Thursday, December 27, 2007

The church and Kenya Election 2008

Religion and the debate between those who want a federal state and those who prefer centralised power have become key elements in Kenya’s election politics, which are heating up before the December 27 poll. The Kenyan Catholic Church is openly backing incumbent President Mwai Kibaki, who is seeking re- election and who wants to maintain the current system in which power is concentrated in the executive. Meanwhile, the two opposition Orange parties -- the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) led by Raila Odinga and the Orange Democratic Movement Party of Kenya (ODM-K) led by Kalonzo Musyoka -- are calling for a move to federalism, a concept which Muslim and Protestant religious leaders say has the support of large elements their communities. Odinga and Musyoka, both Christians, have managed to rally Muslims behind them. According to an opinion poll conducted by the Steadman Group in late-October, Odinga raced to an 11-point lead over Kibaki, polling at 50% against Kibaki’s 39%.The Catholic Church, led by cardinal-designate Archbishop John Njue, said last week that it supported the centralised authority advocated by Kibaki. Njue added that federalism was a recipe for civil unrest because it had the potential to trigger ethnic animosities and religious intolerance. The prelate has since been accused of using the pulpit to campaign for Kibaki, who is a Catholic.
Peter Karanja, the secretary of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), a protestant umbrella grouping, said this week that religion would “influence voter decision[s] on the ideological issues pursued by the parties”. “Federalism and unitary government with central authority are serious ideological issues to which the church’s decision is important. Voters will take the cue from religious leaders and support whoever their religion supports,” Karanja said. Karanja said the NCCK would state its official position on the matter after consultations with member denominations earlier this month. Meanwhile, Al Amin Kimathi, the spokesperson for the Supreme Council of Kenyan Muslims (Supkem), told the M&G that Muslims would back the opposition’s calls for federalism. He added that the Protestant and Muslim groups’ political stances were motivated by the desire for social and economic equality. “Muslims are going to vote as a bloc. The government, under the guise of flushing out terrorists, persecutes Muslims and has economically marginalised predominantly Muslim regions [the Coast and North Eastern provinces].
These elections will provide a platform to express Muslim fears through the ballot,” Kimathi said. The Muslim community has held several public demonstrations this year in protest against what it deems as religious persecution. NCCK and Supkem, both umbrella religious organisations, joined forces to crack former president Daniel arap Moi’s stranglehold on Kenyan politics. However, since a government-sponsored draft constitution was rejected in a 2005 referendum, the two bodies have been involved in a tussle to determine who ascends to power in this year’s polls. While Supkem supported federalism, the NCCK then backed the idea of a unitary state with central authority. When Odinga launched his election campaign on October 6, he vowed to ensure that Muslim fears of being marginalised would be addressed through a federal system. Odinga’s pledge to dispense with punitive anti-terrorism legislation also won him Muslim support. The Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK), to which Odinga belongs, is one of the Protestant churches that support federalism. Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi, the ACK’s spiritual leader, says that past inequalities in the distribution of economic opportunities should be addressed through “economic federalism”” Uneven regional economic development is usually a thorny election issue in Kenya, and is often blamed on the immense powers that are vested in the executive.

Kuna Mariam wangapi kwenye Biblia ?

How many Mary's there are in the Bible?
The following are the ones listed in the New Testament.
One encyclopedia list the following:
1. Mary, the mother of Jesus (Luke 1-2).
2. Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom Jesus cast out seven demons. The name Magdalene indicates that she came from Magdala, a city on the southwest coast of the Sea of Galilee. After Jesus cast seven demons from her, she became one of His followers. Luke 7:37, Luke 8:23, Luke 87:36-50
3. Mary of Bethany, sister of Martha and Lazarus (Luke 10:38-42).
4. Mary, the mother of the disciple James and Joses (Matt 27:55-61).
5. Mary, the mother of John Mark (Acts 12:12).
6. Mary of Rome (Rom 16:6).
Another encyclopedia lists the following.
The Name Mary in the New Testament:
The name Mary occurs in 51 passages of the New Testament to which the following group of articles is confined. Collating all these references we have the following apparent notes of identification:
(a) Mary, the mother of Jesus;
(b) Mary Magdalene;
(c) Mary, the mother of James;
(d) Mary, the mother of Joses;
(e) Mary, the wife of Clopas;
(f) Mary of Bethany;
(g) Mary, the mother of Mark;
(h) Mary of Rome;
(i) the "other" Mary.

MARY
The Mother of Jesus. Mary was the daughter of Eli or Heli, of the tribe of Judah and of the lineage of David, hence in the royal line (Luke 3:23).

MARY
Mary Magdale'ne (mag-da-le'ne, or commonly mag'da-len; "of Magdala").

MARY
Mary, Sister of Lazarus. The facts about her are few. She and her sister Martha appear in Luke 10:38-42 receiving Christ in their house.

MARY
Mary, the Wife of Clopas (Grk. Maria he tou Klopa, KJV "of Cleophas"). In John's gospel we read that "there were standing by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene" (John 19:25).

MARY
Mary, Mother of Mark. Also sister to Barnabas (cf. Col 4:10). It would appear from Acts 4:37 and 12:12 that while the brother disposed of his property for the benefit of the church, the sister gave up her house as one of the places of meeting.

Chrismass on December 25

Why December 25?
For the church's first three centuries, Christmas wasn't in December—or on the calendar at all.
Elesha Coffman
It's very tough for us North Americans to imagine Mary and Joseph trudging to Bethlehem in anything but, as Christina Rosetti memorably described it, "the bleak mid-winter," surrounded by "snow on snow on snow." To us, Christmas and December are inseparable. But for the first three centuries of Christianity, Christmas wasn't in December—or on the calendar anywhere.
If observed at all, the celebration of Christ's birth was usually lumped in with Epiphany (January 6), one of the church's earliest established feasts. Some church leaders even opposed the idea of a birth celebration. Origen (c.185-c.254) preached that it would be wrong to honor Christ in the same way Pharaoh and Herod were honored. Birthdays were for pagan gods.
Not all of Origen's contemporaries agreed that Christ's birthday shouldn't be celebrated, and some began to speculate on the date (actual records were apparently long lost). Clement of Alexandria (c.150-c.215) favored May 20 but noted that others had argued for April 18, April 19, and May 28. Hippolytus (c.170-c.236) championed January 2. November 17, November 20, and March 25 all had backers as well. A Latin treatise written around 243 pegged March 21, because that was believed to be the date on which God created the sun. Polycarp (c.69-c.155) had followed the same line of reasoning to conclude that Christ's birth and baptism most likely occurred on Wednesday, because the sun was created on the fourth day.
The eventual choice of December 25, made perhaps as early as 273, reflects a convergence of Origen's concern about pagan gods and the church's identification of God's son with the celestial sun. December 25 already hosted two other related festivals: natalis solis invicti (the Roman "birth of the unconquered sun"), and the birthday of Mithras, the Iranian "Sun of Righteousness" whose worship was popular with Roman soldiers. The winter solstice, another celebration of the sun, fell just a few days earlier. Seeing that pagans were already exalting deities with some parallels to the true deity, church leaders decided to commandeer the date and introduce a new festival.
Western Christians first celebrated Christmas on December 25 in 336, after Emperor Constantine had declared Christianity the empire's favored religion. Eastern churches, however, held on to January 6 as the date for Christ's birth and his baptism. Most easterners eventually adopted December 25, celebrating Christ's birth on the earlier date and his baptism on the latter, but the Armenian church celebrates his birth on January 6. Incidentally, the Western church does celebrate Epiphany on January 6, but as the arrival date of the Magi rather than as the date of Christ's baptism.
Another wrinkle was added in the sixteenth century when Pope Gregory devised a new calendar, which was unevenly adopted. The Eastern Orthodox and some Protestants retained the Julian calendar, which meant they celebrated Christmas 13 days later than their Gregorian counterparts. Most—but not all—of the Christian world now agrees on the Gregorian calendar and the December 25 date.
The pagan origins of the Christmas date, as well as pagan origins for many Christmas customs (gift-giving and merrymaking from Roman Saturnalia; greenery, lights, and charity from the Roman New Year; Yule logs and various foods from Teutonic feasts), have always fueled arguments against the holiday. "It's just paganism wrapped with a Christian bow," naysayers argue. But while kowtowing to worldliness must always be a concern for Christians, the church has generally viewed efforts to reshape culture—including holidays—positively. As a theologian asserted in 320, "We hold this day holy, not like the pagans because of the birth of the sun, but because of him who made it."

Friday, December 14, 2007

Is Prophet T.B Joshua controversial ?

Anaitwa Bishop T.B Joshua, anajulikana sana Nigeria kwa huduma yake ya uponyaji na kutenda miujiza mikubwa isiyo ya kawaida.Tembelea tovuti take utaona zaidi.


