Yesu Mulungi - African Christian Perspectives

Kato Mivule | January 6, 2010

Two things have come to define Evangelical Christianity in the past decade and that is money and politics. Part of the Church, especially in the West spearheaded the Prosperity Movement that sought to make all Christians wealthy and rich.

The Gospel of Materialism spread like a fire from the West to many parts of the world with such great ferocity that Village Pastors in Africa, Uganda for that instance are preaching what they see of TBN TV, a message of materialism.

America still led the world in reaching out and evangelism through powerful global media outlets like TBN and Daystar TV and other Christian Radio and TV Networks. Yet the kind of evangelism from these Christian Media outlets was mostly about money, riches, materialism, mega churches, book selling and all kinds of ‘Christian Commerce’.

There was nothing substantial concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Doctrine. The Prosperity Gospel was a very unfortunate phenomenon that occupied many pulpits across the globe this past decade.

Yet at the end of the decade, it seemed that the only folks who benefited and prospered were the preachers and pastors who happened to be custodians of the materialist gospel. Money they preached, money they did get, not mentioning all the scandals that seemed to follow the money.

Yet the same preachers could not serve mammon and God at the same time, they chose mammon, and Jesus Christ and His Teachings, they cast out! For truly the Love of money brings along with it many evils.

Despite the economic downturn at the end of the decade, the Prosperity Preachers are still holding on tight to the gospel of money and blinded followers still give the little they have to support the sumptuous lifestyles of greedy preachers who threaten with curses those who will not give.

The same messages tailored around money and riches are preached Sunday after Sunday. If there was judgment from the Lord, then it seems that this kind of Church has been judged and given over to the desires of their hearts – materialism, greed, and money, more and more materialism.

However, Christians had to deal with ‘another gospel’ and that was the gospel of Dominionism, a belief that Christians should take over Nations Politically so they can spread the gospel through political maneuvers, help of politicians, and legislating “Christian Laws” so as to stamp out immorality and enforce Christian Morality as Law.

Again American Christianity was Champion of such failed Christian Political maneuvers but the movement is still there. Interesting is the Prosperity Gospel Movement in the West finds common interest with the Dominionist Gospel Movement in the West, though the two groups are divergent in their theology.  

Yet this dangerous Political Christian Dominionist Movement has made its inroads in Africa and other parts of the world. Christians, who have escaped the fallacies of the Prosperity Gospel, now find themselves captive to the Dominionist Gospel.

A clear case can be seen in Uganda, Africa where Pastors have been seeking Legislative help through Uganda’s Parliament to pass Laws to “Fight Homosexuality”, including the death penalty.  Many good and well meaning Pastors have succumbed to such lies from the Religious Right and Political Christian Evangelicals in America.

The movement for Christian Legal System is not only agitated for in Uganda, but is spreading in Parliaments in Kenya, Rwanda, and other parts of Africa where well meaning and good intentioned Christians are seeking Legislative help to fight social sin.

This another unfortunate phenomenon was highlighted last year by the intense debt of the “2009 Anti-Homosexual Bill” in Uganda that included a death penalty for all guilty Homosexuals and tough sentences for their enablers.

Christians in Uganda who have escaped the lies of the prosperity gospel throughout the past decade have been hoodwinked into believing that they can fight sin through Christian legislation and imposing of a Christian Legal System.

But the danger of a “Christian Legal System” eventually means Christianity at the barrel of a Gun. This is one of the greatest temptations that Christians who seem to have very many rights in America will have to face in this new decade.

There were great disappointments for Evangelical Christians in America this past decade as Former President George Bush did not deliver to Christians in America the kind of Christian Legislation and Christians Laws while in office. Christians were then disappointed by the election of President Obama, a die-hard Liberal who seems to be turning America into a European like secular society.

Many Evangelical Christians have resorted to anger and bitterness against the Liberals who include Abortionists and Homosexuals. Many Conservative Christian Talk Radio Hosts are calling on their listeners to arm themselves, and buy more guns. As a matter of fact, press reports sited the high number of gun sales after the Obama Election in November 2008.

Yet this is still an undercurrent but the frustration among right wing Christians in the West is resulting into vigilante activism and many joining the “Lets Take America Back” movements that include so-called Tea Bag Party Activism. The danger is that such lunatic extreme ideologies might be restrained in America but Africa seems to be doing a ‘Copy and Paste’ type of Christianity and only time will tell what will happen if that ‘Tea-Bag Party Take America Back Revival’ spreads to Africa courtesy of political Christians.

It seems that if there is any Revival that is spreading from the West to Africa, it is a Revival for the Love of Money and Politics. It is noticeable that the Gospel has been lost in all such efforts, true evangelism has been replaced by Christian Politics and Legislation. The words of Jesus Christ have been cast aside, and the Love of More Money, Politics, and Guns remains one of the greatest temptations Christians will still face this decade.

Yet Jesus Christ warned His disciples who had such beliefs and agitations that His Kingdom was not of this world…and swords do not advance His Kingdom but actually are a hindrance to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

John 18:10-11
(10)  Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
(11)  Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

John 18:35-36
(35)  Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
(36)  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Luke 22:49-51
(49)  When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?
(50)  And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.
(51)  And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.

1 Timothy 6:10-11
(10)  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
(11)  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

Kato Mivule