Before I dive into all this it’s important that I state that, I’m a Christian. Jesus Christ is my personal Saviour. I believe in God and that He manifests in us in different ways and forms.
In the recent years, we have seen a rise of churches in our neighborhoods. Not forgetting Prophets, prophetesses and miracle workers in our country Kenya. This is a clear sign of the end times because the Bible told us that such will happen.
Fake Messiahs and lying preachers are going to pop up everywhere. Their impressive credentials and bewitching performances will pull the wool over the eyes of even those who ought to know better. So watch out. I’ve given you fair warning. Mark 13:21-23.
Do you read your Bible? Most people these days don’t. They wait for their pastors also known as ‘dads and mums’ to read and interpret it for them. There is where we go wrong because the Bible says, ‘My people (believers) perish because of lack of knowledge’. Hosea 4:6. If you don’t read the Bible and pray about it then how will you know what you’re being told isn’t true?
The country is outraged by the recent revelations of the Kilifi ‘Pastor’ Makenzie. He duped his followers to fast til death so that they can meet God. He preys on the gullible. The mother who lost her child, the father who wishes to provide for his family and the daughter who seeks a husband. To come to him (not to God) and he’ll help them meet God.
During one of Jesus teachings, He said, “Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?” Matthew 7:7-11.
Most preachers these days act like they are our gatekeepers to God. Forgetting that when God’s son, Jesus, died on the cross, the curtain in the synagogue split. What did this symbolize? That the days of going through men of God to get to God were over. That if we pray, in the name of Jesus, God will hear us. God gave us a direct line to Him through His son. So, why then have we gone back to the old ways?
Many pastors, preachers, prophets and the likes pop up everywhere claiming they have a calling from God. They then go ahead and open their own churches. Hence why you wake up every morning to a new church popping up. Don’t get me wrong, you could have a calling, yes! But does that guarantee that you are equipped enough to open a church? No!
The state needs to regulate the Church. How? By making sure that all these preachers, pastors, prophets and prophetesses go to Bible school. If you have a calling then accompany it with extensive teachings of the word. A school of at least 5yrs and there after be assigned to an already existing church. There are already plenty of churches in rotation, if truly you are legit preaching God’s word, do you need yours?
It’s my personal sentiment that these churches have become businesses. And with the states tax exemption policy, many have found an easy way to extort money from believers without any consequence. So, why not tax the church?
When the tax exemption for churches was put in effect, most if not all churches had schools and hospitals under them. They provided these services for the community free of charge. Currently, how many churches serve the community? Even those with schools and hospitals charge very high fees for these services that those who go to these churches can’t afford to take their children to the said schools or their sick to the said hospitals.
Then, if churches have made it a business, why not tax it? We’ve seen churches making millions out of poor congregants and have no community projects aimed at helping these congregants. What’s the point? Is this what Jesus would do?
As believers, we need to go back to the drawing board. To reading the word and praying. Do not be blind sided by the side shows and the flashy lifestyle of pastors. Private jets, body guards, long entourages, designer clothing and prosperity preachings of planting seeds for blessings. Jesus was never such. He was humble til his death. Let’s read the Bible and pray to God for discernment. These are the end times and we were warned.
In the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. For nothing they will consider sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. For they will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God” (2 Timothy 3:1-4).
Let’s all try to be like Jesus!