Ila huko kwao Nigeria kuna baadhi wanampinga na wengine wanamuunga mkono.Wanaompinga wanamtuhumu kwa kuponya kwa nguvu za uchawi.Na wengine wanamuunga mkono wakisema ni mtumishi wa Mungu.Mwenye anajiita "a man in the Synagogue"


Nenda kweny forum hii uone malumbano ya wanigeria kumuhusu.


Thursday, December 13, 2007

Soma Biblia takatifu kwenye mobile yako

Fuata link hii hapa utaona jinsi ya kudownload Biblia nzima kwenye mobile yako.
Ni rahisi sana kudownload na hata kutumia.
Biblia kwenye internet click hapa

Monday, December 10, 2007

Mwinjilisti Kaka awa mchezaji bora wa ulaya

Unajua kaka ni mtumishi wa Mungu? Soma hapa :
Having inspired AC Milan to UEFA Champions League glory last season, Kaká had further reason to celebrate today after collecting the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year prize. As part of the draw for the UEFA Champions League group stage, the Brazilian was joined on the podium in Monaco by club-mates Paolo Maldini and Clarence Seedorf while only the presence of Petr Čech prevented a Rossoneri clean sweep. 'Special place' Kaká may not have struck in the final in Athens, Filippo Inzaghi scoring both in the 2-1 defeat of Liverpool FC, but his ten goals in 13 games enabled the 25-year-old to finish comfortably ahead of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Peter Crouch, Fernando Morientes and Didier Drogba, all of whom scored six. Speaking to uefa.com after the final, he said: "Winning trophies is what motivates me and I am looking forward to the next challenge. This UEFA Champions League, however, will always have a special place in my heart for the extra honour of ending up as the tournament's top scorer." Brazil hat-trick Kaká, who also won the Best Forward award, becomes the first Milan player to be named UEFA Club Footballer of the Year - an honour previously known as the Most Valuable Player award until the success of his countryman Ronaldinho last year.
Washabiki wa Kaka hapa

"Kaka reads the Bible ("my favourite book"), praying and listening to gospel music. As a member of 'Christ's Athletes', 10 per cent of his monthly salary is transferred to the church.Many South American footballers have espoused the same values in public, yet behind the scenes have been just as interested in the playboy lifestyle favoured by so many young, wealthy footballers.Kaka insists: "It is not my place to make judgments about the behaviour of any other footballer. Cars and women, things like that, have never been important to me. My family, and my belief in God and Jesus are the things which determine my life. I do want to live my life in the right way, and live my life close to God."At 18, he suffered a spinal fracture in a swimming pool accident. Doctors told him his career was over, and that he could face paralysis in his legs. Instead, he made a full recovery."I thank God for that, and it was down to him that I made a full recovery," he said. It is why, he explained, that he plays every game with the words "I belong to Jesus" and "God is faithful", stitched - in English - into the tongues of his boots."


Kumbe kaka ameokoka na anampenda Yesu

Goal celebrations generally fall somewhere in between raw displays of emotion incredible athleticism , and sheer ridiculousness (sorry no video available, but see if you can recall Finidi George at the 1994 World Cup getting down on all fours before relieving himself on the corner flag). Recently, however, a new type of celebration has made its way into soccer: the religious celebration. And no player is more overt in praising God after scoring than the Brazilian Kaká. Kaká’s celebrations initially appear simple. He raises both hands and lifts his head to the sky as he runs away from the goal. But the significance of these gestures is far more than meets the eye and begins to tell the story of one of the world’s most devoted religious soccer players.
Kaká is an evangelical Christian (Brazilian teammates Lucio and Edmilson are as well, but I am focusing on Kaká as he has the highest profile). He told the group Atletas de Cristo that he grew up in an evangelical family. “My parents were already saved and I grew up in the presence of the Lord.”
The young Brazilian’s faith became even stronger after he was baptized into the evangelical Reborn in Christ Church. He told Atletas de Cristo that was “when I began having a relationship of Father to son with God. … [S]omething supernatural happened to me. I can not explain it, but after that experience I got closer to God, more in-tuned with Him.”
Kaká is one of a growing number of evangelical Christians in Brazil. While Kaká’s homeland still has the largest Catholic population of any country in the world, the rise in evangelicals in the past few decades has been phenomenal. A recent article in the Washington Post offers some numbers:
Between 1980 and 2000, the number of those who identified themselves as evangelicals in national census counts doubled, to more than 26 million people in this country of about 185 million. The growth has changed the religious complexion of Brazil, where about 90 percent of residents identified themselves as Catholics in 1980. If the spread of the evangelical denominations continued at the same rate — an unlikely possibility, according to analysts — Catholics would be a minority here within 20 years.
But, as the same Washington Post article details, the rise of evangelical churches in Brazil has not been without controversy. Many of the churches focus on increasing personal wealth along with improving personal spirituality (and in this share many similarities with American evangelicals such as T.D. Jakes). But this monetary focus has made allegations of financial impropriety among church leaders particularly stinging. When Estevam and Sonia Hernandes-Filho, leaders of the a Brazilian evangelical church, were detained by U.S. Customs officials for attempting to bring in large amounts of undeclared cash, it was big news back in Brazil, where the couple is wanted for “siphoning off millions of dollars in followers’ money for personal enrichment.”
Estevam and Sonia Hernandes-Filho
News of the arrest of the Hernandes-Filhos was also notable because they head the Reborn in Christ Church, which counts a certain young man named Kaká among its disciples.The problems at the top of the church, however, have not filtered down to its most famous disciple. Kaká is described as having “impeccable manners and dedication” and has done work with the World Food Programme (see article titled Kaká Able to See Beyond Dollar Signs). He also has strong morals that he lives out in his professional life (the anti-Rooney, if you will): “I will not brawl … I am not supposed to be punching people up on the field or swearing.”
Kaká’s sense of morality also extends to his personal life. He objected to Carlos Alberto Parreira’s decision to allow the Brazilian players to have sex during the 2006 World Cup (maybe if the coach had listened, Brazil would have lived up to their potential). And, in what Alex Bellos saidmust be a first for a footballer at his level” proudly declared himself to be a virgin at his 2006 marriage.
But, as defines evangelicals, Kaká is not satisfied to live out the Gospel in his own life. He has actively used his status as a professional athlete to promote his religious agenda. In addition to his more muted arms-raised celebration, Kaká has also made a habit of wearing t-shirts with evangelical messages underneath his uniform, which he exposes after scoring. The shirt he put on after winning the Champions League in 2003, which displayed the phrase “I belong to Jesus” (in English, a language he does not speak) was clearly intended to spreading a message to as wide an audience as possible.
Indeed, Kaká is open about his intentions. In his interview with Atletas de Cristo, he mixes the language of religion and soccer.
To those who already have Jesus: you have made the best choice and are in the best team. Go ahead. Do not give up. The fight is great, but we can only win being on Jesus’ side. To those who have not yet surrendered their lives to Jesus: What are you doing being outside of this team?! Come to learn the Word of God, come to know who God really is.
And, in what was either a prescient piece of advice to his soon-to-become rotund Brazilian teammate Ronaldo, the t-shirt slogan that didn’t make the cut, or his personal message of salvation for humanity, Kaká says, “Stop eating cookies, while God offers us a banquet.”

