During the religious war in the Holy Empire of German Descent (today Germany) from 1618 to 1648 the Catholic Church and the Martin Luther Evangelical-Lutheran Church were entrenched in a long and bloody war. The Bible never speaks about wars among God’s followers to please God and implement his rightful will only about punishment when people sideline his words. This punishment is from God directly not any of his prophets or Men of God by their understanding of God’s word and interpretation of dreams given to them.
In the world of the white man past and present prophets were and are extremely rare. Saints in the Catholic Church though are widely known in other white man’s churches not known. The prophets in the Bible were never enemies of each other fighting other prophets in public with words and actions. It is not recorded that ancient prophets used trumpets to announce they were the ones who had through their prophecy achieved certain destinies as a sign they were true prophets and prophets over other prophets; that without them certain things would have not come to pass. They rather allow their followers to speak for them while they stay humble and mute in all humility to their mandate.
In the world of the white man Men of God have various interpretations of the Bible. They argue them out in conferences and meetings but never attack from the altar the other side or get personal. They preach their own version of the Bible only in respect to other pastors. The Catholic Church and the Evangelical-Lutheran Church are in constant dialogue and exchange to work for God and his people.
In the world of the white man, churches are from the state (England) or history (Catholic Church, Protestant Church, Greek Orthodox Church, etc.). They belong not to a single person but to a community of people.
Africa is very different. Private Churches are more in numbers than community churches. Private churches mostly have a greater influence on African societies than community churches. Compared to pastors e.g. in Germany we can call our German Men of God poor almost like beggars.
The USA knows the system of private churches making their founders rich and super-rich. The European settlers broke away from the authoritarian regime of European Churches to find their own way of salvation and blessing. Americans do not like to be influenced by the state or any state authority so not by the church as a global institution.
European missionaries entered Africa in the 16th century behind the front of the colonial masters. They came from the two main churches in Europe and established branches in foreign territory. They helped the colonial masters to oppress the locals and keep them in line with the strategy of exploitation.
After the independence in the 1960s of most African countries, individuals saw the time had come to take political life into their own hands and others to take over from missionaries. A new elite emerged. Both sides needed no connections but cleverness to make it; ground zero for “heroes”. They started to write their story of glory on the empty white sheet of paper the paper of history. In Europe after two world wars business continued along traditional lines.
As more and more prophets and pastors were trying to gather followers behind them with it fame and fortune the limited number of followers was faced with the need to distinguish between money-making machines in human flesh and the true Men of God. The to see and separate prophets from charlatans are clear. One sign of a designated prophet is he does not need to fight others but spread the good news. And others should speak for him and his prophecies.
What does God think about his church in Africa someone might ask?
