Jesus in the gossip: From Willy Paul to Ringtone, are Christian youth judged too harshly

 Holy Dave has been rumoured to buy alcohol for his friends     Photo: Courtesy

A snitch calls Pulse from a nightclub after midnight and says: “Imagine Willy Paul is here with a girl drinking alcohol. Is he really a gospel artiste?”

“How can Holy Dave throw a bash and buy booze for his pals? These gospel artistes have become hypocrites. They are even living with their girlfriends and having pre-marital sex without care,” another one says.

It is that juicy gossip that bursts the Internet once a little evidence is leaked...The Jesus gossip.

All year, the gospel music scene has been filled with drama, accusations, backbiting and all sorts of questionable stories that leave one wondering why these guys claim to be gospel artistes. Harshly, they have been judged. Some even backslid under the pressure of judgement.

Lately, there is a thin line between a gospel and a secular singer. The changes, most of which have to do with lifestyles that were not so Christian in the past, have become the talking point of the society as church youth now make church trendy, the cool to go chill out and bond spot. Not long ago, a group of self-confessed homosexuals joined a youth service in a city church after one of them received an invite from one of the youth leaders.

The pastor welcomed them warmly to a thunderous cheer from one section of the church. The other lot was unhappy. They could not see what homosexuals were doing in church. Since, a section of the youth has left the church accusing its leaders for accommodation homosexuality in the house of God.

The same gender issue has rocked the Church worldwide with top preachers not only endorsing the act but also practicing homosexuality themselves, and causing a major split in the process. In 2003, Bishop Gene Robinson, a self-confessed Anglican gay bishop, was ordained in New Hampshire, USA to a great fury from the Christian community.

As the debate as to how a self-confessed gay bishop could be consecrated rocked the church, Robinson went ahead to declare that he wanted to marry his ‘lover’, one Mark Andrew. To many, Robinson was contravening the rules he was meant to protect. In 1998, the Anglican Church had passed the Lambeth Conference Resolution only accepting marriage as union between a man and a woman. It recognised some members from the Church as being homosexuals and assured their protection through showing God’s love.

Since, the Anglican Church of Kenya has broken ranks with dioceses that condone bishops who practice or support homosexuality. The Church has become shy about discussing homosexuality same way it has about discussing issues to do with the use of condoms and other contraceptives.

What of the case of some commercial workers who were thrown out of a Mombasa church after the church elders claimed that they were portraying the church negatively? It was the same case with another a group of hundreds of commercial workers who flocked Nyeri town in May this year ahead of the beautification ceremony of an Italian nun. “Who does not need body gratification? By the way, even Christians need sex,” one of the commercial sex workers reportedly challenged. This was not taken kindly by some worshippers.

It reminds one of a Nairobi church that used to hold its services on Saturday night. Jazz musicians and other celebrities would form the ‘praise and worship’, dinner would be served and prostitutes would volunteer themselves for prayers after which they would be offered some cash for upkeep, till the next Saturday.

And barely three weeks ago, a Nairobi nightclub started a special Wednesday entertainment night slot where gospel singers now entertain drunkards as they enjoy their favourite alcohol drink. The emcee, who happens to be a church man even leads an offering session as the night wears out towards morning.

“Jesus was accused of most things he did. They gossiped (about) Him. However, he was above reproach. Never was he found guilty of anything. That should be the case with our gospel singers. One should not fall into sin deliberately and defend himself or herself in the name of the gospel. Besides, everyone should be able to carry his own cross,” says Alliwah, a gospel singer and an actor.

What would Jesus do about the numerous incidents surrounding men of cloth who have been caught pants down with other people’s wives or simply single members of his flock? Is the church is on the crossroads? What does the world think about today’s youth and the church? Should the media such as Pulse Magazine be shy about reporting the scandals rocking the youth church today?

Youthful gospel artiste Willy Paul has coined scandal as his middle name. Although the musician has been linked with several controversies including that he is not purely about gospel, women and money he says these are just efforts to tarnish his name.

“Every negative report about me is untrue and hence they don’t affect my life in anyway. In any case I have learnt to live my life the way I want without having to please people since they will always have something bad to say about you dead or alive,” Willy Paul says adding: “It is only God who can judge me.

Another gospel artiste Ringtone has found himself on the receiving ends following rape allegations and failure to comply with MCSK rules and regulations. He avers: “I strongly believe someone was paid to tarnish my name just to please the other party.”

He adds: “I will never bribe to have anyone to paint a positive portrait about me. The allegations remain the least of my worries since there is no single truth in them. But to me that is just water under the bridge since God has opened more doors for me despite their efforts to finish my career in vain”.

Multiple award-winning gospel artiste Juliani has also not been spared by controversies including view by critics that his music is more of secular than gospel.

From doing collabos with secular artistes to money, sex and power in his life, Juliani explains that contrary to public opinion he is a man who deeply loves God and is down-to-earth. He told Pulse: “I am not a party animal. Indeed, I love to spend most of my time in the house or at the office. I am focused and know what I want in life. Hence I view all those challenges as stages of success.”

He adds: “My songs are inspired by my faith and things that happen around us. For instance, I question why we are poor, besides facing many problems among them unemployment.”

Juliani sees nothing wrong with doing collabos with secular artiste? “Let me ask you, in a restaurant, would you refuse to eat the food because it has been prepared by non-believers? Are you not there to eat and go! Isn’t the same God who made Juliani the one who created Jua Cali? I don’t regret being part of the collabo,” he affirms.

The Men of God (MOG) trio of Kenti, Tony and Boss is one gospel group that came saw and conquered before disappearing into oblivion after one of them allegedly impregnated a girl.

“Let’s just say that we are doing solo projects for some time before we can embark on a group project sometime next year,” defends Kenti.

Despite their immense success the group was among the first to court controversy when one of the group member Tony was accused of impregnating the said girl. Many more scandals followed but this is what they have to say.

“Gospel will always remain gospel and no one can change it. Some of these things do happen because God allows them to do so,” Kenti explains. “After all we are all human and we are prone to making mistakes considering no one is perfect.”

Boss, the other MOG member argues: “No one is in a position to pass judgment. It is important for us to realise that at the end of it all – there is judgment day. This is when the farmer (God) will separate the chaff from the harvest.”

After the Pastor Victor Kanyari controversy hit newspaper headlines mid this year, it was later alleged that his singer wife was pregnant with another man and had secretly flown the US for a planned baby shower at the Well of Centre in Massachusetts. The gospel singer who separated from Kanyari following the controversy that he performed fake miracles has been silent on the current status of their relationship. It is therefore not clear who the baby daddy is.

Another man of God, Pastor Eric Omba is still the talk of town after his separation with gospel singer Gloria, who has since moved on.