Ntsoro…Excuse me! …Apostle Joel
Source : Kutlwano
Author : Ndingililo Gaoswediwe
Location : Gaborone
Event : Feature article
Article: Ndingililo Gaoswediwe
Photos: Gothusang Lesego
He is a comedian, and those who know him as such must have laughed off rumours that he had established a church of his own. After all the character Ntsoro has followed him wherever he goes. Hence those who have watched him on stage, be it as a Master of Ceremony (MC) or on Botswana Television`s (Btv) Mokaragana show, can attest to his funny jokes.
Eager to get the story from the horse`s mouth, Kutlwano last month paid Ntsoro aka Joel Keitumele an impromptu visit. We find him at his mission house in Gaborone`s Phase Two location. He is calm as ever and welcomes us without much ado. He is clad in a white shirt with a maroon checked collar and cuffs that blend well with his trousers and shoes.
“I was ordained in September as an apostle and celebrations will be held this month,” explains the man I first referred to as Ntsoro as he flips through a manuscript to explain the hierarchy in the church. Each sentence he says ends with an “amen” and refers to colleagues as women and men of God.
Then I begin to realize that truly the once funnyman has suddenly crossed over to assume the title of Apostle and now talks with a priestly voice that commands authority. The apostle is the highest office in the church (1 Corinthians 12:28), which to him is a gift from God that he received through a vision.
With a straight face, he reads that apostles start churches, ministries and schools. “I started the church from scratch…,” he confirms as he stands up to turn down the noise from a huge television set mounted on the wall that is playing Emmanuel TV.
Apostle Joel is the founder and leader of Heavenly International Souls (HIS) Church. Its mission, he says, is to win souls to Christ side through witnessing, serving, teaching, worshiping, nurturing and stewardship for the advancement of God`s kingdom through demonstration of His power.
Yes, starting a church is simple. One just has to register it and then rent a tent or find refuge under a good tree shade, buy an assortment of coloured plastic chairs, a microphone, pulpit stand and an offertory basket.
This is because religion is the world`s most lucrative business as one Nigerian writes, “…depending on the style you prefer, begin to advertise the sudden discovery of your anointing, and make sure you spice it up with your ability to cure all sorts of ailments and perform outstanding miracles. Make sure you convince them that you, you alone, have the solution to all their problems. And they will continue to part with their meager income.”
As our interview drags on, Apostle Joel clarifies that his is a calling from God and he decided to oblige by establishing his own church instead of joining existing ones because, “Ke na le gift ya go aga, ke thama ke bo ke tsamaisa. It is not for the first time ke ntse ke le mo moopelong and I managed to group youth from different congregations (Jam in Christ) …now ke tsweledisa ka fa modimo a mpatlang ka teng.”
He neither markets nor advertises HIS church. Conversely, he only ministers while the church expands through sharing of testimonies. Our interview is interrupted now and then as the apostle`s phone rings almost every five minutes. His conversations revolve around church business - people making appointments or arrangements for this and that.
“God said to me, because people know you; work with signs and wonders to demonstrate the ability and power of God. If God could have given me the word without demonstrating power, then I would be more of a motivational speaker than a spiritual power.”
He demonstrates his gift and supremacy of God through identifying issues that torment people; healing the sick, deliverance and arming the brethren with the word of God to win battles and conquer the devil on their own, reckons Apostle Joel.
Prior to this mission, the new apostle says he spent “the year 2012 in a closet where God was initiating him.” The father of two, started working with different pastors such as Pastor Botswelelo and Prophet Thuso Molefhe who were at the same time mentoring him.
Advice and confirmation of his calling were done during some of his one on one meetings with spiritual leaders such as Prophet Ezekiel Guti of Forward in Faith Ministries International, Apostle Muraro Maposa from Lesotho, Prophet Uebert Angel of Spirit Embassy, to cite but a few.
Raised in a Christian family and given a biblical name, Apostle Joel says he had been engaged in other things while awaiting God to confirm his calling. He did not want to rush things such that he would have been an evangelist yesterday, a bishop today and an apostle tomorrow.
“I had a vision ministering, ke bona ditoro ke le fa gare ga dinku ke di supegetsa tsela fa gongwe ministering to multitudes,” he says about his communication with God.
Armed with a diploma in Social Work and a Degree in Adult Education from the University of Botswana, the one-time Btv presenter just sits at home while people come for prayers and counseling sessions. In the evening, he goes for prayers at the hills around the city. Meanwhile, his wife, Amogelang, will this December quit her job to work full time for HIS church.
The youthful apostle is quick to quash claims that nowadays celebrities are turning to God because of desperation. On the contrary, he points out that given such people are already in the limelight, it invariably becomes easy for the public to know what they are up to and he says this is normal. There are spiritual winds of change, which he argues will see prominent people such as Cabinet ministers leading congregations.
Apostle Joel adds that God is using government to keep a sharp eye on foreign prophets and soon the move will result in the rise of local prophets, citing Kopong based Cedric and TP Elias as some of them.
In the meantime whilst still looking for a place for HIS church, prayers and counseling sessions take place at the mission house in Phase Two.
Talk of a man whose first appearance on national television was only through a gospel music video tape. Many cared less about this unknown quantity which later appeared on Btv (2003) presenting a Sunday gospel programme - Melodi ya Kgalaletso. Every Sunday Joel Keitumele would give a brief introduction of artists and share a word from the Bible.
Five years down the line, Keitumele is called in as a stand-in on Mokaragana - Btv music talent show. The spur-of-the-moment presenter takes Mokaragana to dizzy heights and is met with a flurry of praises from fans. The stand-in turns into a long lasting job.
“For four years I was silent about gospel because Mokaragana caters for all genres…ka jalo se se bo se fokotsa efangeli yame,” explains Apostle Joel in an exclusive interview with Kutlwano.
“Amen, woman of God,” the humble man ends the interview to attend to individuals who are patiently waiting outside. ENDS
Teaser:
I had a vision ministering, ke bona ditoro ke le fa gare ga dinku ke di supegetsa tsela fa gongwe (having dreams of myself in the midst of sheep giving them direction, and sometimes) ministering to multitudes
