Reverend Grace Masilela says the Christian faith has become monetised in the country, and expressed her concern that as a result many churches have veered off their spiritual path.
Masilela, who was speaking on the issue of money causing infighting in the church, did not hesitate to state that modern day churches were prioritising wealth over worship and earthly gain over eternal purpose.
The renowned reverend said she believed the body of the church in the country has become overly focused on money gain due to having lost the one main thing which is the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The conversation around money becoming central to the church establishment in the country was reignited this week by Archbishop Professor Samson Hlatjwako, President of the League of Churches. Hlatjwako was commenting following the on going infighting within the African Evangelical Church (AEC).
The Archbishop was quoted saying money was responsible for the escalating fights in churches. He expressed concern that the most significant conflicts were occurring within established churches rather than newer ones.
According to Hlatjwako, once money is involved, the focus shifts away from preaching the word of God and this causes division within the church. He pointed out that when the church openside businesses or acquires assets like farms, it raises serious concerns.
The Archbishop further pointed out that some church leaders were more interested in power than leading their congregations.
He criticised those who were not satisfied with their positions and constantly sought higher ranks within the church, saying this was no longer alignment with God’s will.
Additionally, he added that the desire for power and recognition was one of the reasons behind the proliferation of new churches. In vernacular he said, ‘wonkhe umfundisi nyalo uyi-founder’, which translates to almost every pastor today, is a founder of a new church.
Masilela expressed her shared sentiments with Hlatjwako’s assertion, emphasising that many of the church leaders involved in squabbles were fighting over money.
She cited the biblical scripture from the book of 1Timothy 6:10, which states that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Masilela said some have strayed in faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
reflects
According to Masilela, this scripture now reflects a sad reality in many churches, where the pursuit of wealth has replaced the pursuit of holiness. She said the saddest part about this was to see teachings on the noble concept of stewardship and managing God’s resources responsibly being twisted into a tool for accumulating wealth.
“The Christian faith in the country is now hidden behind the gospel by misusing the tradition of giving offering, where believers are exploited under the guise of spiritual obligation,” she said.
Meanwhile, Reverend Johannes Mazibuko of Mbabane Alliance Church agrees with both Hlatjwako and Masilela, but goes on to clarify that money is not the major cause of the infighting but rather the loss of spiritual faith among church leaders and believers in general.
Mazibuko asserted that the spirit of unbelief was dominating in churches, with many attending churches as hypocrites for societal reputation.
Moreover, Mazibuko pointed out that many of the modern church leaders were no longer ashamed and fearful of God hence no longer bothered to stick by the truthfulness of the word of God as spelt out in the Bible. He said this was why they were not afraid or ashamed to be seen involved in squabbles as leaders back and forth.
He dispelled the notion that it was wrong for the church to acquire assets, stating that the church needed money to sustain itself and also support the most vulnerable within communities.
“Churches have always had assets; however, we need to guard against greediness.
Believers should strive to seek the kingdom of God first as the Bible states and then all the other things of this world will come to us. Church leaders today are pursuing power and money in the same breath that politicians do, which is why we are witnessing these problems today.
Pastor Sabelo Mdluli from Jesus Calls Worship Centre International in Matsapha founded by Apostle Robert Kasaro, begged to differ with Hlatjwako that money is the root cause of the tensions within churches today.
Mdluli asserted that church conflicts were caused by lust and ungodly desires of individuals. Mdluli affirmed that money is a necessity and plays a pivotal role in the bloodline of every organisation, the church inclusive.
However, he admits that the line between financial stewardship and the monetisation of the gospel is becoming a threat to the institution of the church. He said this had put the church under pressure to project a prosperous image.
I think the church is under pressure to project a prosperous image. This pressure affects the spiritual focus of the ministry negatively. The local church can ensure that its mission remains primarily spiritual rather than commercial by preaching and teaching a balanced gospel as Jesus did,” Mdluli said.
Responding on how the church can salvage its tainted image, Reverend Masilela has appealed for a return to a Christ-centred ministry, emphasising that the primary focus of the church should remain spiritual than commercial by keeping the main thing, which was Jesus Christ.
“In a country where churches wield significant social and moral influence, these warnings should not be taken lightly. They serve as a call to reflection and reform, lest the altar become just another avenue for profit,” Masilela said.
