WHEN A YOUNG PASTOR REFUSES TO BEAR FRUIT AND FAILS AT GOD’S BUSINESS

by Daniel Breakforth

And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?
Luke 2:49

And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shall cut it down.
John 15:7

My brother is a Nigerian intellectual in the diaspora. Yesterday, he sent me a screenshot of the purported sack letter addressed to a Living Faith Church (LFC) pastor and asked me ‘if it was true’? I glanced through the details and asked him in return, ‘Is what true…where did the letter mention low income? The letter is true but the caption you sent does not tally’. He immediately responded ‘I agree’. I then went ahead to tell him an incident that occurred a few weeks back in the LFC where I presently worship. I will repeat the incident here but will protect the name of the Pastor in question since he was wise not to go on social media to copy an act which I consider one of folly.

I have been to 33 out of Nigeria’s 36 states in my line of duty and I make it a duty to always attend Living Faith Church in any place I visit. A few months ago, I visited Baga in Borno State and what welcomed me as what was left of the only churches in that town; burnt buildings of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Deeper Life Bible Church, one other Church and then the LFC. I avoided taking pictures so as not to rouse the soldiers I was travelling with. A few weeks ago, I resumed in a community of about 5,000 people in one of the South-South States of Nigeria. The same evening I visited the LFC and met nobody in Church with the doors locked. I came early the next day and to my shock, there was no Covenant Hour of Prayer (Early morning Prayer Hour). The same repeated itself on Tuesday and it was to my angst that I came to Church on Wednesday to meet an empty Church. I began to ask the neighbours and I heard ‘Pastor no dey always come’. I was told the Pastor leaves the Community to go on other endeavours for up to 21 days at a stretch sometimes. He did not come on Thursday, Friday and Saturday for the Covenant Hour of Prayer or even for the Week of Spiritual Emphasis and members too stayed at home.


Matthew 24:50

The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

On Sunday morning, I came to Church and met 9 people. Living Faith? Liberation Commission? The Pastor did not come as usual. Instead he asked a member of the Church Council, a female student in one of the universities who was on holidays to preach on his behalf. I definitely would not pay my tithe here I told myself. Thank God for internet transfers. I asked for the number of the Pastor after service and put a call across. The moment I told him I was visiting, he got scared and I assured him that ‘it is well’. I asked him for the reason for his absence and he gave all kinds of excuses from being ‘very strong’ to ‘doing a side job’ to ‘lacking transport fare’. I was miffed. I would only see him 14 days after my resumption.


Meanwhile I started organizing the Church in his absence using my phone to connect to Canaanland every morning for the Covenant Hour of Prayer and we were glad to record 37 adults and 24 children (total 61) the next Sunday service. This man had been here for 2 years, the Church sent him to win souls but he could not operate in any kind of discomfort yet he was comfortably collecting the Forty Thousand Naira (N40,000) only monthly allowance with house rent to match. The question playing on my mind was…why not resign and pursue your other business or whatever was keeping you away?

I was still not happy and mentioned my concerns to a top Pastor of the LFC. I was however surprised to come the next week to find out that he had been given a ‘Letter of Release’ very similar to the one flying on social media. He did not leave before going on the pulpit to blast ‘Yorubas’ for trying to take over everywhere. He said on the same altar that his only joy was that a fellow tribesman and not a Yoruba man was sent to replace him. Church Gist. He came by me at the end of the service and told me point blank ‘I am not happy’ and left with the church offerings even after he had handed over to his replacement.

As at yesterday, some 5 weeks after that event, we did not have enough space (exactly 47 days since I arrived) in the 45 seat capacity church with some members staying outside during service. We have over 60 children (meaning over 100 now) and we had to rent a space to keep them. We have embarked on a mission to acquire 3 plots of land in the next 4 weeks and we have just paid and received a set of music instruments worth about N500,000 while transferring the older set of instruments to the LFC in the neighbouring community.
The Church is alive again!

