 Published
March 23rd, 2010
We have a
deficit of Pastors. It has painfully become clear that those
we once called men of God are now gods of men. Those who
became larger than life, bigger than the church and more
popular than the Christ they came to represent or show to
us. Now we have business executives fashionably taking over
the pulpit force and con, the kind that John knew nothing
about.
Nigeria went swiftly into coma because we lack prophets
among the businessmen who are untrained in their craft to
hear from God. A trendy suit is what general overseers
mistook for anointing while the financial projections have
been exceeded and ledger are better than expected.
When God needed to preach a timely sermon it was evangelist
Waziri who received fresh anointing to lay her gentle hands
on brothers. Predictably since that- ‘You Must Be Born
Again’ prophesies, our lives have never been the same again.
Let us pray
Father give similar anointing
For INEC, National Assembly,
NEPA, CAN, PFN, and NNPC. Amen
Do I hear a louder Amen? |
Do we still have overseers that are subject to a higher
authority? Did they replace God? What is the difference
between Ogboni and your church? The lines have become really
blurred. Soon EFCC will start home cells with overseers and
definitely they will preach better sermons than we have done
without uttering a word. Acting and simply practicing what
they have been called to do with power. You don’t need the
Holy Ghost to know how effective it has been or would you
wait until they speak in Tongues?
Repentance must be initiated from the top from among the
shepherds’ otherwise no meaningful change may happen in the
nation soon. I remember how a so called servant of God
taught me never to trust anyone who simply calls himself
Pastor again. He preached it in a power suit and Armani
perfume. Credit to him smart brother, he met maga from
Otukpo and showed me pepper eko style complete with
greenberry.I was set me up sharply, prophetically to believe
him until I got beaten by the cobra in that book with faces.
Since then when I hear that someone is a pastor it reminds
me of scene in Lion King.
That scene where hyenas made fun of Scar, by mimicking and
calling
MUFASA! MUFASA!! MUFASA!!!
And they tremble in forced awe and giggled. Nevertheless
it’s all good because thanks to the brother man and a few
other lessons, I now can prophesy in 20 different foreign
languages. Can also do more if provoked.
Church and society have lost the taste for good messages. We
don’t hear messages that practically hurl ministers from
their seats to floor for lying to 150million people in broad
daylight. So gone are the days, when those with unclean
hands stayed 200meters radius away from the dangerous
radioactive missiles thrown from the pulpit. Now they are
comfortable as deacons and more unholy few have been
initiated as pastors. How pathetic. Do we wonder why this
nation is still on a downward slide?
Native doctors have given up their trade, it’s not as
lucrative. Sentiments aside A.Y, Basket mouth preach better
on a good day. When I borrow the pulpit my first message may
be Pastors: motive, Money & Message for obvious reasons.
Counterfeiting. I can preach that for 12 months without
exhausting the introduction trust me. I can even bring a few
couple of people who fell victims to the smooth operators in
Gods household. Those entrusted with the responsibility of
giving direction but manage to manipulate and take advantage
of others in the name of God.
Judging by the number trooping Holy Ghost camp grounds and
conventions we should praise God. But instead am alarmed. Is
it my imagination, the rate of economic, social and
emotional crimes reduces inexplicably when camp is full.
Maybe am just hallucinating but, clubs, island traffic,
drugs, infidelity banks and sleazy spots simply deep in form
during those times from less patronage.
God has a wild sense of humor. Probably to motivate genuine
repentance ministries like NAFDAC & EFCC should organize
similar prayer and fast meetings to minister with that brand
of fresh anointing we saw earlier to ministers. I guarantee
there would be astronomical improvement in messages, hearing
skills, accountability, performance, responsibility,
fertility, information, light, infrastructures, employment,
opportunities, marriages and motives. A welcome development.
We must understand that we are in those desperate times and
seasons a great teacher spoke about. Instead we start by
taking responsibility to provide qualitative leadership
which would guarantee followers permanent benevolence.
Church should find the moral aptitude to weed pretenders
from the pulpit.
Learnt a great deal from a man who earns a modest salary in
a church he founded. No doubt Pastor Pete is one of the few
endangered species. Only few of his kind are left. The
assets and building were bought in the name of the church
Cornerstone not his. A practice that is extinct among our
present pedigree of overseers.
We can still change and use our God given capacity to
empower others.
Unfortunately leadership is the mirror of larger society. In
June 2009 a friend was viciously attacked and struck with
lightening by another colleague. Simple dialogues have
become life threatening; everyday conversations now come
with Life and Death implications. How did we degenerate so
fast in so short a time?
Our situation deserves a breakthrough; fellow Bishops should
prophesy now and speak as led. Thankfully I would have
collected tithe and Escalade that a brother promised to sow
into my life. A land in Lekki will never hurt my feelings
after all Jesus died for all not Chris alone. Especially,
that our mansions in heaven may be graded along where we
currently live. Bishops – we from Lekki would live next door
to Steve, Bro. Peter, Apostle Paul and so on, while others
would partner with the Baptist, Samson and Elijah.
While our ambitions are growing the size of the fragile egos
we possess, young and innocent children are being
slaughtered like rams. Killed like barbecue for festivities.
Governors and GOCs are playing squash in their favorite
clubs passing blames as infants are buried in mass graves.
Their blood is crying for vengeance.
We rise to the challenge to provide leadership that is
constructive. There is no better place to begin than the
lords house .Society is a reflection of the failures of men
ordained as prophet to initiate rebuilding of our broken
walls and lay the foundation for a greater tomorrow.
Olokpo Olokpo
Bethell foundation, Lagos
aolokpo@yahoo.com |
