Much has been written about a recent trend of “successful” and perhaps more entrepreneurial pastors expanding their reach to bless a wider group through books, talking tours and nationwide conferences. Many say it may not be God asking them to separate for as long as they do from the assembly in the local church and, as seen in some scenarios, even resigning thriving pastorates to respond to the call through other ventures.

Christianity Today wrote recently in an article of many like Francis Chan, Jim Belcher, N. T. Wright and, now Rob Bell, leaving local church pastorates, some of which were churches they themselves had planted for what seems like more lucrative full-time conference and book ministry.  It would appear that the local pastorate can provide an excellent platform that paves way for a broader more exciting and financially rewarding foray that does not require the tough ethical and doctrinal accountabilities (hassles) shepherding demands of the weary pastor whether in a small church or as part of a larger denomination. The sheep need a pastor to see Christ in and mentoring to maturity.  As pastors leave, what happens to the sheep of Christ.  Who will visit the unlovable in an era of do-it-yourself Christianity … and who will watch day and night in prayer over the careless?

The sheep may appear to have found new online savvy but they cannot see Christ as well on a podium or on a TV screen or on a blog as when they can feel the life of their pastor in his marriage, home and in how he masters challenges and defeats demons resisting him. In reality, the sheep want to be visited, heard and encouraged sometimes when the shepherd is exhausted and close to a nervous wreck battling his own challenges.

John 21[15]  … Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. [16]  He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. [17]  He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Jesus spoke to Simon Peter and asked if he loved Him more than “these”. “These” would be fame, money, acclaim, ease, comforts, lofty personal aspirations and agenda.  If the answer is yes, then go and carry and feed the young silly sheep (lambs) and also their older sometimes unpredictable prickly parents. Christ needs those who love Him to pastor the sheep where He sends them – and remain there.

Pastoring as Christ ordained cannot be as thrilling as many would want it to be otherwise Christ will not repeat himself in three different sentences that the evidence of love for Him will be the patient duty of carrying the weak and rescuing the undeserving perishing. Feeding sheep includes staying awake to protect them from wolves, running to the cliffs to rescue some from falling headlong, helping to free the young unheeding lamb caught in a rough thicket, bringing out one that has fallen into a ditch, finding good pasture – leading and helping the thirsty to the quiet streams for a refreshing drink.  This will require both the rod and staff as teaching tools – not just power-point and jazzy multimedia.

The elegant and sophisticated Egyptians despised Shepherds and looked down at them, considering them to be the inferior of men … they typically earned the lowest wages and stayed outdoors and were smelly.

Genesis 46[34]   … for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.

The modern day shepherd has fared much better, and the pastor will have found many other pastimes on the internet, writing, touring, doing nationwide seminars – earning millions of dollars from a gift that a wider audience will pay for.  Is this not part of the call and is God  against rich and famous pastors?  Surely not.

Sheep in recent times have also become more risky to handle, and many wolves in sheep clothing have devoured not just other sheep but less discerning shepherds … and some may ask in their low moments – am I called to this.  Christ does not ask everyone to feed His sheep, only those who have been given the rare grace to love Him more than “these”.

Or perhaps Christ should have said  “Feed my lamb, feed  my sheep…and feed yourself”

( Published in The Christian Post )

RECESSION, THE ONE WORD HAS SHOT TO THE FORE OF EVERY NATION, BUSINESS AND FAMILY; and that irrespective of whether they fully understand the meaning or not. The word has come to paint a picture of pain and dread – stock crashes, business closures, job losses, income depreciation and debt burdens. Economists worldwide are caught gaping as to where they all got it wrong. And like cancer or the HIV/AIDS epidemic, no one is sure of the cure.

But quite typical of every phenomenon, it is so easy to view recession just in terms of economics; recession occurs also in the emotional and spiritual realms. After all, what is recession is not a decline in growth and output? So when, as believers, we no longer love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength; when we lose our “first love” for the Lord, we are experiencing a spiritual recession. And when our hearts no longer find joy and excitement in our relationships, especially our covenant relationships, we must be experiencing emotional recession. We need a stimulus plan, the Bible calls it REVIVAL!

There are as many causes of economic recession as there are economic theories. But recession, economic recession, wherever it occurs in the Bible days was attributable to three main things:

 Matthew 2 [2]  Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

If I had to choose the most inspiring person in 2009 – it would no doubt for me be Susan Boyle. Not because she is an obvious success as her first album tops the charts and the audience applaud yet another performance.  It is not even that her talent is exceptional and her songs well chosen – it’s her life that sings to the heart. Many will discover through listening to her story the joy of beginning afresh even at the twilight of life…

Boyle remains active as a volunteer at her Catholic church in Blackburn, visiting elderly members of the congregation in their homes.  An awkward inelegant stocky spinster she was…swinging ungracefully for years between mental anguish, depression and loneliness…with few friends and fewer invitations. Almost 50, she picks herself up…with little support or encouragement.  I watched her video on the TV Programme and observed the audience snigger mockingly as she clumsily introduced her act.  Susan’s life sang…and the mockery ceased.

