The gospel of money

The ‘prosperity gospel’ is entrenched in the Pentecostal circles. But as Bright Mhango discusses, the focus on money and blessings has attracted a lot of criticism.

Towards the end of every year, Pentecostal churches spring to action to come up with new slogans that promise good things to people: “2013, year of plenty,” “year of harvest…”

This is reflected in the messages preached in these churches where the pastor, reverend or prophet or whatever name they chose for themselves, boom and declare that it will not be next year before God blesses the church goers in their finances, business, family relations, employment and many other spheres.

Are Pentecostal churches realistic? Do they tell their followers what they want to hear and not what is the reality? Are the leaders writing verbal cheques that the theology cannot cash?

They are there on free-to-air satellite television channels, they are there on Facebook…and they are immensely popular with the womenfolk who cry even by just holding the television as the man of God preaches his hope-giving message.

But when the year ends, how many are richer?

A poll by Pew Foundations, which surveyed nearly 35 000 Americans, found that Pentecostal goers had the lowest incomes and the least education among the rest of the Christian denominations.

The education part is what Roger Olson picked on in his article, Pentecostalism’s Dark Side, in which he alleged that many Pentecostals hate intellectuals and ignore real theology for sensational messages.

Pen Itent, a private school teacher, also wrote against the Pentecostal pastors who, she said, are betraying their members.

“When I attend a service at this church, I hear the pastors declare that God will make everybody rich if only they will throw what little they do have into the offering plate. Loud confident voices echo off the palatial walls of the sanctuary, while weary, struggling believers bristle with the hope of God’s “promises.”

“My impoverished friends dance down the plush expensive carpet to the altar and pull out their dollar bills (not their food stamps and government checks, though they have those also) and cheerfully give. The pastor nods approvingly, his hands folded in prayer (a shiny Rolex on his wrist), his eyes misty,” writes Itent in her article, Pentecostal Corruption: Prosperity Gospel is a Scam.

In November last year, president Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe added his critical voice to those criticising Pentecostals, saying there are more fake pastors now than those referred to in the Bible. He also wondered how a man and wife can all have powers of prophecies as is the case with some prominent Pentecostal leaders.

He also blasted Pentecostal churches in Zimbabwe, saying they were extorting gifts from their followers by making it mandatory for them to “give” to their leaders.

David Oyedepo of Nigeria came under attack after it emerged that followers at one of his branches in England donated over 16 million British Pounds to him after he had promised them that God would restore their riches

Mail Online reported in October, 2012 that Oyedepo ferries worshippers in buses to church where they are invited to make debit card payments and taught that obeying the churches dogma would make them immune from illness.

“As Pentecostals tend to be the least well-educated group of believers, they make a prime target for would-be millionaire pastors. In many ways, I am as green with jealousy as these prosperity preachers are with greed, in that the scammed believers have more faith in their little finger than I will probably ever know in my lifetime.

“They would give the shirt off their backs if they believed God wanted them to, and many of them have. These people have the purest of Christian hearts, trusting the intentions of their Shepherd as they’re led as lambs to the slaughter,” writes Itent.

The prosperity gospel theology is bankrupt, says Itent. He rues the fact that con artists who rip off people are cornered and made to return the money while pastors never return the money the rob from their followers.

But a Pentecostal Christian, Lekan Olatunji, who runs the memorial page for the departed Pastor Bimbo Odukoya on Facebook, came out in support of the men of God.

“God does not give anybody the permission to judge any fellow human being or church for that matter. God can actually do even much more than all the prosperity that Pentecostal pastors are preaching. Therefore, they are still on point as long as they didn’t limit their preaching to prosperity alone,” said Lekan.