A couple nights ago, my family ate dinner at a restaurant. The silverware we used was in someone else’s mouth at lunch — those forks and spoons right on some stranger’s tongue.
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Last week, I stayed at a hotel. The linens I slept on, the towels I used after my shower, had been against the skin of strangers a day or two previously.
We aren’t grossed out by the silverware in restaurants or the towels in hotels, and for good reason. We all wash dishes. We all do the laundry. We know what clean dishes and clean towels mean — and if anything, we know that restaurants and hotels use a temperature of hot water that makes their silverware and their linens cleaner even than those we offer guests in our own home. So what’s with all the squeamishness about getting the church to be cleaned up why does the Christian community protect dirty lying, abusive ‘so-called-men and women of God carte blanche to run scheme that totally
So what’s with all the squeamishness about getting the church to be cleaned up why does the Christian community protect dirty lying, abusive ‘so-called-men and women of God carte blanche to run scheme that totally ruin the live of congregates?
Young women and young men abused sexually by manipulative leaders. Who are supposedly untouchable because they are anointed. Men and women who are suffering financially and are not taking good care of their own children because they have sacrificed all the little money they had to pay for the pastors children to go to an expensive school, paid for the pastors wife’s hairdos and expensive clothes. Paid for the pastors expensive
A couple nights ago, my family ate dinner at a restaurant. The silverware we used was in someone else’s mouth at lunch — those forks and spoons right on some stranger’s tongue.
Last week, I stayed at a hotel. The linens I slept on, the towels I used after my shower, had been against the skin of strangers a day or two previously. We aren’t grossed out by the silverware in restaurants or the towels in hotels, and for good reason. We all wash dishes. We all do the laundry. We know what clean dishes and clean towels mean — and if anything, we know that restaurants and hotels use a temperature of hot water that makes their silverware and their linens cleaner even than those we offer guests in our own home.
So what’s with all the squeamishness about getting the church to be cleaned up why does the Christian community protect dirty lying, abusive ‘so-called-men and women of God carte blanche to run scheme that totally ruin the live of congregates? Young women and young men abused sexually by manipulative leaders. Who are supposedly untouchable because they are anointed. Men and women who are suffering financially and are not taking good care of their own children because they have sacrificed all the little money they had to pay for the pastors children to go to an expensive school, paid for the pastors wife’s hairdos and expensive clothes. Paid for the pastors expensive shinny suits and cost to dry clean them too.
Why is it that a Christian who challenges these injustices and abused perpetrated by the hands of manipulating churches and the leaders is seen as a devilish person only after the distrusting order in the body of Christ? The real problem is that almost none of us ever want to clean up the corruption and abuse in the church , or know anything about how the house of God gets cleaned. Many Christians think that it is not for them to speak up against abuse or corruption in the church most look away many sweep it all under the rag and pretend it is not happening. Most troubling of all is when Christians convince themselves that they have made good choices.
Yet making these types of good choices does not guarantee an outcome we will love. Leave these abusive churches and expose any form of abuse silence only gives oxygen to this corrupt system.
Leaving an abusive church situation can leave some very deep scars. One example of the collateral damage is a very painful exit process. Those who leave an abusive and controlling church situation suffer isolation, bitterness, embarrassment, grief, and anger. This is coupled with confusion and wondering how God could let this happen. Imagine a young 16 or 18 year old girl sexually abused by a pastor or church leader who would believe her word against that of a mind controlling miracle performing pastor? Those who leave abusive churches have a mountain to climb. They also chide themselves for getting into such a group and staying in the
Those who leave abusive churches have a mountain to climb. They also chide themselves for getting into such a group and staying in the organization as long as they did. One man who left a very abusive church said ‘the church I left was run by a Zimbabwean who is a failed ‘butcher’ not that he butchered people, he ran a butchery. This Apostle or pastor or whatever, he calls himself failed to sell meat and sausages but has a strong grip on his members he demands tithes and threatens anyone who thinks of leaving his church with death or mental health issues.”
Another sister in a similar situation stated, “I am confused over the emotions I feel. At times, I am glad to have left that church .
