USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: [camnetwork] Re: [wimbum] Joshua in a Prophet's Lab: IS TB JOSHUA A FALSE PROPHET?

Hello All:

If I may, let me say this: There are nine gifts of the Holy Spirit. These gifts were indisputably and humbly manifested during the Apostolic days, including the gift of healing.  For example, the lame beggar: The Apostle Peter said," Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." The lame  man walked. No money exchanged hands. The healing performed by the Apostles were  not gradual; every instance was instant and all could see.  The announcements of signs and wonders were not used to attract folks to revivals. Rather, the Apostles gave the Gospel. 

Of course, people who would go to sorcerers for miracles would flock to miracle performing promisers in the name of God.  Monentary, emotional gratification is the attraction. It is unclear if atheists would resist a grab of the share since it would not matter if it is God or Satan who gives them wealth or health. 

I stared in disbelief when this God's prophetess, a divorced, white, blonde  excitedly told me that a miracle has happened. What was it? As she narrated in dramatic whispers, a  man called him and announced that his wife died two weeks ago. Now, she has to loose weight in preparation. She claimed that another prophet had predicted to her that God would give her a husband on a silver platter or her small fingers. After I recovered from the absurdity  that just reached my ears, I laughed and re-narrated the episode to others. I  am tempted to put her website here, which promises miracles. She used to deal with high officials when married to one in the 1970s.  But I won't link the site. The point is made:  Such is the state of the prophets?  

I am Catholic. It is neither my inclination nor need to criticize any religion or faith. Pentecostalism, which sprang out of, or was popularized through, the  312 Azusa Street revivals  in California by William Seymour in 1906 is not at issue. Methods of worship or variant liturgies are  not the focus. 

The sore  is the  claim made by assorted " people of God in the name of God."  Does it matter what kind of faith they are affiliated with? I don't think so. It is the practice that warrants examination if it affects health and safety because society bears the burden.  That is why  TB Joshua and others like him who claim to have the gifts of the Holy Spirit, pronouncedly healing powers need to be checked before they reduce God to some sort of Casino or bargaining chip,  leading people to early graves, bankruptcies or more miseries when the healers build their church through the  promise  of miraculous wealth, health and joy amplified. To believers of the Great Commission, which  advances the Gospel and its ideals through an examined life, this sounds like total insanity.

Roguery is enabled when these  " healers " do not  have irrefutable evidence of such powers that they sell to the expectant public. How did/does TB Joshua cure people?  So why do these God's healers  not visit hospices to cure the terminally ill  patients? They would not know the patients, the doctors would have the records and there would be clear evidence if healing happens.

Prosperity Gospel is wrecking havoc, especially among the poor or the emotionally vulnerable. This is a modern day phenomenon that was never preached by Christ nor practiced  by the Apostles who were witnesses. I can go ahead and cite examples  euphemistic: name it, claim it.

Where is the sacrifice inherent in the faith?  Until then, just read the word. It is in the Bible. The Bible is not irrational.

MsJoe

-----Original Message-----
From: Elias Bongmba <bongmba@rice.edu>
To: Emmanuel Kongnyu <emmakongnyu@yahoo.com>; NDI MANJONG <ngahndi@yahoo.com>; Wimbum @yahoogroup <wimbum@yahoogroups.com>; camnetwork <camnetwork@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Fri, Apr 18, 2014 10:44 am
Subject: [camnetwork] Re: [wimbum] Joshua in a Prophet's Lab: IS TB JOSHUA A FALSE PROPHET?

 

Dear Emmanuel,

The growth of Pentecostalism remains intriguing and one cannot doubt that it has promoted church growth as you state. However, I would also be careful of how one characterizes what has happened in North America. I do not think that North America has simply degenerated into "ecclessia" as you state and if they have, then they have only become an organized and routinzed community that expresses a certain faith tradition and that is not necessarily bad. I think what you are referring to is what is often captured in the secularization debate that goes back to the studies of sociologist Peter Berger. It is true that the great fear that secularization would destroy religion has not turned out to be the case. However, the Weberian routinization of charisma in religious organizations continues to take place faster in places like North America and Europe than we have seen in Africa. I wonder if it is that routinization of charisma that is often misunderstood when people compare the performance of the church. in Africa, its leaders, and those of the West.

The thing that strikes me as interesting is that although Africans think that North America is becoming Un-Christian,  the strong dependence or what scholars have called extraversion in Africa has not stopped. One cannot fully understand the evangelization of the West today by African churches today without factoring in the dollar equation and it is time for African Christians to bring some balance to the discussion and not always claim that the Africans have a pure form of Christianity because churches are growing and the spirit is moving in Africa. We know some of the reasons why these things are happening given the climate of despair that many Africans face. Were the economic fortunes of Africans to change significantly that they do not need the miracles they crave, a certain degree of secularization would return, and we would not be any more sinful than we are now, or less holy than we are now.
Thank you.

