Since the beginning of time, religion and the topic of God have been very contentious. People often need to realize where the line between spirituality and obnoxious religious beliefs lies. The disparity could explain the explosive momentum of churches in Africa and across the world. Primitive evangelization, or sharing the gospel with people who have never heard it before, is still ongoing in many parts of Africa. Another difference is that new evangelization, the revival of lapsed Christians, is more common in Europe and North America than in Africa. In its place, the new evangelization is happening all across the globe, and Africans are right in the middle of it. The rapid evangelization of churches also leads to misconceptions and misappropriation of the various religious factions. Currently, we have an increasing number of mega churches in Africa, and the resulting consequences of these churches are shocking, to say the least.
In a modern context, one would say that the church is taking advantage of faithful Christians. A deep look into the churches reveals the massive exploitation of Africans. So are the churches preaching the good news of the Lord that well, or are preachers and church proprietors preying on the innocence and naivety of the African population? Sincerely, it is hard to imagine the levels of convincing people need to surrender their properties in the name of the Lord. These occurrences are the first step to a conversation on the influence and effects of modern religion in our society. Are we better off with the traditional concept of religion? We are slowly unnerving Pandora's Box on faith and religion. While these ideas are more common now, they are a source of contention for the Church in Africa, fighting to reduce tensions and improve ties between faiths.
There is a growing sentiment among certain African governments and institutions that churches should answer to someone except God. The Prophet of God churches is a source of worry for many devout Christians. Millions of people join these groups because they think their leaders, who call themselves prophets or messengers, can heal the sick, cure AIDS, and raise the dead. But who could possibly challenge such seemingly invincible men? Churches in Kenya have been called for by President William Ruto for regulation. The government claims this action will help eliminate fake churches. He claims that these churches exploit the vulnerable rather than spreading the gospel. We need to plan ahead and know what to do to get rid of them. When asked for a reaction to the criticism of their unusual methods, they generally remark something like “we are being targeted”, “Even Christ had to deal with critics”.
The question, therefore, becomes whether or not the state should control churches or whether or not church umbrella organizations should regulate themselves. It is common for church leaders to live extravagantly while preaching the "prosperity gospel" to attract impoverished members. Churches and religious communities have mushroomed throughout the United States for many causes. It's been stated that Kenyan Christians are like a mile long but an inch deep, although 80% of the population identifies as Christian. Article 32 of the Constitution of Kenya protects the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and belief. It is stated in Article 8 that "there shall be no state religion." Churches are now able to function independently thanks to religious freedom. This demonstrates that religious institutions are entitled to autonomy. As long as the rules they set to govern themselves don't conflict with the law, they're ok to go.
Lifetime appointments with church officials should be avoided. The theology of the church has to be spelled explicitly, with its biblical roots verified. Under the proposed system, any church could register
independently, eliminating the need for parasitic registration via a mother church. The state may become interested in regulating the religious sector if its leadership needs to quickly advocate for self-
regulation. A governing body should have the power to censure a disobedient church, its leaders, and its members. Each church, eventually, ought to have a separate social ministry department. Every
religious group is responsible for constructing buildings that are up to code. Church clergy, especially, need to have a formal theological education.
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