The Rise of the PAPAs
Church Business
I first went to church when I was 8 years old, and I have never missed Church since. I love the church, It has always played a critical role in my life even without the influence of my parents, who only went to church later in their lives.
My childhood church was a beautiful family from 8:00-10:00 kind of a church, Grace family church pastored by Pastor Billy, a very kind man who was passionate about the community and fellowship. My little church, located in South-hills on the South of Johannesburg, had that sense of family, exactly what fellowship should be, tea and cake after service, and a play area for kids. Every meeting felt like church, gathering with fellow believers to only lift the name of Jesus Christ and none other.
As an adult, I have always kept myself in such environments where it is the pure church, praise worship, sermon, tea, and cake, then knock off. I have always appreciated places where Jesus Christ is the main guy and the only name lifted. This has kept me away from the chaotic meetings that take place in churches today, and of course away from the now-famous Papa.
Worshippers at a church in Nigeria kiss a Pastor's shoes
The term Papa in this context originated from Nigeria, where believers started addressing their pastors or spiritual leaders as Papa. A term obviously used to address a father or father figure. This term was of course adopted by Pentecostal believers across Africa.
Christianity was never a new thing in Africa, even before the missionaries from the west came to share the good news, a number of Africans were aware of the messiah. However, when the missionaries came to Africa, they set up church buildings and organizations, the catholic church, the reformed dutch church, apostolic, and many others.
All these were of very stable and international governance, where sermons were from one source shared across the globe, or a pastor would be appointed by the board from head office.
These churches were very structured and organized, simply clean and straight to the point, many may argue about the abuse of power and rape accusations against these religious organizations, but one thing that remained unquestionable is the unshared attention given to God.
I was a Pentecostal Christian from the age of 8, so when I speak of the traditional (as called now) churches, I do not speak of favor, but more from a place of hurt, as to what has become of the scared place, called the church.
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Pentecostal Christians were radical results-driven and game-changers on the African Christianity scene. The traditional churches did not offer solutions for African spiritual problems, this was a time when Africans moved away from their own traditional healers and ways of handling spiritual ways. This departure did not bring auto solutions, and traditional churches were far from offering solutions.
The pentecostal pastors and prophets brought all that the Africans needed, a spiritual solution to a spiritual problem. And being the natural spiritual creatures that we are, a gap in the market was created and soon enough would be overpopulated with the good the bad, and the Papas.
The Papa(s) become very popular late 2000s, many believers at this point where leaving the traditional churches for the newly radical preaching healings and promises for a better life (without guarantee). At this point, many were addressed as a pastor, brother/sister, or bishop, until a new weave of prophecy popped up on the scene, and every brother/sister bishop pastor was addressed as Papa. From Lagos to cape town, the term Papa became the new norm, on the pentecostal side of African Christianity.
Whether or not this term was started by someone who saw the pastor/prophet in light of a father figure, or as a sign of respect?, it has redesigned the church scene on the African continent.
A pastor sits on his congregants
The church has today become a very competitive business, very similar to the mafas. A dirty business involving sex rape-murder, public enmity, and disgraceful arguments for the world to see. The church has become a matching ring where harsh words are exchanged from one Papa to the next.
My dad is a pastor, so I know pastors are humans, but pastors are honorable humans who are expected to behave a decent way, to be the examples of the community.
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Over the past three or so years, a lot of prophets took center stage, the was a huge demand from a lot of Christians, for the prophetic. But most went from seeking the face of God to seeking fame, and the Papa(s) promised just that. The obsession for wealth and fame came with the rise of social media, a platform created with the intention to keep people connected, informed, and educated. Social media quickly became a display of a perfect life, which sparkled envy competition, and, sadly suicide.
A pastor and his congregant's knee in prayers beside his luxury sport car
The Papa(s) leveraged on this demand and left the followers begging for more. More jobs marriages, money, healing, and cars, God wants you to have all these, but not with the terms and conditions presented by the Papa(s). Brainwashing manipulating, money-sucking terms and conditions, the so-called prophets prey for the unsuspecting victims, who are most desperate to either get out of a bad situation or just hungry for more and never content.
These churches do not make it easy for contentment, the entire gospel is built on more money marriages and cars, far away from the true pure gospel of repentance salvation, and the victory of the cross. These Papa(s) have mastered the art of manipulation, to the point that the unsuspecting victims or members are ever clueless about what is happening right under their noses.
Congregants eat grass outside a Church in South Africa
The doctrine preached on the pulpit is never life-changing in any way, usually a sermon informing members of what will happen to them, and their business when they leave the church or testimonies of others who left and have since returned. It is a horror to watch, how easily members are preached or rather threatened on a basis that is non-Biblical, or by any means factual.
Most of the prophets are in their late twenties or early thirties, attracting about the same audience who are called sons and daughters, these members are dedicated to the Papa (s) with everything that is in them. These members ensure the values and mission of Papa(s) are guided and protected by all means necessary. The is never a time, no matter what Papa(s) says or does. that can change the stone minds of the daughters and sons of Papa(s)
One can be certain, these followers are under a very strong spell, but one thing is certain, the followers of Papa(s) are definitely brainwashed. The Papa(s) have studied how the human brain works, as well as the times we are living in, a generation that is obsessed with themselves like Timothy wrote in Timothy 3 " the shall be lovers of themselves".
And lovers of themselves they are, people today with the help of social media have become lovers of themselves, obsessed with all things that money can buy, including a front seat at church. Many people who have some sort of money and influence, are treated with outermost respect in the church, not only by other members but first from Papa(s).
Naturally, every human being longs for respect and admiration. It is natural for us to seek validation and worth, and Papa(s) have a way of making you feel more than just special. Out of thousands of people, your name or company is mentioned in the Sunday sermon, Papa(s) makes appearances at your every event while others see him on Sunday from the very last seat in the church. Those close to him behave as though they are angels fighting in heaven, as most deem their Papa(s) as a god on earth, or as the only one who has access to God. Which is the biggest lie ever told to date?
Pastor steps out of his luxury car in SouthAfrica
Papa(s) are hungry determined mostly young men, who want success by all means necessary. The Papa(s) want nothing less than more, more members more houses more cars, more fame, more of more and nothing less. These young people will go to any extent, to become the top, and remain on top. At the cost of destroying the sacred name of the church, and also lives in the long run.
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The African church is in the dangerous hands of scammers and fraudsters. Seeking wealth at the expense of the name of Jesus.
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