Reverend Eugene Owusu Gyakari
Ministries today undoubtedly have become more institutionalized than it was when the church began. There are well structured and systematized churches all over the world. Apart from the normal spiritual structure instituted by God from the Apostles down to the congregation, there are other human hierarchies generated by church leaders due to the more complex nature of the organized ministries today. Without any iota of doubt, many will agree with me, that there are politics within these ministries due to the form they have taken.
Politics comes with its own evils - envy, strife, jealousy, bitterness, backbiting, slandering, hatred and corruption. Politics has introduced carnal rules and order of acceptance in the church. This is because there is an order of authority, and the higher you rise, the bigger your bite of the cake and glory. This is, however, turning many church ministries into sects and cults.
There is a way to get authority in God's kingdom. God has set down His own rules and anything other than that is a breach of divine procedure. God exemplified everything in Christ Jesus and for that matter in building a church ministry, that must be our apparatus in laying down its structures. This piece of the write-up is to help know the correct and accepted chain of authority in the Kingdom of God and how to obtain the prize of God.
1. GOD CALLS AND NOT MAN
Scripture: Hebrews 5:4-5 "And no one takes this honour for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.
So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”;
It's not in any man's desire and wishes to work for God that makes him a man of God. It's a calling solely in God's discretion. You don't become an Apostle, Prophet, or Bishop by any human method of acceptance. The first time it was tried in the Bible by the Apostles, it failed because it was out of God's will. The Apostles cast a lot to elect Mathias in place of Judas but in God's view, the man Paul who was then persecuting the church was a perfect replacement. Many are desiring the gifting of the Holy Ghost only to demonstrate the power and exalt themselves and for that matter they never have it or they fake it. God must see you fit and appropriate for His own use.
If you are a pastor, an Apostle or overseer of a ministry because of university degrees, then God didn't call you; men placed you there. And if God didn't place you there, your service is in vain.
1 Corinthians 1:27
"But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;"
God's choices are always in contrast to what men are looking for. The Christ was not born in a palace. He was not the handsome looking man expected of the Jews. God makes choices that He wants to glorify Himself in. People that will bring Him glory and not those who will brag about themselves because of their background of education, wealth and royalty.
2. GOD CHOOSES BY METHOD OF SERVICE
Scripture: Mathew 23:11-12
"The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Service is the major acceptable method of promotion in God's Kingdom. God doesn't lift those who seem best friends or greatest allies. God only checks true humility through service. It's not how good looking you are or eloquent, or naturally learned or socially connected you are. It's humility through service. Until you have genuinely served with the right mind and attitude, you don't grow in authority in the Kingdom. There is an anointing that comes through service and nothing takes that away from you except disobedience.
Desire to serve instead of yearning to be a powerful man. Serve God with all you have, serve the church, serve the saints, and serve other men of God. You must also serve your family. Live by putting the interests of others first and by that way God raises you up.
The most powerful people in the kingdom of God may not be the head pastors or those with access to church finance. It could be an usher, a security at the church or a young lady who has been winning souls for Christ.
Philippians 2:3-4
"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others."
It must be other people interest and not your interest. Selfish people are not in God's books for greatness. Many are just looking at themselves and what they want and not what others need. Money and power have been the course of many ministry breakaways. It's a pity how greed and selfishness have turned supposed churches into pagan associations.
3. GOD GIVES AUTHORITY TO THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SUFFERING
Scripture: Hebrews 4:15-16
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Many people want to enjoy the glory of ministry. They love to partake in the finished works of others without acknowledging the pain by which it was birthed. Suffering is a part of the life of the Man of God. To experience divine glory, you must enter the fire and back. In that way, you become humble and able to sympathize with other people pain. Suffering brings out sympathy, patience, genuine love, kindness and mercy and grace. Anyone who has been poor before has sympathy for the poor. Anyone who has been betrayed before knows how to sympathize with the betrayed. If you don't understand people's pain, you can't lead them.
Jesus Christ had to be in human flesh and go through what we go through when tempted to able to atone for the sins of man. As a high priest, He knows what temptation is and how vulnerable the flesh is. He then intercedes for us through sympathy. He is merciful and patient. He gives us the grace to battle our weaknesses. Jesus took away sins and never pointed at our sins. The man of God Archbishop Benson Idahosa once asked a congregation: "will you run to a sin taker or a sin pointer?" They all said: "a sin taker". Why? Because everyone needs someone who will understand and patiently help him or her to be a better person. This is leadership.
Martha and Mary served Jesus because Jesus delivered them out of darkness. The adulterous woman would forever see Christ as His Lord and saviour because Jesus didn't condemn her. We don't condone sin but we help people out of sin. We don't curse the darkness, we show people the light. The leader must experience what it takes to overcome weaknesses and challenges to be able to help people out.
And not only challenges but whatever we want people to do, we must first experience it the way they have to experience it to be able to guide and lead them out in the victory. Kingdom authority is in people we may not acknowledge or recognize but are great prizes in God's eyes.
Let no man fight for it but work for it. Let no man despise anyone's work in the kingdom. Let us avail ourselves for the calling and when called let us serve truthfully, and endure the pain and suffering. SHALOM!
