Of false pastors and prophets

By Nicholas Anyour

Evangelist David Owuor raised a storm recently when he accused some church leaders of being only after money.

The evangelist’s sentiments have received considerable public support, but he barely scratched the surface.

The ugly truth is that nowadays, the Church has become the last refuge for the scoundrel.

Though the Bible warns against those who preach or do God’s work deceitfully or for personal gain, this has not stopped many pseudo-apostles, lying preachers and crooked prophets from posing as Christ’s agents.

And there is no better time for these false agents to strike than during festivities like the just-ended Christmas season. The people most susceptible to their machinations are those who travel to the villages to rejoin their kith and kin for the festivities.

Under scrutiny

As they wine, dine and regale the village folk with their exploits in the city or towns, they are ever under the microscope of the village false preachers and prophets. Given the challenging life and myriad problems of town dwellers, there is always a need for prayers, providing the perfect opportunity to these ‘men of God’.

"The journey to the villages provides us with an opportunity to benefit from those in towns who have various problems," says Willis Odhiambo, a self-styled village prophet in South Nyanza.

Any problem like unemployment or sickness is an opportunity for Odhiambo to prophesy and bring news of good tidings albeit at a cost. First, he prepares the ground by doing a thorough background check on the targeted family or individual.

"I have to know the family well before I go there officially as a messenger of God. I must know their problems by sending someone secretly to gather the information. This will make my divine revelations authentic in their eyes," Odhiambo adds.

"For example, if there is a young man in the family who has been jobless for years, this becomes the beginning of my prophecy," he continues.

For such a family, says the ‘prophet’, the greatest need is a special prayer that will unlock doors for employment.

Conveniently, a neighbour with the evil eye or a jealous relative is fingered for the calamity that has befallen the family.

Money-minded

"Just accuse a cousin or distant relative in the neighbourhood whose family is struggling to do better and they will believe you," says Odhiambo.

Like many false prophets and preachers, the most important thing is what he is going to reap from the family. This ranges from hard cash to cattle.

Others target rich but childless couples. "You can guess what such a family would want most. Given their wealth, chances are high that they have unsuccessfully sought help in big hospitals. For them God is the last hope," reveals another village pastor only known as John.

He says his work is even easier when the wife is the one blamed for being barren by the husband and in-laws. The woman will be frustrated and open to suggestions. For a chance to conceive, she will readily part with whatever the preacher asks for. During the festive season, Pastor John had over ten such cases and made good money.

fervent but brief prayers

"The holiday was short so you pray fervently but briefly for her and get the money. You then promise her a child in the next month or two. This will give you enough time to disappear," says John.

This is confirmed by Lucia, a woman who once fell victim to a false prophet. The 35-year-old, who teaches in Kisumu, was approached by a pastor two years ago when she visited her rural home in Migori District.

"He approached me during a rough period in my life," she reveals.

Though she had been married for three years, they had no children and this was causing tension between her and the in-laws who were blaming her for the situation. Luckily, her husband stood by her.

"When the preacher came, he assured my husband and I that I would conceive after two months and we paid him handsomely," she recalls.

But two years down the line, Lucia is still waiting for signs of pregnancy. As for the man of God, she has not seen him again.

"I guess our desperation made us easy targets and he surely conned us," says her husband, Peter.

These pastors and prophets do not discriminate between poor and rich families. All they care for is what they can get from their victims. And they have biblical explanations for all their misdeeds.

"Even in the Bible Jesus went to the poor families. Why not us?" asks Jacob, who is known in Migori as Japolo (man from heaven).

Targeting the poor

Julius Otieno, a charcoal burner in Nyatike District, cannot help laughing whenever he thinks of how easily he was conned. A pastor came to his village from nowhere and stayed for three weeks just praying for the sick. He claimed that he would pray till all the poor in the village became rich. He was so fervent and serious that Otieno had no problem believing him.

"He visited me immediately he heard that my wife had given birth leaving me penniless. He prayed for my child and wife and then gave me Sh500. He told me that the money was blessed," Otieno recalls.

According to Otieno, the money was intended to help him start a small business that was destined for exponential growth as the Lord had planned.

"Though I was broke I gave him all the three goats I had inherited from my father. The goats were worth Sh3,500. But that was the last time I saw that man," Otieno laments.

William Jogiko, a resident of Mbita District, also has a story to tell about his encounter with one of these false prophets. Jogiko’s father died of Aids-related illnesses and the mother was also seriously sick from the same.

"I didn’t have any money. A pastor came to our home and told me he had been sent by God to save the poor family. He was so convincing that I believed him," he recalls.

Jogiko was happy and called neighbours to join the prayer session and witness the Lord’s deliverance. He slaughtered two cockerels that day for the man of God who was accompanied by two schoolgirls.

The preacher explained that he was praying for the girls during school holidays and wanted them to see the hand of God at work. After a series of prayers the following day, the pastor wanted an offering, which should be a goat. God, he said, worked best when given an offering as seed.

"My uncle gave him a goat and he went on his way. I’ve never seen him again. My mother tested HIV-positive and is now on drugs. She is doing well," Jogiko says, adding the pastor told them that his mother had been bewitched by an uncle. "It was this uncle he was talking about who educated us because my parents were poor. When the pastor came calling my uncle was away in Nairobi," he adds.

A matter of faith

Despite the obvious deceit involved, these preachers and prophet believe that something good comes out of their spiritual endeavours.

"I tell you it is based purely on one’s faith. When I’m praying for them, my mind is far but I have to pray aloud enough for them to hear. So it is upon them to get healed out of their own faith," Odhiambo says.

Should their prayers fail to result in healing, the preachers and prophets can always blame it on the victim’s lack of faith.