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Clerics have been strongly warned against abusing their leadership powers by misleading congregants who follow them and disrespecting church leaders they fall under while ministering the word of God.
This emerged at the Impact Training Institute (ITI) 4th international graduation ceremony where Professor Elias Chakabwata capped graduands at a local Christian Church in Avondale last Saturday.
Prof Chakabwata who is the Executive President of ITI did not mince his words after ordaining pastors who graduated into ministry with certificates and diplomas in Christian Ministry studies .
His strong words come in the backdrop of several shenanigans being conducted by men of cloth who have been entrusted to drive Christianity into peace and nation building but are going astray by indoctrinating congregants into other ‘unbiblical’ doctrines all in the name of submission and loyalty to the leader .
“We are not raising rebellious people, people who do not submit to authority in the church. Every one of you is accountable to the church leadership. Being ordained does not mean that you become an authority to yourself. Remain someone who is submissive, under authority and accountable to your senior leadership and the Church .
“If we hear that you’re deviating from orthodox Christianity we will call you for disciplinary action before we revoke our certificate. We have ministers of the gospel that we train but are now making news headlines for the wrong reasons. Going forward, we will issue statements and distant ourselves from such unscrupulous leaders masquerading as envoys and emissaries of God ,yet they are pushing their own egotistical agenda.
All those who are being ordained here should remain accountable to the church and its leadership. We do not want to train leaders who eventually turn the church upside down because of pseudo-doctrines.”
He further told the graduates who were venturing into leadership that leadership is not a joke.
“Leadership is not for those with clay feet. Do not be surprised to see some of you leading corporations in the near future. Learn through the process and acknowledge those who have gone ahead of you and respect your seniors at work.
Prof. Chakabwata castigated preachers who misled believers through unorthodox doctrines by stooping so low to make their followers engage into acts such as nudity all in the name of proving subservience to them.
“Followers are being driven into eating ‘anointed grass’ or taking ‘holy baths’ (especially women) just to gain favour after being fooled by these pseudo- leaders whose doctrines are near credible, weird, and unfounded hypotheses.
“I urge followers not to expose themselves to abuse all in the name of Christianity. Some pastors and prophets are causing chaos in the country and these need to be exposed and get their certificates nullified. If any of these leaders we are ordaining today deviate from what we taught them we shall take the necessary steps with the end being redemptive because the Church is a redemptive community.,” he said.
Recently, a Kenyan pastor, Paul Nthenge Mackenzie made headlines after being exposed for leading a cult that coerced followers into starvation to “meet Jesus Christ”.
Over 400 bodies were recovered in mass graves in Kenya’s Shakahola forest, an act which has since been dubbed the “The Shakahola massacre”.
Bishop Morris Brown Gwedegwe, territorial leader of the Church of Zimbabwe who is also a war veteran and Commissioner in the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commission (ZDF) and a board member of various committees was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Dominion Theology University in Ghana.
Prof. Chakabwata conferred the doctorate upon him on behalf of the University.
After accepting the doctoral conferment, Dr Gwedegwe reminded guests to always praise God and safeguard Zimbabwe’s sovereignty and mineral wealth.
“The road to Zimbabwe was full of thorns. Zimbabwe is our land and let us work hard to be prosperous. Don’t let it go to the foreigners. It is full of mineral wealth and we should prosper.
“Praise God and uphold our independence. As leaders of the church it is your duty to educate the nation (sic).
Dr. Gwedegwe acknowledged President Emmerson Mnangagwa for appointing him as a Commissioner in the ZDF.
“ I would like to thank the Head of State, His Excellency Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa for recognising the intellect in me,” he said.
Those who made it through the vigorous courses graduated with accolades in Biblical and Pastoral Studies, Community Development Studies, Public Relations, Leadership and Strategic Studies, Transport and Logistics, Stores Management among others.
Beauticians who studied Braiding, Weaving and Nail Technology added to the glamour. Nhau/Indaba
