New face of ministry: as transit pastors abandon churches for Motor Parks

Emeka Ibemere

If you have boarded buses traveling especially to the East, South-South and South West and to some meters to North Central zones of Nigeria, you would notice them.

Suited neatly inside their corporate attires and clutching the Holy Book-The Bible and tracts religiously, they invade motor parks and garages meant for inter-state transit buses and; ‘In the name of the father; and of the son and of the Holy Spirit,’ they milk the passengers on a trip to their destinations, using prayers and songs as a hook to get them drop their monies as a ‘seed’.

This is the rave of the moment in new evangelism in Nigeria; a sort of approaches adopted by some skewed ‘men and women of God’ who are commercializing prayers and blessings at motor parks in Nigeria.

Call them bus evangelists who collect offering after preaching.

From Lagos State to Uyo, Owerri, to Akwa Ibom to Cross River and to Port Harcourt, Rivers State and also from Kano to Plateau State, to Edo and from Edo to Nassarawa to Benue to Enugu, to Eboyi, to Bayelsa States they are not in scarce.

 All round the country’s parks, these motor-park pastors and evangelists are making money preaching and soliciting for fund to keep their ‘Ministry running’.

The ‘pastors’ on transit hatched on the gullibility of the travelers and the fact the anything God in Nigeria; stir up religious emotion to get away with their smartness.

Most of them, while praying are not interested in their prayers but how many passengers travelling would be willing to part with their money as a ‘seed’ to avoid accident on their journey. 

Their prayer points or agenda do not pass accident, against vehicles breaking down on the road, unforeseen enemies, witches and witchcraft

, evil forces on the roads and enemies in travelers’ villages. Also, while praying, these men and women of God concentrate on the things that would motivate the traveller to sow seed to ‘support the ministry.’

As that wasn’t enough, their prayers are laced with enemies, fire, Holy Spirit consumption of the perceived dangers and enemies and blood of Jesus covering every passenger.

Some would ask “God to take over the drivers’, even in motion. Imagine what would happen if drivers dare close their eyes to join such prayers.

Their preaching doesn’t last more than three minutes and in some occasions, five minutes depending when the driver wants to move.

Some follow the bus to a certain point after finished soliciting for fund for the ministry. According to some of them, God called them not to open churches but to be transit evangelists. Some even called for alter call for those who want to give their life to Christ inside the bus. Perhaps, some might heeded that call and given their lives to Christ.

“But why do Nigerian bus preachers ask for money from passengers after praying for them”? A blogger simply identified as Ben asked.

“I had the opportunity of travelling by road during my last visit to the East, before our bus left; a pastor came in and prayed like the heaven was coming down. I enjoyed it and can't deny it. The prayer ended and just when I was about to say good bye, he brought out his very white handkerchief, folded like a bag and demanded for offertory money, I was confused, though wasn't surprised as the economic condition in Nigeria has made the average Nigeria man to expect anything at any time”. 

According to him, “the best prayer anybody, anyone can say is the one you say for yourself. Prayers should not have price tag. “Am I just an extremist on this view”?

 He asked.

“Did the disciples pay for prayers when Jesus prayed for them? Are we just being foolish about this condition? ‎Are we slaves for Pastors? Are Pastors semi-God? Are we too low to challenge pastors and other self appointed men of God, but they were born and would die like every one of us. Giving should come from deep within and voluntary”.

George Essien, another commentator on a social media, writing further, reasoned that lack of job and bad economic inclement are behind the motor park pastors.

“Have you noticed those ‘jobless’ individuals”, he said “No other description comes to mind who wait for the bus to almost fill up before they rush and give their ‘fast food’ message? Is there anything wrong with them preaching the gospel? Of course not. But these guys don’t preach the gospel. They rather preach a ‘cover-the-roads-with-the-blood-of-Jesus’ sermon or brief ‘blessing’ sermon and then demand for an offering” “There is not a single one of them who hasn’t failed to ask for a ‘seed’ to help his ministry after their rather disjointed sermon, if we should call it a sermon”.

Essien said he was baffled at the gullibility of Nigerians by allowing themselves to be skinned dry by fake men begging in the name of God. He said.

“And people sympathetically give. Nigerians never seek to amaze me. A very religious bunch. Any religious form or shape is a hot selling product in this country. If you doubt me, start a church; add a bit of eloquence in your presentation. Better still, go and get some ‘prophetic eye opening water’ from Ghana or a ‘miracle ring or soap’ from India or any of their gurus and then see what happens”, he said further.

“You will become the next ‘man of God’ that is anointed and that no man should touch. As matter of fact the fastest way to overcome the pangs of poverty in Nigeria is to open a ‘church shop’. A lot of folks ‘call’ themselves to embark on what is supposedly reserved exclusively for God’s candidate. One wonders whether the passengers give out of fear or for any other particular reason”.

Essien narrated his ordeal with one of the transit pastors on a day he had decided to challenge them.

“Only just recently I had to quickly rebuke one of these Bus Preachers. See me see ‘Jesus’ o. I had just ordered for recharge card through the bus’ window and was receiving my change when this preacher fellow had finished his rushed sermon. He started to receive money from the gullible and then looked at me and said, ‘brother, help the ministry of the Lord’. But I ignored him initially”.

