Beloved Pastors, Preachers and Intercessors,
When I hear some pastors shouting, I feel so afraid for the congregants. I cannot assimilate screams. The level of noise in some Pentecostal Churches is so loud that I feel uncomfortable. I don’t mean the occasional shouts of Halleluyah, but thunderous heavy metal drums like you are competing with rock musicians and shouting and screaming by some pastors in the name of sermon and prayer. I was so happy when RCCG restored hymns. It was something I extremely missed in Baptist. You cannot sing hymns screaming. 😀
once took an African-American to our province head church, she was jumpy as the preacher preached. I ended up looking for seats for both of us at the overflow section, to minimise the “noise”. Of course, my Nigerian brothers and sisters were very much at home in the abroad. 😊
I don’t know how I developed an aversion for noise because I lived inside noise in teenage years and beyond but today, I cannot cope. It probably stems from living in Ikoyi as a child; my brain may have reset to that decent mode after I moved to a quiet area in the USA. I stomach noise where one off but I cannot sustain being inside noise. This woman decided to come with me because she needed prayers + was motivated by how I prayed but will she ever go again? Not likely
When I speak spiritedly, I feel drained. I don’t know how people scream and expect others to assimilate. It has been reported recently that a pastor died while preaching in South Africa. Autopsy revealed he died from high blood pressure and diabetes. Let’s remember his family and church in prayers.
An elderly Imam recently died while preaching at a wedding. Muslims branded it a worthy way to die... We have heard of Pastor Solomon Komolafe (2013), Pastor Ola Obanure (2017), Venerable Ernest Ezumezu (2017) and others in Nigeria. Death by suicide is high among pastors. Working till you drop dead should be categorised as suicide! #StayHealthy
I once attended a church where the pastor would not let his wife and other ministers preach. He refused to put people forward to be ordained and it took prayers and counsel from me to make him yield. Whenever he does, the preacher would thank him for, “yielding the pulpit”. 😂
Does any human being own the pulpit! I don’t know where we got this idea of Assistant Pastor! You are either pastor (shepherd) or you are not. My calling was in high school. My first ordination was at the university. I have had two more ordinations after that and the Power of God is evident. But once you are not using “pastor this or pastor that”, some will sidetrack you. Is the Holy Spirit not visible? Does the Holy Spirit need our titles? I once met a simple Woman of God who would always beckon for me to be seated by her. She recognised and honoured the anointing of God in my life.
Why have I brought this up? Hugging of pulpit is why some pastors drive themselves nuts. Rather than let others preach, they would say, no he is not ordained or she is an assistant pastor, not a pastor yet. Some compel that those who are not “full” pastors, should be addressed as AP.
😁 I just jejely do my dokita.
Let God be the HEAD of His church. God knows when your body is tired, do not force it. As stewards, we must take good care of our bodies. Stress should not sign you out before God does. Make rest part of your agenda, God rested after 6 days of hard work. Why go on without rest?!
A Pastor recently died. Comments by few indicate he died at his appointed time. But, his work load was crazy; he was hurrying to hand over after working tirelessly in a role for years. One day, he worked all night. By morning, he complained of chest pain. Sadly, he died before getting to the hospital.
Someone whispered how he served as a travel pastor to an affluent sister on her trips abroad for wellness. His schedule which includes going regularly to camp, was a recipe for heart attack.
Wo! My arm is aching me jare. I cannot come and go and kill myself. If the matter concern you DM for the long version or wait...
...wait till tomorrow; I will share a link for the entire message. I no get health insurance for Nigeria. Long messages on phone can cause carpal tunnel syndrome and there are about 1.5million cases in Nigeria (those wey enter book). I don’t want to be a candidate again. Kachifo.
In wisdom, RCCG started allowing “youths” to preach, they have the energy and need the training... I saw females were only allowed to do emcee and I prayed about it. I knew God answered my prayers when soon, a female youth preached. God’s calling is without repentance. He called Saul. He called Deborah too.
Death is sure but we owe it to our loved ones to ensure we are healthy and regularly do all that is necessary to be well. When we fast, let us ensure we stay hydrated and break with something liquid or mild before we go to solid things. If your body is thrown out of whack, end the fast and resume later. Dead people don’t fast.
If you fast and do not feed the hungry, minister to souls, deliver the oppressed, advocate for justice etc, you are merely on hunger strike! Isaiah 58:5-8 tells us the fast that would make us shine, being us healing and position us to reap from righteousness.
When you go to a prayer mountain, if you feel led to sleep on the mountain top, do so. When you come down, enjoy your bed. Go on vacation. Ensure your home is comfortable and peaceful.
A colleague told me how poor Imams told their members long ago that riding bike is haram (forbidden), they did not have and did not want it to appear like their “subjects” had until a member travelled out, returned with a vehicle and let others ride in it!