All my brother said was the following and I quote verbatim:
“I just sent you what I saw on social media.
Even in a secular environment, he would be sacked.
If I was his boss, I would sack him”.

It is to me the height of ignorance, foolishness and wickedness for many who ignored the commendation by Bishop Oyedepo few days ago of a young LFC Pastor in Akwa Ibom who ‘engaged’ so much that he led over 100 villagers to Christ in a few months, to now take on them the role of advocate for a so called pastor who fails to deliver on his mandate. Church Gist.Was he forced to take the role? Was he forced to sign the bond? I am worried about young people who want to have everything and do nothing.

Bishop Oyedepo will soon be 70 yet he is still on the ‘go’ for Christ (his Father’s business). I do not know how many Pastors. Bishops and Archbishops or founders can dare what he does save perhaps his Father in the Lord, Pastor E.A Adeboye and some of his notable sons such as Pastors Enenche, Ibiyeomie, Komaiya and others. Even though he owns his own helicopter and has a private jet at his disposal, he has not left Nigeria in 4 years and is always found on the streets of Ota, a suburb of Lagos, Nigeria on a weekly basis winning souls to Christ.

He always celebrates the numbers just like it was done in the Acts of Apostles from 70 in the upper room to 3000 to 5000 to ‘almost the whole city’. He celebrated the numbers again yesterday as usual. We know 16,786 churches were established in the last 2 years with over 16,000 new pastors employed, we know almost 15,000 home cells have been established in Lagos alone in 6 months, we know about 70,000 souls have been led to Christ in his weekly outreaches on the road while about 19,000 have been physically present in Church in 2021 alone. Church Gist.We know the Church has refused to announce that money be given towards the ongoing construction of what might become the world’s largest church auditorium ‘The Ark’.

These figures are what the Church refers to as Church Growth Index and not what any disgruntled ‘pastor’ may be implying. If the multitudes now choose to ignore all these facts and want to cry over some that were ‘released’ to pursue their personal call from God, it is quite unfortunate though not unexpected and shows that bitterness against the Church is at full bloom. As I always say, The Church of Christ can never satisfy the Gates of Hell.

I will build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it!
Matthew 16:18

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2484752211668635&id=444807728996437

First, I would commend the living faith church for the great work in investing churches across rural communities and employing paid 16,000 Pastors to lead those churches.

That said, this controversy allowed me to understand that a vast majority of us Nigerians behave like locust (apologies to anyone offended).

Eat, eat, eat is all they know. Contribution and multiplication is not their concern. Let's just exploit what is available, divide it, eat it and wait for the next supply.

This is why as a people we actually produce so little but consume so very much.
We are a nation of exploiters...

I have learnt personal lessons from this writeup and I would be sure to make personal amends in my own life. Just about condemning those pastors that are running from duty, and the holy spirit reminded me of something that was placed in my hand which failed but I have not given account neither have I replaced it to the person. The person never asked probably cause of our close relationship, and he's rich but that doesn't absolves me of my responsibility to integrity.

1) Never accept to do anything you have no passion for simply because of economic benefits whether fringe or large.

2) Whatever has been committed to your hands by those who invested in you must be nurtured to grow with all your effort.

3) If what has been committed to your hand fails for any reason, have the honor to return it at least the way you met it. Be truthful to your investor. Don't wait till you are fired or cursed out.
As a people we must learn to RESIGN when we see glaringly that we are unqualified or unable to carry certain responsibilities.

All these one na lame excuses nobody is ready to read. Christians will say "where two or three are gathered, the lord is there" but na still their pastors dey vex say people no plenty for church, even though there are at least 3 churches in every street. There are more Christians in this country and they're still looking for more. They say they want to win souls, but the souls they want to win have already been won by another church.
So basically, what they're doing is trying to win members from other churches. And more members guarantees massive weekly income.
Na who do advert pass they usually sell, that's why their daddy GO is angry and sacking pastors anyhow because the pastors no get sweet mouth to cajole people to come and buy the market they're selling.
Anybody that says this isn't about tithe and offering is just lying to himself, so ya'll keep crying.

