Beware of prophets, pastors, there is abuse in the church – says Makandiwa

‘If the man of God says he wants to see you, go with your father, go with your brother’

By Caleb Chikwawawa

United Family International Church (UFIC) founder and preacher Emmanuel Makandiwa has implored church followers, especially women, not to be naïve by investing blind trust on “prophets and pastors” who could also harbour ill intentions of sexually abusing them.

In a recorded video circulated on social media, the popular preacher, better known as Prophet Makandiwa, also warned the public not to believe every negative talk said of men of the cloth as some of the information could be concocted by enemies seeking their downfall.

His sentiments follow a bombshell BBC documentary released recently claiming late charismatic Nigerian preacher TB Joshua “raped and abused women” in his church.

Makandiwa said while the truth about scandals shall remain unknown, it was the duty of individuals and their loved ones to protect themselves.

“Even as the man of God prays for you, as much as you have trust in us, we also have trust in you, but you are a suspect, we are suspects,” he said.

“Open your eyes because these men of God are ‘man’. There is a man part that can abuse you.

“Protect your children; if they are going to any church and they are working and serving under any man of God, talk to them.

“Before your daughter is abused, you have heard about it and you ignored it; you thought all these people were lying.

“Not all these things are lies, be careful, there is abuse in the church in different forms.

“Protect yourself because after the abuse, you have no room to protect and no room to report. Be very careful. The best you can do is to stay away.”

The preacher also said there was no need for women to pay private visits at their church leaders’ places.

“Hearing the teaching with the congregation is enough. There are no secrets specifically reserved for you,” Makandiwa said.

“There is never going to be any secrets, specifically stored and reserved for you. Go home after service.

“If the man of God says he wants to see you, go with your father, go with your brother. There is no secret unless you have something to hide.”

He warned that while there are bad apples within the pulpit, there are cases too in which some people could be bribed to make true or false allegations against particular church leaders.

“There is no man of God who abuses you who is not afraid of exposure, they fear being exposed.

“You know people being paid to lie; people can be given money. I know people who have been given money to even say the truth, loving money to that extent.

He added, “A person who can come to attack the man of God for money, that same person can be paid to come back and confess that he or she was lying.

“Don’t go by confessions that you see people coming to church saying ‘forgive me, I lied against the man of God’ and you are busy insulting the woman, the woman knows the truth.

“Because of money, she can still be paid to come back to church and confess that she lied against the man of God.”

He said people should not rush to believe everything being reported by journalists about church leaders.

He also urged journalists to make thorough investigations as opposed to relying on statements made by individuals without any proof.

“The kind of journalism that is happening now is not proper; it’s for people who are lazy to think.

“We need better proof, better evidence. If the people that are coming have no evidence, they have come to you to help them acquire evidence.

 “Go to those places, investigate, not just interview people; let’s have proof of those things happening.

“Even myself today of I am to see today even the president confessing, whether its Tiger Woods confessing, I won’t even be quick to believe because it’s him confessing. I first have to investigate,” Makandiwa said.