IT’S JUST A THOUGHT: LET’S TALK SPORTS IN ZED

Me with President Kaunda as Referee at Woodlands Stadium

I was just thinking.

Looking back from where the country has come from in sports since Independence, I was kind of disappointed that we have somewhat taken some strides backwards from where we were. I feel that had we aggressively pursued sports development in a more serious way, Zambia would have been a serious contender in many sporting disciplines in the world today.

Yes, we won the 2012 AFCON Cup. Yes, last Sunday the Zambia Under-20 soccer team won the African title. Yes, Esther Phiri and Catherine Phiri have won some women’s world boxing championships which, I stand to be corrected, seem to make news only in Zambia. Yes, perhaps we’ve picked up a trophy here and there elsewhere but really, apart from these and motor racing, I can’t think of any significant progress this country has made in sport as compared to the years from 1964 to 1991. We may not have won any major titles to write to the village about, but we were a vibrant nation in many sporting disciplines. 

Here is what I mean.

Part of the Zambia XI selected to play Ghana's
Black Stars on Zambia's Independence Day

I wrote the other day that during the 1960’s and 70’s, for example, football in this country was a game that filled stadiums even at club level. Our arena of sports disciplines was widespread with vibrant participation in tennis, weight lifting, power-man shows, polo, horse racing, cycling, rifle-shooting, bowling, squash, netball, swimming, boxing and wrestling, cricket, volleyball, basketball, badminton, athletics, chess, etc., all at club, national and international level. Dennis Liwewe’s Sports Review program on Television Zambia covered all these different sports that we often looked forward to when he would say, “Finally, Soccer”.

Owner Dr George Connolly with
winning horse Oriele

Some of the golfers who rose to the top on the PGA circuit carved their names in the Zambia Golf Open. Players like Ian Woosnam, Gordon Brand and Brian Barnes were attracted to play here and went on to be the some of the best in the world. The ladies team of Hilda Edwards, Veronica Mpheneka and others was just great.

Our National Netball Team under the administration of Sarah Mulyata and Lillian Nkhuwa was untouchable in the region. We had great players like Lillian Sithole, Changu Shankomaune and Maud Magodi at City of Lusaka Netball Club, Regina Sokoni at Profund Warriors and many others who could stand against the best on the continent.

World 400 meter hurdles
 champion
Samuel Matete

Tennis: The Simunyola Brothers

I am yet to see players like Recrena Banda, Philip Musonda, Simon Gondwe, Victoria Chishimba and Charles Maboshe who made this country proud on the squash courts. Tennis produced young players like brothers Teza, Niza and Kela Simunyola, Edwin Kunda and Dermott Sweeney and the Kangwa brothers led by Fred. Audrey Chikani, Yotham Muleya, Simon Matete, Samson Mubangalala and others were household names in athletics. Judo had the female star Matilda Mwaba who is still active in African sports administration today.

 Wrestling Legend Fred Coates

 Zambian wrestling brought us Larry Old, Freddie Coates, John Mwale, Hugo Mulenga, Barry Lindo, Harjot Singh and Willie “Tiger Boy” Nkandu. They fought some of the best wrestlers in the world at the time who came to Zambia, like Kendo Nagasaki, Big Daddy, Kid Chocolate, the Hungarian Josef Kovacs, Nigerian “Power”  Mike and Andre the Giant. Zambian-based Ghanaian Gibson Nwosu was a great promoter of boxing.

Commonwealth Boxing Bantamweight
Champion Patrick Mambwe (left)
and Davis Natta

Commonwealth Light Heavyweight
 Champion and World title contender
Lottie Mwale

We had great boxers like Commonwealth Bantamweight Weight Champion Patrick Mambwe, Commonwealth Light Heavyweight Champion and world title contender Lottie “Gunduzani” Mwale, David Natta, Chisanda Mutti, Charm Chiteule, Kid Miller and others. Dino Giuseppin popularized cycling to a point where we had international cycle racing taking place in the country. Our secondary schools football team played against some of the best English youth clubs, right here in Zambia.

