A clergyman has advised Church leaders in the country to encourage their members to apply for various government empowerment funds.
Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) Executive Director Andrew Mwenda has noticed that many believers shun government empowerment programmes at the expense of just praying against poverty.
Bishop Mwenda says prayer alone is not a solution to poverty because God expects every believer to also take action towards uplifting their livelihoods.
The bishop said this during the Pastors’ Ordination ceremony held at the Reconciliation Ministries International Church in Chibombo District.
He says it is disheartening that many believers are living in poverty when government is giving out loans and grants aimed at improving people’s livelihoods.
“Do not just pray and do nothing when Government is giving out loans and grants under CDF, go and apply,” he said.
Bishop Mwenda says government has allocated enough funds under the Citizens Economic Empowerment (CEEC) and the Constituency Development Funds (CDF) that church members should take advantage of.
The Bishop has since urged the newly ordained pastors to engage civic leaders in their respective wards and familiarize themselves with CDF guidelines in order to access funds.
He said the role of a pastor is not limited to feeding the church members with the word of God alone, but also to educate them on how they can be empowered and improve their livelihoods.
Bishop Banda has also urged the church members to recognize and respect religious, traditional and political leaders saying it is biblical to do so.
And in an interview Father Emmanuel Kabinga of Catholic Church, said church leaders have a duty to encourage their members to benefit from government empowerment programmes.
Same as giving you tithe won’t eradicate poverty.
There is no solution to poverty. The richest people on earth are not the most hard working. There are people who sleep only 4 hours a day, work up at 04:00, toil all day, and are still poor. Others work for Google and are asleep half of the day at their desks, but still get richer. Chance happens to us all.
I saw a very hard hitting page somewhere which showed a converted warehouse into a church with big lights of jesus ………….
With the caption………….
“…Black people buy factories and Wear houses and convert them into churches to pray for jobs…”
Its an investment. Like what Spaka said above, some people only have to read a few verses from the Bible and become millionaires…..kikiki. Kill or be killed!!!
I meant to ref The Saint comment above.
i agree with what the clergy has said there is this nostalgia amongst some of the ppl beliving that there poorish will be eradicated by just praying to God to give them what they want Nah!! But you have to work for it to gain what you want and its even says God help those who help themselves you can’t just woking up every morning and pray to God to give you what you want without having any initiative to do anything the all day and expecting God to drop a sack of money or mealie meal at your doorstep no. You have to be in the” Tamaga” mood to acquire it simple as that and then you can pray and thank you God for it.