SA pastor on the spot for baptizing congregants with alcohol

A Pastor in South Africa has come under sharp criticism after starting a church where he is unconventionally baptizing congregants with their favourite alcoholic drink.

Tsietsi Makiti, a 52-year old Bishop and Founder of the church also known as ‘Gabola’, claims to have been inspired by a scripture in the Bible where Jesus changed water into wine.

“People who drink and get baptized by beer are happy and peaceful. This means they are living in the shadow of God,” says Makiti.

Congregants are also allowed to drink during church services.

The church named ‘Gabola’ – meaning ‘drinking’ in Tswana – is said to accept worshipers turned away by other churches, and has seen a spike in its numbers to slightly over 500 in just two months after inception.

Bishop Tsietsi has also announced plans to establish more branches of the church in various countries.