General News of Monday, 20 May 2013

Source: Radion XYZ

TB Joshua's 'holy water' was supposed to end poverty

TB Joshua’s ‘holy water’, over which four Christian worshippers died in Accra on Sunday, was apparently meant to bridge the poverty gap between the poor and the rich in Ghana, one of the Nigerian Prophet’s Evangelists has told XYZ News.

Evangelist Samuel Excellence said: “[TB Joshua’s] position about this whole anointing water has to do with the fact that he realises that there was a large gap between the Rich and the Poor, and the grace of God is what brings healing, deliverance and blessings for the salvation of the souls; so his intention is that as people participate in this grace, through the medium of anointing water, that gap will be bridged”.

Thousands of Christians trooped to the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) at the Spintex Road on Sunday to have access to the free anointing water.

A scramble ensued within the humongous congregation with virtually every Worshipper pushing and shoving for access to the ‘holy water’.

The chaos resulted in a stampede in which four Worshippers got trampled and asphyxiated.

The bodies have been deposited at the Police Hospital in Accra.

At least 30 others also got seriously injured and had to be rushed to the Hospital.

Evangelist Excellence said Prophet TB Joshua had to personally intervene to prevent the disaster from exacerbating.

“Immediately the stampede took place….he was made aware and right on Emmanuel TV, he spoke to the whole world that he understands this and that and that is what is happening at the Ghana branch and as a result the church [was] coming to an end so that the Evangelists could take care of the situation on the ground; so he spoke publicly declaring that the service was coming to an end”.

The ‘holy water’ stampede has sparked a major debate in the Ghanaian media about the genuineness of what some critics have described as highly celebrated Christian cult figures who are followed by millions of people around the world.

A Ghanaian Pastor, who is the Founder and Leader of the Glorious Word Power Ministries International, Isaac Owusu-Bempah, is quoted by local News Paper ‘Gye Nyame Concord’ as having accused TB Joshua and fellow Nigerian Evangelist, Chris Oyakhilome of devil worshipping.