Christians can be overzealous at times

There is this exaggerated manner in which some church goers regard religious leaders such that you sometimes wonder if the flock realise that a man of God is a just that— a fellow man, with a calling to serve God, although this cannot be confidently said about all the men standing on pulpits these days.

In an effort to seek God’s touch and blessings, desperate congregation members go out of their way to please men of God more than they would delight God himself.

There is fear, adoration and yes, some kind of worship that, unfortunately, some of the leaders seem to enjoy instead of directing such worship to the rightful owner.

One hot Sunday, I sat among worshippers in one of the Pentecostal churches in town. The founder was visiting the congregation and so the church was packed with excited members.

I had my full attention on the proceedings of the service, until one overzealous worshipper interrupted my attention with his actions that still haunt me with questions regarding the extent to which people can respect or honour church leaders and of course, how the leaders themselves should handle exaggerated efforts at respect.

The preacher that morning was the church’s founder, who, like many of us, was sweating, but perhaps he was feeling much worse after delivering a sermon of about 30 or 40 minutes.

When he was done preaching, he walked back to his seat wiping beads of sweat from his face and as soon as he made it to the chair, a tall slim man in a suit rushed and knelt by his side with a hand fan which he waved at the man of God for the rest of the service in an effort to create a current of cool air around him.

I don’t remember how the rest of the service ended as my eyes were glued to this strange scene, as my mind tried to understand exactly why the kneeling man had to go to this extent to assist the preacher and why the man of God did not just pick the fan to help himself.

These are questions that bother me when every time a man of God arrives at a church—and some of have a habit of turning up in the middle of the service—you find people in the class of deacons quickly abandoning everything they are doing to swarm to the leader’s vehicle to welcome him or her and then carry their one bible.

If it’s a woman, they want to help her carry her handbag!

But why?

Why does it seem like some people stop using their brain when they are in religious circles?

I know religious leaders are agents of God on earth, but does respecting them include giving them an overdose of reverence?

I don’t think so.