 Apart from the Zambia Golf Union which seems to raise a lot of money but is yet to give us a champion at the Open, every other sports association in this country is struggling and in a miserable state.

Zambian sports, from Independence to 1991 was able to survive because companies like the mines, parastatals and other private companies supported all kinds of sports at the highest level. The mines sponsored most the league sides in the country, especially on the Copperbelt. City Councils did not only have resources to collect garbage and provide clean water but were able to sponsor their own sports teams.

Ndola had football and netball teams supported by companies such as Vitaform United (Furncoz and Vitaform, Strike Rovers (ROP Limited), Ndola United (Ndola City Council ) and Zesco United. Zesco, Mornach, National Breweries, Zambia National Provident Fund and others had some of the top netball teams participating in a well-administered league.

The government of President Kaunda acknowledged the importance of a sporting nation and encouraged companies to build sporting complexes for their employees. This resulted in companies like the Bank of Zambia, Zambia State Insurance Corporation, Barclays Bank, ZANACO, Zambia National Provident Fund and others putting up all these complexes you see today. They were not built yesterday but are from the UNIP era.

KK: Sporting President 

The mines built their own sports complexes and had vibrant rugby clubs. State House even constructed a nine-hole golf course on the grounds because of a sporting President. The ZCCM Sports Festival was a huge event which was later extended to other parastatals and private companies. Today we have stadiums that were centers of weekend entertainment but are now completely dilapidated. Matero Stadium which has survived once hosted international athletic events. I remember watching one of Africa’s greatest athletes, Kipchoge Keino running there.

Sometime last year, I took my grandchildren to Buchi Stadium, the home of once soccer giants Kitwe United, where some of Zambia’s greatest players excited us. I could not help but shed a tear. I stood on that dry, hard and bumpy ground as if I were in an ancient Greek arena where Hercules or Spartacus fought the bad guys. In my mind, I could hear the crowds shouting “Ucar!”  Chifubu Stadium in Ndola is gone.

When I was at Colgate-Palmolive, I set up an unequaled sponsorship program called “Help Young Zambia” which was part of our Community Action Program (CAP). The program had a huge budget based on the company’s gross revenue and I had the full support of Colgate New York which believed that we had to put back money in the country where we did business as a way of saying “Thank you” to the people who bought our products. The support we received from various organs of the Party and its Government, including President Kaunda was most amazing, recognizing the difficulties we were going through as a company due to lack of foreign currency. Our remittances were stuck in the forex pipeline but we still plowed money into sports, health and education.

In spearheading the program, I believed that if Colgate supported sports at schools level, the various sporting associations would have a pool of sportsmen and women for the future. So, we annually sponsored the following:

Ø  Colgate-Palmolive Schools Volleyball Championships

Ø  Colgate-Palmolive Netball Championships,

Ø  Colgate-Palmolive Schools Athletics Championships

Ø  Colgate-Palmolive Schools Basketball Championships

Ø  Colgate-Palmolive International Junior Tennis Championships (It was part of the ITF Calendar)

Ø  Colgate-Palmolive Squash Championships

Ø  Colgate-Palmolive Caddies Golf Championships

Ø  The Colgate Colts (our own football team in the Ndola Amateur League)

Ø  The Colgate-Palmolive Champions of Champions Cup final was the richest soccer tournament in the land which was also the soccer season finale.

The interesting take here is that, companies supporting sport, even during this very difficult economic period, were willing to get involved in sports sponsorship.

There has to be a deliberate government policy that encourages and supports companies that sponsor sports by giving some kind of incentives, the same incentives which we give to foreign companies that come into the country to invest in selling furniture, trading and importing mangoes from their own countries and leave after they have looted enough. Supreme Furniture, Smart Center and Barnnets enjoyed their incentives, packed up and left leaving their Zambian employees in misery.

Sports administration in many of the associations is quite poor and we cannot expect to be in step with current world trends if all our administrators do is squabble and feed our sportsmen and women with stale manna. We send more officials than athletes to the Olympics.

