Scholar discusses research on ‘money’ gospel: Not only poor people, the rich and educated also follow prophets like Bushiri
Social Anthropology lecture at the prestigious Stellenbosch University in South Africa, Ilana van Wyk, says it not true that it’s only the poor and uneducated that follow prophets such as Bushiri.
The renowned scholar has made his take in an opinion published on the online intellectual debates site The Conversations.
He was responding to Christian commentators who have been calling for urgent government intervention to protect poor people duped by the improbable promises made by what they termed as “scam” churches and “fake prophets”.
Writes Ilana van Wyk: “My research showed that prosperity gospel churches attract people from all walks of life and a variety of educational backgrounds.
“While the majority of congregants, like the majority of South Africans, are typically poor and dependent on social grants, these churches also count significant numbers of professionals, business people and increasingly, politicians, in their ranks.”
She argues that prosperity gospel believers are not captive victims of so-called cult leaders.
“In fact, they move constantly between churches as they search for more and stronger prophets,” she writes.
Ilana van Wyk also that she struggles to convince people that those who subscribe to this gospel are not simply credulous dupes.
“For its followers, prosperity gospel is not a con; rather, just a different approach to their God,” she writes.
Ilana van Wyk is an anthropologist and she has been studying prosperity gospel churches in South Africa for nearly a decade. She has attended hundreds of daily services, watched scores of televised ones, analysed websites and chat forums and interviewed hundreds of prosperity gospel believers.
She says in prosperity gospel many believers are strengthened in their faith through the persistent testimonies of those who had been “blessed” with jobs, houses, cars and healing in church. These testimonies are delivered from church pulpits and in person, and are endlessly repeated in church publications and on radio, television and the internet.
Unlike theologians who argue about the legitimacy of Biblical interpretations and questions of doctrine, Ilana van Wyk has been interested in the kinds of people who swear undying support for men like Prophet Bushiri.
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The article truly tells the truth. A good researcher always come up quality information which is not biased.
Good research, good facts.
No research no right to speak.
Good work done.
Great article indeed that explains the truth.
Good research gives out great facts and truth.
No research no right to speak
Economic success and physical wellbeing is what most people seek from these prophets. That is why their ceremonies centre more on the two subjects, and less if not at all on salvation. Most testimonies given, which is one way of advertising their services and attracting people are of miracle moneys, economic breakthroughs and people being healed of whatever ailments they had. Another study which was conducted revealed that these latter day prophets mostly have paid actors in their audience to give false testimonies. They are not foolish, like politicians they know what you want to hear and will give it to you whether true or false. If you are sick you would be attracted by messages of healing. If you are block you would be attracted by promises of miracle money and employment to the extent that you would give the little of what you have for a better tomorrow. The Jesus industry to put it in Prof. Lumumba’ s words has grown so big that every jobless person, and those who want to get rich quick have found it very rewarding.
Why is it that we Africans, who got to know about the bible less that 150 years ago behave as if we wrote it and those who brought it care less about it. Very few people are Christians in Japan and many far eastern countries yet employment and development levels are high. It is not about miracle money, or praying for jobs, or being prayed to get well, it is about hard work, eating healthy foods, doing the right exercises, having the right health facilities and of course employing your brain to get what you want. At least these preachers or prophets use their brains to get money out of their followers, but you as a follower, what are you doing to better your life?
Great read indeed, she argues that prosperity gospel believers are not captive victims of so-called cult leaders, I would like to disagree in this regards and mention that the so-called hardcore Bushiri believers are captured by Chipiliro-The Black Jesus from Malawi and Zambia to come and work for him in South Africa.
He offered about 3000 Pretoria congregants an opportunity to buy cars at reduced monthly instalments, he promised to act as a guarantor for their loans,. Note the difference his and his wife’s compatriots, including a few South Africans are fully blessed with new cars, the normal congregants are assisted with reduced monthly vehicle loan repayments. 3000 spiritually, emotionally and financially captured souls will always be capable of misbehaving like they did during his arrest.
She further says that many believers are strengthened in their faith through persistent testimonial of those who have been “blessed” with jobs, houses, cars, and healing in church. As indicated above in ECG only a few of Bushiri’s close lieutenants are fully blessed. It makes sense when you invite your compatriots to give them a job, a place to stay, a car, and mostly use them as your magnets for capturing as many local souls as possible.
