Would Jesus employ bodyguards?

An innocent mind can easily be deceived into thinking that temples should be the safest and most secure places one could ever think of.

We naively believe that the intention of anyone who goes into the temple is to repair their broken relationship with God.

One can, therefore, be excused for assuming that the temple is the safest and most secure place.

However, the melodrama in most Pentecostal churches and ministries suggests that temples have become very unsafe and insecure that pastors need the protection of bodyguards while preaching.

Possibly, their fear emanates from the businesses they own.

Most pastors have demonstrated this by building business empires in the name of religion while keeping their followers in perpetual bondage and slavery tethered to false hopes.

In Nigeria, for instance, Pastor David Oyedepo has been named as a man with good business sense.

Oyedepo even has a private jet. He is also the first to start the business of running private universities.

He is also one of the Pentecostal ministers who surround themselves with armies of bodyguards and lieutenants.

This has led some people such as Kamkwamba Jere of Mzimba to speculate that it is the business interests and honour that pastors are protecting rather than the imagined danger in the temple.

Jere, who comes from Traditional Authority Mzukuzuku, also believes that some pastors are using the barricades of bodyguards and lieutenants to show their worth, pride, wealth and honour in a society.

He wondered how God would not protect servants he called to evangelise and save the lost souls.

“If they are really called by God, why can’t they rely on his protection? Jesus Christ proved he was called by God and that’s why he relied on his father’s protection until the time God allowed him to die for us,” said Jere.

Jere said some of the bodyguards carry out terror activities on Christians who draw close to the pastors to be prayed for.

“And instead of condemning these malpractices as did Jesus Christ when disciples were preventing him to restore Bartholomew’s sight, these barricaded pastors are allowing their bodyguards to harm innocent and desperate Christians. This is very shameful! Could Jesus Christ allow such a barricade of security guards?” he said.

Founder of Lilongwe-based Real Vine Ministries, Pastor Dan Mpeta, said pastors do not need the protection of bodyguards because God is the supreme protector of the human race.

Mpeta said since his ministry was formed over five years ago, he has never hired bodyguards because he knows God is in control.

“I am not preaching to angry wolves. I am preaching to people whose motives are to repair their ties with God. Therefore, I don’t need to suspect that they are out to harm me when they come to our ministry,” he said.

Mpeta said even if Jesus was alive today, he would not require the services of bodyguards.

“Otherwise, why claim that our trust is in God?” he said.