Monday, December 3, 2007

Mchungaji Getrude Rwakatare awa Mbunge


MCHUNGAJI kiongozi wa Kanisa la Assemblies of God Mikocheni B, Dar es Salaam, Dk. Gertrude Rwakatare, anatajwa kuwa ndiye anayetarajiwa kuirithi mikoba ya ubunge ya Naibu Waziri wa Maendeleo ya Jamii, Jinsia na Watoto, Salome Joseph Mbatia, aliyefariki dunia kwa ajali ya gari Jumatano iliyopita, Njombe, mkoani Iringa.Mbatia aliyefariki dunia akiwa katika kampeni za kusaka kura za ujumbe wa Halmashauri Kuu ya Taifa ya CCM (NEC), alipata uwaziri kutokana na kuwa Mbunge wa Viti Maalumu kupitia Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).Kwa mujibu wa dodoso za kisiasa, Dk. Rwakatare mwenye umri wa miaka 55, ambaye pia ni mmiliki wa shule za St. Mary's, anapewa nafasi hiyo kutokana na mtiririko katika orodha ya wagombea wa Viti Maalumu vya ubunge kupitia chama tawala, CCM ambao majina yao yalipelekwa Tume ya Taifa ya Uchaguzi (NEC).Katika orodha hiyo iliyotokana na uchaguzi mkuu wa mwaka 2005, jina la Dk. Rwakatare (CCM) linatajwa kuwa lilishika nafasi ya 61 kati ya majina ya wagombea wa Viti Maalumu vya wanawake yaliyopelekwa NEC kwa ajili ya kuthibitishwa kupenya hadi bungeni.Kwa mujibu wa NEC, CCM inawakilishwa bungeni na wabunge 58 wa viti maalumu vya wanawake. Kati ya wabunge hao, 42 wanawakilisha mikoa ya Tanzania Bara, kila mkoa ukiwakilishwa na wabunge wawili na wabunge 10 waliochaguliwa na chama kutokana na kushika nafasi ya tatu nyuma ya wabunge hao 42 kutoka mikoani.Lakini jina la Dk. Rwakatare na wengine kuanzia namba 60 kwenda juu, lilikatwa kutokana na kuwapo viti maalumu 58 vya wanawake vya kuiwakilisha CCM bungeni. UWT ilitoa upendeleo kwa kulipa kila kundi kiti kimoja isipokuwa UVCCM iliyopewa viti viwili.UVCCM ilipewa nyongeza ya kiti kimoja baada ya Baraza Kuu la umoja huo kutaka kupewa kiti kimoja zaidi, likipinga kuwa na mwakilishi mmoja tu katika chombo hicho cha kutunga sheria.Katika mkutano huo, wajumbe wa Baraza Kuu la UVCCM, waliweka shinikizo kwamba endapo kiti hicho kisingeongezwa, basi hata ile nafasi moja ambayo walipewa wangeikataa.Katika mchakato wa kutafuta wawakilishi wa umoja huo, Lucy Mayenga, alishika nafasi ya kwanza, nafasi ya pili ilichukuliwa na Amina.Dk. Rwakatare hakupatikana kuzungumzia suala hilo, kwani kila alipotafutwa kupitia simu yake ya mkononi, ilikuwa haipatikani.Naye, Dk. Ishengoma alipotafutwa kuzungumzia angalau mtu aliyemfuatia, alidai yuko mbali na Dar es Salaam na kwamba hafahamu lolote.Hata hivyo, kulingana na orodha, baada ya Dk. Ishengoma, Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Pwani aliyeirithi mikoba ya hayati Amina Chifupa, anayefuatia ni Dk. Rwakatare."Huyu yupo katika orodha ya waliopendekezwa na CCM, kama ilivyo kwa Dk. Ishengoma, si unakumbuka hata aliyemrithi Amina Chifupa hakutoka UVCCM? Wote hawa ni watu wa CCM, kwa hiyo inawezekana akarithi mtu kutoka katika orodha ya NEC, hasa anayemfuatia Dk. Ishengoma," kilieleza chanzo chetu cha habari.Dk. Ishengoma, baada ya kukabidhiwa mikoba ya Chifupa aliyefariki Juni 26, mwaka huu, aliapishwa Agosti 16, mwaka huu.Dk. Ishengoma, aliapishwa katika siku ya mwisho ya mkutano wa Bunge la Bajeti ya serikali ya mwaka wa fedha wa 2007/2008.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

VOM News and Prayer Update

November 27, 2007
"I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
(Philippians 4:12-13) TURKMENISTAN
Pastor Released from Prison - VOM Sources / Forum 18 NewsOn November 9, Baptist Pastor Vyacheslav Kalataevsky was released after eight months in prison. According to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts, Kalataevsky and his family are thankful for the prayers and support of believers around the world. Forum 18 News reports government officials have warned Pastor Kalataevsky not to meet for worship with fellow believers. Pastor Kalataevsky told Forum 18, "Officials summoned me for what they said was a conversation, but at the end presented me with a pre-written statement saying that I agreed not to meet with my fellow believers. All it lacked was my signature, but I refused to sign it, both on my behalf and on behalf of my wife." The Forum 18 report added, "Although Kalataevsky's congregation does not oppose state registration in principle. Officials kept telling him that his congregation does not have enough adult citizen members to apply for registration. They added that unregistered religious activity, including people meeting together for worship in homes, is banned." Praise God for Pastor Kalatatevsky's release from prison. Ask God to protect his family and congregation as they face scrutiny and pressure from the government. Psalm 27:1, Isaiah 54:17
AZERBAIJAN
Imprisoned Pastor Required to Pay for Necessities in Prison - VOM Sources / Forum 18 NewsPastor Zaur Balaev's friends and family are said to be "shocked" by the financial demands he is facing in prison. According to VOM sources, Pastor Balaev is required to pay for hot water to wash or do laundry and cook his food. His family is allowed to visit him only after paying "a considerable amount." Zaur's wife was allowed to stay with him for three days for his birthday, but as she was leaving the prison, she said, "I am shocked by the conditions and the sum spent, because I was forced to pay for everything." According to Forum 18 News, officials deny payment was demanded. "The state pays for everything, including food," said Mehman Sadykov, spokesperson for the Justice Ministry. "Such reports don't correspond with reality." Pray for strength for Balaev and his family during this time. Pray their appeal will be successful. Pray that Balaev will be a testimony to other prisoners, demonstrating the love and power of Christ. Philippians 4:19; 3 John 2
INDIA
Christians Attacked, Church Building Destroyed - VOM Sources
KARNATAKA
On November 18, Pastor Siddarama Gokhavi (60) and six other Christians were beaten by Bajrang Dal activists who attacked them as they were worshiping in Ananda Nagara, Karnataka. The attackers vandalized the building, burned Bibles and chanted slogans against Christians. The militants included a senior police officer. Pastor Gokhavi and his wife, Rekha, were injured in the attack, along with five others. The attackers accused the Christians of coercing Hindus into becoming Christians. Praise God there were no serious injuries in the attack. Pray those responsible for the attack will come to recognize the love and grace of God and turn to Him in faith. Pray for the continued ministry of this house church. Psalm 91, Romans 8:11
CHHATTISGARH STATE
- On November 19, Hindu militants attacked a church, tied up and beat the pastor unconsciousness, and burned down a recently constructed church building in Manduwa in Chhattisgarh State, India. There are no reports on the present condition of Pastor Sudharu. The Hindus accused the church of being involved in the conversion of tribal people in the region. According to reports, missionaries in this remote area face regular threats from Hindu militants. Pray for the continued witness of this church. Pray for healing for Pastor Sudharu as he recuperates from the assault. Psalm 23, Psalm 107:20

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Mahakama Kuu yasitisha mjadala wa Mahakama ya Kadhi

*Yasema Bunge, Serikali haviruhusiwi kujadili suala hilo
*Ni mpaka kesi iliyoko Mahakamani itapotolewa uamuzi
*Mch. Christopher Mtikila aibwaga serikali mahakani kwa mara nyingine
MAHAKAMA Kuu Kanda ya Dar es Salaam imetoa amri kwa Tume iliyoundwa Rais Jakaya Kikwete kushughulikia suala la uanzishwaji wa mahakama ya Kadhi nchini isiendelee na shughuli zozote kuhusiana na mahakama hiyo hadi uamuzi wa kesi ya kupinga uanzishwaji wa mahakama hiyo utakapotolewa.
Uamuzi huo ulitolewa jana na Jaji Salum Masati ambaye alitoa amri pia Bunge na Serikali visizungumzie suala la Mahakama ya Kadhi kwa kuwa suala hilo liko mahakamani.
Oktoba 18 mwaka huu, Mchungaji Christopher Mtikila wa Kanisa la Full Salvation alifungua kesi ya kikatiba katika mahakama hiyo kupinga mpango wa serikali wa kuidhinisha kuanzishwa kwa Mahakama ya Kadhi nchini.
Katika kesi hiyo namba 80 ya mwaka 2007, Mtikila ambaye anajitetea mwenyewe aliiomba Mahakama kumwamuru Mwanasheria Mkuu wa Serikali kusitisha mpango wa kuanzisha Mahakama ya Kadhi kwa kuwa unakiuka Katiba ya Jamuhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania.
Mtikila pia aliiomba mahakama kuziwajibisha kisheria Wizara ya Sheria na Katiba, Tume ya Mabadiliko ya Sheria na Jamuhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania kwa kushiriki katika kufanikisha mpango huo.
Alisema kuanzishwa kwa mahakama ya kadhi nchini ni kinyume cha vifungu 107 A,3,9, (a) (f) na (h) 13 na 19 vya Katiba ya Jamuhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania vinavyozuia kuanzishwa kwa chombo chochote cha sheria chenye misingi ya kibaguzi.
Hati ya mashitaka iliyowasilishwa katika mahakama hiyo, imeitaka mahakama pia kukifuta Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) kwa sera yake ya kuanzisha mahakama hiyo huku kikijua kuwa ni kinyume na kifungu cha 20 (2) (a) (i) cha Katiba ya Jamuhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania.
Kesi hiyo imeahirishwa hadi Januari nane mwakani itakapoendelea kusikilizwa tena.
Mapema mwezi huu, Rais Kikwete akizungumzia suala la Mahakama ya Kadhi, kwa mara ya kwanza, alisema hoja ya Kadhi haikuanzishwa na yeye wala CCM bali wapinzani.
Rais Kikwete alisema suala la Mahakama ya Kadhi lilianzishwa bungeni kwa hoja ya binafsi na aliyekuwa Mbunge wa Temeke kupitia chama cha NCCR-Mageuzi, Augustine Mrema ambaye alitaka Bunge lijadili na kukubali kuanzishwa kwa mahakama hiyo nchini.
Alisema baada ya Mrema kumaliza muda wa mbunge wake na kuhamia Chama cha Tanzania Labour (TLP, hoja hiyo ilipelekwa tena bungeni na aliyekuwa mbunge wa Moshi Vijijini kupitia chama hicho, Thomas Ngawaiya.
“Mara zote hizo, kwa busara ya aliyekuwa Spika wa Bunge, Pius Msekwa na Waziri Mkuu, Fredrick Sumaye hoja hiyo ilipelekwa kwanza kwenye kamati ya Bunge ya Katiba na Sheria iliyokuwa ikiongozwa na Arcado Ntangazwa na Baadaye Athumani Janguo kwa uchunguzi wa kina,” alisema Rais Kikwete.
Kutokana na hali hiyo, Rais Kikwete alisema sio sahihi kulihusisha suala hilo la Kadhi na serikali yake wala ilani ya CCM na kwamba ni vema jamii ikasubiri hadi tume hiyo inayotarajiwa kumaliza kazi yake mwezi Februari mwakani itakapotoa tamko.
“Tuwe na subira ili tuipe tume hiyo fursa ya kutafakari jambo hilo nyeti bila shinikizo lolote,” alisema Rais Kikwete na kuahidi kuwa Serikali haitafanya uamuzi wowote kuhusu jambo hilo bila kuwashirikisha wananchi wote.
Rais Kikwete alitoa kauli hiyo wakati wa sherehe ya kumsimika Mkuu mpya wa Kanisa la Kiinjili la Kilutheri Tanzania (KKKT), Askofu Alex Malasusa. Sherehe hizo zilifanyika katika Kanisa la Kuu la Azania Front, jijini Dar es Salaam.

