News / National
Zanu-PF and churches express concern over TB Joshua's planned visit
08 May 2012 at 14:42hrs | Views
Churches have expressed concern over the planned visit this May by a Nigeria-based prophet, Temitope Balogun Joshua, saying men of God are non-partisan.
The world-acclaimed prophet is supposedly due in Harare this month for prayer meetings at the invitation of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Heads of different church denominations affiliated to the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) are in agreement that the church does not have immigration powers and as such it will not determine whether TB Joshua should visit Zimbabwe or not. They however highlighted that as a church they can only raise concern.
The church leaders were speaking at a meeting in Harare to review the constitutional process as well as decide on the church's role in the process.
Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, former president of the EFZ, Bishop Trevor Manhanga, urged Zimbabweans to be wary of self-proclaimed prophets, saying Christians are being bombed in Nigeria and TB Joshua's prophecies have failed to warn his fellow countrymen of the impending danger, or which church would be attacked next.
"Christians must not leave their brains when they go to church. Which country is troubled - Nigeria or Zimbabwe? And why is TB Joshua quiet?" he asked.
Current president, Dr Goodwill Shana said the EFZ is against the way TB Joshua has aligned himself, saying men of God must not be partisan.
Dr Shana said God is redemptive and not judgemental and the church's role is to promote peace and integration and not to divide.
He said: "The church's role is to make peace and not to divide. We are not for people who come here to divide nations."
It is understood that Mr Ian Makone, the chief secretary in the Prime Minister's Office, wrote a letter to TB Joshua on March 25, 2012 inviting him to come and attend the National Day of Prayer slated for May 25, which would be a culmination of the ongoing prayer rallies that the PM has been attending across the country.
TB Joshua's name has become popular because of prophecies that he reportedly makes on his Emmanuel TV station.
However, the Cameroonian government has blacklisted Prophet TB Joshua, saying that he is an agent of Satan hoodwinking unsuspecting members of the public with diabolical miracles.
Hundreds of Cameroonians have been trooping to Lagos, South West Nigeria, for miracles in Joshua's Synagogue Church of All Nations.
The world-acclaimed prophet is supposedly due in Harare this month for prayer meetings at the invitation of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Heads of different church denominations affiliated to the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) are in agreement that the church does not have immigration powers and as such it will not determine whether TB Joshua should visit Zimbabwe or not. They however highlighted that as a church they can only raise concern.
The church leaders were speaking at a meeting in Harare to review the constitutional process as well as decide on the church's role in the process.
Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, former president of the EFZ, Bishop Trevor Manhanga, urged Zimbabweans to be wary of self-proclaimed prophets, saying Christians are being bombed in Nigeria and TB Joshua's prophecies have failed to warn his fellow countrymen of the impending danger, or which church would be attacked next.
"Christians must not leave their brains when they go to church. Which country is troubled - Nigeria or Zimbabwe? And why is TB Joshua quiet?" he asked.
Dr Shana said God is redemptive and not judgemental and the church's role is to promote peace and integration and not to divide.
He said: "The church's role is to make peace and not to divide. We are not for people who come here to divide nations."
It is understood that Mr Ian Makone, the chief secretary in the Prime Minister's Office, wrote a letter to TB Joshua on March 25, 2012 inviting him to come and attend the National Day of Prayer slated for May 25, which would be a culmination of the ongoing prayer rallies that the PM has been attending across the country.
TB Joshua's name has become popular because of prophecies that he reportedly makes on his Emmanuel TV station.
However, the Cameroonian government has blacklisted Prophet TB Joshua, saying that he is an agent of Satan hoodwinking unsuspecting members of the public with diabolical miracles.
Hundreds of Cameroonians have been trooping to Lagos, South West Nigeria, for miracles in Joshua's Synagogue Church of All Nations.
Source - zbc