Sincerely,

Elias Bongmba

On 4/17/2014 8:01 PM, Emmanuel Kongnyu wrote:

Dear Dr Bongmba,

I find it difficult to stop reading your piece because it is pregnant with essential information i cannot stop tapping. Your historical founding is rendering vital information, not only to the Pentecostal explorers, but to contemporary African Christian Churches. The fluidity of the Pentecostal movement along history, as you rightly situate, calls for an urgent concern in the Church Planting and Church Growth enterprise which is regrettably absent. With this Pentecostal fire burning in the roots of an economic and socio-political Church wave characterized by a speedy evolution, "seers" ought to study the nature of the storm in order to guarantee the health of a near-future Church. Without ignoring and yet with a conscious indulgence, the future African church can sustain a viable identity than the warped of North America whose tides have subsided to a dwindling Ecclesia. Again i thank you for great lessons.

As for nonconstructive criticisms, it is an endless phenomenon. If i did not write i would not have learnt from you. Besides, it takes a careful reader to see that i had already foreseen such criticisms while writing.

Nformi Emmanuel

On Thursday, April 17, 2014 11:12 AM, NDI MANJONG <ngahndi@yahoo.com> wrote:

 

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

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From: Elias Bongmba <bongmba@rice.edu>;
To: lilian yengi <lilianyengi@yahoo.com>; Wimbum @yahoogroup <wimbum@yahoogroups.com>; NDI MANJONG <ngahndi@yahoo.com>;
Subject: Re: [wimbum] Joshua in a Prophet's Lab: IS TB JOSHUA A FALSE PROPHET?
Sent: Thu, Apr 17, 2014 3:54:35 PM

