Whatever stance one
has taken on the credibility of TB Joshua, the famous (or infamous?) pastor of The Synagogue Church of All Nation’s in
Lagos, Nigeria – one fact remains indisputable, his is an incredible journey
surrounded in mystery and being written in history. Joshua is easily the most
vilified pastor in Africa, yet by far the most sought after. He is the hope of
multitudes and yet the headache of religious bodies, who have vehemently disowned
him but can’t seem to ignore him. It is a living drama being watched world
over, as time’s steady course continues its revealing discourse on truth and
authenticity. But what is it about TB Joshua that has actually engendered such
outright denunciation and renunciation by his fellow labourers in the vineyard?

Upon perusal of
the apparent grouses and grudges of the Pentecostal Leaders of Nigeria against
the enigma and personality of Prophet TB Joshua, high up on the list is the
issue of his mentorship. “Where was he
when he was called to ministry? Who are the men of God who can point at him,
that we raised him into ministry, laid hands on him and sent him forth into the
ministry?” says Paul Adefarasin, the charismatic founder of House of the
Rock, Lagos. “We don't know Joshua's Pastor;
we don't know where he was raised from. He has no testimony from where he got
born again. So, we cannot accept that he is one of us… There is no proof of his
salvation,” explains Matthew Ashimolowo,
the prosperity preacher and founder of KICC in London. “There are only two questions Ayo Oritsejafor (President of the
Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria) asked us to ask Joshua or anybody who comes
from him: When were you born again? Which church did he attend and who was his
pastor or mentor?” fumes Bishop Abraham Olaleye, a vice
chairman of PFN. “Who were his
contemporaries when he gave his life to Christ? What led to his confession of
Christ? How did it happen? Where was he baptised? Who baptised him? Who are his
pastors? Where did he train? Who is the Paul of his Timothy?” asks Bola Akin-John, a Pentecostal church
growth expert.

That miracles and
commendable charitable works are happening in his church is attested to by almost
all, but such leaders can’t seem to fathom how a man so mightily gifted could
have attained such a level without human tutorship and training. As such cannot
be explained by the logic and lectures of theological training, they readily
write him off as demonic and diabolic. Surely, a man of God of such stature and
status could not just spring up without the approval and appraisal of some
top-notch Christian leaders? Thus, they have proclaimed to all willing to
listen that anyone who associates with TB Joshua does so to their own folly, be
him a president or pauper, simply because they have adopted a strong position
without investigating its foundational validity.

However, the phenomenon
of men being used by the Almighty without human tutelage is not isolated to the
instance of Pastor TB Joshua. Thorough biblical exploration would reveal many
of God’s generals with no record or register of human mentorship. Who was the
mentor of Jeremiah, who the Bible says God called right from his mother’s womb?
Who was the mentor of John the Baptist, sent from above to prepare the way for
the Saviour? Who was the mentor of Apostle Paul, who was blinded on the road to
Damascus while intent on the destruction of Christians, subsequently to become
a leading figure in New Testament Christianity? What about Moses, Elijah or
King David? Human backing and tuition are clearly not a qualification for
divine assignments.

What then is the
premise for church leaders today to demand proof of mentorship as a seal of
apostleship? Can this assertion be attributed to the application of biblical
principles, or to personal misgivings and prejudice? Why has the Nigerian Pentecostal
church chosen to adopt a stance on a particular person that contradicts and
conflicts with scriptural authority and experience? It appears to be a case of
addressing private qualms and jealousies under the guise of Christian comradeship
and censorship, misguiding and incensing millions of followers against TB
Joshua and projecting the image of a warring and divided church in the process.

The current
president of PFN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor has consistently remained one of
Joshua’s most vocal critics, even expelling any PFN members who attempt to
fraternise with him. He makes his stand known clearly on the pulpit and in the pages
of newspapers: “T.B. Joshua is not a
Christian. If T.B. Joshua can show me his pastor who pastored him before he
said he was called into the ministry; if T.B. Joshua can tell me when he got
converted and how he got converted, then we would consider him.”

Yet, T.B. Joshua’s
own website recounts the extraordinary tale of his calling into the ministry,
available for all to read and dissect: “I
was in a trance for three consecutive days, then I saw a hand that pointed a
Bible to my heart and the Bible entered my heart and my former heart seemed to
immerse with the Bible immediately… I heard a voice saying, “I am your God; I
am giving you a divine commission to go and carry out the work of the Heavenly
Father… I would show you the wonderful ways I would reveal myself through you,
in teaching, preaching, miracles, signs and wonders for the salvation of
souls”. So, is it a crime for God to
call one for His service without consulting certain people or meeting certain
manmade criteria? Are we mere mortals in a position to query God’s wisdom and
ways?

