FORGIVE ME, but today I am taking you all to church to let you hear two preachers who have been making headlines on both sides of the Atlantic with their unusual messages.
Firstly, we go to Africa where a Kenyan pastor, a Rev Njohi, has raised not only a few eyebrows, but also red flags as well with an unorthodox suggestion. He has told the female members of his congregation that they have to remove their bras and underwear before coming to church so that Christ can freely enter their bodies with his spirit.
According to the The Kenyan Daily Post newspaper, Njohi, the pastor of the Lord’s Propeller Redemption Church in that country, refers to undergarments as “ungodly”. As a result, the Bible-toting minister called together a meeting with church officials at which he allegedly discussed banning the undergarments because people “need to be free in body and spirit in order to receive Christ”.
So, after warning his female congregants about the evils of their panties and bras, the pastor addressed them about the damnation they will suffer if they dare not to go bare underneath. And in true fashion, the Post reports, the church’s female population reportedly turned up for church without their undies, in order to prepare for their spiritual taking.
Now. From Africa we go to the United States to hear Pastor R.A. Vernon of THE WORD Church introducing the F word to his congregation. He sermonised:
“Since we have been forgiven, what should be our corresponding action? I’m glad you asked. We should forgive and extend grace to everybody else. No wonder Matthew says that when you start praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgiven him so your Father in heaven may forgive your sins. For if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who’s in heaven forgive your transgression. As a Christian you’ve got to forgive.
“Now that said, and please don’t get offended, the new F word in The Word Church is forgive. I am a say it again. The new F word in this church is forgive. Now that said, do me a favour, touch your neighbour and say ‘F you’.
“God I wish I had 25 people that said, ‘I forgive you about whatever you said about me’. Not just your neighbour but look down your whole row there and ‘F yuh all too’. Go ahead and tell em. I know you all looking at me crazy. Would you do me a favour and take your phone out, text all your exes and say, ‘I am at church, F you. Forgive you for lying on me and talking about me’.
“‘Pastor, my mummy don’t like you’. Well F your mummy.
‘My family don’t like you’. Well F your family too. You know what? Jump on your feet, snap your finger and say ‘F everybody in here’.
“God I wish I had six people in here that would jump on your feet and high-five six people and say ‘F you’. Go ahead. Come on, ‘F you.’ Go ahead ‘F you’. High-five somebody and say ‘F you, F you, F you, F all y’all. F yuh’.
“Lord I wish I had somebody that would have a li’l church with me and thank God that he forgave you for all your sins and now you can forgive everybody else.”
Lord, come for your world.
Al Gilkes heads a public relations firm. Email [email protected]