Lilian, can you forward this to the list. When I post it does not always go to the list. Dear all, Emanuel's piece highlights the perennial dilemma of religious experience and life; the claim that certain individuals are endowed with the ability to predict what would happen in the future and that others can make miracles happen. In the Case of TB Joshua, Emmanuel points out like many others have done, that he embodies both and hence goes by the title Prophet. The term prophet as it is used today leaves a lot to be desired because it is actually not used in the same sense in which it was used in the Hebrew Bible (OT). Most of the people who are called prophets in the Hebrew Bible were called that, primarily because they were "called" to speak justice to power-the political and religious elites who ignored the cries of the poor and marginalized many in the political community and not because they could predict into the future. This is the sense in which, at least the scholarly and theological community understands the term Prophet. To that extent, one could argue that Emmanuel is correct to ask if TB Joshua or any other Christian leader is a prophet in that sense, especially as Emmanuel correctly indicates, prophets are human beings and subject to their own idiosyncrasies. Emmanuel also placed TB Joshua in the growing Pentecostalization of Africa. This is important because if one does not take that into consideration it would be difficult to understand what is going on with ministries like that of TB Joshua. Let us remember that religion does not happen in a vacuum. TB Joshua has become one of the quintessential preachers that have emerged in Nigeria following the move towards Christian independency that began in Africa in the mid 1800s. At some point following World War II (an arbitrary date on my side) many of these churches started becoming more and more spiritual and developed charismatic and Pentecostal features which had already been defined by the modern Pentecostal movement which which starete with the revival at the Azusa Street in Los Angeles in the early 1900s, a revival led by Black American Christians. These waves would move to South Africa and other parts of Africa. However, studies of Pentecostalism in Africa demonstrates that Africans were not mere copycats because most of the new Pentecostal Churches were home grown, and actually responded to, or reflected the general traditional African belief in the spirit. This means that it is probably the case that Africans understand the idea of spirit much more than the idea or name of Jesus, because the indigenous religious beliefs teach Africans that there are spirits everywhere. What the Pentecostals have taught about the Holy Spirit then is not a unique idea found only in Acts, it is a world view that is shared in many communities in Africa and around the world. The numerous studies of spirit possession in different parts of Africa attest to this. In the Nigerian case, several things are important to remember. First the starting of spirit filled congregations like the Redeemed Christian Church of God by Pa Josiah Akindayomi in the early 1950s was a game changer. It is these churches (along with churches like Deeper Life of Kumiyi, that of Bishop Idahosa, then later younger generation preachers like TB Joshua) that would respond to the social crisis of Nigeria. Youths attending universities and experiencing social and political crisis, responded to religious and faith groups on university campuses organized by Scripture Union, Campus Crusade for Christ, (and many other missionary and home grown Christian fellowships)  in the 1960s as a way of dealing with political decline, the Nigerian civil war, and the ongoing struggle of the state to remain a meaningful force in the life of people. Hence, these preachers responded to the genuine needs of the people, offering a spirit filled life, but in addition, through out Africa which had seen a significant economic decline after the 1973 Middle East war and the oil crisis that catapulted OPEC into economic domination and African countries saw their balance of payment deficits plummet because they could not pay for the high prices, these churches also promoted their message of well being into many African communities. Additionally, even where oil was discovered in Africa, the growing and massive political and bureaucratic corruption worsened the social and economic situation to the point where many wondered if the state in Africa was any longer viable. It is these social and political circumstances, not the religious decline, that gave the preachers a message; that message remains one of good health, miracles, prosperity, jobs, cars, "every thing na double double-na double double" as a popular Pentecostal song has it. This teaching has infected all of Africa and there seems to be no inoculation that would bring relieve to a continent that seems to have abandoned scientific, secular, logical, and justice driven programs to alleviate poverty and contain or reduce its disease burden. Let us make some clarifications here. Preachers and prophet often respond to their times and bring a divine word. It is too early to make a decision on what is happening in Africa, especially with ministries like TB Joshua that claim they can do the impossible in the name of Jesus. However, we can ask some innocent questions about these ministries. Why is it that the preachers have all become multi-millionaires? What happened to the vow of poverty? If people claim the title prophet today and live in mansions and own luxury vehicles, and several gulf stream jets; how does that compare to Elijah the Tishbite-a man of "lonely grandeur" who was fed by a widow then by birds at a small broke? How does that compare to the teachings of Jesus? Why is the ministry that of the Prophet of today and not that of the church? What has happened to accountability? Why can the church not pay the pastor or prophet, Bishop, or man of God and other titles are used these days to distinguish these leaders a salary and use the excessive wealth that pours into these churches for the good of the community as Churches have traditionally done through schools, hospitals, agricultural and social welfare centers. The larger question here is by abandoning the quest for justice as many of the preachers have done, they offer a model of political theology that has done nothing to help African countries. You cannot build a country on faith, miracles, tithing, and break through. You many be able to build a religious empire at one location and create jobs as the Redeemed has done in several places, or even as Prophet Joshua himself has done. However, if religious leaders and activists do not abandon the blind endorsement of political leaders and hence political corruption which some of them have imitated, the plight of Africa will not change very much. We need a robust social, economic, and political agenda in a democratic society where political leaders and religious leaders are responsible to the people and care about the people. I know many Pentecostal pastors and actually admire them because they genuinely care for people. But I doubt if the political theology they proclaim and the panacea for poverty they offer will significantly change Africa's economic outlook.  