Monday, November 26, 2007

List of Tanzania 50 Top Church leaders

Jamani wapendwa, hivi ukitaka kujua nani wawe kwenye list ya 50 top church leaders or pastors, teachers,apostles, evangelists or prophets tutatumia kigezo gani?
1.Wingi wa watu?
2.Uwezo wa kufanya miujiza ,ishara na ajabu?
3.Uwezo wa kufundisha na kuwafanya watu wanafunzi wa Yesu?
4.Uwezo wa kifedha/ mali?
5.Muda mwingi au miaka mingi katika utumishi?
6.Maisha matakatifu yenye ushuhuda ?
7.Kujulikana sana ndani na nje ya mipaka ya Tanzania?
au ni nini jamani wapendwa?

hebu tusaidieni hapa.

Baadhi ya picha za watumishi wa Mungu Tanzania.


Apostle Maboya(Ni kati ya watumishi waliokuwa wakijitambuisha kama mtume miaka ya mwanzo kabisa ya 90,kipindi hicho ukisikia mtu anajiita mtume ilikuwa si jambo la kawaida kama ilivyo siku hizi)
Pia ni mwanzilishi wa kanisa la Revival Assemblies of God Tanzania

Mama Getrude Rwakatare, Ni mmoja kati ya wachungaji wachache Tanzania wenye uwezo mkubwa kifedha, pia ni kati ya watanzania matajiri wakubwa.Anamiliki Shule za St. Marry's International.
Ni mwanzilishi wa Huduma/Kanisa la Mikocheni "B" Assemblissies of God.
Ni Mchungaji mwanamke mwenye mafanikio zaidi hapa nchini


Mwalimu Christopher Mwakasege.Ni mmoja kati ya waalimu wa injili maarufu hapa nchini ambaye huduma yake ya uwalimu inakusanya watu wengi sana katika mikutano na makongomani anayofanya sehemu mbalimbali hapa nchini.Anaongoza Huduma ya New Life Crusade/ New Life in Christ.




Mchungaji Christopher Mtikila.Ni Mchungaji wa kanisa ambalo wengi hatulijui jina lake.Ila ni mmoja kati ya wachungaji maarufu sana hapa nchini kwa miaka mingi hasa kuanzia miaka ya mwanzoni mwa 90.Ni mwenyekiti wa chama cha siasa cha upinzani hapa Tanzania na ni mpigania haki mashuhuri sana kwa miaka mingi.Ameshakamatwa mara nyingi sana na kushikiliwa na hata kufungwa.Amewahi pia kuishinda serikali mahakani mara kadhaa na amejizolea umaarufu sana kwa uwezo wake wa kuongea bila uwoga.Pia ni muhubiri na mwalimu wa miaka mingi wa Injili.


Askofu Zakaria Kakobe wa Full Gospel Bible Fellowship.Ni mmoja kati ya wachungaji maarufu sana hapa nchini.Anafahamika kwa kuwa na pengine kanisa la kiroho la mahali pamoja kubwa zaidi kwa idadi ya watu pengine kuliko mtumishi mwingine hapa nchini.


Ibada zake za kwenye TV za miujiza kwa miaka mingi zinawavutia wengi.






Mtume Veron Fernandez wa Agape Ministry.Ni mmoja kati ya watumishi wa kwanza kabisa kuhubiri katika Television na kumiliki kituo cha television hapa Tanzania.Anamiliki kituo cha ATN kituo cha kwanza cha kikristo hapa Tanzania.
amejipatia umaarufu mkubwa sana kwa mahubiri yake ndani na nje ya nchi.




Askofu Moses Kulola wa Evangelist Assemblies of God Tanzania.Ni mmoja kati ya watumishi waliotumika muda mrefu zaidi pengine kuliko wengi tunaowaona siku za leo.Ametumika kwa karibu miaka 60 akihubiri injili kutoka vijijini hadi mijini hapa nchini na nje ya nchi.Aina ya injili yake na style ya mahubiri yenye kupenya ndani ya nafsi imekuwa ikiwagusa sana watu wengi.Ni muhubiri pengine mwenye watoto wengi wengi wa kiroho kuliko yeyote aliyewahi kutokea tanzania.Kanisa lake limesambaa karibu kila kona ya Tanzania

Nabii GeorDavie wa GeorDavie Ministry iliyoko Arusha ni mmoja ya watumishi wanaokuja kwa kasi sana hapa nchini hususani mjini Arusha.

Huduma yake ya uponyaji na miujiza imekuwa ikipata umaarufu mkubwa sana hapa nchini.


Askofu Sylivester Gamanywa wa WAPO Mission na Huduma ya Hakuna lisilowezekana.
Ni Mtumishi wa kwanza kumiliki kituo cha Radio cha kiroho hapa tanzania (WAPO Radio FM) na gazeti la kwanza la kipentekoste (Msemakweli).
Amejizolea umaarufu mkubwa kwa ibada zake za maombezi anazoziendesha na huduma ya hakuna lisolozekana.Pia ni mwenyekiti wa baraza la makanisa ya kipentekoste Tanzania (PCT).
Amejizolea umaarufu serikalini hadi kuteuliwa kwenye tume ya taifa ya kudhibiti ukimwi.
Naomba ieleweka kwamba hawa waliotajwa hapa kwa picha haina maana ndio top Gospel Preachers/ Watumishi wakubwa kabisa hapa Tanzania bali ni mfano tu wakiwakirisha wengine waliopo hapa nchini.

Imani ya Vitambaa yazua mhadala mkali

Hivi karibuni kumekuwa na mjadala mkali wa kiimani jijini Dar es Salaam baina ya redio mbili maarufu zenye mwelekeo wa kipentekoste.Radio hizo ni Praise Power FM na WAPO Radio.

Suala lenyewe lilianza baada ya mchungaji mmoja kijana anayekuja juu hivi sasa mwenye kanisa lake katikati ya jiji la Dar alipoiponda imani ya kuombea watu kwa kutumia vitambaa akisema kuwa kufanya hivyo ni sawa na kutumia hirizi kitu ambacho Biblia imekikataza.Akihubiri katika radio WAPO FM ,mchungaji huyo aliyeonekana kuungwa mkono na Askofu mmoja maarufu anayemiliki mojawapo ya Radio hizo pia alipinga vikali matumizi ya imani za sumaku na kuwanywesha watu mafuta.

Kwa upande mwingine Wahubiri mbalimbali wanaoonekana kumuunga mkono mchungaji mwingine maarufu jijini anayemiliki mojawapo ya radio hizo ambaye anadaiwa kutumia vitambaa kuendesha maombi huku baadhi ya watu mbali mbali wakikiri kupokea miujiza, uponyaji na mibaraka tele kupitia vitambaa hivyo wakishuhudia kupitia radio hiyo, walikuwa katika mjadala mkali wiki 2 zilizopita wakitoa ushahidi wa kimaandiko kuwa hata mtume Paulo aliviombea vitambaa na kuwapelekea wagonjwa wakaponywa.

Hali hiyo imeleta mgawanyiko miongoni mwa waamini huku tume maalume iliyoundwa na umoja wa makanisa ya kipentekoste nchini (PCT) ikiwa inasubiriwa kwa hamu kubwa kutoa ripoti yake kuhusu imani potofu zinazodaiwa kuwepo nchini tanzania hususani jijini Dar es Salaam.
Kitu cha kujiuliza hapa ni nini majibu au matokeo ya maswali ambayo tume hiyo imejiuliza na kutazamiwa kuyatoa ifikapo mwezi wa 12 mwaka huu.


