In an unusual Pentecostal sermon, visiting Ghanaian pastor Bishop Dag Heward Mills lashed out at some pastors for preaching on material acquisition at the expense of the cross of Jesus Christ, saying that this has brought barrenness in churches.

Bishop Mills was preaching on overcoming barrenness  in Bulawayo during Harvest House International’s annual conference earlier this month.  “You, pastor! You! You are not telling them the truth. You are spoiling Christianity; you are spoiling the religion. God did not send his son to come and make us rich,” he said in an angry tone.

Continuing unabated with his biting message, the man of God went on to accuse prosperity preachers of lying to believers: “You liar! This is not the Gospel. Stop spoiling Christianity! Stop spoiling the Church! You are making us weak! You are taking our source of power; you are taking away the source of our fruitfulness!”

The Accra-based man of the cloth quit his medical profession for the Gospel and became the founder and leader of a Pentecostal church Light House Chapel International which is established in 34 countries.

Bishop Mills said some Pentecostal pastors have forgotten that more than 100 years ago missionaries died in Africa while evangelising,  and they now brought money and finances in the house of God, which is diverting Christians from the true Gospel of setting eyes on the heavenly matters.

“You have spoiled the Church, you liar! God will judge you false prophets, false preachers, preachers of money. Are you a banker? Suppose I came today and decided to teach you physics and chemistry, will you be happy? Is this the place for teaching chemistry? Why have we brought finances and management and other economics in the church? Is it the place for teaching such things?” he questioned rhetorically.

The bishop further claimed that barrenness in churches was caused by believers’ blindness to heaven and hell, failure to see far beyond and forgetting the truth that sins were purged by the blood of Jesus on the cross.

The Pentecostal pastor said his fellow pastors should not be misled by the large numbers of people at their churches and numerous  gospel TV channels to think that Christianity has reached all corners of the world, stressing that in Africa alone there are many people in rural areas, who are yet to come to the Lord.

He challenged the churches to emulate missionaries of previous centuries and send evangelists to plant churches in rural areas and all over the world, especially in Asia, where there are very few Christians, instead of praising themselves for the urban-concentrated churches.

“Today nobody is prepared to go anywhere, unless there is money,” he said also firing a broadside at pastors, who are obsessed with travelling to America and Europe, where he said they get big offerings.  “What type of people have we become? We have become barren,” he continued to breathe fire.

The Ghanaian pastor also introduced to Christians gathered for the sermon over 10 of his spiritual books. Some of his titles include Losing, Suffering, Sacrificing and Dying, Church Planting and Take Up Your Cross.