Since the turn of the millennium, Zimbabwe’s populace has seen a string of pastors, prophets evangelists and others with high-sounding ecclesiastical titles dominating religious discourse.
Their perceived powers to heal and enrich have endeared them to multitudes, some of whom have reportedly — in the twinkling of an eye — seen their wallets fattened, bank balances increased and spending powers multiplied, as “divine solutions to economic problems come into effect”.
Amid the continued antagonism in the Christianity family which has seen the canon law shift from the conventional church doctrine to the current Pentecostal-driven gospel of prosperity, powerful and flamboyant men and women of the cloth are emerging.
Head and shoulders above the rest stand Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries’ Prophet Walter Magaya and the United Family International Church’s Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa.
Another “big player” is Prophet Uebert Angel of Spirit Embassy and Pastor Tavonga Vutabwashe of Heartfelt Ministries.
This battle for souls has attracted both applauds and scepticism.
The major gripe critics have is the alleged commercialisation of Christianity, attracting cult-like followings and sceptisicm about prophet-hood, spiritual fatherhood and use of anointing oils.
Only recently did prophet Magaya stand accused of murder after a Dotito woman claimed that her seven-week-old baby boy died under mysterious circumstances at the cleric’s church service in Harare.
The case has already been hauled before the police and the woman in question, Viola Chingara, is understood to have fallen into a trance when she was being attended to at the church, after which PHD ushers reportedly took away the baby from her.
Details of what happened next are still sketchy but it is believed the baby died soon after being returned to the mother.
This became the second death at Magaya’s church after a Mvurwi man — Munyaradzi Muvhami also collapsed and died at the church earlier this month.
And now we have Prophet Passion Java of Kingdom Ministries saying he is set to open an International School of Prophecy.
“I have been instructed by God to impart and implant the prophetic gift to willing individuals who believe in Jesus,” proclaimed Prophet Passion on his K-TV television channel.
“Even criminals, fellow pastors or anyone is free to enrol at the school of prophecy. Elisha was a farmer but the prophetic word was imparted on him and he became a great prophet. I want to teach people how to operate in the office of a prophet and how to perceive the word of God.”
What do these prophets say to their critics? Well, The Sunday Mail Extra was unable to cut through the bureaucratic tangle that constitutes these organisations and so that will be a story for another day.
However, Bishop Kenneth Mabika of the Anointed Waters Ministry accused the current Pentecostal movement of being a “middle class theocracy”.
“It is the exact reason these churches do not have branches in the remote areas, where they know that the majority are poor,” he said.
“If they are sincere, let them go and open branches in Neuso, Mushumbi, Madziwa or Chimusimbe in Karoi . . .”
He said some of these church leaders were pursuing personal glorification rather than giving credit to the Almighty. He cited the case of the biblical Moses who failed to reach the promised land due to self-glorification.