Jędrzej Czerep is an analyst, head of the Middle East and Africa Programme at the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM). He works on a book “Kingmakers” exploring political outreach of the new religious movements across Africa. Capital’s Groum Abate talked to him about his book, which he is working on currently. Excerpts; 

Capital: What factors have contributed to the rise in influence and power of Pentecostal pastors in Africa?

Jędrzej Czerep: Historically, Pentecostalism grew out of practices rooted in personal, intense experience of the works of the Holy Spirit. However, many of the newest churches rapidly expand because they focused significant attention on the attractiveness of their services. These resemble shows of pop stars, or motivational speakers, often involving live music. Emotions fly high, there is this ecstatic feeling in the air and the faithful feel like they have joined the winners club. But there is a well-developed, down-to-earth part to it. Churches are often run like successful enterprises – quickly accommodating wealth and diversifying portfolios. Pastors embody success and become a new type of elite. As they become influencers and opinion leaders, their words resonating among big audiences matter. Political establishments understand they have become a force to reckon with.

Capital: How have Pentecostal pastors in Africa been able to amass significant wealth and resources?

Jędrzej Czerep: There are diverse sources. There are, of course, contributions from the faithful, in different forms. They are generally happy to do it, as they see it as seed-sowing, which will bring returns. Not in the afterlife, but in the here and now. That’s the “prosperity gospel” – a critically important ingredient preached in the new mega-churches. Then, there are investments in real estate, hotels, and many other branches. Religious tourism is a huge thing: in fact mega-churches become one of the main drivers of intra-African tourism. It was said that Lagos-based Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) founded by the late T.B. Joshua was a top destination for foreigners travelling to Nigeria. In Zimbabwe and many other places, this potential is being explored as well. As becoming rich quick is seen as proof of God’s grace, than the faithful see amassing wealth by their leaders as proof of their spiritual qualifications. This discourages pursuing transparency. Political establishments, who seek pastor’s favour, tend to discourage that as well.

Capital: What role does the media play in enhancing the prominence of Pentecostal pastors in Africa?

Jędrzej Czerep: New churches are extremely media-savvy. The “do-it-yourself” media movement started with the launch of Emmanuel TV by SCOAN back in 2006, after Nigerian authorities banned popular miracle-making programs from national TV. Now churches typically run their own TV stations, mostly broadcasting sermons, and multiple social media channels, often in a very professional manner. In fact this style influences other denominations. You see other Christian, or Muslim preachers copying it not to lose ground.

Capital: How do Pentecostal pastors in Africa exercise their influence over government and politics?

Jędrzej Czerep: During election campaigns, politicians feel obliged to present themselves as being close to pastors, which, they believe, would win the support of growing Pentecostal constituencies. This puts churches in favourable positions. After pastors played a huge role in Kenya’s 2022 elections, prayer sessions started to be held in the State House. Certainly, tension around the secular nature of states grew under pressure from the pastors, many of whom openly question it. South Sudan’s Salva Kiir granted T.B. Joshua a government position and credited him for helping form the government of national unity in 2020. In the DRC, pastor Olivier Chekinah runs a shuttle diplomacy on behalf of president Tchisekedi, but also brings his own agenda to the table: he helped the Australian mining company for whom he worked to be considered for building the Gran Inga dam. In Zimbabwe, a similar relation was even officialised: pastor Uebert Angel was named the country’s ambassador at large, tasked with bringing investors, and given an office in the presidential palace.

Capital: Are there cases when foreign powers use those churches to win more influence?

Jędrzej Czerep: This is, of course, a reverse side of the same medal. As the US-based churches are often partnering with those in Africa, they become transmission belts for ideas developed in the southern states, the so called Biblical Belt. Israel benefits from many of the churches’ attitudes when they lobby for moving their countries’ embassies to Jerusalem. Russia attempted to win support for its imperial narrative by building ties to churches and conservative Christian activists in Africa. It even tried to put on its payroll a pastor standing as a presidential candidate in Madagascar. That, however, failed. Africans never bought into twisted ideas justifying aggressive Russian war in Ukraine in religious terms. That was because big, Nigerian Pentecostal churches, such as Enoch Adeboye’s Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), had a significant presence in Ukraine. When the Russian invasion began, they focused on the safety of their faithful. Thus, attempts to rhetorically turn victims into attackers didn’t work.    

Capital: What are some examples of controversial practices or teachings associated with Pentecostal pastors in Africa?

Jędrzej Czerep: Currently the biggest controversy is about “miracle money”, promoted by some pastors, such as Nigeria’s Apostle Suleman. During sermons he tells people to check their bank accounts and some claim seeing records of mysterious transfers. Majority of the onlookers decry this as exploiting peoples’ naivety. There is also the question of raising the dead. In 2019 in South Africa a video circulated of pastor Alph Lukaku “resurrecting” a dead man. It looked very staged, many people laughed it off and eventually he admitted the man was not dead. Afrobarometer survey revealed trust to religious leaders plumped in South Africa following this and other scandals. Generally, I see such scandals as a result of growing competitiveness among churches. You need to put something exciting on the table to keep your audience. Also, as starting a new church becomes an attractive option for elevating one’s social and material status, it is unsurprising that some dubious figures declare themselves pastors. Controversies follow suit.  

Capital: What are the long-term implications of the growing powers of Pentecostal pastors on African society and culture?

Jędrzej Czerep: Although churches provide inclusion into mutual support networks, a kind of insurance in the uncertain times, the “prosperity gospel” is a very selfish one. It narrows one’s perspective to their own. There is not much community in it. In fact, I would risk a hypothesis that it runs against maintaining traditional African communitarianism. Churchgoers, like readers of “Get rich quick” handbooks, may think: “Maybe it was the very sharing nature of our cultures that kept us poor?” Therefore a switch to a very selfish mode may seem like a good idea, especially if pastors say God wants it.

In his recent book, American-Nigerian writer Ebenezer Obadare decried that growth of new churches dethroned writers and public intellectuals from the position of moral authorities in his native country. That role is now fully in the hands of pastors. There is therefore, the risk of a major shift in where and how to seek solutions to states problems. In this case, he argues, the general public favours supernatural explanations over knowledge-based reflection. This may negatively affect the ability of African states to improve.

There is also a trend, in some states, to see those super-rich pastors, such as the Malawian-South African Shepherd Bushiri as a vanguard of a new, black, economic elite, a challenge to post-colonial networks. While I wouldn’t bet on that optimistic perspective, those mega-churches succeed in finding followers across the globe. Therefore they also help promoting African states, and change perspectives on Africa, prove they can compete on the global market of ideas.