This article contains text that is written in a promotional tone .(September 2022) |
Uebert Angel | |
---|---|
Born | Uebert Mudzanire 6 September 1978 [1] [2] Zaka, Zimbabwe |
Nationality | Zimbabwean and British |
Occupation(s) | Ministry founder, televangelist, businessman, Ambassador |
Spouse | Beverly Angel [3] |
Website | www |
Uebert Angel (born Uebert Mudzanire; [4] 6 September 1978) is a British-Zimbabwean Businessman and a preacher. [5] His name appears on a US Department of Justice list along with 9,612 other people who paid for fake degrees. [6] [7] He is an evangelical preacher and the founder of Spirit Embassy, a Pentecostal ministry in the United Kingdom.
He is also the Presidential Envoy and Ambassador At Large for the country of Zimbabwe to Europe and the Americas. [8] [9] He is commonly referred to as Prophet Angel [10] and also formerly known as Uebert Angel Mudzanire. [11] [12] [13] [14] The church was founded in 2007 as "Spirit Embassy" and in October 2015 it rebranded its name to "Good News Church", retaining "Spirit Embassy" as a term for Angel's overall ministry. [15] [16]
Described as "a young charismatic prophet", Angel travels by helicopter to preach the message that God wants his flock to be rich, as rich as he is. [17]
He is also the founder of The Angel Organisation which is the parent company for his other business interests. [18]
Angel has been critiqued for advocating prosperity theology through his sermons, teachings and writings, or the prosperity gospel, a pseudo-theological belief that the reward of financial and material gain is the divine will of God for all pious Christians.
He has also had multiple controversies surrounding his ministry and charities [19] [20] [21] [22] and has had warrants issued against him. [23] [24] He has been accused of financial fraud and sexual misconduct. [25] [26] In 2023 he was found running a money laundering scheme by abusing his diplomatic privileges. [27] Angel's former congregants have accused him of rape and sexual assault. [28] In 2013 his name was included on a list of people who bought fake degrees from an online degree mill.
Angel was born and grew up in Masvingo, Zimbabwe. He later moved to Manchester, England, where he founded the Spirit Embassy ministry in 2007. [29] In October 2015 it re-branded its name to the "Good News Church" (sometimes referred to as "Spirit Embassy Good News Church"). [16] [30] The church ministry attracted numerous followers and there are currently 70 branches in over 15 different countries in Europe, Africa and the US. Angel has also launched Miracle TV and Good News TV where he carries out regular speaking engagements and broadcasts programs on behalf of the Good News Church. [31] He is also the founder and president of Osborn Institute of Theology, an online Bible school which was launched in August 2012. [32] Angel has two financial degrees one post-graduate degree in education from University of Bolton and a Masters in Entrepreneurship from the University of Edinburgh. [33]
In March 2021 Angel was appointed as the nation of Zimbabwe's Ambassador at Large and Presidential Envoy by Zimbabwean president H.E. President Emmerson Mnangagwa. [34] The ambassadorial role came with the responsibility for Angel to seek trade and investment opportunities for the country of Zimbabwe. [33] Since being appointed Angel has embarked on a number of projects. [35]
Angel started his career in 2005 as a businessman when he founded Club Millionaire Limited, providing concierge services in Britain. [36] He entered the real estate business developing residential properties and later moved to commercial establishments, land and building acquisition, as well as buying and selling of properties. In 2006 he made his first property sale, and in 2008 he founded Sam Barkeley Construction and The Angel Organisation, the parent company for his business interests, of which he currently is CEO. [37] He also runs other business enterprises under the parent company, including Brits Bank and Atom Mobile. [38] He is also the founder of The Millionaire Academy, whose stated purpose is to instruct individuals how to become successful entrepreneurs and run businesses of their own. [39]
In 2014, a Radio Station in Zimbabwe claimed to have access to an "unedited Forbes Magazine story" detailing Uebert Angel's wealth. [36] A later article at ZimEye.net reported these claims to be false, it also was highly critical of his business practices. [40] Angel is involved in a number of commercial real estate projects including the transformation of an old West Midlands Cinema and nightclub into a theatre style events centre. [41] Another UK project is the building of Angel's office headquarters in Lincolnshire, East Midlands. [42]
Angel and his wife Beverly Angel have both been involved in charity work since the launch of his church in 2007. He helps poor families in Africa and Asia by providing monthly groceries and paying tuition fees of children thorough his "Adopt a Family" scheme. [43] In November 2015, he founded Uebert Angel Foundation with his wife which helps poor students by providing scholarships, and tuition fees for education. [44] [45] He is also founder of Free Earth Humanitarian Organisation which works to ensure that underprivileged people have their basic needs for living met. [39] In January 2020 the Angels paid school fees for an entire school of 797 students at Kadyamadare Primary School in the Chikwaka Communal Lands in Zimbabwe. This was done again through Uebert Angel's charity arm the Uebert Angel Foundation (UAF). The foundation followed this up in February when they did the same for 1026 students at Bota Primary School in Masvingo, paying their school fees including levies – for the whole year. [46]