My view is that rather than listen to prophets like these, it is good to pursue a secular driven political and economic agenda which allows freedoms of religion and other freedoms to thrive in a context where the state has already or is creating a viable economic infrastructure for people to be creative. Do miracles happen with the ministries of TB Joshua? That is a rough question. I have no answer, but I think many people are being misled to depend on miracles in many cases when common sense or the natural flow of things offer answers. Like Dr. Yengi says, we know that certain illnesses will not depart just because a man of God has touched some one. In that case many of the trips to Prophet Joshua even the well pronounced visit by former President Frederick Chiluba did not help the situation. The recent visit by Morgan Tshangaria did not help either. In Nigeria, politicians are known to bow down before these preachers, a situation which some consider shameful, but those are personal religious decisions. Where does this leave us then? I do not know if these things the religious leaders claim are true. The fault is not that of the Pentecostals alone. If The Christin tradition truly beliefs in that confusing doctrine of the trinity-a formulation which should not have been made, that the Holy Spirit is God, then we must admit that the Pentecostals may be on to something. However, the question remains, if that is the case, should God be turned into a magician? Why does God choose to bless some Pentecostals, especially the bishops and prophets more, when all they do is serve as the mouth piece? Why is there so much suffering in a religious continent like Africa. We are so religious will kill to prevent the West from poluting us. We are so religious will kill gays and lesbians, or take them from hospitals and bring them home to kill the homosexuality in them, thus let them die as happened in Cameroon recently. Simple logic ought to say God is on our side; but instead with all the wealth on the continent, the corruption and the hatred we spread in the name of religion has not helped us. I hope no one gets me wrong. Religion is an important thing, but it is also a funny experience and intellectually the only discipline where its non experts claim to know more than the experts. It is the one area of life that gives us a hint on the idea of democracy  because even in the hierarchical churches where people celebrate a unified mass around the world, when an individual holds up that Bible and says he or she believes everything in it, the experts can do very little, even if the experts are correct. Thus in religions life, the  people in some way speak-although not as often as they should. Let me illustrate it this way. The debate about wealth and healing today is dominated by Pentecostal leaders, many of whom are well trained in other fields, but have moved from lay evangelists to preachers, Prophets, Bishops, Men and Women of God. Some have gone on to earn theological and ministerial training, but many remain to the best of my knowledge lay leaders with no theological and critical training. They dominate the debate. What this means it that they have and continue to proclaim a literalism to the text of the Bible that is sometimes dangerous. It is very difficult to have a conversation with some one on these issues when all they do is proclaim that he or she stands on the Bible. Many forget that the Bible is also a cultural product and often the discernment which some of these newer preachers talk about is not deployed in understanding the scripture they hold so dearly.  Hence those who are trained and bring a nuance understanding of the scriptures are thought to be the ones that are not faithful. In a culture where the Bible has become a magical tool, it is difficult to see how the messages that proclaim miracles will not continue to lay a hold on the people. Finally, I thought also that Dr. Ngwanyam raised some issues about faith which continue to remain important but I wonder about several things. First there is a commitment to biblical literalism in his respond to Emmanuel that fails to appreciate Emanuel's critique of religious fanaticism as we see it today in Africa. Second,  I think Dr. Ngwanyam seems to imply that when one is committed to the Bible or the kind of theological vision espoused by TB Joshua, then one will succeed. I have reservations about this because success comes in many ways. He Dr. Ngwanyam is a wonderful example of intelligence, hard work, leadership, and global connections. He remains a Wimbum original (one we have not seen in a long time) and one could actually say, he is so different from all other Wimbum leaders and business people because of what he has achieved.  As a matter of fact, I respect Dr. Ngwanyam so much that I have wondered why such a man with such a mind wanted to do with politics in Cameroon of all places. But my larger point here is that Dr. Ngwanyam could have been a non-religious person, but with the intelligence and leadership qualities, he has developed, he still would have succeeded, Bible and Holy Spirit or not. Third, I trust Dr. Ngwanyam as a physician, educator, leader, but have reservations about the theology that he sometimes presents. Despite this little disagreement on theology, Dr. Ngwnyam remains a hero of mine and will be so for ever.  