I know a pastor who never went on vacation with his wife because he did not want to leave the church... Those who worked with him were not given the recognition they deserved, he attended general meetings alone and never put them forward for ordination. One day, he was posted out unceremoniously. A stranger was brought in and the church fell apart with sin reigning. A mighty man of valour but he was hurt by his reposting and soon became almost unsung.
Brethren, anyone without successors is merely taking a line walk. I remember one of my media ogas with nostalgia today. I was like a daughter to her but despite all God uses me and others to do, she hoarded her contacts. As she grows older, she no longer can pursue the contacts herself and her legacy is draining right before her eyes. PLEASE train people deliberately and position them to grow. Those will be your eyes when we can no longer see or see clearly.
Imagine what would have become of RCCG, if Pa Akindayomi did not position young Adeboye.
Train other people who can preach, invite guest preachers (I am presently in Nigeria and available when you need me), empower your wife/husband/mentees to preach or take on some tasks (including representing you) and exercise to ensure you are strong enough to stand when you need to stand.
Diversify your schedule, In Baptist we had Health Sunday. I planned Sunday School Sunday in one of the churches I attend in America and it was such a blessing for many. Plan movie nights. Hold service in the city or village square...
Standing for long is draining. Have members of your board take on roles. Don’t be the pastor who does 85% of things on the agenda. If others have better administrative skills, pray about yielding some functions. I will go to some churches, opening prayer, Senior Pastor, intercessory prayer, Senior Pastor, anointing, Senior Pastor! Dead people do not senior pastor o; they are dead.
Train others to participate in leadership. “They won’t do it well, they won’t do it well”, if you die, someone who has never done it before would do it. When I visit my mentor, he still wants to tell me how to do this and that, I remind him I am a grandmother now and make him stay in the living room while I am in the kitchen. Of course he knows I am capable and never cease to say I am proud of you but the truth is many find it hard to let go of leadership, especially men. But it gets to a time when your role should be that of coordinator or guide not nanny.
It was a father in law who saved a mighty man from dying early in the Bible. Jethro encouraged Moses to appoint others to share in the burden of ministry to the nation Israel by allowing others to help in the judgment of smaller matters coming before him.
I oncecounselled a Woman of God who was going through depression. Her husband was taking on too much, and the things he left undone fell on her, yet there was no honour from church members as her husband relegated her. I counselled her to help him graciously. Help him set up a formal counselling model where walk in is only permitted where urgent. Otherwise, folks should fill forms and go for counsel on days outside Sundays. Non members should only be offered one off counsel and asked to sign up for more. Without a model, many would dissipate the energy of pastors. They see us as free and available.
I got to a point where strangers were drawing from the anointing in my life and giving nothing back. They were fetching from the well of abundance but they were returning to their churches to share their testimonies with their “church family”. I don’t own or lead a church; I am led to support churches through Divine Connection. A worker is worthy of her wages. It setting up our model, counsel is no longer free. Salvation is free but owning a Bible and reading it requires money and time. It was to reduce random calls to demand counsel that I set of #ExcelWithAnne. It is for 15-45 minutes. It is free but terms and conditions including asking for counsel applies. I have stories to tell of how many sucked the juice of service in ministry, leaving me dried and drained until wisdom was employed.
Many churches do not have counsellors because pastors who want to do it all cannot trust anyone to do it well. Those who are able to do it are also not trained or invested in; often they are USED. Some also fear that once issues are solved in counsel, many would honour the counsellors more. Set up time for counsel, don’t let parishioners kill you on Sundays. The day is already busy without one on one counsel. You can also have a trained, full time minister who does this or train and schedule ministers on rotational basis. Just listening to the problems and pains of others is emotionally draining and could be damaging if strategy is not put in place. I once offered to take on this role for my home church... Thankfully, the General Overseer mentioned the importance of follow up and counsel again.
After Pastor John Osteen died unexpectedly of heart attack at 77, guess who took over the “big” church? His youngest son who was 36 years, never graduated from school where he studied radio and television communications, never received a degree from a divinity school and who was more involved in televising his sermon that became the church’s lead Pastor. The truth is, unknown to many, in quietness of spirit, he learned a lot. He was relegated to the technical room perhaps due to his “limited qualification”. He did not struggle to be recognised, he just made an impact in the role he carved out for himself but see how God positioned him.
On days you are unable to stand for long, get a chair and sit. There is no where it is written in the Bible that sermons must be done standing. Standing is not compulsory o. If you need water while preaching, drink it and keep sermons short. Long sermons dries the throat especially when shouting. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts, converts, connects and changes character, not shouting or screaming.
Jesus never shouted while preaching. Jesus often calmly shared proverbs to buttress his point. He did not persuade people by making them jumpy, afraid or overly excited. When he shouted, folks knew they had pushed it... Please learn from this.
God will keep us safe and well in Jesus name. The Almighty God will grant us wisdom.
With love from,
Dr. Omolola Omoteso
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