Director of Sports Musa Kasonka (left)

Zambia used to have dedicated and seasoned sports administrators like Sports Director Musa Kasonka, Father Jude McKenna, Matilda Mwaba in Judo; Sarah Mulyata and Lillian Nkhuwa in Netball; Dino Guiseppin in cycling; Stan Smith, John Mufalali, Ziezi Limambala in athletics; Andy Lorryman in schools volleyball; David Phiri in football and golf; boxers and wrestlers were well-managed under Gibson Nwosu, Philip Nhekairo and Colonel Douglas Mbiya; Ernest Mate, Wilfred Wonani, Tom Mtine, Bennett Simfukwe and others managed football with passion.

Judo Sportswoman and Administrator
Matilda Mwaba

We need to train sports administrators and this is an area where our foreign missions abroad need to become active. A diplomat in England, for example, can make an effort to pay a courtesy call on one or more sporting associations like the Football Association or even sports clubs. This may culminate in the establishment of a relationship where a request is made and some of these organizations or clubs agree to sponsor the attachment of Zambian administrators in the relevant sports for a short period. Who knows, we could have some of soccer administrators and coaches spending two weeks at Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge seeing how these clubs are managed or at the Football Association Headquarters learning how football can make its own money and run without government support.

Our sports associations, especially the Football Association of Zambia must be given a time-frame in which to develop a strategy where they will run like a business and not a government parasite. There are areas in which they can run different businesses which will grow to a point where they will not need any government financial assistance every time. It is because of government’s unbridled handouts to FAZ that other sports associations remain unfunded and therefore unable to develop. FAZ should be in business selling sporting goods, publishing sports magazines or manufacturing nutritious energy drinks for sportsmen and women. 

Sharp shooter Norma Thompson

One of our major failures has been in the lack of sports development at early ages of our children. A sporting nation begins by providing facilities at the lowest level possible, but how can this be done in primary and secondary schools which are built with poor or no sporting facilities? How are these children going to learn gymnastics, swimming or relay races? Our children run school races in lanes of tall grass and you expect them to participate successfully at international meetings in the future?  

East & Central Africa Senior
Squash Champon
Robby Lingashi

Even the University of Zambia, The Copperbelt University or Evelyn Hone College do not have any modern sports centers and that should be a huge embarrassment to the country. These institutions should have top sports teams competing at national and international levels.  They should be churning out soccer stars, tennis players, swimming champions, world class athletes. Students cannot be sitting behind a desk all day and then go out to burn tyres on the roads and throw stones because of grievances all the time. There is need to brighten up the school environment. Government must as a priority construct complexes that cater for all kinds of sports and all the universities being built now must have sports complexes. Sports experts must then be employed as part of the whole program.

Our communities do not have recreational areas which can be used to develop our boys and girls into world class athletes; this must be brought to an end. Community centers where kids played table tennis are now taverns. We need to pay serious attention to proper sports development if we are to make a mark in world sports. Building a huge stadium which is only used for political rallies will not win us any gold medals in sports.

Finally, I think it is high time the people of Zambia were told the circumstances which led to the death of our football national team and officials in a plane crash over Gabon in 1993. The relatives of the deceased and all the people of Zambia need to be told the truth with no cover-up for diplomatic expediency. If the Zambian Government was to blame, then it must meet the necessary compensations. If a foreign country was involved it must also face the consequences. It is wrong to keep quiet. Those men had families who have a right to know what happened. The fact that subsequent government administrations coming to power have remained quiet tells me that they are hiding something.  Even in this country autopsies are conducted on questionable deaths and reports given to families. The Benghazi incident where the American Embassy was destroyed and the Ambassador killed has been a hot issue in America and Americans want to know the truth. Zambians want to know the truth about the Gabon air disaster.

It's just a thought.

IT’S JUST A THOUGHT: WRITING ON THE WALL - “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, URPHASIN”.

Wynegood G. Malunga

I was just thinking.    