One man who left a very abusive church said ‘the church I left was run by a Zimbabwean who is a failed ‘butcher’ not that he butchered people, he ran a butchery. This Apostle or pastor or whatever, he calls himself failed to sell meat and sausages but has a strong grip on his members he demands tithes and threatens anyone who thinks of leaving his church with death or mental health issues.” Another sister in a similar situation stated, “I am confused over the emotions I feel. At times, I am glad to have left that church .
I enjoy the new freedoms I have in Christ and relief from the burdens I was carrying for many years. At other times I suffer the pain over the lost years and lost friendships. It’s like experiencing a death in the family.”
There are a lot of people who are trapped in these abusive churches married women who hide dark secrets from their husbands now held captive and threatened by the lose of family and whatever dignity they have left. Spiritual abuse is a kind of abuse which damages the central core of who you are. It leaves you spiritually disorganized and emotionally cut off from the healing love of God. Many of the women abused now take false comfort in thinking this is the will of God, they assume that they are just entertaining the man of God, doing service comforting “papa” even sexually.
Some have been partially pacified by being given titles and rank in the church. Elders, deacons, head of praise and worship, prayer worriers, comfort team and all sorts, are status ranks.
Since so much of their identity was based on their status and relationships in the church, many exiting members have difficulty readjusting to daily life in society. Many suffer from what sociologists label “role exit.” Their purpose was so connected to the church that many suffer from the anxiety of not knowing where they fit in or what their future will be. Most of those affected would most probably have never held a position of power or influence. They are in a “vacuum.” In severe cases, former members were so dependent on the church that they even had to relearn daily tasks like opening and managing their own bank accounts.
Many end up forsaking the church or religion. One ex-member of a prominent prophetic church in Zimbabwe who claimed to have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into the church but says his family suffered abuse and they left this prominent church said , “I know that when people finally decide on their own to leave, they are so beaten down and confused that they don’t know what is true to hold on to versus what is false to discard. Many quit seeking God and give up on the church all together.” People go to these churches because they want to hear God they want to know what God is saying to their lives and want to hear verbally what God is saying. One can say this is the tantalising power of prophesy it is a magnate it pulls the rich and poor alike.
Fake prophet have taken advantage of people’s hunger to hear from God. In ancient Israel, the high priests wore a vest that had two stones on it called the Urim and Thummim. Whenever a question about God’s will was brought to the priest, he would ask God to give the answer. If the stone on the left glowed, it indicated divine approval. If the stone on the right glowed instead, it indicated God’s disapproval. Have you ever wished you were an Israelite who could get Yes and No answers like that straight from God? Decision making would be less confusing, since you would not have to be afraid of choosing the wrong thing.
The Bible tells the story of a man by the name of Gideon, who was told by an angel that he, an unremarkable young man, would be the one to free the people of Israel from their foreign oppressors. Doubting his own qualifications and somewhat fearful of leading an armed revolt, Gideon made a proposition to God.
“I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor,” he said, “and the next morning, if there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground around it is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand” (Judges 6:37). So that night Gideon set a fleece outside. The next morning, the fleece was soaking wet and the ground around it was dry. Gideon squeezed the fleece and wrung out a bowlful of water.
But Gideon was still fearful, so he asked God to reverse the sign. “Allow me one more test with the fleece,” he said, “but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew” (verse 39). Again, Gideon set the fleece outside, and the next morning the fleece was perfectly dry while the ground all around it was covered with dew. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all get divine answers like that to all of our perplexing problems? There have been times when I needed to make a decision and done some “fleecing.”
I know some Christians who have indeed been guided by God with a special sign. However, I also know of many sincere Christians who were disappointed after they followed what they thought was a clear sign from God. So, what makes signs seemingly work at times and fail miserably in other situations? I leave you with that question I be Tichaona Svinurai, may the Holy Spirit guide and teach you all things, Amen.
About the author
Writer, devoted Christian, Tichaona Svinurai believes he has a responsibility to teach and pastor online and is grateful for the privilege to write on this platform (zimbabwenewslive). With a worldwide reach and a particular focus on Zimbabwe. Tichaona is based in Kwekwe, Zimbabwe, Tichaona can be contacted at tichaonasvinurai@yahoo.com
