loot. In another circumstance, a man was to fake as a cripple but pushed by nature, hustled off the wheelchair to urinate.
A friend of mine in the 90s, teamed up with like minds and opened a church as a business venture. When the chips were down that their church had failed, they split their property albeit in scuffles and all my friend could get were 3 wooden benches.
Assemblies of God once known for its strong faith and the dominance of the Holy Spirit is presently sliding precariously into anarchy when you remember the days of Revs Ezeigbo, Nwakanma and Asonye, all of blessed memory and notable others.
Oddly, Assemblies of God couldn’t settle their problems and went into a scandalous court case. Now, a church known for such religious height cannot settle issues with prayers and vision as they used to. It is obvious that Satan has taken over, goaded by greed, arrogance, spiritual recalcitrance and carnality.
The essence of this is not to dissuade any believer but to encourage them to read in-between the lines for them to be able to read the handwriting on the wall.
As said by Peter one of the earliest apostles, God has not hidden himself from us. The hand writing is always there to show us the way.
God is watching all of us. Followers should watch out, leaders should beware.
As we go back to Gamaliel, if you are not of God you will not last for certainly, your sins will find you out.