You will never understand Prophetic ministries unless you change your old mindset. We are stuck of Roman ways of worship and all of us we are coming there even one who analysis is coming from the same systems. Its hard to come to the sense unless you are part ànd parcel of Prophetic worship. All these people are not stupid they see what you don’t see
If your prophet drives a Maserati, Range Rover, Ferrari, flys in Private Jets, has bodyguards and lives in a 100 Million rands house you might wanna question some things here those are red flags. Jesus didn’t have guards like the Roman empire kings…He didn’t even own a chariot!! “Humble” is the magic word!! not flamboyant!!
Read 2 Corinthians 8 v9..Amen
@ make Malawi great 😂😂😂😂😂 first I can say you are just Jealous, secondly you mean that Jesus was poor ??? Change your mind set , stop attacking any creation of God , you need to pray for your salvation that’s it , Jesus loves you .
This is phenomenal.
I know of some Malawian professionals in their fields who have left their jobs or trades and followed Bushiri .most of these people followed coz they thought thy wud become rich just as Bushiri is a billionaire.i know a few have come back home with nothing in their hands and went back to their jobs but a lot more are stuck in joburg.i hear Bushiri refuses to guve them any job contracts and are given a lump sum of money to share the cash whn he feels like it.most of the top range cars are either registered to Bushiri or th ministry and these malawians are allowed to drive just to hoodwink them that thy will soon make it.these people are now torn in between coming back home and staying with their Papa.thyre not yet billionaires let alone millionaires.there are inner circles too who meticulously plan the fake miracles and select people to feign diseases and injuries and see to it thyre paid.inhope people u remember one instance when Bushiri was conered live by some man who whn asked ny Bushiri himself if thy ever met th man said yes we met this morning.and Bushiri cudnt believe this was happening he asked again and later claimed the man was mad.u see these people are fake and u shud ask urself why does he ask people frst that “have we ever met before?do i know you?” Its all to seem genuine.th money laundering charges are true and bushiri shid tread carefully he can go down together wt his wife for a long time.ir giess is as good as mine.i see the beginning of an end.
@ ujeni hiwa, you heard , your heard 😂😂😂😂 Jesus love , pray for your salvation
Very very true, these prophetic ministries are not a scam but a different approach to God. Those with faith will get testimony. Only the jealous and devils attacks Men of God like Prophet Shepherd Bushiri. This nonsense of attacking men of God must come to an end.
Chipiliro-The Black Jesus, the true men of the Devil, there you have it. There is no different way to GOD, only one way.
Im in Botswana, I believe in Prophet Shepherd Bushiri. When I see people feeling sorry for me for following him, the feeling is mutual I also feel pity for them. For they never give themselves to listen to his teachings. Just too quick to judge.
True
I wonder why people are still being duped by these prosperity preachers who have commercialised the Christianity. C’ Mon people this is what our Lord Jesus Christ foretold that in the last days people shall run to and from many false teachers shall rise decieving even the elect. False Christ shall appear performing many signs and wonders even calling fire from heaven don’t be decieved by them. This is exactly what is happening today searching from one prophet to another to see who is more powerful my fellow Christians really? Can’t you see you are putting your salvation on the line ? These people are selling holy spirit , anointing water, oil, bracelets, cloth, etc they even charge money just to meet the man of God. Their aim is not to save people from darkness but to enrich themselves, when did Jesus charge money just to pray for his flock? Salvation is not for sale anybody who is selling salvation just know he belongs to new age doctrine of the devil.
Stop wondering. Give it a try.
@123 it because we don’t care about prosperity we are listening to the word of God , and believe what God is saying about us , pray for your own salvation live other people to believe to what they like to believe, God is a judge not you , don’t Preach other man preach Jesus
Nothing new in this research. Of course, They may be educated but they are gullible nonetheless. In our society with few economic opportunities and high unemployment, being educated and having a job is considered a miracle. Therefore, the only way to prevent sliding back into joblessness and poverty is to worship endlessly and pay tithes to prophets. I’m not surprised that even the educated ones are part of these scams. There are also some who have positions the the cults to help con even more people and run activities like money laundering, public relations, etc for their prophets. It’s a whole industry. All I ask is that they should be taxed and their books should be open to scrutiny
Ilana van Wyk also stated two inconvenient truths in her article, which I now quote verbatim: “The prosperity gospel explains poverty and illness in terms of sins against God, specifically the withholding of tithes”; “Chances are that as Bushiri faces more legal troubles, more of his followers will desert him for prophets like Mboro “.
In other words, if you read between the lines, you could tell that she believes this prosperity gospel stuff is all a con job!
Great comment and deeper research