Christianity we all admit is much corrupted today. Emphasis has switched from believing in Christ to believing in Pastors and Prophets. The words of Pastors and Prophets carry more weight than even Christ. The latest vogue is some Christians referring to mortal Pastors and Prophets as their spiritual fathers which is a clear violation of what Jesus said at Mathew 23: 9 (And don't address anyone here on earth as 'Father,' for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father.) The issue of mistrust of Religious leaders today has eaten so deep that it has become an anathema to mount any defense of the few good ones among them. Any article in defense of some Prophets and Pastors is heavily ridiculed. This is the third religious article I am writing and I am sure reactions to it will not be entirely different from the earlier two I wrote concerning this same Senior Prophet of the Synagogue Church of All Nations.

For starters, I am NOT a member of the SCOAN. I have never met Prophet T.B Joshua before. I have visited their Church in Accra just once to collect the Holy Anointed Water he sent me. There has never been any direct communication between Prophet T.B Joshua and myself. I even doubt if he has the time to pay attention to my articles. I write these articles in clear conviction and belief that Prophet T.B Joshua is a true Man of God. I have researched on all the qualities of a true prophet of God and am happy the Man of God meets them all. The question is: Who is a true prophet of God? Let us look at some qualities and we will decide whether Prophet T.B Joshua meets those qualities or not.

The qualities of an overseer, Pastor or every religious leader is set forth at 1st Timothy 3:2 which states (A minister then must be a man of irreproachable character, true to his one wife, temperate, sober-minded, well-behaved, hospitable to strangers, and with a gift for teaching;) Now let us consider these verses one after the other.

Irreproachable Character: An irreproachable Character is defined as being blameless, perfect or above reproach. This mostly describes the conduct of a Minister who should have a fine testimony from even unbelievers. It is an undeniably fact that Prophet T.B. Joshua meets this quality and even exceeds it. Many people may not agree because of the baseless criticism that is hurled his way. But it is a fact that those who criticize him mostly do so out of a disagreement with the way he goes about his Ministry, out of jealousy or simply plain ignorance!

In Ghana, most of his critics are members of the opposition N.P.P who were uncomfortably with his close association with former president Mills. Their criticism of him is more political than anything that has to do with his conduct. Prophet T.B Joshua has never been involved in any conduct that has shamed the body of Christ or embarrassed his Church. He is truly irreproachable!

True to his wife: Some bible translations render it as ‘A Husband of one wife’. We all know that Prophet T.B Joshua has never been involved in any adulterous scandal since he began his ministry. In Ghana, some disgraceful Pastors have been involved in adulterous relationships that has disgraced and embarrassed Christianity. We all read how the second in command of the Methodist Church raped a colleague Pastor’s daughter and ran off to the U.S. We also read how a Kumasi based Pastor had an adulterous relationship with a married woman in his church and similar stories that are deeply reprehensible. Prophet T.B Joshua has been true to his wife and has never been caught in any adulterous relationship. That is a true man of God!

Temperate, Sober minded, well behaved: This represents restraint even when angry or attacked. It is undeniable that no Pastor or Church leader has been attacked more than Prophet T.B Joshua. What is remarkable is his reticence to reply to these unprovoked attacks in similar measure. Even when he has to respond to these attacks, it has always been in the context of what the bible says. He has never been known to attack other Pastors, condemn other churches or involved in fiery speeches. He has always exercised self-control in his conduct. The behavior of him has always been well admired. Not given to fits of anger or rowdy conduct. He has gained the respect of political leaders and even non-believers because of his peaceable nature. He therefore qualifies as a Minister of God!

Hospitable to strangers: This is one of his strongest qualities as a Minister of God. Being generous or good to strangers forms the cornerstone of Yahweh’s worship. At James 1: 27, a true religion is defined as (Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.). To look after Orphans and Widows in their distress is the purest form of religion. In Ghana, majority of Pastors dwell on tithe giving and actually threaten their church members who don’t pay. Christian leaders mostly interpreted the act of giving to mean church members giving bountifully to the pastors but not vice versa. So we have Church Pastors and Prophets fleecing the flock in the name of giving but will never lift a finger to help the poor in their midst. Has Prophet T.B Joshua fulfilled this cardinal requirement of being a Minister of God? Bountifully!!!

1. The SCOAN is the only church in the world that has a bus solely dedicated to transporting the aged from their homes to the church and back without any charge.

2. The SCOAN is involved in massive charitable donations in all part of the world. They have been notably present in disaster struck areas like Haiti, New Orleans, Somalia and other places.

The SCOAN is the only church that rehabilitates social deviants like armed robbers, prostitutes, fraudsters and other socially unapproved people. They not only rehabilitate them spiritually, but they do so MATERIALLY!

I have watched bags of rice and money given to these formally social misfits to begin life anew to the glory of God. One touching story I watched was when a woman and her kids from Mongolia treated badly by her Nigerian husband was assisted with funds to relocate back to Mongolia. Can somebody tell me how many Pastors and church leaders will spend their own money to help a distress woman go back to her country? The charitable works of T.B Joshua is not limited to members of Christianity alone. Destitute Muslim communities have all benefitted from the largesse of this man who is renowned for his charitable works in all over the world.

He meet’s this quality abundantly!

Gift of Teaching: The sermons of Prophet T.B Joshua are a delight to watch. He does not teach ostentatiously nor adopts fiery speeches to drive his points. He does not resort to unnecessary shouting or use of flowery or high sounding vocabulary to impress his worshippers. He adopts simple English and chooses his words carefully to the understanding of even the illiterates in his church. That is a hallmark of a good teacher!

I have enumerated the qualities of a Minister as set forth in the bible. From my analysis, it is undoubtedly clear that Prophet T.B Joshua meets and exceeds this even in some areas. He is a man of God and nothing can change that. Most Ghanaian Pastors who criticize him have no credibility or locus as Christians. They are mired in every misdeed that shames Christianity. Most also do it out of jealousy and envy. The man T.B Joshua commands respect everywhere he goes. People who criticize him in public are known to seek his help in private!

With a clean conscience, I declare that Prophet T.B Joshua is a True Man of God and I have ability in his standing as a man sent forth to propagate the word of God. I pray for God’s strength in his life and urge him to continue the good deeds he is doing. Some of us objective minded people will be here to trumpet his divine Christian achievements to the world.

kpakpogh@yahoo.com 0243370764