                                          

 Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila’s time in office is up and he must respect the law of his country.  For some time now, he has been scheming of ways and means that will keep him in power but I believe that no matter how great you are as a leader, no matter how popular you are or think you are, if the constitution of the land sets term limits, the honorable thing to do is say, “My time is up, goodbye”. Africa cannot have every other leader adjusting their time in office as they please. Why don’t these people ever want to let go? What is wrong with these dictators? Even when they lose an election, they still want to hang on to power.

Trouble in Gambia

Yahya Jammeh of Gambia has just lost an election but now refuses to relinquish power. Others like Paul Biya of Cameroon, Idriss Deby of Chad, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Jose dos Santos of Angola, Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo Brazaville, Omar al Bashir of Sudan, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia, Tran Dai Quang of Vietnam, Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge in Cambodia  Bashir al Assad of Syria, Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Kin Jon-un of North Korea, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, even the military leaders of Myanmar and others, put repressive laws in place to kill all opposition movements and entrench themselves while they were in power and some still are. The evil Jean Bedel-Bokassa made himself emperor while Romania’s Nicolae Ceausescu slaughtered thousands of his people. Some countries today which present to the world  a semblance of democracy have leaders who manipulate the law of the land to their own satisfaction and have State institutions and surrogates eating off their hands.

Namibia, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa, although not perfect, are some of a few examples of African countries with political parties that respect the electoral process and presidential term limits. You do not hear the incumbent Presidents, party cadres or government controlled media being used as praise and worship teams to perpetuate power for certain individuals in these countries. 

Only Jammeh has rights?

As I write this, the defeated Gambian President Yahya Jammeh is acting in a very stubborn manner and refuses to vacate office.

In Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama  has conceded defeat and graciously congratulated the winning opposition party leader in that country’s election.  

Elsewhere, we have political parties in power which will impose anything from the Department of Dirty Tricks to suppress the rule of law. They hang on to power and when the writing is on the wall that their time is up, they refuse to accept in order to remain comfortable in their corrupt comfort.

In the Bible, we read in Chapter 5 of the Book of Daniel about Belshazzar the king of Babylon holding a feast in the palace for a lot of people, boozing, munching, praising the gods of their gold and silver. A hand of a man appears on the wall and starts writing, “MENE, MENE, TEKEL URPHASIN”.  Belshazzar is frightened and calls in all his prophets, sangomas and astrologers to try and get an answer but no one has any idea what this all means.

Someone remembers a young Hebrew named Daniel and he is called to come and explain. He tells the king that there is serious jelly coming his way. “MENE, MENE” means God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; “TEKEL”: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; “URPHASIN”: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. That very night Belshazzar is taken out.

There are some leaders illegally and corruptly hanging on to power whom God has numbered their days and given power to someone else but they refuse to read the writing on the wall.

Fast forward to Luke 19:41-44. The Lord Jesus has left Jericho and as He draws near Jerusalem, He sees the city and weeps over it saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.  For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation."

Now parallel this with the events surrounding the dictatorships of some world leaders.   “MENE, MENE TEKEL URPHASIN” was on the wall but in trying to justify they hold to power, they listened to “prophets” who told them what they wanted to hear and some, like Ethiopia’s Mengistu Haile Mariam and Idi Amin fled into exile while others ended up with bullets in their heads. They refused to discern the time.

Bashir faces arrest 

You would think those who are still hanging around would, like Belshazzar, at least ask for a Prophet Daniel to find out what the writing on the wall is saying but no, no, no, they think they’ve got some kind of heat-shield, but hey, when people get mad nowadays because of injustice, they become like human heat-seeking missiles. They know you are heading for the farthest tunnel in your home town. Big mistake, because as sure as the night turns to day, a trigger happy soldier is going to put a bullet in your head and you will be in another tunnel heading for a different destination. The coming year is going to be tumultuous for some countries as long as leaders behave like elected kings. 