During the COVID-19 pandemic the Uebert Angel Foundation (UAF) executed a number of charitable projects which started with $15,000 in mealie meal to feed vulnerable families in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe. [47] That was followed one month later when UAF donated bags of mealie meal and cooking oil to vulnerable members of his 5000 strong branch of Spirit Embassy: GoodNews Church in Harare, Zimbabwe. [48]
Angel's true identity has been subject of debate. A Zimbabwean newspaper revealed that he uses two national identification cards with different birthdays. The same paper also revealed that his British Passport uses a different birthday to the one submitted when registering companies. [49]
Angel has launched several businesses which have never taken off. Out of 20 companies opened in a period of two years, only two are active. [50] He launched a bank in 2017 amid fanfare but the institution later folded despite church members putting deposits. [51] [52] He launched a television news channel, which was soon exposed as using models from Fiverr, a freelancer website. [53] [54] That news business also collapsed and was de-registered. Angel has also launched an energy drink, which folded in unclear circumstances. [54]
Angel has been critiqued for advocating prosperity theology through his sermons, teachings and writings, or the prosperity gospel, [55] a pseudo-theological belief that the reward of financial and material gain is the divine will of God for all pious Christians. [56] Thus, his ministry appears to be indirectly promoting tithing and prosperity theology [57] in a very persuading manner. [58] [59] This is similar to the doctrines of other mega churches, televangelists, and several prominent figures associated with prosperity theology.
Angel has been in the centre of multiple scams and controversies throughout his ministry and various charities, leading to him being called a 'fraudster' or a 'false prophet'. [60] Despite attempts to brush the allegations aside, there have been various accusations nevertheless, which have been both financial and sexual in nature. [19] [25] [26] [61] [62]
It has also been alleged that Angel has committed sexual misconduct, has blackmailed or persuaded women into sexual acts, and has had multiple extra-marital relationships. [63] [64] [65] [26] [66] Angel's former congregants accused him of raping their wives [28]
The accusations also include defrauding a Bentley Continental from the owner, which was valued at over $300,000. [67] [68] [69] [21] [22] It was assumed that Angel fled to the UK in 2015 to avoid arrest warrants [70] in Zimbabwe over summons issued regarding these allegations. [71] [72] [73] [74]
In March 2023 Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit revealed that Uebert was abusing his diplomatic privileges to run a global money laundering operation. The operation involves black money being funneled to Zimbabwe through Angel and traded for gold from mines of Zimbabwe, the gold which could then be sold again for clean money. Al Jazeera's reporters acting as customers recorded Angel stating, "You want gold, gold we can do it right now, we can make the call right now, and it’s done." [27]
Preacher Jerome Fernando that claims to be a prophet who Uebert appointed to head the Glorius Church in Sri Lanka denied allegations and threatened legal action against accusers. [75] Uebert and Jerome also had met with members of the Rajapaksa family during preaching sessions with Jerome and were given military protection under the Rajapaksa administration. [76] [77]
A spiritual gift or charism is an extraordinary power given by the Holy Spirit. These are believed by followers to be supernatural graces which individual Christians need to fulfill the mission of the Church. In the narrowest sense, it is a theological term for the extraordinary graces given to individual Christians for the good of others and is distinguished from the graces given for personal sanctification, such as the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit and the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Peter George Popoff is a German-born American televangelist, charlatan, debunked clairvoyant, and faith healer. He was exposed in 1986 by James Randi, for using a concealed earpiece to receive radio messages from his wife, who gave him the names, addresses, and ailments of audience members during Popoff-led religious services. Popoff falsely claimed God revealed this information to him so that Popoff could cure them through faith healing.
Kenneth Max Copeland is an American televangelist associated with the charismatic movement. He is the founder of Eagle Mountain International Church Inc. (EMIC), which is based in Tarrant County, Texas. Copeland has also written several books and resources.