Wednesday, November 14, 2007

JK atakiwa kuomba radhi

MZOZO MAHAKAMA YA KADHISUALA la uanzishwaji wa Mahakama ya Kadhi nchini linazidi kupanuka, na kwa mara ya kwanza tangu mjadala huo uanze, jina la Rais Jakaya Kikwete limeanza kuingizwa katika mzozo huo. Rais Kikwete ametajwa katika sakata hilo pamoja na Mkuu wa Jeshi la Polisi nchini (IGP), Said Mwema, wakidaiwa kuhusika kwa namna moja au nyingine katika mgogoro huo, ambao sasa unazidi kuchukua sura tofauti. Kwa upande wake, Rais Kikwete ametajwa akitakiwa kuwaomba radhi Watanzania, kwa kile kinachodaiwa kuwa, dhamira yake ya kutaka kuigeuza Tanzania kikatiba kuwa nchi ya Kiislamu na hivyo kuirejesha katika mzozo wa miaka ya mwanzo ya 1990 uliohusisha juhudi za baadhi ya viongozi kuiingiza katika kundi la nchi wanachama wa Jumuiya ya Kiislamu Duniani (OIC). Aidha, IGP Mwema amepewa siku 21 kumuomba radhi Mchungaji Christopher Mtikila, kutokana na kitendo chake cha kuwatuma askari wamkamate (Mtikila), kumhoji na hatimaye kumfungulia mashtaka ya uchochezi wakati hana kosa. Akizungumza na waandishi wa habari jana katika ukumbi wa Idara ya Habari (MAELEZO), Mchungaji Mtikila, ambaye ndiye aliyeibua mjadala unaoendelea kuhusu uanzishwaji wa Mahakama ya Kadhi, alitaka tamko la Rais Kikwete la kuomba radhi liambatane na hatua kali za kisheria dhidi ya watumishi wote wa umma, waliohusika kwa namna yoyote katika kitendo hicho cha kuingiza Uislamu katika ilani yake ya uchaguzi, serikali na Bunge. Aliongeza kuwa sambamba na hilo, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), ambacho alidai ni kikundi cha maslahi ya kibinafsi cha watu fulani, nacho kifutwe kama inavyoagiza katiba. Mtikila alisema, Baraza la Maaskofu Katoliki nchini (TEC), Jumuiya ya Kikristo Tanzania (CCT) na Halmashauri ya Makanisa ya Kipentekoste Tanzania (PCT), walikutana na walitaka kutoa tamko la kupinga mapinduzi hayo ili kulinda katiba ya nchi, lakini serikali iliwahadaa wasifanye hivyo bali wangojee tume yao ilifanyie kazi suala hilo. Hata hivyo, Mtikila alisema, inashangaza kuwa tofauti na ahadi iliyotolewa na serikali kwa taasisi hizo nyeti za kidini nchini, harakati zilianzishwa ili muswada kuhusu Mahakama ya Kadhi upelekwe bungeni bila Wakristo kujua, mpaka Mungu alipowafunulia na kuwawezesha kuwahisha ulinzi wao wa katiba mahakamani. Alisema yeye hapingi kuanzishwa kwa mahakama hiyo, bali anachopinga ni kuingizwa katika katiba ya nchi ambayo kimsingi inapingana na suala hilo. “Tunachopinga vikali sisi ni kuingizwa kwa dini ya Kislamu au Mahakama ya Kadhi katika katiba ya nchi yetu,” alisema na kuongeza kuwa hata kama kutakuwa na harakati za kutaka kardinali, askofu au paroko wa Kanisa Katoliki kuingizwa katika katiba ya nchi, atapinga kama atakavyopinga kuingizwa mtandao wowote wa kidini katika katiba. Aliwataka Waislamu wasidanganywe kwa kuwa Mahakama ya Kadhi ni mradi wa watu wachache, na kuongeza kuwa, kuna nchi kadhaa za Kiislamu zimekataa mahakama hiyo kwa sababu sharia zake ni kinyume cha haki za binadamu. Alisema hoja ya kuwa mahakama hiyo itashughulikia mirathi, hija na ndoa tu, ni ulaghai ili iingizwe katika katiba, baadaye makadhi waue watu wasiokubali dini ya Kiislamu na kuangamiza Wakristo na Wayahudi na kuchinja Waislamu watakaoiacha dini yao. Alisema hivi sasa nchi haina Mahakama ya Kadhi, lakini Waislamu wanaoa, wanaolewa, wanapata mirathi na kesi zao za mirathi zinashughulikiwa na pia wanakwenda hija na kuhoji mahakama hiyo italeta mabadiliko gani katika masuala hayo yanayodaiwa kuwa itayashughulikia. Aidha, Mtikila alisema kitendo cha baadhi ya Waislamu kupinga ziara ya Papa ni kutofahamu kwamba mbali ya Vatican kuwa makao makuu ya Kanisa Katoliki duniani, pia ni nchi huru ingawa ipo ndani ya nchi ya Italia. Alifafanua kuwa Vatican ni sawa na Swaziland na Lesotho ambazo zimezingirwa na nchi ya Afrika Kusini. Alisema Papa atatembelea Tanzania kiserikali sawa na kiongozi mwingine wa nchi na kwa kuwa kuongoza kanisa ni huduma ya kiroho, hawezi kuiweka roho pembeni anapokuwa katika ziara ya kiserikali. Akifafanua kauli zake za awali kuhusu kupinga kwake utaratibu unaotaka kutumiwa kuanzisha Mahakama ya Kadhi, Mtikila alikanusha kutamka kuwa Uislamu ni ugaidi na kusisitiza kuwa Mahakama ya Kadhi ndiyo chombo cha ugaidi ndiyo maana hata baadhi ya nchi za Kiislamu zinaikataa. “Uislamu wa Watanzania usio na ukatili wa Mahakama ya Kadhi hauwezi kuitwa ugaidi kamwe,” alisisitiza. Kwa upande mwingine, alisema mbinu ya kamati inayotetea mali za Waislamu iliyotangaza azma yake ya kumkata kichwa, ni hasira tu, kwa kuona pesa walizokuwa wanataka kupewa hazitakuwepo na suala hilo halitazungumziwa bungeni wala serikalini kwa kuwa lipo mahakamani. Aliongeza kuwa, yeye hawakatalii Waislamu kuabudu, lakini si kuliiingiza suala hilo la kidini ndani ya katiba. Kauli hiyo ya Mtikila inakuja wakati taifa likipita katika kipindi kigumu cha msigano wa hoja zinazokinzana kuhusu uanzishwaji wa Mahakama ya Kadhi jambo lililogusa hisia za makundi mbalimbali ya Wakristo na Uislamu kiasi cha kutishia amani. Baadhi ya kauli za waumini wa dini hizo mbili, ndizo ambazo kwa upande fulani zilisababisha taasisi za dola kuamua kuingilia kati na kuchukua hatua za kisheria.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Kunena kwa lugha

Huwa najiuliza sana wakati mwingine, inawezekana vipi mtu ananena kwa lugha na wakati huo huo bado ni mtenda maovu mkubwa.Tunao wengi makanisani kwetu, utaona mtu ananena kwa lugha kirahisi rahisi lakini wakati huo huo anakuta ni mzinifu, mwongo mla rushwa na mtoa rushwaa na kadhalika.
hili linanisumbua sana akili yangu.

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Habari za wakristo duniani

VOM News and Prayer Update: October 30, 2007"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."(Philippians 4:19)
ERITREA
Gospel Singer Helen Berhane Granted Asylum in Denmark - VOM SourcesEritrean gospel singer, Helen Berhane, who was released from prison in November 2006 after being detained in Eritrea for two years without charge, has been granted asylum in Denmark. Berhane and her daughter arrived in Denmark on October 19, after spending 11 months in Sudan. Her health remains extremely poor, due to the physical suffering she experienced during her detention. She cannot walk without assistance. During Berhane's detention, she was held for extended periods of time in shipping containers and tortured several times by authorities in an effort to force her to recant her faith. Thank God that Berhane has found a safe place to live. Praise Him for her faithfulness. Pray for God's continued protection and provision for her. Ask Him to give her direction and wisdom, so she can continue serving Him. Pray for believers in Eritrea who face persecution and suffering for the sake of their faith in Jesus Christ. Psalm 84:11, Psalm 119:105

PAKISTAN
Christian Homes Demolished in Pakistan - VOM SourcesOn October 19, local Muslims demolished homes belonging to three Christian families in the village of Lobhana, near Lahore, Pakistan. According to The Voice of the Martyrs' contacts, more than 70 armed villagers moved in with tractors and began destroying the homes. VOM contacts said, "They demolished and looted three homes and only stopped when the police arrived." Some of the Christians attacked reported that the Muslims threatened to kill them. VOM contacts added that the land where some of the demolished homes were located had been given to the Christian families by the Pakistani government more than 10 years earlier. However, some local Muslims claimed the land, intending to build a cemetery. Pray for God's protection for Christians in this area. Ask Him to provide resources for these families to rebuild their homes. Pray the testimony of these believers will draw nonbelievers, especially their attackers, into the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Psalm 68:19, Proverbs 3:5, 6

