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With the issues raised by Dr. Stella Immanuel, the media is now combing through her sermons. And there’s plenty staple stuff they’ve found. Some of our friends are asking: aren’t you Pentecostal preacher like her? #athread
I want to tweet a little bit about African Pentecostalism. This movement in Africa is complex, diverse and complicated. Here it goes.
African Pentecostals can be grouped is at least four, or five groups. The first one is what we would call classical Pentecostals. This branch was planted mainly by mainline Pentecostal churches from USA and Canada, and Europe.
The classical pentes are churches planted by Assemblies of God, Holiness Church, the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada etc. This movement has grown mostly in South Africa, and some parts of West Africa. In Zambia, the PAOGZ is one such church.
Classical pentes are doctrinally identical with the wider evangelical movement. With the exception of glosolallia or speaking in tongues. Classical pentes believe that speaking in tongues is an initial evidence of the Holy Spirit.
Classical pentes are passionate evangelists. And they believe in healings and holding “crusades”. They are also quite missional. Sending personnel and money to Africa.
The second group is the Word of Faith movement, whose roots are also American. These word of faith churches are styled under the Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland - non-denominational model.
The word of faith also believe in “tongues” and healing, just like their classical counterparts. However, the word of faith’s unique contribution to Pentecostalism in Africa is the prosperity gospel.
Several churches in Africa can be classified under the word of faith, Nevers Mumba’s Victory Ministries in Zambia, or Mensa Otabil in Ghana.
The third group is what I would call breakaway revivalist pentes. These are pentes that broke away from the mainline African denominations - Lenshina’s Lumpa, Grace Ministries, or BIGOCCA in Zambia. They break away from Catholics, or the Presbyterians.
The fourth group is what I would call the profita movement. This movement takes a few elements from each of the 3. It emphasizes prophecy, divination, and witchfinding. The profita movement has grown tremendously in Nigeria, as well as Congo DR. It has now spread all over Africa.
South Africa has had its own share of the profita movement. The titles for leaders of these movements have unique names such as seer, prophet, or commander.
The fifth movement is quite difficult to define. It is represented by the likes of Dr. Stella Immanuel. An unwavering belief in the literal text of the Bible, with some beliefs that seem@to be informed by African initiated spiritualities.
Both the profita movement, and the 5th movement believe that the physical world is a manifest of what happens in the spirit. And so, yes, spirits do have sex with humans and for that people need deliverance.
Dr. Stella Immanuel’s kind of movement has grown into the West. Mostly among the African diaspora. The movement’s main leader believes in what is known as “dangerous prayers”, where the physical world can be changed by powerful prayers.
With such rich diversity among pentes, it is important to draw constrasts and not lump this young movement into one big heap. For example, classical pentes think that the profita movement is heretic. They also don’t think highly of the Stella type.
Perhaps something that requires further analysis is how the 5th group is actually spread in the West, by an educated African diaspora.
It is therefore not surprising that an educated medical doctor, such as Dr. Stella Immanuel holds certain religious views that are much more compatible with a pre-modern outlook - spirits, human-lizards, spiritual sex, and spiritual husbands or spiritual wives.
An African worldview, remains quite religious and spiritual - and it doesn’t matter how educated or uneducated.
The idea that spirits are the source of blessings and curses remains influential in Africa, even among the educated elite. The belief in witchcraft is still influential.
All the branches of Pentecostalism in Africa are growing tremendously. Biting off each other; and supporting each other.
With the rise of Trumpism, comes the first sign that African Pentecostals such as Dr. Stella Immanuel will be visible, and their messages scrutinized more deeply.
Questions arise. To what extent does religion affect the African educated elite? Scientists, doctors, etc?
Founders of word of faith churches in Africa, particularly west Africa, are educated individuals- scientists, engineers, doctors.
The “Dangerous Prayers” founder is a scientist by training. His African founded ministry is now in major cities of Europe and America, planted by the educated African diaspora.
In terms of theological education, some word of faith pastors have gone on to mainline seminaries, earning terminal degrees from mainline denominations.
Classical pentes who held some monopoly over theological education are now competing with word of faith churches who have established their own seminaries and universities in Africa.
What was heretic, will now be mainstream. And classical pentes must fear that the rising heretics will soon outgrow classical pentes.
This discussion must be adjourned sine die.
