Sometime back, there was this habit by village pastors that had gained traction and spread like a bushfire across Central Kenya and beyond.
These village men of God would organize fundraisers and call on their faithful to contribute towards say, buying them vehicles, build them houses, and other stuff that were meant to have the 'mutungatiri' (pastor) 'spread' the Gospel of Christ properly and effectively.
It was almost an abomination for any faithful, young or old, to miss church on that day set for the 'thoko ya mutungatiri' (the pastor's fundraiser).
All and sundry had to present themselves to church on the said Sunday with whatever God had blessed them with, failure to which one would be like a tainted sheep in a flock among fellow congregants.
Female faithful would bring their best farm products which would later be auctioned in the same church at exorbitant prices to the highest bidders. Men, on the other hand, would come loaded with cash and those who didn't have would substitute it with some of their best livestock.
At the end of the day, there would be enough money collected to buy the 'mutungatiri' his preferred car and enough left to fuel the same automobile for some time. But not any more!
Nowadays, in the same region, such fundraisers are widely ignored and given a wide berth by many save for the staunch faithful whom when the 'mutungatiri' asks them to jump, they do it and ask later why they were asked to jump.
But why the change of tune? Are residents moving away from God? Below are some few observations.
1. Religious emancipation
The era when a village pastor looked like God's representative on earth sent directly from heaven to save humanity, is long gone. The introduction of Kikuyu Bible and Kikuyu media where Central Kenya residents get spiritual nourishment throughout the week has widely contributed to demystifying the rural pastor who before the introduction of the two, was the sole source of spiritual food and guidance.
As such, the unrivalled attachment that faithful had on the 'mutungatiri' to an extent of heeding to everything he had to say, has widely been diluted.
2. Waywardness
It is an open secret that a section of religious leaders are hyenas in sheep's wool. They feast on their flocks, preach water while taking the strongest wine and enjoy 'things of the world' without giving a hoot.
Faithfuls are not blind to all these, a reason why it is no longer business as usual for the 'mutungatiri'.
3. Commercialization of the gospel
If a man or woman wants to serve God, they must do it without seeking to get material gains from it. It is even worse when the man of God almost makes it mandatory for the faithful to buy him whatever it is that he/she wants.
Such things have reduced the pastor's societal position to that of a greedy businessman who is only after profits and good life at the expense of his poor congregation.
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