Joseph Kabila

In the last 24 hours about 20 people are dead in Congo DR because of Joseph Kabila’s refusal to leave office. The blood of innocent people will be crying out for revenge from the ground and yet there are Congolese citizens singing praises to Kabila, Mugabe, Museveni and others. Remember King Herod enjoyed the praise of people so much that when he spoke, it was like the voice of God.

21 So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. 22 And the people kept shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!" 23 Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. - Acts 12:21-24 NKJV

The Bible does not contain the word of God; IT IS the word of God and His word never returns without accomplishing what He sends it for.

Yoweri Museveni

The people of Africa must stand up for their rights and refuse to be intimidated by young leaders whose lust for power undermines good governance. We need to stand up to octogenarian and nonagenarian leaders who crawl to the platform but can no longer give a coherent speech but believe that they are on the throne by Divine appointment.. We need to hold our leaders accountable, even in the face of persecution. The honorable thing to do is to retire to your farm or dacha before the chickens come home to roost. Discern the times, read and understand the writing on the wall and don’t forget to thank me for the advice.

 It’s just a thought.

IT’S JUST A THOUGHT: ZAMBIAN POLITICIANS AND THE GOLD RUSH

Wynegood G. Malunga

 I was just thinking.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have completely and genuinely independent investigators looking into every Zambian politician who got into office from 1991? I would love to know what every one of these men and women had in form of money, property and other assets and what they now have, or had when they left office. My gut feeling tells me that the majority wouldn’t be able to account for the wealth they now have.

We all know school teachers, civil servants, doctors and the rest, except lawyers I guess, don’t make a ton of straight money from their salaries in this country, but how do you explain the farms, factories, four-by-fours, children’s bulging bank accounts and properties at home and abroad that these people now have after holding political office? How do you explain sudden educational scholarships for their children in Beijing, Moscow, London and Pretoria? Yes, and the top civil service brass with their juniors; how come they own all these mansions, lodges in exclusive areas when we all know they get a penny and half for their mediocre disservice? No, something is wrong; it’s just not business as usual when you are in public office in this country. They get in broke, busted and disgusted and by the time they leave that South African leather chair and handover the post-paid government Smartphone, no matter how many days, never mind years in that office,  money is foaming all over their mouths.

There is no difference between some of our politicians running for public office and the 1848 to 1859 California Gold Rush which brought people from all over the United States and the world to search for gold. There is gold available by hook or crook in Zambian politics and people seeking office from all over this Republic know that there is something in it for them.

I am reminded of an American TV game show I enjoyed watching on the ABC Television affiliate in Los Angeles back in the 1970’s, “Let’s Make a Deal”. With the cameras panning across the studio audience, the announcer said, “All these people dressed as they are, come from all over the United States to make deals here in the market place of America; Let’s make a deal! Starring TV’s favorite dealer, Monty Hall!”

The Zambian version would go; “All these power-hungry politicians, broke as they are, come from all over the Republic to make deals, here on the market place of politics; Let’s make some deals! Starring our unashamed dealers; P-O-L-I-T-I-A-N-S!”

Police brutality

I guess this explains why people will do anything to get into political office, stay in there and do whatever they can to stay in there until that untimely call from yonder.

If you are going to bribe your way into power, beat up your opponents, slander them and all you can use from the Department of Dirty Tricks, don’t you dare tell me you want to be my servant, coz you are lying through your teeth. You want to make bucks and more bucks until the local bank can’t contain your bucks and you stuff the dough in a Swiss tunnel. 

No school, no job

I want to petition God for a special place in hell where the temperature is a trillion times higher than the total Zambian debt, where these thieves can be cast away and their weeping and gnashing of teeth goes beyond what the Richter Scale can measure. These people are so rich that some have become uncomfortable in their comfort because of weight gain.

 So why am I thinking like so? Because when I see the suffering of our people and the comfort of those in power, I am always reminded of that memorable line from the movie “Network” starring Peter Finch; “I’M AS MAD AS HELL AND I’M NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE!”

It’s just a thought.

