This church can’t do without me
9 – “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 – But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (1Corianthians chapter 15 verses 9 to 10)
Your first encounter was a remarkable one.
You joined a denomination not quite long ago, they gave you a warm welcome where you stood and those around you stood to shake your hand as a sign that they are happy you came to worship with them, even the pastor walked down from the podium to give you a warm hand shake in regard for you honouring the service invitation. You were encouraged and also you were asked to give them three months of your life and you will see the mighty hands of God manifest in your life.
As been among the most important people (MVP) of the service, you were asked to leave for the reception outside before the closure of the church service. Of course you enjoyed every bit of the service. Starting from the opening prayer, praise and worship and even the Word from the pastor so much made a tremendous impact in your life that you had a confirmation in your that this is a home for you. Your first encounter was a remarkable one.
Your soul was so enriched that you can testify that God has ordered your feet in the right family for you.
After the warm reception, you were told someone who call you and even came visiting. You were referred to someone who is the house Fellowship leader that is closest to your address. Of course, around 4pm you received a call for a house Fellowship that will starts in an hour time. By 5pm you were in the house Fellowship, you partook in the prayer, worship and the discovery bible study. Your soul was so enriched that you can testify that God has ordered your feet in the right family for you.
Saturday morning you received a call from your cell leader reminding you about the Sunday service that it is special one the next morning been on sunday, the zeal to show up earlier to mount Zion consumed your mind that you did not hesitate to jump up from the bed so early to start preparing for service. You arrived earlier before the service will start. Obviously, it was a beautiful moment in the presence of God that you began you quarrel yourself why you did not identify which such denomination long ago.
Your relevance made you not to be missing any service or training.
You joined a department and became so active that your departmental head was so happy you are part of his team. It was then that the zeal of the house of God consumed you the more. How you love to see that you give your best in the service of God. You understand that ever since you joined the denomination that your spiritual life has become like the shining light that shines brighter and brighter at every day.
Now you are growing, you are becoming more important on a daily basis. You are even well recognised by your pastor who used to delegate some vital responsibility to you. At a point you started feeling great about yourself. You feel so important in your own eyes that you started thinking and believing that once you are not involved, things will not take the right shape. Your relevance made you not to be missing any service or training.
You are ok with your new attitude of doing things at your own convenience.
It got to a time, when you start thinking you are more important than everyone else. You believe you have started receiving vision from God and because others are calm, you think you are the only one God is showing what is happening in the church. You went ahead to start telling people how God spoke to you now and then, even when you are not too sure that is the Lord God Almighty that spoke to you. You fabricated story even before your Pastor to tell him that you wish if God could open his eyes to starts seeing things in the spirit.
Everything about you was on speed lane. When there is a suggestion in your department, you always feel dejected when your opinion is not accepted. You stared developing this nonchalant attitude that you will slow down the pace to go against the order of your head of department. You who use to come so early to set things started feeling sluggish about the whole process. You started coming to service late and your consciencs does not prick you. You are ok with your new attitude of doing things at your own convenience.
It was not long when you began to notice that you have lost your relevance even before the authority.
You thought in your heart “let me see how things will move as expected” when your effort is not included. You believe as long as you are not there, things will fail. It began to gladden your heart whenever things did not go right and Pastor is talking to your head of department about his ineffectiveness of recent time. He has been trying his best to make things right but you have been the one sabotaging the whole process by going about discouraging others from showing up on time.
You formed another group, which you are the one leading and your aim is never to take the order of your head of department serious. This began to affect your walk with God even at the house Fellowship level. Whenever the Pastor asked you why you came to church late, you always have a story to cook to cover up. It was not long when you began to notice that you have lost your relevance even before the authority.
At this time, you are no more accountable to anyone
The same responsibility that Pastor used to call you to handle, you found out that someone else is now doing it and that made you grow more bitter. Even when Pastor’s intention was to not over labour any of his worker. You figure it that nobody is appreciating your effort here including the Pastor. At that moment you started allowing too many words going through your mind which kills your zeal for the things of God.
At this time, you are no more accountable to anyone. Your head of department will call you and you will fail go pick his call after several occasions. He will chat you up and you will refuse to respond. You only respond when you think it is right for you, not for the general team. Your cell leader will call you and you will tell him or her that you have a birthday party to attend, even when it is going to be by 6pm at the closure of the cell Fellowship. But because you suddenly developed bitterness, you want to see everyone feel the same way you feel.
Your job is now the reason why you are not showing up in service.
This days on a sunday morning after you must have experienced the combat of the mind, seeking for a way how you will cause loophole, and you couldn’t find none, you will feel so ashamed to go to church. Once it is 30 minutes after the service, you will text your Pastor that you are not feeling fine. Because he had nothing wrong in his mind, he prayed for you. Occasionally you started missing service without any remorse. Your job is now the reason why you are not showing up in service.
The same you who was saying that this is a family for you suddenly allowed bitterness to grow in your heart and caused a disconnection with the brethren. Now you struggle to gain your respect in the department because you have seen that the department is doing better without your effort. Those with better understanding that it is a priviledge to serve in the house of God are making things to move forward. When they are offended, they bear it for the sake of the kingdom and the church to keep matching on. Yours is that you misinterpret the whole thing, now that everyone thinks and believes you are a mature Christian that was when childish things encroached you that you seek for the failure of the church.
“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” (1Corianthians chapter 13 verses 11)
Conclusion:
“God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.” (Psalms chapter 68 verses 6)
No one can hold the church ransom. Before you came into the scene, the church has been in existence. It is all by grace that no one should boast. You can’t think yourself more important than others. You can’t get offended that you choose to leave the family where God planted you.