 He continued, “Apparently, he had sighted on the N100 change that I had just received. He said again, ‘Brother, the Lord needs….’ Almost as if I had to give him. His face contorted to an ‘it-is-time-to-receive-your-seed-so-YOU-can-be-blessed’ gesture. Fury overcame me as I said, ‘Which Lord? Is it the Lord who needs this money or you? Why have you decided to bring shame to Christ? Does the bible say you should collect offering when you go to preach? Does he? And this message you preached, did you lead anyone to the Lord? Did you tell anyone about the salvation of the Lord? All you were doing was pleading the blood and sprinkling the blood of Jesus on our bad Nigerian roads’”.

“By the way who has given you the right to plead and shed the blood of Jesus? ONLY Jesus can do that and as high priest he did that at the mercy seat of God 2000 years ago. Read Hebrews 9.  It was done once and for all for men’s redemption from sin. So which one have you been sprinkling? Please go and look for a job and do’. You can only imagine. Silence engulfed the whole bus. Passengers turned to look at me. The man’s face was a mass of embarrassment”. “Luckily for him, the driver got in, asked if anyone was still owed change, and then zoomed off. While some passengers began to rebuke me for speaking to a ‘man of God’ in that manner(as if I am a man of Satan), one pastor at the front seat said that he thanked  me for my boldness and went ahead to preach a fine sermon of salvation without asking for any offering”. Essien concluded.

Chidinma Duru, a worker in one of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG in Owerri, capital of Imo State doesn’t believe there was something wrong with the mobile pastors. She denied the fact that hunger was behind their activities.

“I think they are not hungry. You won’t believe me, there is nothing bad about it and it’s not compulsory that you should give and they don’t quarrel with anybody if you don’t give. So I don’t know why it should be an issue. But she denied that none of RCCG pastors preaches on board. They can call for prayers while being part of the passengers but they can never ask for money”, she stated.

One of the drivers of Imo State Transport Corporation (ITC), who ply Lagos State to Owerri from Ikotun Park but refused to mention his name, said their prayers are good but detest the idea of asking for money. According to him, ordinary passenger on board who is not a pastor can as well do the same prayer without asking for ‘sowing of seed’. “So I don’t see anything big in their prayers that warrant them to be asking for money”

Investigations revealed that some of them even have effrontery to challenge some passengers for not joining in the ‘transit worship’ or refusing to say chorus Amen at the end of their prayers.

Akabuogu Joseph, a traveller with God is Good transport from Asaba to Lagos, told Daily Newswatch that Nigerians are weak and unintelligent immediately they hear the pastors preaching. It is because they needed miracles by whatever means. The Bus preachers usually capitalise on accident- free -journey and prophecy of prosperity for the passengers to ‘legally dupe’ at the end by collecting offering.

Another driver queried on the religious stand of most of these men of God and said the actions do irritate him especially when they begin to solicit for tithe and offering after praying for travellers.  He said at times he would be force to join them so as to avoid be clamped down as an anti-Christ.

A pastor, who refused to include his name while reacting on a question posted on a blog, wrote:

“I feel suspicious and get justified when they ask for contribution. May God truly save us? I used to preach too in buses but never asked for money. I don't see myself doing it again as I feel very ashamed by the attitude of our fellow preachers. It is really a shame; a big let-down”.

“These gentlemen and lady preachers asking and receiving offerings after 'preaching' have simply taken begging to another level. Sadly, people are accepting this as normal - someone offered me money during a neighbourhood house to house evangelism not too long ago, and was offended when I refused his offer. However, because accidents occur daily is no reason for us to confine ourselves at parks”,

“Sometimes you give not because you trust the person you are giving the money to; to use the money for what he or she said the money is for, but because you want to do your own part. And the God that you’re giving the money to would bless you, irrespective of what the money is used for at least that is what I believe”.

“If some of us see what our money is being used for in some churches we would never want to give again, but just for the Love of God, let’s give”.

According to him, “this does not mean that what some preachers are doing by 'forcing' people to give is right, giving is not by force, and dont let anyone deceive you. And as for where to give, you can give at anytime at anywhere not only in churches, you can give on the streets, in your offices, at weddings, charity etc, the most important is the willingness to give.

Olu Segun appeal for caution while making comment on the issue. He said Nigerians should hold their opinions and should not use it to deceive others from giving to God. “Let’s just do what are right to men of God and offerings. We shouldn’t abuse them and confuse people who give”.

“There is absolutely nothing BAD about asking or giving offering to mobile bus preachers. After all, we do the same in the church. If you believe in the preacher, you can contribute to his ministry. Many lives have been blessed and saved by that act of giving. People complaining here are the same set of people that will complain if asked to contribute even in the church. It is a spiritual injunction: give and it shall be given until you”.

“Yes there is nothing bad in giving. However, we must develop a sharp discerning spirit to know who is who. Watch out that you don't fall into the temptation. ‘Not all those who call me Lord! Lord! will enter the Kingdom of God’. Be careful that you don't sow your seed where you promote the Kingdom of Devil”, another commentator added.

Evelyn Onuoha, Lagos State University student also quipped that the bus pastors just ask for contribution to keep printing the tracts.  “Giving is willingly, I know he will not force you to give, of course you cannot buy prayer but it is very important. The money you give out for offering should not be a problem. Is not the same bible that talks given tithe, offering even went on to say first fruits”, she stated.

Chidinma Igwe added that where a person works, there is the person’s workshop and that from there, he makes out his living