NIGERIA
Muslim Officials Dismiss Christian School Librarian - Compass Direct NewsSixteen months ago, Muslim officials forced Asabe Ladagu, a Christian widow, to leave her job as a librarian. The incident occurred after she and others requested land to build a chapel in the capital city of Borno state, in northern Nigeria. According to Compass Direct News, Muslim administrators at Ramat Polytechnic forced Ladagu into early retirement without pay. Ladagu told Compass, "We were branded dangerous people because we were Christians. I have been forced out of office now for 16 months, not retired and not on staff roll of Ramat Polytechnic. Other Christian brethren, too, have either been forced out or have been the subjects of witch hunts." Pray for God's provision and protection for Ladagu and other Christians in northern Nigeria. Ask God to use their testimonies to draw nonbelievers into fellowship with Him. Philippians 4:19, Psalm 27:1

INDONESIAI
mprisoned Christians Sentenced - VOM SourcesThe remaining Christian leaders imprisoned in April have been sentenced to five years in prison. They were imprisoned after a video recording of them praying for Muslims was leaked to Islamic organizations. According to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts in Indonesia, "The defendants have been found guilty of abusing the Quran, and the judge sentenced them to five years in prison. Their lawyers are planning to appeal this decision in East Java High Court in Surabaya." Pray for those in prison and their families. Ask God to give them boldness and wisdom as they face these difficult challenges. Joshua 1:9, Philippians 4:13

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Mahakama ya kadhi Tanzania imeanza kutumika- by Mtikila


MCHUNGAJI Christopher Mtikila, amedai kuwa sheria za Mahakama ya Kadhi zimeshaanza kufanya kazi nchini kutokana na Sheikh Ponda Issa Ponda kutangaza katika Msikiti wa Mtambani kuwa yeye (Mtikila) ni kafiri na anastahili kukatwa kichwa.
Mtikila, alitoa kali hiyo jana baada ya kuelezwa na wanachama wake kuhusu suala hilo, baada ya kulisikia msikitini.
Alisema Oktoba 26 mwaka huu, wanachama wake watatu waliokuwepo katika msikiti huo ndio waliompelekea taarifa hizo.
Akizungumza na waandishi wa habari nyumbani kwake jana, Mchungaji Mtikila, alisema matamshi hayo ya kutaka kukatwa kichwa ni lazima ayatumie kama ushahidi katika kesi yake.
"Kama mimi nikikatwa kichwa kwa kuwa tu nimesema kuwa Mahakama ya Kadhi ni ugaidi, basi Sheikh Khalifa Khamisi, Sheikh Yahya Hussein na Sheikh Issa Ponda wao ndio watakuwa wa kwanza kukatwa vichwa vyao, kwa kuwa wao ndio wanaokula fedha za Waislamu.
"Wananchi waelewe ugaidi umeanza hata kabla ya Mahakama ya Kadhi…..je, mahakama ingekuwepo si balaa….. watu wanatumia redio kusema kichwa cha mtu kikatwe, sasa huu ni utawala gani?" alihoji Mtikila.
Kutokana na hilo, Mtikila alisema amepekea taarifa ya suala hilo Kituo Kikuu cha Polisi, lakini hakuonana na Kamanda wa Kanda Maalumu ya Dar es Salaam, Alfred Tibaigana, na kuahidi kwenda tena.
Mtikila aliwataka wananchi waungane naye na ikibidi wafanye maandamano kwa kuipinga seikali, kwa kunyamazia suala hilo ambalo ni hatari kwa taifa.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Waislamu wamjia juu Mchungaji Mtikila

Kamati ya Kuokoa Mali za Waislamu Tanzania, imetoa siku tano kwa Kiongozi wa Kanisa la Wokovu Kamili, Mchungaji Christopher Mtikila kuwaomba radhi Waislamu kwa kuidhalilisha, kuitusi na kuikejeli dini yao. Kauli hiyo ilitolewa na Katibu wa kamati hiyo, Sheikh Khalifa Khamis alipozungumza na waandishi wa habari jijini Dar es Salaam jana. Sheikh Khalifa alisema iwapo Mchungaji Mtikila atashindwa kuwaomba radhi watajua nini cha kumfanyia. Aidha wamemtaka Mchungaji Mtikila kutamka hadharani kuwa Uislamu si dini ya kigaidi wala si ya kinyama, na badala yake ni dini ya amani na mapenzi kwa wanadamu wote. ``Tunamtaka Mchungaji Mtikila hadi kufikia Ijumaa ijayo, awe ametekeleza masharti yetu, asipofanya hivyo tutajua cha kumfanyia,`` alisema. Aliongeza kuwa, pamoja na hayo, kamati hiyo imeviomba vyombo vya dola kumchukulia hatua za kisheria Mchungaji Mtikila kwa matamshi yake ya kuudhalilisha Uislamu. Mchungaji Mtikila amefungua kesi katika Mahakama Kuu ya Tanzania kanda ya Dar es Salaam kupinga kuanzishwa kwa Mahakama ya Kadhi. Kwa mujibu wa kamati hiyo, sababu anazotoa Mchungaji Mtikila ni kuwa ameamua kufungua kesi hiyo ili kupinga ugaidi yaani Uislamu kwa kuwa Tanzania si nchi ya Kiislamu. Pia kuanzishwa kwa mahakama hiyo alisema kutaleta matabaka, kuchochea ugaidi, kuleta vurugu na kuharibu utawala wa kisheria au kuwagawa watu katika misingi ya kidini. ``Nchi yetu ni ya amani, tunaishi kwa kuheshimiana na kushirikiana katika shughuli zote za kijamii kama misiba, ndoa bila kubaguana,`` alisema. Aliongeza kuwa, endepo serikali itakaa kimya na kumwacha Mtikila kuendeleza matusi na kebehi dhidi ya Waislamu, serikali itabeba dhamana ya matokeo ya uchochezi huo. ``Tunayo mifano mingi ya Waislamu kubambikizwa kesi kuwa wamekashifu dini ya Kikristo, japo mashtaka wanayosomewa ni dhahiri yanatokana na misingi ya imani yao,`` alisema. Aliongeza kuwa, ili kulinda amani na utulivu ambao umedumu kwa muda mrefu, kamati hiyo haitaielewa Serikali endapo haitachukua hatua yo yote dhidi ya Mchungaji Mtikila. Sheikh Khalifa alisema Uislamu siyo dini ya kigaidi kama ambavyo Mchungaji Mtikila amedai katika kupinga kuanzishwa kwa Mahakama ya Kadhi. ``Maaskofu wameshapinga kuanzishwa kwa kadhi lakini hawajatoa matamshi ya kashfa na kejeli kama ya Mtikila,`` alisema. Aliongeza ``Lakini tunashangaa kuona makanisa yanataka kujiweka katika nafasi ya kuamua hatma na maslahi ya umma wa Waislamu kana kwamba wao ndiyo raia bora wenye haki ya kutuamulia wengine kile kisichostahili.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Mahakama ya kadhi Tanzania

Mtikila kuandamana kupinga mahakama ya kadhi
Mwenyekiti wa Democratic Party (DP), Mchungaji Christopher Mtikila, ametangaza kuandaa maandamano nchini nzima kupinga uundwaji wa Mahakama ya Kadhi nchini. Mbali na kuandaa maandamano hayo, Mchungaji Mtikila ametishia kukiburuza mahakamani kituo cha Redio Quraan cha jijijini Dar es Salaam na kuhakikisha kuwa kinafungwa baada ya kutishia kumuua kwa kumkata kichwa. Kauli hiyo ya Bw. Mtikila imekuja siku chache baada ya Waziri Mkuu Bw. Edward Lowassa kutoa msimamo wa serikali juu ya uundwaji wa mahakama hiyo hapa nchini kwamba suala hilo halijafikishwa serikalini rasmi. Mahakama ya Kadhi inashughulia masuala ya kutatua migogoro kama ndoa na mirathi kwa Waislamu. Akizungumza na waandishi wa habari jana jijini Dar es Salaam, Bw. Mtikila alidai kwamba kauli hiyo ya Waziri Mkuu inaashiria kuwa serikali inataka kuingilia kazi ya mahakama na kusema wataandamana ili kushinikiza isianzishwe. `Tumepanga kufanya maandamano nchi nzima kupinga suala hili maana ninaamini kabisa kuwa, kuna Watanzania ambao hawana dini na wanaohitaji ulinzi na utetezi wa sheria ambayo haifungwi na dini yoyote,` alisema. Hata hivyo hakueleza siku ya maandamano hayo wala mkoa yatakapoanzia. Aliendelea kusema kuwa waziri Mkuu anapaswa kuwaomba radhi wananchi waliomweka madarakani kwa kukiuka katiba ya nchi inayokataza utetezi wa kikundi kimoja cha dini. Aliongeza kuwa, ibara ya 20 ya katiba kifungu cha 2(a) na kifungu kidogo (i) inaeleza na kukataza suala hilo. Kuhusu kuishitaki na kuifunga Redio Quraan, Mwenyekiti wa DP alisema ataifungulia kesi ya kuchochea vurugu na kuhatarisha maisha yake katika vipindi inavyorusha hewani. `Jumamosi radio hiyo ilisema ninastahili kukatwa kichwa na maneno hayo nimeyasikia na kuyarekodi? hivyo nitaifikisha mbele ya sheria,` alidai. Mwanasiasa huyo hodari wa kufungua kesi, pia alipinga kauli ya Papa kuisifu Tanzania kwamba ina uvumilivu wa kidini. `Hatuna uvumilivu wowote ndiyo maana tunasikia makanisa yamechomwa moto na mikutano ya Injili kuvurugwa tena wakati mwingine polisi wamehusika,` alidai. Kwa mujibu wa Bw. Mtikila makanisa 16 yamechomwa moto na mikutano zaidi 36 ya Injili kuvamiwa na kuvurugwa bila hatua zozote za kisheria kuchukuliwa kwa wahusika. Wiki iliyopita Mchungaji Christopher Mtikila alifungua kesi Mahakama Kuu kupinga kuanzishwa kwa mahakama hiyo.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Paula White and Her husband seek Divorce

