Pastors are not everyone’s bowl of broth but Kenyans, unless you are one, stick to your lanes.
There has been a lot of debate surrounding an interview Jubilee Christian Church (JCC) Pastor Kathy Kiuna had with Citizen TV’s Lilian Muli on Friday.
During the interview, Kiuna said that anyone who needed to visit her at home needed an appointment. This has been taken in a way that has left many wondering whether she is human, inhumane or just purely arrogant.
Before you write her off, there are a few reality checks Kenyans need to make before bashing her. Kenyans will hate on many things and people but usually without context.
On Saturday, Njoki Chege was spitting fire and brimstone advising Kenyans on why they should not take pastors seriously. In her article “And you ask why I told you not to not listen to pastors!” Chege was all out disdaining the men of the cloth. Her beef was that a lady was assaulted by her husband but stayed in the marriage on her pastor’s advice.
This was enough reason for the writer to bunch all the pastors together and asked Kenyans to ignore them altogether.
She put all the pastors in one basket and condemned them terming them the devil who comes today not dressed in a black robe, spotting a pair of horns and red, scary eyes but “he comes carrying a Bible, stands on the pulpit, asks you for your money to bankroll his high-end lifestyle and his name is “Pastor”. Kenyan pastors are the devil incarnates and you Kenyan women need to stop giving them a reason to be in business.”
Probably many will ignore her and pray for her but as we have heard many times before, choices have consequences.
Chege and many others in her bandwagon will dismiss and discredit pastors just because one went way out of the Bible teachings and misled his flock.
But, just like any other home, Kathy and other pastors need time off. If it is church business, why take it to her house? Why not establish boundaries and respect for these people who need our help also?
It is not Kiuna’s mistake to be adored. Any individual above 18 can make their own decisions and if they choose to worship personalities, so be it. There are several people making a livelihood out of other people’s lives and for Njoki, she should be glad these pastors and their ‘ladies of lion’ place meals on her table.
She should be glad that maybe none will take legal action but she should know that her disdain for pastors and insulting all of them has a price. Her writing cannot afford it.
Ignorance is bliss and those who speak from outside can never exactly tell what goes on on the inside. Bashing pastors will give you fame for a while and when you’re forgotten, probably it is the same pastors you may need to go to for comfort.
But, for the churchgoers, they should also read and understand the Bible for as Matthew 24:5 says; For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. (NIV)
Wisdom is not passed on passively. You work for it!