Finally, like Dr. Yengi says, it does not matter what and when one chooses to do what they are doing, there are many ways of serving God. Like Emmanuel, I served Baptist Churches in Cameroon. I still have fun memories from that opportunity to serve the Baptist Convention and very proud of what the CBC continues to do in education and health. I do not think that being in America or not pastoring a church should be an issue. I do not need to justify what I do, neither should Emmanuel. I do not feel guilty for what I do, neither should Emmanuel. I wonder why Emmanuel himself struggles to argue that he should be given time to prove that he is doing more ministry today than when he was in Cameroon. I obviously have gone far afield and not solved any body's concerns about the growing spirituality that has changed many things in Cameroon. I wish I could say simply that if it is of the Lord it will succeed. I do not want to conclude that way because the forces that control social and spiritual life today in a global context of need and ironically wanton want, makes it difficult not to hold some of these ministries under scrutiny and I think Emanuel's piece raises important questions and we should discuss it on its own terms like Dr. Yengi and Ta Nformi Manjong have pointed out. Elias Bongmba On 4/17/2014 8:50 AM, lilian yengi wrote:   Could we please critique Emmanuel's piece based on its content rather than the person. How does the fact that Emmanuel left his pastoral duties have any bearings on his observations about TB Joshua. Unlike, Emmanuel the private citizen, TB Joshua is not only a public figure but one who has millions of people making life and death decisions based on his 'prophecies' or claims of curing just about any ailments. Would my motives be questioned if I were to say that TB Joshua is misleading people that he can cure fibroids? When I was in Cameroon, people, including family members, swore to me that TB Joshua cured their fibroids; the fibroids fell out during urination like congealed blood! I am not a medical Dr but I know enough about fibroid to know that they just don't fall out of the vagina during urination! Would my motives be questioned and my life dissected to determine if I have ever sinned or have solutions for the gullible who are misled by TB Joshua? TB Joshua is a public figure and like other public figures, politicians and otherwise, what they say has consequences hence the reason they have to be evaluated, not because anyone is trying to bring them down! As far as I am concerned, being a pastor is a job, a profession, a career, albeit being one that people proclaim to be called to. It is Emmanuel's right, just like any of us, to change jobs, careers etc, without owing anyone an explanation. It is Emmanuel's right and responsibility to himself and his family, to choose greener pastures if he so wishes and it is not a crime, neither is it a sin. His choices and personal decisions, should not be used as a means to muscle Emmanuel and prevent from expressing his views on any topic. He is a private citizen for crying out loud! Emmanuel is not the first pastor to leave his profession and I am at loss as to why this keeps coming up. Is it the fact that he left for America? If he had stayed in Cameroon, would it irk people any less? Maybe it is my Baptist up bring but I say, to each their own, judge not for ye shall be judged. Whether Emmanuel abandoned his flock or committed any sins, is between Emmanuel and his God, not us mere mortals, who have also sinned and fallen short of the glory of the lord!   Lilian Yengi, Ph.D. On Thursday, April 17, 2014 7:27 AM, Emmanuel Kongnyu <emmakongnyu@yahoo.com> wrote:   Dear Dr Nick, I am happy you are beginning to know me more and more, and you have the tools to know more. I did not intend this write-up to be a "police report" even though you hold the right to "see or hear what your itching eyes and ears want to see or hear". I seem to know about you more than you know me; that you are one of our great sons of Mbum land who has the generous heart to help our people. All of us are servants of God, and there is none of us who is useless and yet there is none righteous. As to the motive of my lengthy writing; it was designed to be didactic, but of the inductive type. This is a type of learning where students wrestle with facts to develop creative, personal and useful lessons.  If you stop me from talking from America, i may explode by the time i arrive! Then you will blame me for wasting resources in a far country and returning into a funeral home, and at that time you will use your bible to call me a "prodigal son". In as much as you may have an inferiority complex with people going to America, even though your brothers and sisters are here, i and them will not wait to bring goodies back home. I do ministry now back home more than i use to. If you are eager to have me back home, i implore you to hold on until i complete the mission for which i came to America. But one thing i can assure you of is that i have not made up my mind to contest your senate post else it would be regarded as unfair. But we would certainly have a lot to do together. Nformi Emmanuel Nformi Emmanuel On Thursday, April 17, 2014 2:04 AM, Nick Ngwanyam <stlouisclinicbamenda@yahoo.co.uk> wrote: Dear Emmanuel Kongnyu, Good morning. I have read your police report on Prophet TB Joshua. We are all as confused as you are. The bottom line is that none of us knows the truth. However, the truth about God's word is very clear and not that confusing. Let us just keep to that simple message for our salvation. I listened to some youtube rantings yesterday from some people who are trying as hard as they can to tear down Bishop TD JAkes. I am still to see any great person who is not TORN DOWN by people who feel intimidated by the relative success of others. Did you hear about the negative side of Nelson Mandela? President Obama? Have you heard about the AntiChrist mesage saying Christ himself had girlfriends? A homosexual etc? WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVE WHEN YOU WRITE SO LENGTHILY ABOUT TB JOSHUA? I do not remember your own identity very well but correct me if I am wrong. I understand you were a Baptist Pastor in LUh village not far from Ndu. Is this correct? You abandonned the flock and took off to America. Why did you leave? Did you treat your christians right? Did you commit some sins as a Pastor which will also mean that you are not TRUE all the time? Are you still preaching the TRUE WORD of God in America or are you of the world now? Are you still a fisher of men or not? Did you find something more lucrative and exciting to do that feeding the hungry souls that TB Joshua is tending to? As I said, I might be wrong. If this identity is not yours forgive me. If it is, then I will encourage you to come back home and teach us the real gospel truths so that we do not fill our empty souls with false hood from TB Joshua. Iron sharpens Iron. You alone can undo TB Joshua if you are SPIRIT FILLED. It is a responsibiloity that God has put on you to undo the falsehood. It is up to you do DO not TALK from AMERICA.   