At 8:00 pm darkness quietly steals across the soccer field. But darkness isn\u2019t the only thing stealing. A shouting woman from the raised platform blasts her voice via 10 four-foot-high speakers in English and Tsonga to a waiting crowd of several hundred. \u201cDo you want a miracle?\u201d<\/p>\n
Crowd responds with roars and cheers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen don\u2019t give R10 ($1.50) and expect a R10,000 ($1,500) miracle!\u201d<\/p>\n
Crowd responds with mild, begrudging roar.<\/p>\n
Holding up a stack of envelopes, she continues, \u201cIf you want me to pray for you, then come take an envelope. But these envelopes are only for people who will pay at least R100 ($15).\u201d She then asked for translators to explain that to all the grandmothers who were there because they get a government pension of R700 every month. The \u201cpreaching\u201d hasn\u2019t even started yet. The offering went on for nearly an hour.<\/p>\n
The platform has multi-colored lights and huge brightly painted signs saying, \u201cMiracles!\u201d and \u201cJesus\u201d. I spotted at least 8 people I have witnessed to in the past who are not converted and know they are not. One of them was an usher at the crusade that week who lives with a woman he is not married to in a one-room shack. He gave money in the offering.<\/p>\n
You might be tempted to think that some of my descriptions are exaggerated, but I think 9 out of 10 people would have called his platform motions and antics clown-like. He shouted for the entire time. His favorite pose was looking away from the people. He continually interrupted the translator. Several times he bent over to the ground shouting to his voice\u2019s extremity.<\/p>\n
For 10 days this white man openly lied (\u201cI will not leave this city until no one has AIDS!\u201d and \u201cEveryone of you will get a job this week!\u201d), twisted the Scripture (\u201cElijah killed the false prophet of poverty! He killed the false prophet of HIV!\u201d), and perverted the Gospel (\u201cYou are all children of God!\u00a0 I don\u2019t want to talk about Hell, I just want everyone to be happy!\u201d).<\/p>\n
But his message wasn\u2019t wholly lacking in intellectual content. I learned that poverty is a demon that he could cast out. During one particularly memorable segment, he also assured us that if we had faith, then money would fill our pockets. Of course, he was a man of faith, because his 2008 Mercedes wasn\u2019t hidden from view. He also closed his sermon by asking people to raise their hands if they love him and his ministry. He never asked the same question about Jesus or the Bible.<\/p>\n
He began his \u201cmiracles\u201d each night about 10:00 pm, 90% of which included causing people to collapse and pretending to throw the Holy Spirit like a baseball to other people.\u00a0 There wasn\u2019t one word about the people\u2019s sin, God\u2019s anger, Hell, or faith alone in Christ alone. But they did have an \u201caltar call.\u201d\u00a0 Every night the crowd increased.<\/p>\n
The day before the crusade started I had visited with the \u201cpreacher\u201d who styled himself as an apostle and a prophet. \u201cHi, my name is Seth and I am a pastor here in the area.\u00a0 I was wondering if you could tell me what your goal is with this crusade?\u201d<\/p>\n
Without a moment\u2019s hesitation, \u201cMiracles, signs, and wonders,\u201d he said with an edge in his voice.<\/p>\n
He failed the first question. Let me make it easier. \u201cI am a pastor who loves the Gospel.\u00a0 It\u2019s my burden to explain the way of salvation to people. What will you be hoping to do this week?\u201d I asked him for the second time not really because I thought he would have the right answer, but to make my point even clearer.<\/p>\n
\u201cMiracles from the Holy Spirit.\u201d He failed the second question even after I gave him a hint. But at least he was honest that time. He didn\u2019t say he would preach the Gospel, and he didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Crusades like this are the heart and soul of African Christianity in this region, and I suspect other areas are the same. Here are some of my musings on this mess that will hopefully provoke you to prayer for us.<\/p>\n
[This was my report from March 2008, but it’s still entirely relevant.]<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" At 8:00 pm darkness quietly steals across the soccer field. But darkness isn\u2019t the only thing stealing. A shouting woman from the raised platform blasts her voice via 10 four-foot-high speakers in English and Tsonga to a waiting crowd of … Continue reading