Of false pastors and prophets
Sunday, 10th January 2010 | By Nicholas Anyour | The Standard
Evangelist David Owuor raised a storm recently when he accused some church leaders of being only after money. The evangelist’s sentiments have received considerable public support, but he barely scratched the surface. The ugly truth is that nowadays, the Church has become the last refuge for the scoundrel.
Though the Bible warns against those who preach or do God’s work deceitfully or for personal gain, this has not stopped many pseudo-apostles, lying preachers and crooked prophets from posing as Christ’s agents.
And there is no better time for these false agents to strike than during festivities like the just-ended Christmas season. The people most susceptible to their machinations are those who travel to the villages to rejoin their kith and kin for the festivities.
Under scrutiny
As they wine, dine and regale the village folk with their exploits in the city or towns, they are ever under the microscope of the village false preachers and prophets. Given the challenging life and myriad problems of town dwellers, there is always a need for prayers, providing the perfect opportunity to these ‘men of God’.
"The journey to the villages provides us with an opportunity to benefit from those in towns who have various problems," says Willis Odhiambo, a self-styled village prophet in South Nyanza.
Any problem like unemployment or sickness is an opportunity for Odhiambo to prophesy and bring news of good tidings albeit at a cost. First, he prepares the ground by doing a thorough background check on the targeted family or individual.
"I have to know the family well before I go there officially as a messenger of God. I must know their problems by sending someone secretly to gather the information. This will make my divine revelations authentic in their eyes," Odhiambo adds.
"For example, if there is a young man in the family who has been jobless for years, this becomes the beginning of my prophecy," he continues.
For such a family, says the ‘prophet’, the greatest need is a special prayer that will unlock doors for employment.
Conveniently, a neighbour with the evil eye or a jealous relative is fingered for the calamity that has befallen the family.
Money-minded
"Just accuse a cousin or distant relative in the neighbourhood whose family is struggling to do better and they will believe you," says Odhiambo.
Like many false prophets and preachers, the most important thing is what he is going to reap from the family. This ranges from hard cash to cattle.
Others target rich but childless couples. "You can guess what such a family would want most. Given their wealth, chances are high that they have unsuccessfully sought help in big hospitals. For them God is the last hope," reveals another village pastor only known as John.
He says his work is even easier when the wife is the one blamed for being barren by the husband and in-laws. The woman will be frustrated and open to suggestions. For a chance to conceive, she will readily part with whatever the preacher asks for. During the festive season, Pastor John had over ten such cases and made good money.
fervent but brief prayers
"The holiday was short so you pray fervently but briefly for her and get the money. You then promise her a child in the next month or two. This will give you enough time to disappear," says John.
This is confirmed by Lucia, a woman who once fell victim to a false prophet. The 35-year-old, who teaches in Kisumu, was approached by a pastor two years ago when she visited her rural home in Migori District.
"He approached me during a rough period in my life," she reveals.
Though she had been married for three years, they had no children and this was causing tension between her and the in-laws who were blaming her for the situation. Luckily, her husband stood by her.
"When the preacher came, he assured my husband and I that I would conceive after two months and we paid him handsomely," she recalls.
But two years down the line, Lucia is still waiting for signs of pregnancy. As for the man of God, she has not seen him again.
"I guess our desperation made us easy targets and he surely conned us," says her husband, Peter.
These pastors and prophets do not discriminate between poor and rich families. All they care for is what they can get from their victims. And they have biblical explanations for all their misdeeds.
"Even in the Bible Jesus went to the poor families. Why not us?" asks Jacob, who is known in Migori as Japolo (man from heaven).
Targeting the poor
Julius Otieno, a charcoal burner in Nyatike District, cannot help laughing whenever he thinks of how easily he was conned. A pastor came to his village from nowhere and stayed for three weeks just praying for the sick. He claimed that he would pray till all the poor in the village became rich. He was so fervent and serious that Otieno had no problem believing him.
"He visited me immediately he heard that my wife had given birth leaving me penniless. He prayed for my child and wife and then gave me Sh500. He told me that the money was blessed," Otieno recalls.
According to Otieno, the money was intended to help him start a small business that was destined for exponential growth as the Lord had planned.
"Though I was broke I gave him all the three goats I had inherited from my father. The goats were worth Sh3,500. But that was the last time I saw that man," Otieno laments.
