ZANU PF-aligned pastor Obadiah Musindo of the Destiny for Africa Network said Passion Java has no one to blame but himself after his much-hyped event, the “Night of Wonders” flopped.
Java, who is also a ZANU PF loyalist, had boasted that he would fill up the venue, the National Sports Stadium, vowing to quit preaching if he failed.
However, there was a poor turnout, forcing Java to prematurely end the gathering to avoid further embarrassment.
His followers claimed that he was sabotaged by fellow pastors who didn’t want the event to succeed.
But speaking to NewsDay, Musindo said various organizations had mobilized people to attend the event but Java failed to avail buses to ferry them to the National Sports Stadium. He said:
Passion should not blame anyone, be it other prophets or bishops. No one sabotaged him except his team. Except, I repeat, his team.
People are so bitter because they took their time. They did everything to mobilize people, only to be disappointed by failing to get transport.
And lastly, for example, on my side, he promised to hire buses for us.
There are different organizations, but I can’t speak for them as some of them came to me crying saying they were asked to hire buses, but the money never came.
Past five (5 pm), when the event was starting, that was the time that some money was released for us to hire buses.
Who was going to wait for Passion until midnight? Who in his sane mind was going to wait for Passion until late?
Java is among a group of pastors who subscribe to the prosperity gospel which gained prominence in Zimbabwe and other parts of Africa, particularly Nigeria in the past few decades.
The prosperity gospel is a form of Pentecostalism that emphasizes material wealth, health, and success as signs of God’s favour.
In Zimbabwe, proponents of the prosperity gospel claim to have the power to perform miraculous financial blessings sometimes referred to as “miracle money.”
Some Evangelical theologians consider it a serious heresy and a deception for many Christians arguing it can be misleading and distort fundamental Christian tenets.
Critics say that by focusing on supernatural wealth and blessings, prosperity preachers may divert attention from addressing tangible issues causing suffering, such as corruption.