DR NICK NGWANYAM, MD CEO ST LOUIS GROUP POB 661 BAMENDA NORTH WEST REGION REP OF CAMEROON TEL( CELL) 237- 7776 46 74 http://www.saintlouisgroup.org/ stlouisclinicbamenda@yahoo.co.uk   What goes further than IMAGINATION? On Thursday, 17 April 2014, 2:34, Emmanuel Kongnyu <emmakongnyu@yahoo.com> wrote:   Joshua in a Prophet's Lab: IS TB JOSHUA A FALSE PROPHET? By Nformi Emmanuel The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders. (2Thes.2: 9) Taking a careful look at TB Joshua's "prophecy" concerning the Malaysian airline's Boeing 777 disappearance into thin air, in addition to the populace's holding that he is a divinely inspired prophet, one cannot escape the question whether he is a real (true) or fake. In attempting to x-ray a "man of God" in the order of the acclaimed Joshua one would have to think like Moses; if not in the totality of his liberation experience, at least in pinpointing his encounter with his other-side - Pharaoh's magicians. But even if we begin to think in that paradigm, we, again cannot exact prophecy with miracles, though Tb Joshua as well as many others, is accorded a prophets name particularly because of a vague and indistinguishable mix of both. Many a person have visited TB Joshua and returned with signs of relief yet some have come back regrets. The irony is that both results are thanks to the great prophet. Some, who dismiss his authenticity, do it at the touch-lines or within their religious spheres; hardly being just to what others call "firsthand experience" or "eyewitness". On the other hand, Christian fanatics of the nature of "later-day" Pentecostal "volcanizers" sweepingly glorify the prophet even without a peep under his table. These are those who jump, shout and hit walls at the mention of a single word of prayer before they discover that their "brother" was not actually in the mode of prayer. If we consider Prophecy in its ambiguous form we can only feel unworthy and unqualified to take the likes of Joshua into a prophet's Lab. This is because the process of deriving his authenticity is as difficult as choosing the right tools to do it. On the other hand, we can only compare something when we have in the other hand, another; imperfect or a perfect model. Having established that the laboratory check is not easy, I dare anyway, as a human being with a critical mind, to attempt such a mystical litmus test. Since it is a religious issue, I would use as primary tools, the Abrahamic religions from where we may be able to find out what constitutes authentic prophecy against which we may be able to compare TB Joshua. Before we go on, the most important statement I venture here is that the accuracy or the resultant of any prophecy is usually altered by the desires and attachments of the seers (prophets) and those who hear the prophecy. So what TB prophecies is not detached from his feelings and motives buried in his heart at the depth at which only God himself can reach. On the other hand, those of us who listen to him, hear only what we want to hear; those things which appeal to our emotional, physical, economic and spiritual hunger. These very drives are so strong that they blind us from reality even when wrong things are going on right under our noses. It was in this wise that Paul advised Timothy: For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear (2Tim. 4:3-4). So we tend to be very careful in this Lab from what angle we peep into a Joshuan test tube – we may be regarded as unspiritual, and in extreme case, unbelieving and unsaved. 1.       The Prophet's Identity: One of the areas of conflict Jesus faced against the Jews and Jewish religious leaders was in the area of his authority. The Nazarenes had only known him as the son of Joseph – a common carpenter, assigning to him a human identity rather than the divine that they perceived.  In answering to this rejection in his hometown, Jesus states: "no prohet is accepted in his hometown" (Lk 4:24), yet in asserting his authority he also states: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (Matt. 28:18), in fulfillment of prophet Daniel (Dan. 7:13,14). Before and after Jesus Christ, prophesies and attempts thereof were a desirable concept yet the prophet's established credential was the bedrock of entrenched trust on its efficacy. In many cases it was rather dangerous and treacherous to attempt any form of prophecy without an appealing and readily acceptable identity. So we should be asking who is TB Joshua?  Temitope Balogun Joshua was born on June 12th 1963, raised in an Anglican Christian conservative tradition, nicknamed "small Pastor" because of his love for the bible while in the primary school at St. Stephen Anglican School Arigidi; his home town in Nigeria(Critique on TB Joshua By Bill Subritsky). His official biography also tells that he spent 15months in his mother's womb instead of the normal 9months. In 1989, before he had his vision to begin his ministry, he had fasted for forty days and forty nights. Though these assertions have been disowned by many critics as his attempts to assuage to a mystical and fascinating identity, he on the other hand defends it with acclaimed and testified miraculous deeds. Therefore, "humanly" speaking, any verification on his identity does not in any way directly dethrone the prophet: he was raised in a Christian family, went to Christian schools, involved in Christian services, born mysteriously after a 15 month's gestation, fasted 40/40 in the likeness of Christ and then began a booming ministry.  But wait a minute, he is not yet qualified just by presenting to us this identity because we are not divine to distinguish him from those who do the same things but who are not truly called by God as they claim. For….. false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect (Matt.24:24). Here, when I was examining his identity, some things caught my attention: why is he concerned in emphasizing the nature of his birth, and how is it so important in his calling? Is he trying to compare it to the Virgin Birth of Jesus?  Did he really fast for forty days and forty nights, and why specifically significantly 40/40? Could it not work with more or with less? Is he trying to reflect how Christ began His life and ministry to his? I am afraid that by insisting on a phenomenal change to establish a fascinating and mystical identity, he exhibits another diabolic characteristic of falsehood. No true Prophet of God derives a resemblance as if it were a burden to do so because God chooses or represents himself according to his unique purposes, and in times of his liking. When you see prophets trying to resemble others before them, they attract question marks against their profiles. Islam easily concludes that any prophet after Mohammed is false since the Koran teaches that he is the last of prophets ( Sura 9:128-129), yet Christianity and other biblical religions hold to prophecy as a spiritual gift with which the universal church is unendingly blessed.  More likely, contemporary truism as well as enormous falsehood finds itself enshrined in humanly unverifiable prophetic acts – acts appealing to the human condition in physical, emotional, psychological, social, economic, political etc, yet very forcefully magnetic in its delight. 2.       