Lakewood Church is a non-denominational evangelical Christian megachurch located in Houston, Texas. It is among the largest congregations in the United States, averaging about 45,000 attendees per week. The 16,800-seat Lakewood Church building, home to four English-language services and two Spanish-language services per week, is located at the former Compaq Center. Joel Osteen is the senior pastor of Lakewood Church with his wife, Victoria, who serves as co-pastor.
Joel Scott Osteen is an American pastor, televangelist, businessman and author based in Houston, Texas. Known for his weekly televised services and several best-selling books, Osteen is one of the more prominent figures associated with prosperity theology and a focus of its critics.
Charles Frazier Stanley was an American Southern Baptist pastor and writer. He was senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta for 49 years and took on emeritus status in 2020. He founded and was president of In Touch Ministries, which widely broadcasts his sermons through television and radio. He also served two one-year terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention, from 1984 to 1986.
John Fullerton MacArthur Jr. is an American pastor and author who hosts the national Christian radio and television program Grace to You. He has been the pastor of Grace Community Church, a non-denominational church in Sun Valley, California since February 9, 1969. He is currently the chancellor emeritus of The Master's University in Santa Clarita and The Master's Seminary.
Prosperity theology is a religious belief among some Charismatic Christians that financial blessing and physical well-being are always the will of God for them, and that faith, positive speech, and donations to religious causes will increase one's material wealth. Material and especially financial success is seen as a sign of divine favor.
Christian Oyakhilome known as Pastor Chris is a Christian faith leader, preacher, author, philanthropist, televangelist and president of Loveworld Incorporated. He is most well known as the founding pastor of the Mega Church Christ Embassy and author of the daily devotional Rhapsody of Realities.
Nehanda Charwe Nyakasikana also known as Mbuya Nehanda was a svikiro, or spirit medium of the Zezuru Shona people. She was a medium of Nehanda, a female Shona mhondoro. As one of the spiritual leaders of the Shona, she was one of the leaders of a revolt, the Chimurenga, against the British South Africa Company's colonisation of what is now Zimbabwe led by Cecil John Rhodes in 1889. She was a Hera of the HwataShava Mufakose Dynasty. She and her ally Sekuru Kaguvi were eventually captured and executed by the company on charges of murder. She has been commemorated by Zimbabweans by statues, songs, novels, and poems, and the names of streets and hospitals. The legacy of the medium continued to be linked to the theme of resistance, particularly the guerrilla war that began in 1972. Her name became of increasing importance to the nationalist movements in Zimbabwe.
Timothy James Keller was an American Calvinist pastor, preacher, theologian, and Christian apologist. He was the chairman and co-founder of Redeemer City to City, which trains pastors for service around the world. He was also the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City and the author of The New York Times bestselling books The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith (2008), Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God (2014), and The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism (2008). The prequel for the latter is Making Sense of GOD: An Invitation to the Skeptical (2016).
Temitope Balogun Joshua, popularly known as T. B. Joshua, was a Nigerian charismatic pastor, televangelist, and philanthropist. He was the leader and founder of Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN), a Christian megachurch that runs the Emmanuel TV television station from Lagos.
Amulek is a man referred to in the Book of Alma, a section of the Book of Mormon. After being visited by an angel, he gives the prophet Alma food, listens to his preaching, and becomes his missionary companion. Alma and Amulek preach in Ammonihah and are challenged by lawyers, primarily Zeezrom, who accuses Amulek of lying and teaching against their laws. They are brought before the chief judge of the land. The men who believe their teachings are thrown out of the city and the women and children are burned in a fire, which Alma and Amulek are made to watch. Then, they are imprisoned until Alma's prayer gives them the strength to break free and walls of the prison split in two.
Todd David Bentley is a Canadian Christian evangelist. He was a key figure of the Lakeland Revival and was in leadership of Fresh Fire Ministries Canada until stepping down in August 2008 following accusations of immoral behavior.
Enoch Adejare Adeboye is a Nigerian pastor and General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God. He served as the 2nd national president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria.
Robert Martin Gumbura was a Zimbabwean religious leader who served as the pastor of the RMG Independent End Time Message Church in Zimbabwe.
Shepherd Bushiri also known as Major 1 is a Malawian preacher, prophet, businessman, motivational speaker, and author.
Alan G. Cairns was a Northern Irish pastor, author, and radio Bible teacher.
Mudiwa Hood is a Zimbabwean hip hop/gospel artist and actor.
Gayo Asherbiri is an Ethiopian Medical Doctor, politician and member of parliament in the Parliament of Ethiopia. He is also the current Acting President of the Pan African Parliament as of August 2023.
Media related to Uebert Angel at Wikimedia Commons