Wapendwa hii story niliipata muda mrefu,ilitoka august 24 mwaka huu, but niliamua kuifanyia uchunguzi na nimeamua kuiweka hapa baada ya watumishi wengi kuniandikia email kutaka maelezo zaidi baada ya kuona ya talaka ya juanita bynum.

TAMPA — Megachurch pastors Randy and Paula White stood before their congregation Thursday night and made the announcement that many in their flock feared had been coming for months.
They are divorcing.
"It is the most difficult decision that I have had to make in my entire life," said the Rev. Randy White, 49. "I take full responsibility for a failed marriage -100 percent. I don't blame Paula, and I don't blame other parties. But as the man of the house, I take full responsibility for that."
He praised his wife, calling her an exceptional woman and a great preacher and wife.
Standing by his side and appearing to fight back tears, the Rev. Paula White called the decision to divorce "one of the most painful of our lives."
"But God always comes to you in the dark places of life," White said, standing beside her husband in the pulpit.
White, 41, also offered a note of optimism.
"It's not the end of the story for Randy or Paula or maybe even Randy and Paula," she said.
The couple, who have both been married and divorced before, did not say what caused their breakup. They also did not detail if they had filed for divorce. They have grown children from previous relationships but none together.
Word about trouble in the couple's marriage has circulated for months. The Whites' disparate ministry paths have fueled much of the concern. Randy White, a bishop at Without Walls International Church, has been spending time in Malibu, Calif., in hopes of establishing a ministry on the West Coast. Paula White, the church's senior pastor and a sought-after televangelist, keeps an apartment in New York City, where she recently opened a new ministry and self-help center in July.
The couple, arguably the most prominent evangelical partners in the state, said they made their announcement at Thursday night's service to tell their church "family" before word of their separation appears in the local and national media.
The Whites' split calls into question the future of the 22,000 member megachurch, which the couple founded as South Tampa Christian Center in 1991. During their announcement, which came just before the sermon, the Whites sought to put those concerns to rest.
Randy White said he would continue to lead Without Walls and would focus on being a "great pastor" and a "great dad."
Paula White said she would also continue to preach at Without Walls when invited by her husband. She also said Paula White Ministries would continue to be based in Tampa.
Several hundred Without Walls members were in the audience for the announcement. As the Whites spoke, some people in the crowd cried. Others appeared stunned, noticeable by the audible gasps in the cavernous sanctuary.
Warming herself outside the church, one woman said "God knows best," before being told by another member to avoid talking to the media. At least one Without Walls member said the church was hurting and lashed out at a reporter for being on site to witness the announcement.
The church broadcasts its services via the Internet at www.streamingfaith.com. But last night's announcement was not aired. The video of the broadcast was interrupted without explanation and resumed after the announcement.
Inside the church, the preacher for the evening, the Rev. Tim Storey, sought to offer direction to a stunned congregation.
"How many of you feel sorrow tonight," Storey asked the crowd.
Hands shot up around the sanctuary.
"We should. But God is still good."

Monday, October 1, 2007

Juanita Bynum beaten by her husband


ATLANTA, Sept. 19 — The attack in a hotel parking lot here last month was remarkable not only because the victim, Juanita Bynum, is the most prominent black female television evangelist in the country, who is pals with Oprah, admired by Aretha, and who recently signed on to campaign for Obama.


Chris Rank for the New York Times
Mr. Weeks held a news briefing to respond to assault charges.
It was shocking, especially to legions of women who had latched onto her message that only chastity and self-respect would bring true love, because the attacker who choked, stomped and kicked her, Ms. Bynum said, was her husband.
The episode has led to debate about domestic violence and how churches, particularly black churches, respond to it.
But it has also raised questions about the trajectory of Ms. Bynum’s career as a woman who called herself a prophetess, and while condemning promiscuity spoke openly about her lust and longing, in what has been called one of the most significant contemporary American sermons. Her struggle struck a chord in many black communities, where marriage rates are notoriously low, and it seemed to culminate in the form of an earthly reward: a televised, million-dollar 2003 wedding to a fellow Pentecostal preacher, Bishop Thomas W. Weeks III, followed by what seemed to be a model marriage.
Since the attack, Ms. Bynum, 48, has tried to reinvent herself once more, announcing that she is “the new face of domestic violence.” But Tom Joyner, the syndicated radio talk show host, did not let her off the hook so easily: “If you’re a prophet,” Mr. Joyner asked, “didn’t you see this coming?”
In a telephone interview, Ms. Bynum said the public had overly romanticized the union. “What happened to me was reality,” she said. “I made a right decision that went bad. If you choose a Cadillac, if two years later someone runs into you and tears it up, it wasn’t a bad decision to buy the car.”
Mr. Weeks, who according to the police report was pulled off his wife by a hotel bellhop, pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated assault and making terroristic threats. Ms. Bynum has filed for divorce.
Conservative critics among the evangelical clergy have accused her of exploiting the attack for publicity, calling her “loud,” “angry,” “aggressive” and “out of control,” while a group of black and Hispanic churches has demanded Mr. Weeks’s resignation. Fans responded with shock.
“It just hit me like a wake-up call, that even the strongest can be victims,” said Elizabeth Alexander, a student at Spelman College, a historically black women’s school here, which held a forum to discuss the issue.
Ms. Bynum, a former flight attendant and hair stylist, rose to fame in the late 1990s with the help of the powerful Bishop T. D. Jakes of Dallas, who supplied an audience of thousands for her frank sermon about sex and the single woman called “No More Sheets.” The sermon is said to have sold more than a million copies on video and profoundly affected many black women.
Ms. Bynum’s sermon admonished women looking for love to stop sleeping around and prepare for a lifetime commitment, but also dwelt on the difficulty of being Christian and single.
“I find it very difficult to listen to anybody preach to me about being single when they’ve got a pair of thighs in their bed every night,” she said that night. “You’re telling me, ‘Hold on, honey, sanctify yourself,’ and you’re going home to biceps and triceps, and big old muscles and thighs.”
She went on, her voice husky and anguished: “I want to hear ‘Hold on’ from somebody who is really holding on. I want to hear ‘Hold on’ from somebody who knows my struggle.” She used bed sheets borrowed from a hotel maid to signify her past promiscuity.
Ms. Bynum’s confessional approach, including of an abusive first marriage, made her a sought-after speaker and a popular host on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, although she did not lead a church of her own. She wrote books that ranked among Publishers Weekly’s top 10 religion best sellers, and her gospel album “A Piece of My Passion” went gold. Women across the country held “No More Sheets” parties to watch and discuss the sermon.
“She’s a powerful trailblazer,” said Shayne Lee, a sociologist of religion at Tulane University who closely follows what has become known as the neo-Pentecostal movement, which emphasizes self-improvement and prosperity over social issues like poverty and crime. “She resonated with so many people because sex is out there in a way that I don’t think any other preacher, or any other black preacher, has tapped into on a grand scale.”
The assault, Dr. Lee said, is a challenge to Ms. Bynum’s credibility: “Maybe she’s been living a lie all these years.”