If chanced these people will turn the church into another Nigeria. They want to take their pay and be absent from duty. Why not go into business full-time instead of using the church some kind of insurance policy?

This is a nice thing. I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail. If you know you can't pastor a church don't take the job cos it's a call and you have to be really dedicated to it. It's not something you can do as side hustle or for play.

kingxsamz:

All these one na lame excuses nobody is ready to read. Christians will say "where two or three are gathered, the lord is there" but na still their pastors dey vex say people no plenty for church, even though there are at least 3 churches in every street.

The aim of church expansion isnt for two or three to be gathered. All men are suppose to know God.

Hmmm

If that is the basis for the sack then it is justified. You can't abandon your primary duty to pursue something else and at the same time expect growth.

It's a shame but not a surprise that a senior pastor of winner's chapel doesn't know what it mean to bear fruits in the Kingdom sense of the phrase, how much more those who they lead?

Even John the baptist of the Law and the prophets knew what it meant to bear fruits. He said to the Pharisees:

Luke 3:8-9 (KJV)

Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

So the fruits in question are the good fruits (proof) of true repentance, in other words, evidence to show that one has truly repented, hence it's if one doesn't have such evidence or the good fruits (proof) of true repentance that the axe would be laid to the root of that tree to bring it down and it would be cast into the fire, which is an illustration of eternal damnation.

But what are these good fruits one needs to bear so as not to suffer such a fate?

Luke 3:10-14 (KJV)

And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?
And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

So according to John the Baptist, it has to do with the works of righteousness and obedience of God's Word.

This aligned with Christ's parable of the sower where the seed which is the Word of God is sown into people's heart, and it's when they keep the Word that they are said to have borne fruits.

Luke 8:11 (KJV)

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

Luke 8:15 (KJV)

But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

So as you can see, bearing fruits had nothing to do with growth of church membership but the spiritual growth of an individual, which is evidenced by the works of righteousness and obedience of God's Word.

Hence one can still be having strong church membership growth and yet not be bearing fruits according to what it actually means to bear fruits, because the person is a worker of iniquity and not keeping God's Word.

That's how the axe was yet laid to the roots of the trees of those many anointed ministers and Christians who worked of iniquity Jesus spoke about, despite that their church membership would have grown tremendously because of the signs and wonders that followed them, because to bear fruits means keep the Word of God and that they didn't do.

God bless.

CodeTemplar:

The aim of churches isnt for two or three to be gathered. All men are suppose to know God.

All men?
That's laughable because I can walk 10 minutes in Lagos and count 30 churches.
So who are the people your pastor is buiding 10 thousand churches for? The Christian doctrine says "everyone must spread the gospel", no matter the circumstances. So why aren't you guys going to Afghanistan, Pakistan Iraq, South Korea and Iran in numbers, trying to "win souls"? Abi those ones don't deserve to 'know God'?
Anyways, it still doesn't change the fact that church is a business.

kingxsamz:


All men?
That's laughable because I can walk 10 minutes in Lagos and count 30 churches.
So who are the people your pastor is buiding 10 thousand churches for? The Christian doctrine says "everyone must spread the gospel", no matter the circumstances. So why aren't you guys going to Afghanistan, Pakistan Iraq, South Korea and Iran in numbers, trying to "win souls"? Abi those ones don't deserve to 'know God'?
Anyways, it still doesn't change the fact that church is a business.

To answer you, the living faith church is in 71 nations of the earth.
Many of them poor countries, e.g living faith has strong presence in Congo.
Also, not all nations are open to a ministry. The living faith once closed her branches in Japan. Once they realized the error of being in Japan without a divine mandate, they closed the church and advised members there to find another church to attend.

HigherEd:

To answer you, the living faith church is in 71 nations of the earth.
Many of them poor countries, e.g living faith has strong presence in Congo.
Also, not all nations are open to a ministry. The living faith once closed her branches in Japan. Once they realized the error of being in Japan without a divine mandate, they closed the church and advised members there to find another church to attend.