William Jogiko, a resident of Mbita District, also has a story to tell about his encounter with one of these false prophets. Jogiko’s father died of Aids-related illnesses and the mother was also seriously sick from the same.
"I didn’t have any money. A pastor came to our home and told me he had been sent by God to save the poor family. He was so convincing that I believed him," he recalls.
Jogiko was happy and called neighbours to join the prayer session and witness the Lord’s deliverance. He slaughtered two cockerels that day for the man of God who was accompanied by two schoolgirls.
The preacher explained that he was praying for the girls during school holidays and wanted them to see the hand of God at work. After a series of prayers the following day, the pastor wanted an offering, which should be a goat. God, he said, worked best when given an offering as seed.
"My uncle gave him a goat and he went on his way. I’ve never seen him again. My mother tested HIV-positive and is now on drugs. She is doing well," Jogiko says, adding the pastor told them that his mother had been bewitched by an uncle. "It was this uncle he was talking about who educated us because my parents were poor. When the pastor came calling my uncle was away in Nairobi," he adds.
A matter of faith
Despite the obvious deceit involved, these preachers and prophet believe that something good comes out of their spiritual endeavours.
"I tell you it is based purely on one’s faith. When I’m praying for them, my mind is far but I have to pray aloud enough for them to hear. So it is upon them to get healed out of their own faith," Odhiambo says.
Should their prayers fail to result in healing, the preachers and prophets can always blame it on the victim’s lack of faith.
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Pastor accuses Kenyan Church of corruption, Calls for Repentance
Published on 02/01/2010 | By The Standard Team
Evangelist David Owuor has said the Church in Kenya is corrupt and should repent.
Dr Owuor said the Church had failed to give Kenyans direction on national issues like constitution review.
"The Church and clergy are driven by the urge for money and preach the gospel of falsehoods," said Owuor.
He cited the bid by churches to have Kadhi’s courts removed from the draft constitution, saying this was a misplaced battle that could derail the review process.
"The Church is fighting the wrong battle in the constitution. It has failed Kenyans on issues of national importance," said Owuor.
The evangelist was addressing the Press at a Kisumu hotel after presiding over a healing crusade at Moi Stadium yesterday.
"The Church in Kenya has decayed. We saw them being partisan in the run up to the last General Election and during the post- election violence," he added.
He accused bishops and pastors of corruption, saying some lie to the faithful that they have powers to heal in their pursuit for money.
Impromptu Inspection
Owuor said 2010 should be a year for repentance among Kenyans. "My message to Kenyans is that this should be a year for repentance," he said.
He called on top leaders and ordinary wananchi to repent for the country to move forward, adding that healing cannot come through courts or any other institution but from God.
Earlier, hundreds of people thronged Moi Stadium in Kisumu for the crusade.
Some drove to the lakeside city from as far as Uganda, Mombasa, Nairobi and Nakuru while others walked to the venue for the event that began last Wednesday and ended yesterday.
Owuor used the occasion to call for repentance from the residents of the town that suffered the brunt of post-elections violence.
The rains that pounded the town did not stop the crowds from seeking healing and spiritual nourishment.
The prayers went on into the night and the town was a beehive of activity as most hotel and eating places registered thriving businesses.
Meanwhile, residents of Kisumu and its environs thronged churches for prayers as they ushered in the New Year.
At St Stephen Anglican Church, bishop Mwai Abiero added his voice on calls for enacting of a new constitution. "A new constitution will enable Kenya come of age," said Abiero. Catholic faithful thronged Kibuye and St Vincent Catholic churches.
Separately, a planned Gikuyu annual festival failed to take off at the legendary Mukurwe wa gathanga in Murang’a, after the Government failed to release Sh200,000 to sponsor the event.
Postponed
The event has been taking place since 1999. Yesterday it emerged that the event was postponed to later this month, depending on availability of funds from the Department of Culture and Social Services.
Eldoret town was taken through a rare moment when two local vernacular FM Radio stations held parties in two separate hotels.
Kass FM and Chamge FM stations hosted parties at the Sirikwa Hotel and Mariot Hotel respectively, where thousands of patrons Ushered In 2010.
Reports By Peter Atsiaya, Boniface Gikandi, Titus Too and Job Weru
