Kenyan’s this week ‘rampaged’ online against Bishop T.D Jakes, after his utterances saying ‘natives’ in Kenya drink his water and that ‘the’ hospital in Nairobi runs because of him.
The Potters’ House chief pastor was speaking Sunday against ”Preachers of LA” a reality show depicting the extravagant lives of preachers in Los Angeles, who live luxurious lives off their flocks’ hard-earned cash. Probably angry at the bad light the reality show portrayed pastors he talked of how his mega ministry supports humanitarian projects in Kenya.
He said:
“So let the work I’ve done speak for me. You are sowing into good ground. And the 300 families that are employed in this ministry eat from this ministry, work in this ministry, and help us to produce the excellence that we do. The natives all over Kenya drink water because of this ministry. And the hospital in Nairobi survives because of this ministry.”
Though not necessarily in bad faith, Bishop TD Jakes wanted to show the good side of his ministry, feeding its own staff and helping others away, unrelated by blood or friendship, on another continent. However, his attempts arose anger among Kenyans who went on Twitter, resentful and ranting against the man of God.
Here are some of the Tweets.
Moseti Mang’ong’o @lesmetaphore
@BishopJakes calling us natives was not taken out of context we are Kenyan’s NOT natives.
I just realised that my Mombasa apartment water consumption is 50 bob per month! Maybe the whole TD Jakes theory has some merit. Maybe.
But on realizing he had blundered, the man of God, human as we are, came forth and apologized to Kenyans. His statements never meant to be an insult but he was speaking as a committed man of God in charge of a ministry giving to see some Kenyans get access to clean water and health facilities.
Here is his full apology letter.
An attempt in last Sunday’s sermon to distinguish myself from an American television program portraying preachers in a manner that I found unseemly has caused some offense in Kenya. For that I apologize.
My intent was to show the extensive humanitarian efforts by TD Jakes Ministries through its MegaCARE arm as a means of further distinguishing this organization from the TV program’s exclusive focus on the personal material wealth of the individual ministers over the works of the Gospel.
The attempt was to highlight one well and one hospital wing in Kenya as one example of this ministry’s worldwide efforts. It was by no means meant to take responsibility for an entire nation or to minimize the contributions of its people.
My focus has always been about the mission of helping hurting people in every circumstance of life, anywhere in the world.
The extemporaneous comments when taken out of context convey a meaning far from the intent of my heart. I meant only to communicate to my constituents that my love is for people as demonstrated through years of practical ministry.
The fact that these heart-felt words have been taken to mean anything other than their original intent deeply saddens me.
I love Kenya and the entire continent of Africa. I am proud of its efforts and grateful to have had an opportunity to minister to its people on numerous occasions.
I trust that this explanation will end this apparent misunderstanding.
In His service,
Bishop Jakes
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