TO many it was one of those ordinary Sundays where one lazily wastes the day away doing this or that.
But for me it was that day where I had to, like the Biblical Thomas, see with my own eyes.
So here I was, at Prophet Walter Magaya’s church in Waterfalls last Sunday.
Magaya is the head of a church called Prophetic Healing Deliverance (PHD) Ministries.
He commands huge followings.
He is said to heal the sick.
He prophesies.
Demons are cast out at his church.
Miracles are performed there too.
By the time I took my seat soon after 9am, the church was already packed yet the crowd kept on swelling.
The man has made headlines in the papers, stories of praise and denigration have been written about him.
But the crowds still come in their numbers.
They want to witness miracles.
They want to be healed.
They want the man of God to touch their hearts and spirits.
They want to hear his teachings.
Inside the church were wheelchairs and crutches of people who are said to have been healed by Magaya.
It is believed that PHD Ministries is one of the fastest growing churches in Southern Africa.
His Africanness, makes him interesting maybe an exception.
Congregants from the Southern African region and beyond holding flags of their nations thronged the service.
The service started with a praise and worship session where the church musical band churned out songs of praise to God the Almighty.
In between the musical intervals were presentations from congregants.
In this session, they told the gathering of their problems, how they got to know of Prophet Magaya and their expectations.
The congregants are asked for their testimonies by the interviewers.
The interviewer proclaims that their problems will be solved.
With that proclamation, the congregation went into frenzy.
“Today all your problems, all your afflictions will be dealt with,” yelled the interviewer.
“Pray! Pray! Pray!
“I want all of you to have a testimony! You will go home saying zvangu zvaita and zvinotoita chete naJesu!”
There was deafening cheering and ululating from the congregation.
The interviewer, his strength seemingly invigorated, urged the congregation to pray more.
Suddenly almost everyone got onto their feet and started sending their wish lists to God.
Anticipation, hope and belief were some of the messages.
I learnt that human beings will do anything to achieve their goals.
The human mind as I saw from those who were fiercely asking God to hear them out, is programmed in such a way it drives a person to achieve the Heavenly desires of the heart by a stroke of inspiration from somewhere and someone.
In this case this stroke has been unleashed onto these people by Magaya.
In this case, as I saw, there was a concerted effort by the praying crowd and the rest of the congregation to be at the same level with Magaya in the spiritual realm.
Such has been his impact on these people that their mannerisms resonate with his.
These people, I observed, have been drowned in Magaya’s powerful aura to such an extent they desire to live a life free from the troubles of this world, a life in Christ and a life of more and plenty.
Having grown up nurtured in a church with a completely different ideology and doctrine from the emerging churches, I drew parallels between PHD and my church.
I grew up being taught that prayer and praying for yourself is the only route to Heaven and that the prophet or church leader can only compliment one’s efforts.
Meanwhile, outside the packed church more chairs were being lined by the busy ushers.
They call those who sit outside the main building, the ‘overflow’.
At the entrance, aides were having a torrid time trying to clear the way for Prophet Magaya’s entry.
I gathered that some believe they can be blessed by merely getting close to the prophet.
I got back to the building where the testimony session was now taking place.
A burly man who said his business had not been preforming well had received blessings from anointing oil that was recently unveiled by Magaya.
“I got two mega contracts soon after using anointing and my business which used to generate US$20 000 a month now makes US$ 500 000,” said the man.
The moment everyone had been waiting for then came with the grand arrival of Prophet Magaya just before midday.
Some cried.
Others jumped up and down.
Many craned their necks to get a glimpse of the man.
Suddenly he got into business, preaching the message of power and authority and praying for the people.
Some fell into trances while others started vomiting.
The service ended around 5pm.