IT’S JUST A THOUGHT: WHOSE NAME IS ON THE HOUSE?

Wynegood G. Malunga

I was just thinking:

This will upset those who think I’m writing about them. That’s alright with me.

Some preachers of the gospel, both men and women have dangerously drifted onto the popularity stage and some have become masters of strange doctrines and showmanship by which, sadly, a gullible multitude seeking all sorts of miracles and excitement are being led astray. When preachers of the gospel resort to using “anointed” underwear, insecticides, detergents, cucumbers and being carried by deacons and elders as they preach, feed congregants with snakes and rats, turn water into gasoline and make cold water hot. This is not of God and it is time that true believers began to speak out against this perversion of the word of God.

A generation of preachers, humble in spirit but on fire for Jesus, men and women who were simply called “Pastor” or “Reverend” has gone into the hereafter and now we have this. Strange titles tag the names of preachers. “Pastor” isn’t good enough. There must be a “Major”, “Commander”, “Seer”, “Anointed Mega Prophet”, Miracle Number One Apostle”, and other grand adjectives.

The Church is now at a place where preachers seem to be more popular than He who supposedly called, chose and sent them. The messenger is more popular than the message and the servant looms way above the Master. Churches and various ministries are identified more with the name of the “man and woman of God” at the head than the One whose name should be on the House of God. We now have names like “Breast and Honey Ministries International” where the overseer calls himself a prophet and believes in sucking women’s breasts as a way of sucking out demons and deliverance. Which scripture supports such foolishness and how can people allow themselves to be deceived to such levels? “O! Foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you...?”         - Galatians 3:1

A Bishop, Apostle or Prophet’s wife is now known as “The First Lady” or “Prophetess” as if the anointing is by cross-pollination.

While thinking with deep concern about this in the last few months, I have been led over and over again to the passages of scripture pertaining to the building of the temple in Jerusalem and its dedication by King Solomon. I noticed that God uses the following terms about the building: “Temple for my Name”, “My Name might be there”, and “I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there forever”.

My question to you is: “Whose name is on the House?”

Whose name is on the ministries and churches of some of the preachers we are seeing today? I dare say that it is not the name of the Almighty God but of man.

King David had told his people:

   

2 "Hear me, my brethren and my people: I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made preparations to build it. 3 But God said to me, 'You shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood.' ... 6 Now He said to me, 'It is your son Solomon who shall build My house and My courts...”

-  1 Chronicles 28:2-8 - NKJV (My emphasis)

^“Furthermore, King David said to all the assembly: "My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced; and the work is great, because the temple is not for man but for the Lord God.

-   1 Chronicles 29:1-2 – NKJV (My emphasis)

Addressing the assembly after the completion of the work, King Solomon reminds the people of God’s promise to his father King David. The Bible says:

   

“14 Then the king turned around and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. 15 And he said:"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David, and with His hand has fulfilled it, saying,

16'Since the day that I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house, that My name might be there; but I chose David to be over My people Israel.' 17 Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. 18 But the Lord said to my father David, 'Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart. 19 Nevertheless you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name.' 20 So the Lord has fulfilled His word which He spoke; and I have filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised; and I have built a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel.”  

-   1 Kings 8:14-21 –NKJV (My emphasis)

There is so much confusion and deception in the church today and people are being led to follow unchristian beliefs which amount to nothing but magic and exalting the name of a “Prophet” and his “ministry”. Gone are the days when a church was known by the name on the billboard outside. It is now the name and air-brushed picture of a bishop, apostle or prophet and his wife which has taken over the Name of the Lord.

My wife and I recently watched a prophet on television talk to a woman who responded, “Prophesy, pastor”. The man of God said, “Ah! You’re calling me pastor?” He left the woman and proceeded to the next person. Realizing her “error”, the lady shouted, “Prophesy, Major One! Go deeper, papa!” I cringed.

