GRACE Abound Church [GAC], founded by Prophet Effort Vakai Maposa, recently celebrated its third anniversary with a historical three-day conference in Kwekwe, where the church has its roots. The church started in 2015 in Munyati on the outskirts of Kwekwe, but moved a year later to its current location, 913 Industrial Road in Kwekwe town. The Standard Style reporter Winstone Antonio (WA) early this week spoke to the preacher (EVM) over a wide range of issues.
Below are excerpts from the interview.
WA: People would like to know who is Prophet EV Maposa?
EVM: Prophet E V Maposa is an accountant by profession called into the ministry to start the work of the heavenly father in April 2015. I am married to my beautiful wife, Priscillah, and we are blessed with our little daughter Chloe. I received the divine revelation to start the ministry, the work of the Heavenly Father, to seek and save lost souls in April 2015. I am a disciple of Prophet TB Joshua, he is my mentor, my teacher and motivator. We submit under his anointing. The Lord called me into the ministry to be an instrument in his hand through our Lord Jesus Christ.
WA: As an accountant by profession, how do you balance church business and personal work?
EVM: It is by the Grace of God. I cannot explain how, but what I know is where God is involved the Holy Spirit guides.
WA: Do you have intentions to resign from your professional work to concentrate on church business?
EVM: I don’t have the intention to resign, that is the problem we have right now. When one is called into the ministry people believe that he or she has to abandon his or her career. That is why many are resisting the call of God over their lives, the same thing that I tried to do at the early stages of my ministry. When one is called into the ministry it does not mean they have to stop applying the works of their hands for a living. This is the opportunity to demonstrate that nothing can limit the call of God. It demands you to be organised. Remember Apostle Luke was a physician and Apostle Paul earned a living through tent-making. Prophet EV Maphosa makes a living through his profession as an accountant and other income-generating projects. Through my profession and business projects not only am I a blessing to the Kingdom, but also to the community.
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WA: Being a prophet seems to be a challenging and busy task. Do you have time for your family?
EVM: Charity begins at home. The first ministry that I must prosper before prospering in everything God calls me to do is my family. As a man of God, you need to find time on your busy schedule for your wife and kids and your close relatives. If the devil cannot fight you, he will target those near you — I mean your wife, kids and close relatives to frustrate the call of God over your life. As a matter of principle, I don’t cast a blind eye over my family because we are in warfare.
WA: I understand you always visit Nigerian preacher, Prophet TB Joshua, your spiritual father, for renewal of your powers. Can you elaborate on the issue of renewal of powers?
EVM: A point of correction: whenever I visit Prophet TB Joshua it is not for renewal of powers. The miracles that are happening in the ministry of Grace Abound Church are brought to pass through the Holy Spirit working in me and through me. Prophet TB Joshua is a mentor and not only to prophesy, but also to presidents and many people. Whenever we visit him, it will be for guidance, mentorship and to have God’s opinion over our ministry. In order to make it in life, you need a mentor, someone you can learn from who has been there before you to show you the way. In my own case Prophet TB Joshua is the one out of many potential mentors whom God has given. Despite snow or rain, he will remain my life coach.
WA: Take us through your first encounter with TB Joshua and how did he anoint you as one of his disciples?
EVM: I was never anointed by Prophet TB Joshua to be his disciple, but our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to me in a vision in 2010 before I had been to Nigeria and instructed me to humble and submit myself under His anointing. In 2012 I made a bold decision to visit Lagos in Nigeria for prayers and that marked my first encounter with the man [Prophet T B Joshua], who is highly-esteemed all over the world. Ever since that encounter, the voice of God was vividly clear that I was called into the ministry and not only as an accountant.
WA: Modern preachers are being accused of dwelling much on the prosperity gospel. What’s your take on this one?
EVM: Prosperity gospel is one of the most misunderstood things. We need to define what prosperity is in the kingdom sense. Many believe that it is only centred on making money, driving nice cars and living in mansions. That is not prosperity in the kingdom sense. When your life is only centred on making money, a large slice of life will pass you by. Kingdom prosperity, according to 1 John 3:2, has made us to understand that our first area to prosper in life is our soul, followed by our wealth and then in every area of life. Finance without being saved, without good health and peace of heart is not prosperity at all.
WA: It has been noticed that most prophets’ wives end up being prophetesses. Is your wife a prophetess?
EVM: That is another area that is misunderstood. To anoint means to rub over. It is possible that the wife of a prophet can move and operate in the prophetic realm, but not be in the office of a prophetess. One can operate in the prophetic by mere association just like what happened to Saul when he was in the company of prophets. The bible narrates how those that knew him [Saul] were surprised at seeing Saul prophesying yet he was not a prophet and they asked: is Saul a prophet? My wife is not a prophetess, at the time we have only one prophet in Grace Abound Church. unless God does otherwise, let his will be done.
WA: From reports, Grace Abound Church is said to be one of the fastest growing churches in the country. Can you tell us how big your organisation is and what is the secret behind this rapid growth?
EVM: It is true Grace Abound Church is one of the fastest growing indigenous Pentecostal churches not only in Zimbabwe, but in Africa and the whole world. The secret is in obeying the voice of God. Jesus Christ is looking for people who are ready to say what he wants us to say, do what he wants us do and go where he wants us to go. All the spiritual advantages, I mean the prophetic, healing and deliverance grace that is being witnessed in Grace Abound Church, is not brought to pass by man’s natural abilities. The testimonies that people share is what has brought us this far. Although we don’t advertise through posters or adverts on radio and on television, but as people share their testimonies, many have been brought to Jesus through the ministry of Grace Abound Church.
WA: It is said your church is growing at the expense of other churches. Some churches in Midlands are reportedly now empty because of GAC?
EVM: That is something we are yet to find out, but what I know is that Grace Abound Church is there to complement other ministries and not to destroy. Normally we encourage people that would have been delivered through Grace Abound Church to go back to their living churches, but as you know God’s greatest gift to mankind is the freedom to make choices.
WA: I understand you run a television channel called Grace Television, tell us more about this television channel.
EVM: It is an instrument through which God is going to reach out to His people. Grace television was born out of a realisation that media freedom has been biased against Christianity. Media being a means of mass communication, the devil has targeted it, hence we are at the final stage of its establishment.
WA: Prophet, you have taken a number of initiatives that are meant to help less privileged members of society especially in Kwekwe where you are based. Recently you fed hundreds of less privileged people at your church. What is the source of your money?
EVM: When you look closely to the ministry of Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry, it was dominated by the giving ministry. True Christianity lies in giving as you cannot say you love God if you disregard the orphans, less privileged and the physically challenged. By the way for me to be where I am today, it is a product of other people’s acts of charity. Now it is my turn to say thank you Jesus by giving back to others. Anyone who gives with the purity of heart and a clean conscience not for show-off, but out of remorse, will always find help in his or her time of need. The source of the money is coming from Grace Abound Church partners and from the proceeds of my personal projects.
WA: In conclusion, how much do you think you are worth, Prophet?
EVM: I cannot talk of how much I am worth because as a minister of the gospel I am just, but a steward of God to manage his storehouse. All the material possessions that the Lord has blessed us with are actually borrowed from him. What I know for sure is I am worth more than gold and silver because I consider myself a useful instrument in the hands of the Holy Spirit.
WA: Thank you for your time, Prophet.
EVM: My pleasure, may God bless you.
