Pastors And Their Duelling Deputies -By Fola Ojo

The sparkling spots for fierce fights that history has ever recorded are not in the frontlines of Afghanistan; not in the war zone of Iraq, not in the enclaves of Boko- Haram’s northern Nigeria, or in the Al-Qaeda-controlled terrains of Pakistan. If you thought guns are mostly drawn, and bombs are often dropped only in the tilled trenches of Ukraine or close to the borders of Russia, you are in humongous error. The fiercest places of fights I’ve ever experienced are in the CHURCH of the Living God!

In church, we learn to fight the devil so we can keep our distance from trouble. We are tutored to fight witches to get our wishes. We are nurtured to fight wizards who bring us spiritual blizzards. In church we fight poverty; we fight sickness; we fight hopelessness; and we fight to get rest and restoration. These are all good, Godly, and necessary fights. But in the same church are infantile fights. People fight each other as men of faith turn to men of foolish and frivolous fights. The fiercest places of battles and fights are in the CHURCH of the Living God, and it is shocking!

In church, the assistant pastor fights the senior pastor. The senior pastor fights the founder. Ministers fight each other and the pastor. Evangelists fight overseers. And overseers fight Bishops they appointed. These raging church battles are everywhere around the world. In white-American churches, there are fights. The Black-American churches are fight-full. And African churches are proficient in fights. And you ask and wonder: What are people fighting for?

Not too long ago, the pastor of a big church in Lagos Island just had a bite of an in-house fight. This pastor does good ministry lending helping hands to the helpless and hopeless. Over many years of ministry, he identifies young people and pours himself into them in experience and impartation. Then he makes them leaders. I recently heard that for many years, one of these young men that the pastor nurtured became a big voice in the church. He was so beloved by many. Attributes seen in the young man opened the members’ eyes to what the big pastor lacks in gregariousness.

“He is a people-person,” a member of the church said about the young pastor. The young man knew he was beloved. He also knew a few complaints about the big pastor. He then decided to follow his own preaching schedule instead of the big pastor’s vision for the church. Any time he mounted the altar, he preached from his own outlines and deviated from the order laid in place by the pastor. The big pastor had enough of it. He asked the young pastor to step aside. All hell broke loose in the church. People whispered in the ears of the young pastor how beloved he was. They pushed him to start his own church. He did. The church splintered in half.

The young pastor took with him moneybags in the church, stripping the big pastor of his financial support base to do the works of ministry. The big pastor was distraught. The member who told me the story said that the small pastor’s new church is presently doing very well. The church is growing and people are trooping in. But most of the newcomers aren’t new; they are from the big pastor’s church once surrendered to the young pastor to lead in worship. What the little pastor did to the big pastor will one day come back to haunt him. It’s the Law of Karma. He too will grow young people who will rebel, and who will do to him what he did to his pastor. It’s only a matter of time.

What are people fighting over in church? Some fight because they want power, money, fame, or just to be heard. When people break away from a mother church to start theirs, they believe they can preach and lead better than the pastor. Maybe they can. But why fight to preach and lead?

Interdenominational fights are plentiful. Intra-denominational squabbles aren’t few. Pastors in the same city fight each other for membership and territorial supremacy. The church of the living God today has become one big arena of brutal, senseless, and endless fights. If the children of Israel did not have to fight one another over the milk and honey of Canaan that was enough for all, why then are many in the church at each other’s throat?

This is a heartfelt admonition to my sons and daughters in ministry all around the world. In 30 years of ministry; I’ve come across many people, and worked with many personalities who are workers and altar ministers in the vineyard. Many of them understand the protocol and ethics of ministry. But few abandon the necessitous. They think much of themselves and believe in their talents. They erroneously also think if they are not part of the ministry they belong to; the assembly will crumble. That is not how God works. Talent is a minuscule part of ministry. Wishes and the zeal to zoom off are tiny parts of the work of the kingdom. There’s more to ministry success than natural gifts or speaking in tongues.

When you hurt a true man or woman of God; you’re hurting the sacrifices of time and treasures he has put into the work for many years. When you hurt people because you desire to start your own; all will not end well. It will take the greater grace of God for anyone you intentionally or unintentionally hurt to pray for you. They most likely will curse you. Do you blame them? You have destabilised their life, family, and ministries; remember?

Do you want a curse for your new journey? I hope not!

The curse from a violated person in spiritual authority is very toxic to destinies. If you believe you have to leave the environment where you have served; do so peacefully and in sweet accord. Don’t say one bad word about the man or woman to anyone around town. Don’t even think that without you; the church will fold up. If you have this mindset; you have now placed yourself on an equal pedestal with God who is the owner of the church. You are not God! The fold will grow without you. Leave peacefully and seek the face of God as you move on.

Humble yourself. Stay calm and respect the process. In humility; God promotes. Don’t be pushed by your big ego and people around you to start what Heaven has not approved; and what you may not be really ready for. What you begin with rebellion will fail and fall. And people pushing you will laugh at you when the inevitable tumble happens.

And to the big pastor, you must know when to release your subordinates to pursue their destinies. They are not your tools to be abused and used up. They are instruments to be trained and tutored by God through you for the advancement of the kingdom. Sometimes it may be tough to let some go because of your close relationships, but you must let them fly. You must help them soar. You must assist them as they follow their dreams. In doing so, you are averting a crisis that may be avoidable. And you are glorifying the name of God who is the owner of the church you pastor.

Twitter: @FolaOjotweet