Friday, September 28, 2007

Azusa Street with Bishop William J.Seymour

Bishop William J. Seymour
Pastor of the Apostolic Faith Mission
312 Azusa Street - Los Angeles, California
William Joseph Seymour was born May 2, 1870 in Centerville, St. Mary's Parish, Louisiana. His parents, Simon Seymour (also known as Simon Simon) and Phillis Salabar were both former slaves. Phillis was born and reared on the Adilard Carlin plantation near Centerville .
When President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation ending slavery in the rebel states, Simon enlisted in the Northern Army and served until the end of the Civil War. While with the United States Colored Troops he marched across the southern gulf states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. During his service, he became ill and was hospitalized in New Orleans. From the descriptions, it seems he may have contracted malaria or another tropical disease in the southern swamps. Simon never fully recovered.
William Seymour, the oldest in a large family, lived his early years in abject poverty. In 1896 the family's possessions were listed as "one old bedstead, one old chair and one old mattress." All of his mother's personal property was valued at fifty-five cents.
Seymour also suffered the injustice and prejudice of the reconstruction south. Violence against freedman was common and groups like the Ku Klux Klan terrorized southern Louisiana.
The young Seymour was exposed to various Christian traditions. His parents were married by a Methodist preacher; the infant William was baptized in the Roman Catholic Church in Franklin, Louisiana; and, Simon and Phillis were buried at a Baptist Church.

Many accounts of Seymour's life say he was illiterate. This is not true. He attended a freedman school in Centerville and learned to read and write. In fact, his signature shows a good penmanship.
Fleeing the poverty and oppression of life in southern Louisiana, Seymour left his home in early adulthood. He traveled and worked in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, and other states possibly including Missouri and Tennessee. He often worked as a waiter in big city hotels.
In Indianapolis, Seymour was converted in a Methodist Church. Soon, however, he joined the Church of God Reformation movement in Anderson, Indiana. At the time, the group was called "The Evening Light Saints." While with this conservative Holiness group, Seymour was sanctified and called to preach.
In Cincinnati, Ohio after a near fatal bout with smallpox, Seymour yielded to the call to ministry. The illness left him blind in one eye and scarred his face. For the rest of his life he wore a beard to hide the scars.
In 1905, Seymour was in Houston, Texas where he heard the Pentecostal message for the first time. He attended a Bible school conducted by Charles F. Parham. Parham was the founder of the Apostolic Faith Movement, and is the father of the modern Pentecostal/Charismatic revival. At a Bible school in Topeka, Kansas, his followers had received a baptism in the Holy Spirit with the biblical evidence of speaking in tongues.
Because of the strict segregation laws of the times, Seymour was forced to sit outside the class room in the hall way. The humble servant of God bore the injustice with grace. Seymour must have been a man of keen intellect. In just a few weeks, he became familiar enough with Parham's teaching that he could teach it himself. Seymour, however, did not receive the Holy Spirit baptism with the evidence of speaking in tongues.
Parham and Seymour held joint meetings in Houston, with Seymour preaching to black audiences and Parham speaking to the white groups. Parham hoped to use Seymour to spread the Apostolic Faith message to the African-Americans in Texas.
Neely Terry, a guest from Los Angeles met Seymour while he was preaching at a small church regularly pastored by Lucy Farrar (also spelled Farrow). Farrar was also an employee of Parham and was serving his family in Kansas.
When Terry returned to Los Angeles, she persuaded the small Holiness church she attended to call Seymour to Los Angeles for a meeting. Her pastor, Julia Hutchinson, extended the invitation.

Seymour arrived in Los Angeles in February 1906. His early efforts to preach the Pentecostal message were rebuffed and he was locked out of the church. The leadership were suspicious of Seymour's doctrine, but were especially concerned that he was preaching an experience that he had not received.
Moving into the home of Edward Lee, a janitor at a local bank, Bishop Seymour began ministry with a prayer group that had been meeting regularly at the home of Richard and Ruth Asbery, at 214 North Bonnie Brae. Asbery was also employed as a janitor. Most of the worshippers were African-American, with occasional visits from whites. As the group sought God for revival, their hunger intensified.
Finally, on April 9, Lee was baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. When the news of his baptism was shared with the true believers at Bonnie Brae, a powerful outpouring followed. Many received the Holy Spirit baptism as Pentecostal revival arrived on the West Coast. That evening would be hard to describe. People fell to the floor as if unconscious, others shouted adn ran through the house. One neighbor, Jennie Evans Moore played the piano, something she did not have the ability to do before.
Over the next few days of continuous outpouring, hundreds gathered. The streets were filled and Seymour preached from the Asbery's porch. On April 12, three days after the initial outpouring, Seymour received his baptism of power.
Quickly outgrowing the Asbery home, the faithful searched for a home for a new church. They found their building at 312 Azusa Street. The mission had been built as an African Methodist Episcopal Church, but when the former tenets vacated, the upstairs sanctuary had been converted into apartments. A fire destroyed the pitched roof and it was replaced with a flat roof giving the 40 X 60 feet building the appearance of a square box. The unfinished downstairs with a low ceiling and dirt floor was used as a storage building and stable. This downstairs became the home of the Apostolic Faith Mission. Mix matched chairs and wooden planks were collected for seats and a prayer altar and two wooden crates covered by a cheap cloth became the pulpit.
From this humble location, the Pentecostal truth was spread around the world. Visitors came from locations both far and near to be part of the great revival at the Apostolic Faith Mission at 312 Azusa Street in Los Angeles.
On April 17, The Los Angeles Daily Times sent a reporter to the revival. In his article the next day, he baffooned the meeting and the pastor, calling the worshippers "a new sect of fanatics" and Seymour "an old exhorter." He mocked their glossolalia as "weird babel of tongues." More important than the critical opinions expressed by the reporter was the providential timing of his visit. The article was published on the same day as the great earthquake in San Fransciso. Southern Californians, already gripped with fear, learned of a revival where doomsday prophecies were common.
Immediately, Frank Bartleman, an itenerate evangelist and Azusa Street participant published a tract about the earthquake. Thousands of the tracts, filled with end-time prophecies, were distributed. Soon, multitudes gathered at Azusa Street. One attendee said more than a thousand at a time would crowd onto the property. Hundreds would fill the little building; others would watch from the boardwalk; and, more would overflow into the dirt street.
With the help of a stenographer and editor the mission began to publish a newspaper, The Aposotlic Faith. Seymour's sermons were transcribed and printed, along with news of the meetings and the many missionaries that were being sent forth. The papers literally spread the Pentecostal message across the globe. Circulation for the little paper passed 50,000. Services at the mission were conducted three times each day at 10 AM, noon and 7 PM. They often ran together until the entire day became one worship service. This schedule was continued seven days a week for more than three years.
It was common for the lost to be saved, sick healed, demonized delivered, and seekers to be baptized in the Spirit in almost every meeting. Many of the early leaders of the Pentecostal movement received their Holy Ghost baptism or worshipped at the Azusa "plank" altar.
In 1906 when there were more lynchings of black men then in any other year of America’s history, Seymour led an interracial worship service. At Azusa Street there were no preferences for age, gender, or race. One worshipper said, "The blood of Jesus washed the color line away."
Despite all of the success, the revival faced opposition from without and within. Charles Parham, insulted by the racial compositon of the meetings and emotionalism brought the first major split. Many others followed. When Seymour married Miss Jeanne Evans Moore on May 13, 1908 another group left the mission. Two ladies in the disscenters took the main mailing lists crippling The Apostolic Faith newspaper.
Denominational churches were vicious in their attacks.Not many years after the revival began only a skeleton crew, mostly black and mostly the Bonnie Brae group, kept the fire burning in the old mission.
Bishop Seymour continued to pastor the church until his death. Yet, his work was not limited to Los Angeles. He traveled extensively, establishing churches and preaching the good news. He even wrote and edited a book, The Doctrines and Discipline of the Apostolic Faith Mission to help govern the churches he had helped to birth .On September 28, 1922, Seymour experienced chest pains and shortness of breath. Although a doctor was called, the pilgrim passed to the Cellestial City.
Some say he died from a "broken heart." Faithful to the end, his last words were "I love my Jesus so." Seymour was laid to rest in Los Angeles' Evergreen Cemetery. His gravestone reads simply, "Our Pastor."
After his passing, his loving wife, Jennie, followed him as minister at the mission. Eventually, the mission was torn down by the city of Los Angeles and the property was lost, but what happened there will never be forgotten.
For many years the pivotal role of Seymour was almost ignored by church historians. Partially, no doubt, because he was an African American. This shameful neglect, however is finally ending as more and more students of Pentecostal history learn of the importance of William J. Seymour’s role in the formation of the Pentecostal movement.
One of the first significant church historians to recognize Seymour's importance was Sidney Ahlstrom, of Yale University. In 1972, he said that Seymour was "the most influential black leader in American religious history." The Assemblies of God Theological Seminary dedicated their new chapel to Seymour's memory in 1998. As the twentieth century closed, the Religion Newswriters Association named the Azusa Street Revival as one of the top ten events of the past millennium; Life Magazine listed Azusa Street as one of the top one hundred events of the millennium; and, Christian History magazine named William J. Seymour one of the top ten Christians of the 20th century.
To learn more about Bishop Seymour and the Azusa Street revival read The Life and Ministry of William J. Seymour by Larry Martin, available from our online bookstore. With 350 pages and over 100 illustrations, this is the most comprehensive book ever written on the great outpouring.