THE CHURCH IN A CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY (13)

Appointing a Church Leader


"Never be in a hurry about appointing a church leader. Do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure." (1 Timothy 5:22)


The belief that we should use the available, not just the anointed, and that when a dog is not available, we make use of a sheep to hunt, is the downfall of today's church. Churches are expanding and spreading their influence in cities and villages. However, there is a shortage of qualified leaders to handle this growth. The harvest is indeed plentiful, but there are few laborers.


The lack of faithful laborers has led to the appointment of individuals without considering their character and lifestyle. I have witnessed pastors who have no experience and have never served as church workers being appointed. They do not have stable homes, lack a public testimony, and their wives prefer to worship in other branches of the church because they do not see them as pastors but impostors. I know of a brother who was appointed to lead a church but does not give reports or attend gatherings of workers from the assembly that appointed him.


There is misconduct occurring on the pulpit. Some churches have become event centers because the appointed leaders have no connection with God and resort to borrowed systems to run the church.


Certain churches are comfortable with favorable but manipulated reports. In some churches, once you are appointed as a pastor, it becomes your responsibility to raise funds and furnish the building, all at your own personal expenses and efforts. This expectation does not hinder your monthly financial demands to the headquarters. This is why the rich are preferred over the anointed to lead and head the branches of churches.


During his earthly ministry, Jesus Christ also experienced a shortage of men. But his solution is clear: "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. PRAY YE THEREFORE THE LORD OF THE HARVEST, THAT HE WILL SEND FORTH LABORERS INTO HIS HARVEST" (Matthew 9:37-38). Prayer is Jesus' key to finding the right laborers. He prayed earnestly before choosing those who worked with him.


I once questioned a pastor who was accused by his friends of drinking alcohol and other strong drinks, asking him how he became a pastor. He told me, "It was the Church General Overseer who appointed me as a pastor. I didn't ask for it." I was shocked by his response.


When churches prioritize spreading everywhere, growing the largest congregation, and accumulating finances without investing in raising qualified leaders, they will only produce men like the unturned cake of Ephraim (Hosea 7:8). This unturned cake will eventually destroy any perceived godly investment. They will be hirelings who have no business tending to God's sheep. And at any sign of discomfort or challenges, they will abandon the sheep and flee.


It is not uncommon for branch pastors today to rebel against their General Overseer and turn the church they are appointed to oversee into their personal properties. The rate at which pastors bite the hands that feed them is alarming.


I recently received information about a brother who was appointed to lead his people by a Christian body. However, his family sees the church he is appointed to lead as their son's property, and they sought the help of diviners to make the church grow.


Today's church needs to exercise great caution as we seek to expand and appoint leaders, lest we appoint Satan to lead the church of God. There are individuals seeking to devour God's sheep.


The church must carefully train and prayerfully select leaders for the congregation of God. If we do not heed divine counsel and hastily appoint individuals like Diotrephes into our Church Council, the outcome could be this: "I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us" (3 John 1:9).


May God help us as we prayerfully seek His guidance in choosing those who represent Him among men.


God bless you greatly.


Peter Abdul-Razaq Olayinka

Serving missionary with: Living Grace Christian Missions, Ilara.

WhatsApp: (+229)94139130

Mobile: (+234) 8066540987, (+234) 7084504532

Email: peterrazaq@yahoo.com

Twitter & Instagram: @peterrazaq

LinkedIn: Revd. Peter Olayinka

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