adminArron Nyamayaro
JUST a few years ago, local Pentecostal churches were attracting huge numbers of followers, running into tens of thousands of people, at their services.
Now, it appears, things have changed.
Some have attributed the decrease in numbers to the Covid-19 effects.
Others have suggested that part of the crowd were after miracles and some feel the emergence of some fake prophets, who faked miracles, did not help matters.
H-Metro visited a number of Pentecostal churches and some members had this to say:
“A number of people are just after miracles; they do not join the church with intention to become members but to seek healing and return to their churches,” said one member.
“Some people simply stopped coming after some of the churches simply failed to meet their expectations.
“The situation is like a hospital where patients are admitted and get discharged when they respond better to treatment.
“Vakasawana zvavarikutsvaka vanodzokera kwavakabva, saka vachiita sekubvira kwemapepa kuririma zvenguva pfupi vodzima kuita madota munguva shomana.
“Some were lured by falsehoods and after realising that they were being led into an abyss they stopped attending such services.
“If you gather people using falsehoods, they come in numbers and when they see the truth they leave in their numbers as well.”
He added:
“We have pastors, evangelists and prophets who are after people in their denominations instead of fishing out the lost souls.”
One of the church leaders, who chose anonymity, told H-Metro that Covid-19 effects forced him to decentralise his church services.
“Before Covid-19, we used to meet at one place and had one source of authority but the pandemic forced us to share authority and we ordained some senior members to lead branches in other towns and cell groups in other suburbs.
“Covid-19 limited people movement and we were left without an option other than opening new branches in some towns and suburbs.
“Covid-19 affected a number of businesses and people are yet to recover from its effects so some are failing to have enough money to travel long distances to attend church,” said the church leader.
A Bible scholar, under Disciples In Action School of Theology and Missions (DIASTAM), said Covid-19 exposed a number of false prophets who claimed to have powers to heal.
“Jesus Christ taught his disciples how to pray but a number of prophets and so-called apostles, who started their own ministries, do not teach members to pray,” said the scholar.
“They want people to rely on them so as to get the opportunity to milk them and enrich themselves.
“Covid-19 restricted movement of people and a number of prophets, who failed to teach their members to pray, were left without followers.
“We call them followers because they rely on one person and not on the omnipresent God who can answer prayers anywhere anytime.
“Many ministries have followers of miracles not worshippers.
“During Covid-19 restrictions, some people learnt how to pray because the pandemic challenged a number of lives to face the reality of life.
“Some are no longer going to these churches because their hearts were hardened by falsehoods they were subjected to under the mercy of false prophets.”
Reports of walking on water, anointing oil and miracle money have become a thing of the past.
Online Reporter