‘A prophet is God’s gift to a generation’

The emergent and highly spiritually foregrounded PHD Ministries led by Prophet Walter Magaya in which I am a partner has created a nervous stir to the traditional religious fold locally and beyond the borders. For some, the wicked and indefensible centre can no longer hold because they are rooted in religious bigotry and not Christianity. Let me hasten to point out that Christianity is based on the Covenant of the Cross — the blood of Jesus.

My response is based on utterances made by Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) president, Johannes Ndanga in The Standard of July 19-25 2015 who claims that Magaya’s power has been neutralised. He claims that as a result of their prayers Magaya conceded in Botswana that he was not leading a church but a ministry.

This betrays Ndanga’s fears. Karl Max would laugh at the opiating effect of religion on the masses — and the president and his followers being serious casualties. While it would be proper for mapositori to defend their position through citing scriptures as prophet Magaya has done, they propose physical confrontation and marching to PHD Ministry premises. Let me say this will not prove to the people what mapositori do at their altars, commonly known as kirawa.

Ndanga’s fears also arise from the fact that he may not be aware of the ideological difference between a church and a ministry. This fear had also gripped Botswana pastors and church leaders that their churches were going to be swallowed, prompting the man of God to allay their fears and doubt. This suggests that prior to this Ndanga was ignorant of the difference between a ministry and a church. May I point out that the Lord Jesus, Elijah, Ezekiel, Isaiah and many other prophets were not rooted in churches.

Churches were then formed through adopting certain teachings from ministries. Prophets come for a generation, not a single church. Which church did Moses or Joshua belong to? A prophet has a universal character, that is why not a single church can claim Jesus as theirs. He is the greatest prophet of them all. A prophet comes for a generation, as a gift for that generation in order to bless their lives.

On that note I urge Ndanga to smell the coffee and come to tap his blessings from the man of God like what other church leaders are doing. Furthermore, unless mapositori address the issue of the source of their power — any other forms of posturing will not resuscitate their sinking ship. They are bitter victims.

The problem with religionists is that they trivialise sin in themselves. They need to defend their positions divinely so that we do not see them as separating themselves from those who need mercy.

One common practice in mapositori is that they instil fear in congregants. Marcus Garvey speaking against slavery warned that creating fear in another man is an insult to God the Almighty. God made us in his image. Through palpable fear, especially of death and retribution, many people have been cowed into submission.

I implore you to disclose the source of your power. Let there be light.