Chiji Okafor, the
celebrated Nigerian columnist and artist, wrote of such a disposition and
demeanour: “It is amazing that anybody
who lays claim to being a pastor of God should be talking about mentoring in
matters of the faith as if talking about some rookie artisan being shepherded
into 'freedom' from his master's workshop. Such drivel simply speaks volumes of
the man who utters it. It reveals the depth of vulgarity to which our 'modern'
men of God have allowed the gospel of Jesus Christ to sink.

“Anybody who boasts in God's vineyard about his mentor
and such other inane subjects as earthly endowments has simply not imbibed the
lessons of Christ's personal life. Jesus Christ the Son of God could have been
born a prince, if He so chose. On the contrary, God made man, decided to come into
this world, the son of a wretched carpenter born in, of all places, a manger
and side-by-side animals! He had neither an earthly mentor, nor did the Bible
tell us that He had doctorate degrees in sacred theology and dogmatic
philosophy.

“In His divine wisdom, God chooses whom He crowns king
and decides whom He endows with any gift He likes – and we all have our
different gifts. Anybody who challenges this wisdom of God Almighty blasphemes
against Him, by querying His authority. So, why would God choose a humble, even
innocent, or bucolic Temitope Balogun Joshua for the enormous anointing he has
received? Why didn't He pick one of those blue-blooded, Oxford-trained peers of
the realm?”

Bolu-Olu Esho, a
journalist with The Sun Newspaper further wrote on the issue: “Pastor T.B Joshua has a simple background
that could tempt one to ask questions about how he achieved the feat he’s known
for today. But minds of history would be at ease, as they would consider him as
another manifestation of the mystery assigned to God Almighty. The question of
academics in the work of God is inconsequential, as God does not consider this
as a criterion for choosing people for His work…The stance of these ministers
of God against Pastor Joshua makes one question how versed they are in the Word
of God. Is it not written in the Bible that God used the foolish things of this
world to confound the wise?”

Clearly, the
question our revered gentlemen should ask is not, ‘Who is your mentor?’ but ‘By
what authority are you acting?’ in conjunction with the biblical standard: ‘By
their fruits, you shall know them.’ The attributes and qualities a person
possesses speak volumes of their source of strength. The steadfast consistency,
prophetic insight, charitable disposition, healing gifting, practical teaching,
heavenly wisdom and childlike simplicity of T.B. Joshua cannot possibly be the
product of illusion, sorcery or man’s acumen. The testimony of Ghana’s new head,
Prof. Atta Mills, alone is enough to confirm the genuineness and greatness of
Joshua’s ministry and calling. Has history ever heard of a sitting president
visit a church and publically testify that the pastor accurately predicted the
outcome and specific details of the election to him? His testimony echoes the
tens of thousands who rush to Joshua’s church on a weekly basis to receive a
touch from God.

Sadly, the gap
between the accusers and the accused is ever widening as many leading pastors
in Nigeria are becoming more embroiled in the pursuit of money and material
gain than the essence of Christ’s gospel and work. Kingdom business seems more
like worldly business, with pastors making headlines for expensive acquisitions,
lavish living and political speeches as opposed to solving problems, meeting
needs and changing lives. Ilobi Austin, a catholic in faith, wrote, “While God is ordering his (T.B. Joshua’s)
counterparts to acquire more automobiles and in some cases, private jets with
cost in the billion bracket, the same God is asking him to love humanity like
himself and consequently, improve their earthly and heavenly fortunes. He is
today, father to the fatherless, mother to the motherless, friend to the
friendless and government to the government-less. Little wonder then, that the
good Lord magnanimously found him worthy for the arduous task of delivering his
people from the vice grip of the devil. Such powers in the hands of such
ministers, who have made the criticism of his ministries their pastime, would
have seen deliverance going to the highest bidders.”

So what has TB Joshua
to say on all this? Here is his own response when asked about his non-admission
into PFN in a recent interview with The Sun: “As a point of correction, I never applied to be a member of any
association. Okay? Two, the way and manner God executes His plan in our lives
differ. Some He brought them from this direction, some from another direction.
Some He allowed to go to Theology school, some He allowed them to go to the
university and they may not even go to Theology school. Some, they may not even
go to school at all. Yet they would become whatever God wants them to
become.  There is a university of God –
and in the University of God, however brilliant you may be, you will not be
given double promotion – you must take every course, because each course serves
a purpose.”