In 2019, six years after Miriam Uwineza got married, she began facing serious financial challenges in her home. The root of it all was her being out of work at the time, a situation that gradually altered her family's lifestyle, strained her relationship with her husband, and eroded the sense of value she once felt in her home. ALSO READ: RGB warns public against false teachings Desperate for hope and answers amid the cracks in her marriage, a friend introduced her to a newly popular prophet, a man said to have the power to pray away all problems and restore broken lives. “It felt like a beacon of light. He offered healing, blessings, and a way out of my struggles. He promised salvation and prosperity. And I wanted to believe it,” she said. Uwineza placed her trust in the prophet, not just as a spiritual guide, but as someone who claimed to have divine insight into her life. She began giving him money and even buying him groceries, believing these acts were sacrifices toward a better future. ALSO READ: Cult-like religious practices have no place in today’s Rwanda “At first, it all felt so real. He captivated us with stories of miracles and blessings, always preaching that giving generously would open doors to a better life. And I believed him. I would take the little money I had from home and give it to the church, which only created more tension, because my husband never believed in prophets. But I was convinced this man was different,” said Uwineza. “He manipulated us into believing he was God-sent, that he could see the future and had the power to break curses through prayer. I gave almost everything I owned over the course of three years, waiting for the miracles he promised, but none ever came.” ‘Real goal is self-promotion, not salvation’ Eventually, she began to question what was really happening. “When I finally removed my emotions and stopped going to that church, peace started to return, slowly but surely. I had been so consumed. I was never home. I would leave my husband and children behind and spend almost every day at church, even taking money that my own family needed. But after six months away from it all, everything changed. My relationship with my husband improved, the communication also became better and we started rebuilding.” She realised that the man’s promises were “empty words.” “He twisted our prayer requests into false prophecies that never came to life. Meanwhile, my money and belongings disappeared into his hands. What I thought was faith turned out to be betrayal.” Reverend Antoine Rutayisire, a prominent figure in the Anglican Church of Rwanda, offered his perspective on how to identify false or exploitative preaching and how to protect oneself from spiritual manipulation. The simplest way is to look at who stands to benefit, he guided. “False preaching is when someone delivers a message that goes against the teachings of the Bible; a message that is not grounded in biblical truth. But what often makes it more dangerous is the hidden motive behind it. Many times, these fake messages are shared not to help others grow spiritually, but to serve the preacher’s personal interests, whether that’s gaining fame, recognition, money, or influence. People may not always see it, but sometimes the real goal is self-promotion, not salvation,” said Rutayisire. “There are preachers who exploit their congregations using their platforms to gain financial rewards, material possessions, or even inappropriate personal favours. This is especially common with so-called prophecies or ‘divine visions’ that are designed to impress or control people. One of the first red flags is when the message or service seems to benefit the preacher more than the people listening. That’s often a sign that the message is no longer about God but about personal gain.” ALSO READ: RIB warns against ‘beliefs that put people in danger’ According to Rutayisire, it's important to identify both a false preacher and a manipulative or exploitative preacher because not everyone preaching the right message is doing so with the right intentions. “You may not necessarily be a false preacher; you might be preaching a message that is biblically correct, but if you’re using that message to exploit people emotionally, financially, or otherwise, then you are manipulative and that’s just as harmful.” Rutayisire stressed the need to separate fake messages from exploitative intentions. While a fake message usually contradicts the Bible and is clearly misleading, an exploitative message may sound scripturally accurate on the surface, but the motive behind it is self-serving. “The key is to look at the benefit; what does the preacher gain from the message? That’s often where the truth lies.” He pointed out that even in the Bible, people were warned against preachers who would arise with hidden agendas, not to serve them, but to take advantage of them as they would use seemingly holy messages as a tool for exploitation. Solange Balikunde, a lecturer at Africa College of Theology (ACT) said that false teaching doesn’t always come with flashing lights or a villain’s laugh but it often looks like the truth until it’s too late. She said: “It’s easy because deep down, we often do know what to look for. It’s difficult because we tend to search for a checklist of signs that will make the falsehoods obvious. There’s no set of signs that can be exhaustive. Instead, it’s good to know the Bible what the scriptures say and teach. When you know the truth, it’s easy to detect lies. “Just like how bankers spot counterfeit money not by studying fake notes, but by becoming deeply familiar with real notes. In the same way, believers must stay rooted in sound doctrine as their safest protection.” Balikunde said that a preacher may sound good and preach well, but if they justify or downplay sin in their own lives while demanding holiness from others, that’s a red flag believer should look out for. “If a preacher is also all about themselves and what they can gain especially in the name of Jesus everyone, should be careful. People should look beyond the microphone. Watch how they treat people when no one’s watching,” she said. Balikunde also warned against preachers who cater to “itching ears,” or who preach what people want to hear, instead of what they need to hear. “They preach comfort, not conviction yet the whole purpose of life is not to please our desires especially sinful ones. It’s to become more like Christ. If a preacher constantly promises that God will give you everything you want with no call to repentance, correction, or growth, that’s a reason to pause,” Balikunde said. “Avoiding false teaching starts with building core principles before deception comes knocking. know the word of God, test teachings, and examine character. And most importantly, never place yourself under someone’s authority until you’ve truly evaluated their doctrine, motives, and lifestyle.”
