A church body that enables “gay exorcism” as conversion therapy and believes in witchcraft is conducting a major expansion in Scotland.
The attitudes of the Forward In Faith Church International Incorporated (FIFCII) have been described as promoting “vicious hom*ophobia and misogyny” by campaigners.
Scotland is currently seeking to legally end conversion therapy - that seeks to meddle with any individual’s gender identity or sexual orientation.
But the Daily Record can reveal that the FIFCII has been accepted by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), despite the extreme beliefs.
The Pentecostal model church, which has a huge following in Zimbabwe, where it was formed by “Apostle” Ezekiel Guti in 1960 and known as ZAOGA.
The church has grown despite believing in witchcraft and states that women should provide sex for their husbands whenever they desire it.
Its ministers also regularly oversee miracles, which allow crippled people to suddenly walk and all manner of ailments to be suddenly cured at mass evangelical gatherings.
Two overseers for Scotland have been appointed - seeking to set up in Glasgow, Fife, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Premises have already been bought in Edinburgh for a Scottish HQ.
The National Secular Society (NSS) has raised furious concerns about FIFCII.
NSS human right lead Alejandro Sanchez said aid: “This organisation promotes vicious hom*ophobia and misogyny, and may well be endangering lives with reckless allegations of witchcraft.
“Any suggestion it is acting in the public benefit and worthy of charitable status is absurd.
“We know from experience OSCR has been either unable or unwilling to take action against religious charities that foster intolerance and extreme views.
“It is now time legislators urgently review ‘the advancement of religion’ as a charitable purpose. It must not be used as a back door for religious groups to promote conversion therapy and the subjugation of women.”
The website of FIFCII describes the exorcism of a man possessed by a “hom*osexual spirit”.
One “Apostle’s Update” blog post on the charity’s website in 2017 describes how the spirit “bound him for many years” but that he was freed during a “miracle night” in St Kitts and Nevis.
The blog states: “The atmosphere on Sunday was electric as there was too much joy in the church.”
Another blog entry describes the ‘deliverance’ of a 14 year old girl in Zimbabwe who was taken nightly to “eat human flesh and drink human blood” as part of a ‘witchcraft’ ritual.
Church founder amassed a huge fortune during 60 years of spiritual leadership in Zimbabwe
The founder of the Forward in Faith Church reportedly amassed a personal fortune of $130 million by the time of his death last year, aged 100.
“Apostle” Guti was regarded as spiritual leader by many but was criticised by some for his support for Robert Mugabe, who was loved in some quarters but described as a ruthless dictator by many.
Guti formed the Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa (Zaoga)in 1960
That led to the creation of a media empire, a university, a hospital and numerous schools, as well as more than 100 publications.
His church is has the third largest membership in Zimbabwe after the Roman Catholic Church and the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church.
The church claims to have spread its ministeries to 168 countries, with over three million members.
Guti’s church was modelled around western Pentecostal movements.
An article on Guti on The Conversation website told how he set off on a “reverse mission” – taking the African gospel to a “backsliding” western world.
At an event at last year’s Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University - formed by the church’s leader in the city of Bindura, a team of evangelists were reported to have been set free from possession.
The report states: “We thank our father Apostle Dr Joseph Joe Guti for sending us a powerful team of evangelists during the week of Spiritual Revival Festival.
“Many people were set free from spiritual husbands/wives, some were delivered from abnormal period pains and blood flow, others delivered from witchcraft, satanism and marine spirits as well as healings from sight problems.”
A blog from 2015 praises the deliverance of 17 people in Zimbabwe from “spiritual husbands, bitterness, hom*osexuality, witchcraft, satanism - to mention a few”.
Figures suggest thousands of children in the UK may be victims of abuse linked to witchcraft beliefs.
In another blog, Pastor Fiona Arthurs sets out a wife’s responsibilities in a sermon titled ‘A Wise Woman’s Responsibility’.
It says sex is “the very reason” for marriage, adding: “When we said ‘I do’ we were saying ‘I do’ to his desire for sex.
Arthurs is author of the book Foolish Things Wives Do To Mess Up Their Marriages - which has a foreword by Ezekiel Guti.
In its UK annual report for 2023, FIFCII, reveals its blueprint for Scotland.
It declares that the it is growing fast due to “tithing” - where the congregation hand over 10% of their income to the church.
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It states: “Scotland has seen a big increase in numbers due to the influx from Zimbabwe through the work visa program.
“This has benefited us in many ways, not least with tithing but also as many of them were already leaders in Zimbabwe. They are eager to do the work of God in their new places of worship.”
It adds: “An area calling for attention for church growth is the possibility of new assemblies.
“We are looking to establish one in Dundee in 2024 and possibly Fife as well, areas which are both to the east between Edinburgh and Aberdeen assemblies.
“Scotland Province might be small in size but mighty in heart and serving a big God.
“We are confident that 2024 will be a year with bigger, greater, mightier blessings than we have already seen or even believed possible.”
At the end of 2022, FIFCII bought its own ”provincial centre”, for Scotland in Edinburgh, which is still being renovated, with use of donations.
The organisation admits that its extreme beliefs can be a blocker - due to equality laws.
The report states: “Finding affordable places of worship can be challenging in some places from practices that are against our guidance, rules and policy, like being asked to sign an agreement to support same sex marriages.”
In the UK, charities are legally required to act in the public benefit but OSCR has tended to turn a blind eye to the most controversial Old Testament beliefs if they are held in the name of religion.
FIFCII’s headquarters are in Zimbabwe. According to the website, FIFCII founder Ezekiel Guti was told by God to “learn to preach in English because you shall go to many countries with my word”.
Conversion therapy set to be outlawed in Scotland
The Scottish Government is seeking to legally ban “conversion therapy” that aims to change any individual’s sexuality.
A public consultation was launched in January this year and legislation could follow.
Equalities Minister Emma Roddick announced the consultation in a statement that claims conversion practice are “damaging and destructive acts” that violate the human rights of those who undergo them.
She adds: “Sadly, these practices happen today, and they have absolutely no place in Scotland. We are committed to bringing an end to conversion practices, and to protect LGBTQI+ people from the trauma and harm they can cause.”
In 2020, the United Nations Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity called for a global ban on conversion therapy.
Conversion therapy is any intervention that seeks to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Conversion therapies work towards ‘curing’ someone.
New Zealand, Canada, Germany, and the Australian state of Victoria have already commenced with legislation to ban such practices.
Roddick said the focus of legislation is protecting people from harm.
According to its website, the ministry has “spread to most of the major cities of the United Kingdom including, London, Manchester, Birmingham, Belfast, Glasgow and Cardiff.
Earlier this year, the Daily Record told how a pastor at Rosyth Baptist Church claimed “a husband is the head of his wife” and a wife “that submits to her husband’s leadership and respects him is easier to love”.
In 2022, we also told how a preacher at Moray Coast Baptist Church said housework is the “primary function” of women.
The Scottish charity regulator refused to take action against either church.
In Scotland the “overseers” of the expansion in this country are Philip and Norah Austin.
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Nora studied at the Africa Multination For Christ College in Zimbabwe, where the church was formed, and lives in Edinburgh with Scot Philip.
Both said they did not wish to comment on the expansion plans when the Record spoke to them.
The Record put the claims relating to extreme hom*ophobia and misogyny to the church’s official spokesperson but we did not receive a reply.
OSCR was also asked to comment on the acceptance of FIFCII.
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