When you read the Book of Acts and Paul’s letters, you will discover that even though he is regarded today as the greatest apostle, he never regarded himself as such. Paul had the spirit of humility and not boasting. Look at this:

14 ^“I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name...17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.”            - 1 Corinthians 1:14-18 NKJV

“And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom...3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human* wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” -1 Corinthians 2:1-5 NKJV

9 ^“For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle...” - 1 Corinthians 15:9-11 NKJV

   

15 ^“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — of whom I am the worst.”      - 1 Tim 1:15-16 NIV

^{24 “}O wretched man that I am...” - Rom 7:24-25 NKJV

How many preachers have you seen displaying such humility today? The Apostle Paul never elevated himself in name or in deed but exalted Jesus. The Reverend Billy Graham is known throughout the world today  and is highly honored and respected because of the millions and millions of people from all over the world that he has humbly led to Christ. He has done that as a true and obedient servant of God without spraying anyone with a pesticide.

Bishop Tudor Bismark

Dr Nevers Mumba (left)

Dr Mensah Otabil

There are some preachers of mega churches right here in Zambia and around the world who have avoided the kind of behavior being displayed by some. Before Pastor Nevers Mumba joined politics, his message was on salvation...”Zambia shall be saved”. He preached the Gospel without a chip on his shoulders. Preachers like Reinhard Bonnke, Mensah Otabil of Ghana, Tudor Bismark of Zimbabwe are spreading the Gospel without the celebrity status we see now. They do not go around boasting about their businesses, how anointed they are, what cars they drive, how many gallons of water they have turned to diesel, how powerful they preach or how incredible “their” miracles are. These we give credit for their meekness.

Today pastors are strutting around urging people to “submit to divine authority” when they themselves show nothing of submission to the Lord God. This blasphemous, publicity seeking, arrogant and Bible-twisting message is leading thousands of people away from the truth. The Mamas and Papas of today’s church are portraying a very disturbing picture which is leaving many wondering and now doubting the Christian faith.

Growing up, I remember attending “Crusades” with themes such as: “New Life for you in Jesus” or “Reconciliation through Jesus Christ”. I saw hundreds of people get saved. These days you have seven-day “Conferences” with themes like, “Miracles Galore by Fire, by thunder, by Force” or “Explosive Power Impact Miracles”. People come to these conferences, get an emotional high and once they get back home, they are more miserable than ever before and wonder if God does indeed care.

Every other message now is about “miracle money and material wealth coming to the first 1001 people to type ‘Amen’” What has happened to the message of the Cross? What has happened to “For God so loved the world that He gave”? What has happened to the message of the soon coming King? When are we going to hear testimonies from the once lost but now saved? The end-time message is not “money cometh to me now!” The end-time message is about bringing lost souls to Jesus. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all the other things will be added unto you.”

"Deliverance"

Many so-called prophetic and deliverance ministries have resorted to “power display” more than salvation to the extent that all kinds of gadgets such as the now trending Doom insecticide are being used claiming “God told me in a vision”. Stop receiving signals and pictures from the wrong satellite when it is not of God. Prophets are kicking pregnant women in the stomachs to hasten delivery. They are groping women to enhance fertility and causing others to do unmentionables on the prophet’s private parts in order for husbands to be found. They are posing in private jets, Gucci suits and expensive jewelry to show the “favor of the Lord” upon their lives. People are turning out in thousands, leaving Bible teaching churches in order to follow this traveling circus. There is nothing wrong with being a wealthy preacher. What is disturbing is how you project yourself.

The other day, my wife and I posted a video on Facebook as a spoof on what is happening in the church today. It now has nearly well four thousand likes and scores of people have shared it. You all laughed. If you as believers laughed, what do you think the unbeliever is saying about our faith? How are they going to be won for Christ when they see such in the house of God?

"Breast and Honey Ministries International

“Apostles”, “Bishops” and “Prophets” with outrageous adjectives prefixing their titles are amassing incomes of small countries, dress in the latest fashions, influence politicians and have thousands of Facebook and Twitter followers posting “Amen Papa” or “Amen Mama”. They have become little gods and goddesses showcasing ‘miracles’ than the message of Jesus Christ. They are in the spotlight and even showoff about it.