Everybody loves a Cinderella story because we have an intrinsic secret wish (or shall I say weakness) to experience the fairy tale transformation chapters in our lives.  In the dark silent night at the height of the Recession of 2009…we saw suddenly in Susan Boyle an unusual glitter that required no major investment or smart money manager. ..and nothing could stop.  A true star takes us off-guard in its beauty and somehow can not be brought down.  We thank God for her late mother who saw what God had put in her daughter and continued to encourage her all through the dark years.  We thank God she was not created a  svelte and witty genius with long beautiful blonde hair. We thank God for isolating her enough to produce a fresh uniqueness that sparkles in a world exhausted with strange images, hype and self promotion. We thank God for the challenges that made her so authentic… 

The Bible said the wise men saw a star in the dark silent night that led them to Jesus.  As you listen to Susan sing “Silent night” in her debut album  - remember what she said…It’s not a beauty contest. Discover what God has put in you, has asked of you and shine at it… like Isaac as he dug wells and was resisted… do keep moving forward. Let them think what they wish …

“If I had to select one quality, one personal characteristic that I regard as being most highly correlated with success, whatever the field, I would pick the trait of persistence. Determination. The will to endure to the end, to get knocked down seventy times and get up off the floor saying. “Here comes number seventy-one!” “…Richard M. DeVos

I pray God’s encourager – the Holy Spirit…will speak a word to move you into a fresh beginning…I pray all the challenges of previous years will be mysteriously turned to assets…I pray you will laugh and feel you cannot stop laughing…I pray you will be perfected in Christ and will shine and lead people not to yourself but to what your great God can do…I pray you and many through you will come to Christ and become what God had created all of us to be – in our unique way…STARS of God.  A Holy Nation, not to be worshipped, but rather to encourage others to salvation in Christ Jesus.  

I Peter 2 [9]  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Boyle who will earn we are told at least £10m next year still lives in the family home, a four-bedroom council house, with her 10-year-old cat, Pebbles.

I pray Christ perfects and keeps her and us all unspotted and without blemish till that day … that soon coming day…somewhere in eternity where a great assembly will be applauding …but this time, for winning the real contest.

Enjoy the holiday season

 
Bode

We all need forgiveness and some sort of financial restoration or another.

Isaiah  3[6]  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

All our iniquity was laid on Jesus who taught us how to receive God’s forgiveness.  Matthew 6[12]  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. … [14]  For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: [15]  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

In Paul’s letter to Philemon, Paul appeals to Philemon to forgive Onesimus who used to be a rascal. Philemon v[18]  If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; [19]  I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it : albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.

Like Philemon was to Paul, we all owe Jesus Christ a favour and He pleads that we forgive.  In times of recession, debts can indeed be crippling. Many groan in fear for inability to pay back.  We can provoke divine forgiveness and restoration by generous acts of forgiveness.  Why don’t you list all who owe you and prioritise by their inability to pay and then write off 50% in order of inability to pay.  Forgive debts that are not financial as well e.g. promises made not fulfilled.  Then pray to God for forgiveness in any way you may have offended Him.

Trusting God

A Christian friend who had read Wealth out of Ashes visited me looking somewhat agitated by what I had written concerning Debt.  He is the Chief Executive of a chain of pharmaceutical outlets in the country expanding rapidly faced with a decision to go for more debt or not. He however decided against debt as God spoke to him through the book to trust and wait on Him but this was after scheduling a meeting with his regular financier.  He told me God told him not to borrow but still to visit the financier to see why.  On arriving at his place he saw gathered in the house of his financier (banker) some marabouts  –  praying holy men who make amulets for good luck, tell the future, and actively (mis)guide the lives of followers.   The Spirit of God told him that the money he had been borrowing from that source (unknown to him) was linked to “strange” covenants.  Since that incident of rejecting the offered loan, his business has continued to thrive even more and be increasingly strengthened with divine success. New doors have also opened.

Proverbs 22[7]…and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Isaiah 43[19]  Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

2 Corinthians 6[14]  Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness?  (AMP)

If you suspect strange covenants…as God helps you, break loose from them. Lord, give us grace to trust You more. By the power of your anointing, may the yoke of any strange covenant over our businesses be destroyed in Jesus name.  (Isaiah 10.27) Amen.

Have a blessed day

Bode Ososami