The Making Of Pentecostal Cults

The world of Christendom has seen it all. Christian leaders have dented the Church image with heretical absurdities. Jim Jones took his congregation to Guyana where they were supposed to found a new city to be called Jonestown. They were all duped into drinking a poisonous concoction and perished in large numbers. His followers had believed he was a god.

Many Leaders have been led or rather, misled to believe that they were Prophet Elijah come in flesh. Others have been daring enough to promote themselves and began thinking they were Jesus Christ himself, among their ranks, our own Yesu Matiki. On the international scene, we have among others, Olumba Olumba Obu, from Igweland. This man is considered a deity by his followers they openly worship him and claim that his father is god. Though his father died some years ago, they still insist he is just in deep meditational sleep. As god, he is not expected to die.

They openly bow down to him and worship him, get me right, I didn't say, they respect him but they literary worship him. One may ask how do people stoop so low and worship a fellow mortal (human) with flesh and blood.

Most of these sects begin in earnest and sincerity. A little respect for the leader that is pushed too far lands him in the realm of some divinity. That's the reason Paul was very careful not to accept worship from people. Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes when people wanted to sacrifice a bull to them at Lustra. They could not accept to be treated as Greek gods Zeus and Hermes, they screamed at the top of their voices, “… we also are men with the same nature as you …” Acts 14: 15.

The Pentecostal charismatic revival is in danger of falling from within as secret termites of pride are silently and stealthily chewing away the very fabric of its existence- the charismatic leadership.

Most Pentecostal leaders want to be treated like semi gods, complete with secular governmental honours. They want their word to be law and surround themselves with followers who compete in singing songs of praise to them and never question their decisions. In short, to be a good follower, you have to send your mind on a holiday and stop thinking.

Turning people into robots is a dangerous manipulation with dire consequences. Using the same manipulative tricks, a pastor in Kenya has ordered all the ladies in his church to be coming to church without under wears so as to “give Christ unhindered entry” whatever this means. In the same vein, another pastor in the USA has turned his congregation into nudists. The entire congregation comes to church in their birthday suits (stark naked). He preaches naked and all the members sing and dance naked. The Bible encourages followers to respect their leaders and not to worship them.

When church leaders demand a siren motorcade, like their secular counterparts, and have someone wiping their sweat away when they are preaching as if they have no hands, we should know that a cult is in the making. Wielding absolute and unquestionable power makes members stop thinking for fear of antagonizing their leaders.

There is a very thin line between respect and worship and most members do not realize when they cross it hence their need to depend upon their leaders for guidance. The leaders should also be quick to correct any one who wants to turn them into gods. Even angels could not accept the worship of John (see Revelation 19: 8 – 9; 22: 10). Man was created a worshiper. He will worship something or someone if he is not worshiping God. Leaders need to make sure that they do not receive more than respect from their followers. From the back of some church I am watching every move and word of our leaders.