FROM THE GOSPEL OF PROSPERITY TO THE GOSPEL OF PAPARISM
The critics of prosperity 'gospel' claim African preachers don't know the gospel except the American version of the prosperity gospel.
This view mostly held by our reformed evangelical brethren hinders the defence of the gospel in Africa today. You can't resolve a problem that you don't understand.
Though the signs of the prosperity gospel is still very much visible in Africa today, the ship of the American brand of the prosperity gospel left our harbour long time ago.
While I agree that the prosperity gospel had influenced the thinking & the gospel ministry in Africa, the American preachers have lost their hold on the African churches.
From the late 80s to the late 90s the Gospel in Africa was influenced by the West especially America.
America was like a religious pilgrimage that every African Pastor needed to make at least once in a life time.
This was like you have really made it in life and ministry when you're invited to a Billy Graham conference or to preach.
Popular names in the gospel followed by Africans was; Evangelist Jimmy Swaggart, Evangelist Billy Graham, Oral Roberts, Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Benny Hinn, Kenneth E. Hagin, E.W Kenyon, Robert Tilton, T.L Osborn, Joel Osteen & many others.
While this list is a mixed bag, their influence in terms of defining the gospel in Africa today has diminished. In fact those who refer to their teachings are older people.
What has happened in Africa today at the beginning of the new century year 2000 was the birth of Paparism in Africa.
Witchdoctors saw the gap created by the selfish & greedy appetite from the American prosperity gospel & stepped in the pulpits, brought their craft in church and took this money game to a whole new levels.
The African preacher and the African Christian are no long looking to the West, they are now influenced by West African religion that includes fear marinated gospel which basically is spiritual witchcraft style of doing ministry.
The greedy prosperity gospel from America has given birth to a new 'gospel' in Africa which I have come to call Paparism the Gangster style of doing ministry.
They surround themselves with body guards which they refer to as protocol & yet this is how the Gang leader is surrounded.
The African preacher now popularly known as Papa embodies the following even more;
1. Papa replaces the traditional Village Priest. The Village Priests are popular especially in West Africa.
These village Priests make or break kings.
Powerful men travel to the village to pay homage to the village Priests who has the power to heal & kill, bless & curse, exalt & humiliate, promote & demote, give rain & cause draught, give babies & close wombs.
To succeed therefore you need to be connected to a spiritual father (Papa). In Paparism every Papa has a Papa who is connected to the village Priest.
2. Papa embodies the dead ancestors. Dead ancestors (the grave) plays a very important role in ATR (African Tradition Religion).
These ancestors can be a blessing if you appease them well, but can also be a curse viciously attacking the living inflicting them with pain, suffering & accidents if disobeyed.
In December especially on the 31st December many religious people will pay money (seed) to guarantee their blessings in 2022.
Similarly others will go home to appease their ancestors. Others will appease their Papa & ancestors to guarantee blessings from both Papa & ancestors.
3. Papa embodies the living parent.
Fathers & mothers in African tradition are your second God (Lesa wachibili). It is important that children take care of their parents.
These modern day prophets steal the hearts of sons & daughters from their biological parents.
The fifth commandment "honour your father and mother" is used by the cult of Paparism.
Biblical honour means two things; respect and support. They want the title of father because they want respect & support to themselves.
Through spiritual manipulation they humiliate you're biological parents reducing them to be called sons/daughters in the eyes of these small boys in shiny shoes called prophets.
By stressing the 'Spiritual father' they teach that the spiritual father is more important than a biological father effectively taking over the parental role, they become priority in terms of financial & material support.
Sadly, you give more to your prophet than your biological parents. Your own father & Mother go to bed hungry, but your Pastor is eating well.
4. Papa embodies the sangoma. The language of one-on-one resembles mostly that of consulting witchdoctors.
The emphasis on bringing a 'seed' before Papa can see you is also typical to witchdoctors. A witchdoctor will demand money, a number of white chicken or goats.
Therefore to most people Paparism has just replaced Sangomas. People move from one Sangoma (Papa) to another Sangoma (Papa) in search of solutions.
5. Papa embodies the savior. The desparate cry of a woman begging in church;
"please papa deliver me" speaks mouthful.
Papa has replaced the role of Christ . Christ is simply the pin number to access the ATM or password to open doors.
It is Papa's photo stickers for protection.
It is Papa's anointing oil.
It is Papa's anointed sanitary pads.
It is Papa's female underwear with the photo of Papa for child bearing or attracting men for marriage.
Instead of praying in the name of Jesus they pray, "God of my spiritual father".
The sons & daughter have no direct access to God in prayer except through Papa nullifying the accomplished work of Christ.
Fear, intimidation, chanting (commonly known as dangerous prayers)
"All my enemies die in the name of Jesus..."
"All my enemies die in the name of Jesus...."
"All my enemies die in the name of Jesus...."
From diagnosing you with spiritual husbands to seeing snakes in your womb this approach seeks to put you into fear so that they can capture you & control you.
While reformed evangelical breathren are still criticizing us of pushing a prosperity gospel, in reality we are dealing with worse evils.
Paparism is more damaging than the prosperity gospel.
Not only are many African brothers deceived and blindfolded, the cult of Paparism wherever it has penetrated has brought about Moral Degeneration.
From money laundering, to faking miracles, to having sexual orgies with spiritual daughters & sadly to raping women and children.
And nobody can do anything about it because these Papas like Gangsters have influence in Government houses, in the security clusters, in parliament & in the courts of laws.
You can't win against the cult of Paparism before a Judge who is captured and bows down before the cults of Paparism.
Some of these African preachers are damaging minds, emotions & people's ability to think reasonably.
Sons & daughters born of Paparism are incapable of seeing & thinking.
My prayer is that the blindfolds must fall off, and Papa's spiritual witchcraft be broken in Jesus Name so that you can see Jesus who is sufficient.
This for me in more than just a theological debate, this is SPIRITUAL WARFARE!
Praying that a new generation of Christians who have refused to bow down before the cult of Paparism will arise.
While the end-go of Paparism is to peddle the gospel for profit, the power behind these cults is not derived from the American prosperity gospel handbooks, but from the cult of Paparism.
UPS Coach Lawrence Musunte
19/12/2021
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