The Prophet's Prophecy: As a strategy for effective propagation, the postmodern religious evangels have tasked themselves to redesign religious messages into appealing and readily acceptable codes of actions-matching-words. This is because ears have also changed in their cognitive designs; to hear and apply. Yes, in this growing liberalism, ears can now choose what to hear according to individual human condition and need. My children are now questioning the relevance of Christianity and the Christian beliefs far more than I did to my parents. With this atmosphere, as God always addresses the needs of His people, the prophet's prophecy must also contain in full or in part, the problems facing society. There is therefore the question of Purpose: why is God revealing this prophecy to us at this time? Is it relevant or it just to adds to a false prophets embellishing list of deeds? Every prophet in the Abrahamic religions, prophesied in time. By this I mean that there was an immediate need to be addressed and it was directly relevant to those to whom it was being prophesied. Ecstasy and fantasy has overshadowed the postmodern prophetic shrines to the glory of the prophets. Because the world of humans craves for entertainment at the doorsteps of happiness, artists have arisen even from the ranks of the noble professions as Pastors and Prophets. Their garments are designed with the most captivating gabardines for public spectacle yet their under-wears have been smeared by bloods of hatred, corruption, gossip, selfishness, and all forms of gold-digging hunger. So now, what is the content of TB Joshua's Prophecies? How are they relevant to his immediate community in Nigeria, Africa, and then the world? Do they really come from God, and who really gets the Glory? The last time I checked, he was in the news about the Malaysian Flight 370. The other time was the death of an African President. I am not familiar with his local prophecies, but at least those local incidents that have had global hearings such as the Boko Haram incidents should have, at least onetime, mentioned any attachment to TB Joshua. The question is whether he is a ghost prophet to the realities of his birth land or it is God who is absent? Do not get me wrong; I clearly understand that his ministry is not only tied to prophecy and his prophecy as well not tied to Nigeria, but there are many Nigerian problems we are eager to hear how God is addressing them or how He is going to address. Such information can only come from a world-renown prophet like Joshua who from Nigeria sees as far as Malaysia, as high as thousands of miles into the sky, and deep as into presidencies and graves. Some Nigerians, and critics of TB Joshua lament that the prophet may be false or might have gradually been falsifying prophecy. In the likeness of those seeking glory to themselves rather than to God they argue; that he might have put on worldly, prosperity lenses which enable him to see far from Nigeria, self-gratifying incidents, yet which have at the same time blinded him to the real and compelling plights of the Nigerian people. How relevant was the prophecy of the President's death when in few weeks, Christian churches would be raided and hundreds of innocent souls snuffed by Boko Haram right from under the Prophet's nose? How relevant was the Prophecy of the Malaysian Airline when in about a month's time, more than 70 people will be killed by bombing in a Bus station in Abuja right at the front steps of the prophet's church? So they exclaim in desperation: "shut up your prophecies because they do not benefit us, rather they fan your popularity and inflate your pockets"!!! If such desperation is true, then they do not belong to God because in saying this to the prophet, they indirectly address God –and how dare you? In this Lab, we must also be able to do justice by pointing to powerful testimonies that we have received from those who have visited his shrine. We hear about those who have been cured of the dreaded HIV/AIDS, we hear of demons viciously cast, we hear of bareness reversed, we hear of blind seeing, we hear of lame walking, and even in an atmosphere where authenticity finds needle holes, we still credit him with such popularity. But more dangerous is that good deeds are not the finite mark of those who are God's : Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers' (Matt.7:21-23).The rest is left to individual scrutiny and individual perception. Those who have a higher spirit of discernment will know for a fact that a prophet is false but the difficulty is that they would find it difficult to prove even if it was compelling and essential to do so. 3.       The Prophet's Prophecy of Truth: How do we believe in a prophet if what he prophesies does not occur, and exactly as he did? One very confusing aspect of prophecy is that it is expressed in simple speech, sometime written in prose but begs to be interpreted as poetry. Its ambiguous nature, wrapped in mystery, offers interpreters a style-less dance of interpretation; opened after the event has happened, placing secondary interpreters in the category of critics. The prophet as the primary interpreter reserves the authority to dictate style; at such times at the advantage of his prognostics. If your Laboratory's aim was to find out whether his prophecy was an acid or a base, you won't come out with a Litmus' distinct color, yet the prophet will be the only one to say what he thinks he prophesied. This warps truth and frustrates clarity. Yet in a prophecy there are key aspects which must be exacted! What those key aspects are depends on the structure and content of the prophecy. Those prophecies encoded in meticulous details of emphatic numbers, locations, specific people and dates, face serious scrutiny risking falsehood. Those that are presented in general rhetoric stand better chances of being accepted; though on a plate of assumptions and pessimism. In the past, false prophecy was punishable by banishment and up to death (Deut.18:22). False prophets ventured unwisely with details and ended into death, but today false prophets have become so wise in their speculation work that they use multifaceted proverbs and idioms to express their predictions in order to dance around meaning in a ballroom of interpretation. This leaves critics with dissatisfactory meanings. Considering TB Joshua's latest Prophecy of the Malaysian Airline; he said it was going to be an Asian Country; the plane would be lost, in the sea, with people over 200 and because of impatience. These are key parts of his prophecy. Either anyone could have said something similar knowing that in a year's time something of that nature can happen, or he could have been more specific to name the country, the sea, the exact number of people, or the exact cause of the crash. By not doing this, he leaves for himself an escape valve if parts of the prophecy did not come true, and in addition, he can certainly twist parts to make a closer interpretation. Hence we are helpless because we cannot say the entire prophecy was untrue neither can we say that his prophecy was entirely exacting, but to his benefit as the prophet and the primary interpreter, he claims his is clear. Was he true? Yes. Was he false? Yes. Is he therefore a False prophet? Look at him from your own angle. Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. They are from the world and they speak from the view point of the world and the world listens to them. (1John 4:1,5). Jesus also warns in Luke: "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets" (Luke 6:26). 4.       The Prophet's Shrine: If you want to know what kind of prophet is before you, take a good look at his shrine. There are artifacts that represent the type of deity the prophet professes. But besides the nature of the shrine, there are servants and services; these are the hidden realities of the prophetic enterprise. Some churches are built like "church" but within their walls, activity very much is satanic. Some practice worship and praise, and a host of healing and exorcisms, but their motives and direction are diabolic. Some are "white garments", some are "Red Garments", but not all that glitters is gold!!!!! Some emphasize specific movements, signs, songs, sacred places. So if you don't derive some reason from artifacts, you can find something in the services. After TB Joshua's 40/40 fasting of 1989, he claimed that he had received a vision from God to commence his ministry. So he founded the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN). Watch this name carefully because it was purposefully derived. Synagogue: a term derived from the Jewish tradition, denotes a "house of assembly" or a "House of Prayer" in both Greek and Hebrew languages; possibly emphasizing his Jewish lineage with Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Church; a term generated from Christo-centric religions denotes a place set apart for worship or a group of people who have the same beliefs; he wishes to stress that he is a branch of Christ. All Nations means that it is geographically, socially, economically and anthropologically unlimited; in the likeness of The Great Commission of Christ (Matt.28 19-20). The two words, Synagogue and Church have similar meaning, so why would he use such duplication in naming his ministry? Does it not sound like "Church Church of All Nations"? I want you to also watch at names of mushroom churches as you go through your streets in order to compare it with TB Joshua's. You would find that as many as there are churches popping up everywhere, their Prophets or Pastors strive to create names that are appealing to membership. "God Alone Church of Christ", "New Emmanuel Assembly", "First Holy Church of God" etc. These names serve a personal business purpose, but they are disguised in garments of righteousness and evangelism, always depicting a seemingly Christly and Godly motive. Jesus Himself warned: "watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves" (Matt.7:15) On the contrary, walk through your streets and check whether any Mosque carries such embellishments. Check in your typical African village for real traditional shrines whether you would find a sign post. Instead, I have witnessed a trend, fake traditional healers leave their villages, move into cities where no one knows them, make a sign post and declare that they are great healers and prophets. They prey on the innocent, and the desperate.  Not all who place sign posts and cumbersome names to their churches or shrines are fake, but we are also able to watch that such businesses of fake shrines and churches have proliferated and infiltrated the economy. Attached to prosperity gospel people have now commercialized God to their glories. While some, through divine interventions have come out to testify of their misdeeds, some certainly await their doomsday; in this life or in the hereafter. It has been observed that TB Johua's Church business is a multi-million dollar business, pulling visitors from all over the world (All Nations). He employs enough personnel to handle services. He constructed buildings to host both long term and short term visitors. In fact it is a system that is self-governing and self-sustaining to be self-propagating. In the sense of "synagogue" they have constructed centers in other places in the world, but they only channel proceeds or fame to the center and TB Joshua in Nigeria.  So until he probably dies, you will not hear of another renowned prophet in his church apart from him. Can this behavior make us conclude that he may just be one of those prophets who want to glorify themselves by using God's Name? The reality with TB Joshua's business is that his has been recognized by Nigerian Ministry of Tourism to constitute a very vital element, and therefore deserves not only a tax-exempt status, but also some form of subventions. Hence in 2010, Weekly Trust, a Nigerian news paper noted that Tourism Has a Spiritual Face Too while mentioning the impact of TB Joshua's ministry to Nigerian Tourism. By 2013, The Guardian Newspaper UK, in reference to Nigeria Daily, reported that The SCOAN attracts more weekly attendees than the combined number of visitors to Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London. Such prosperity does not directly make a ministry false but it can shed light to how an evil system may be operating in the realm of the real. Go closer and find out where the money comes from and where it goes. Watch how the prophet is securing his position and fame. Discover how he consciously designs programs and services. Listen how he carefully chooses his verbs. Watch how he verbally directs worship to God but wishes in actions that all worship be directed to him. If you followed me into this laboratory with the expectation that specific result would be achieved, by now you must have been somehow disappointed. I may be more disappointed than you given that I was personally expectant. We all have the spirit to discern as individuals, though God gives discernment as a special gift to certain individuals. But spiritual matters cannot be tested or proven simply by physical means. It's therefore unfortunate that we went into a wrong laboratory. But at least we achieved spiritual enlightenment and at the human level, the critic's satisfaction. To conclude let me attempt to prophesy: If TB Joshua is a false prophet, he will be exposed soon, but if he is a true prophet, he will be exalted. It is just a matter of time! This is a world where almost every prognostic is believed to be a prophesy; if I am not mistaking. Nformi Emmanuel

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