“...Many boast according to the flesh...(2 Corinthians 11:18); “But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.” – James 3:14-15.

The sad thing is that it is also the congregants who have created pop stars and given these “Prophets” all the power and influence. They are partners in putting the names of mortal human beings on the Houses of God. People are building celebrity preachers instead of humble men and women leading lost souls to the saving grace of Jesus Christ. These prophets seem totally fine with soaking up the spotlight and getting the lion’s share of the glory, leaving Jesus as only a quiet, gracious runner-up. The truth is that we ourselves must bear a large portion of the blame by creating preachers who seem to be vying for a spot in the Trinity.

The Scripture is clear: 

"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." - Ephesians 4:14 NKJV

"For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers... Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake." - Titus 1:10,11 NKJV

Pastor Joseph Mutanuka

Pastor Adam Mulilo

There are several upcoming young preachers whom God is using mightily and some, like Pastor Adam Mulilo of Glad Tidings Ministry and Pastor Joseph Mutanuka have become friends of mine and do minister to me and my family.



However, there are many who have sadly elevated themselves to a pedestal in the stratosphere.  

Bishop T.D. Jakes once said, “You have young preachers starting churches today, walking around with six bodyguards and two police dogs.” There is nothing wrong with young preachers but it has to do with their demeanor. There are things you as a preacher can and cannot say. Even if you can say them, you have to know how to say them lest you are misunderstood and lead someone astray.

Pastors have become mega-brands like Coca Cola, Mercedes Benz and Samsung. The title “Prophet” is a crowd puller. It puts them in the limelight. It is exciting. It sets the prophet above one who is simply called “Pastor”. It carries fame and weight.

By all means, we need to respect and love our pastors but we must not elevate them above Jesus Christ. Don’t just let your pastor get bigger than Jesus. God will not share His glory with another.

We read in Genesis 28:16-17 that when Jacob awoke from his deep sleep, he said, “Surely the LORD is in this place and I did not know it...How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God...”

The Church is not a corporation, nor is it an entertainment, a fashion catwalk, or an advertising agency. Godliness is not a way to get wealthy or famous. When people are so taken by the gifting of the minister that they lose sight of the One who gave the minister the gift to begin with, they’ve been charmed. The ruler, pastor, bishop, or church leader who does not operate in submission to God and His Word is an illegitimate leader. It doesn’t matter how smooth or gifted an orator the preacher is, or how great he or she is in ministry, all must be held to the standard of God’s Word. Preachers can and should be honored, but they must never be worshipped.

Jesus said, “Is it not written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS'? But you have made it a ROBBERS' DEN." May I add again, the House of God is not an auditorium for magic shows.  

Anytime we exalt the men of God above the God of men, the church has been charmed. I thoroughly and wholeheartedly believe in honoring deserving men and women of God. Paul instructs us in the Book of Romans to give honor where honor is due.

Let me just say that I have a lot of friends who are pastors in their own growing ministries whom I love and respect and have had the honor and privilege to speak at their churches, but I will not give them the glory that belongs to Jesus. God’s business is very serious business. Preaching the Gospel is very serious business.

Jim Raley who is the senior pastor of Calvary Christian Center in Florida once said, “Having been a pastor for 17 years and getting to be with, around, and close to hundreds of professional Christians, I can tell you that no matter how wise, talented, God-loving, and visionary they might be, they’re all as equally flawed and messy as anyone in their congregations. Each of them is ministering amidst the constant, incredible tension, between serving a Savior and being seen as one.

And none of them, not one, deserves the heart space that was intended for God.”

A mentor and former Senior Pastor told Jim Raley, early in his ministry, “I have two pieces of advice. The first is that there is a Savior. The second is that you’re not Him.” Let Wynegood Malunga add: “There is a Miracle Worker and you are NOT Him!”

Look at your church and your pastor today and ask yourself, “Whose name is on the house?”

It’s just a thought.