Pastors Against Church Closure activist, Advocate MoAfrica wa Maila said churches will be adversely affected if a decision to put the country into a higher lockdown during the Easter weekend is passed.
The Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) announced earlier in the week it has made a recommendation to government to put the country into a higher level of lockdown over the Easter weekend to prevent a surge in Covid-19 infections.
During address at a Pastors’ Indaba held in Middelburg on Monday, wa Maila said that Charismatic and Pentecostals have already felt the pinch owing to the lockdown restrictions implemented by government.
“They have suffered in terms of a reduced membership and finances because of the lockdown as opposed to mainline churches that are funded from overseas or some by the government,” he said.
Wa Maila added that mainline churches are most unlikely to be negatively affected because of what he termed as inherent membership loyalty backed by huge financial support. “We do not have that. In fact, most churches have to rely on the tithes and offerings to pay their rent, water and electricity accounts let alone paying the pastor a salary,” he said. He also said that his movement is planning to conduct a national protest on Friday against a planned Easter weekend lockdown. “We are going to deliver a memorandum to all nine provinces’ highest offices. We believe that the Easter or Passover is the most important event in the new testament church,” he said.