Wow, so not "all men will hear the gospel"?
What happened to "the violent taketh it by force"? Why are they closing the churches, why didn't they use prayers to win them over? Like how Moses was able to free the people of Israelites?
Besides, I mentioned Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Will the Chidren in those countries now go to hell because their government didn't want the gospel preached to them? Haba!

It's all about the Benjamins, even Jehovah's witness people don double their hustle, they now collect money from members via https://donate.jw.org/

Las las all man go open church

Ok

No need to explain.

Branch manager trying to defend the CEO, just pray make e no reach your side.

Stories

Nigerian churches na business as usual already we know no Loud am

Meanwhile are you serious about gaining admissions into yabatech this year?well get working visit https://techwaya.com/yabatech-post-utme-form/ we have everything you want..

the pastor sef look unserious to me too, it's good he was released of his duty..

Food is ready again for the church and pastor haters to come and eat.

They will never be satisfied no matter the explanation given simply because they hate to hear anything good about the church.

No one should even bother trying to explain anything again to these lost and irredeemable souls. They are always looking for opportunities to bash the church and men of God.

Unfortunately for them, they can't stop the church from rising, never!

Even this incident will announce the church of God to the world and draw many more souls to Christ, Praise be God.

One thing I know for sure, those who are in the habit of always bashing the church of God and men of God are heaping a coal of fire on their head.....repentance, I mean genuine repentance will be their only way out.

Jesus is Lord forever, yhur opinion doesn't matter, deal with it, Amen

It is well!, Let God be the Judge

I know how pentecostal churches function quite well. If you have issues with the church, IT WILL BE SPELT IN YOUR LETTER OF DISMISSAL but nowhere in that letter did the church state that the pastors left their primary places of assignments. Plus, full time pastors rely solely on the monthly earning from the church. IF THE PASTORS WERE ASSIGNED THEN IT MEANS THEY WERE ON THE CHURCH'S PAYROLL.

The letter below took them up on GROWTH INDEX and not negligence. I have seen these things up close TOO MANY TIMES. Yes, pastors have KPIs, as surprising as it is and it is what is used in determining their performance. Interestingly, RETURNS is the summary of their KPIs. A sign your church is doing well is the number of MONTHLY RETURNS and sign that it is not is the LOW RETURNS. I have seen pastors queried, redeployed and even demoted FOR NOT GROWING THEIR CHURCH.

All these explanations are just excuses on behalf of the modus operandi of Pentecostalism in Nigeria. The model is American and it is a disgusting one.

Based on that letter, growth index mainly refers to increase in membership and/or tithes&offerings.
To sack a Pastor because of this is wrong, rather he should be redeployed.

Church in Nigeria na scam!!........ Beware everyone is fighting for their Belle

People defending the sacking of the pastors keep taking us for granted here.

The pastor in that video was told "this commission does not run at a loss ...." and how his revenue should cater for his expenditure, but you guys keep dwelling in the highly euphemized and diplomatized letter as if we are incapable of reasoning

For Pete's sake the pastor was in the video with the actual unadulterated Letter he got which shows he wasn't out to make things up. He sought interpretation of the letter and he was told in plain language which counters any nonsensical damage control out here.

Are you people seriously thinking the church will mention " Income under-performance" in the letter as the reason?

We who will not be fooled know "Growth Index" as used in the letter translated to low revenue raised by the sacked pastors. They just decided to say it diplomatically.

If the church likes, they should dismiss all pastors and employ bank managers instead, we do not care. We however will not see red while you guys keep trying so hard to make us see white.

Churches need to dey explain themselves to the public sometimes o!
I know say scam full Nigerian churches, but that wan no mean say everybody must get opinion.
When GTB or Dangote sack people dem dey explain to una?
Na so una dey also chook mouth for church finance. Nobody ask you to pay offering or tithe, keep ya miserable money.