Pastors are flock leaders who command respect among their followers and they should guide their flock into a moral lifestyle that reflects a divine calling.
Men of cloth possess a charismatic ability to influence their followers’ personal decisions in life since they are regarded as father figures.
But it seems most of these respected men of cloth are abusing the holy office as they end up having relationships with women from their churches.
The media is awash with reports of pastors impregnating church members and some getting caught pants down.
The well known is the recent case of a Marondera Pentecostal pastor who dated a number of women on Facebook. The pastor was reportedly being intimate with most of them all in the name of divine intervention and counselling.
A number of pastors and prophets have contributed much to the breaking of many marriages as they prey on married women from their conregation seeking assistance.
One wonders why this kind of intimate relationship is ignited given the trust every Christian gives to a pastor.
In an interview, a Harare woman, Tariro Makamba, said women needed people who listened to them, adding that most male pastors usually preyed on such women.
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“I don’t know of anyone who really wants to have a failed marriage. Even though there are plenty of women who get involved with other men, it isn’t because they want to have an affair and ruin their marriage.”
“They would rather have their marriage work the way they envisioned it. Often they go to pastors because they believe their husbands are not listening to them.”
“What the woman really wants is for her husband to listen to her and pastors have this characteristic.So if the pastor makes a slight move, the husband is done. It’s easy to seduce a woman who has problems.” she said.
Sarah Nyambiya (43), a Pentecostal, echoed the same sentiments. “Those problems will come with her. When she tells him what a jerk her husband is, she is gone.
“The women who don’t have problems, who are committed to their marriage and are happy with their husbands, will not budge to seductive moves by the pastors,” she said.
According to sociologist Darlington Nyabiko, most relationships between pastors and church women emanate from the latter being easily attracted to men of cloth.
Nyabiko said women need status and they are attracted to those of a higher status than their husbands.
“Many women value style over substance. If you look good, then you must be good.Most pastors are good looking. I am surprised at how superficial traits are valued more than more meaningful factors, like the content of a man’s character, ” said Nyabiko
“Another reason is many women falsely believe that men who go to church are better than men who don’t. And women love men who go to church.”
“Unfortunately, people consider each case of a pastor doing dirt to be an exception to the rule, without realising that there are men like fake pastors all over the country,” he said.
However, a pastor who spoke to Newsday described men of cloth who venture into relationships with church women as messengers of the devil.
“Those pastors are wolves in sheep skin. Instead of guarding the flock, they devour. They are enemies of the word,” said Pastor Tonderai Mungani of Holy Spirit Ministries.
