PROBLEMS OF AUTONOMY

 EXORDIUM

About sixteen years ago when I hosted MOMENT OF TRUTH Radio Broadcast on LION FM, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, congregational autonomy was our bane. While the broadcast tormented Hell and depopulated it, our denominational neighbours were not at ease and sought every opportunity to see that we were bought out of air time.

Arguments were advanced for and against “autonomy.” Would it not be a violation of “Congregational Autonomy” should congregations contribute their resources towards keeping the programme on air? While Brethren were fighting over whether we should or should not, our religious neighbours were mobilizing resources to see that we were kicked out. While we were arguing whether to cooperate or not, the broadcast died. Till date efforts to resurrect it remains futile because I have moved on.  Charles T. Dudd wrote:

“Some want to live within the sound of church and chapel bell; I want to run a rescue mission shop within a yard of hell.”

It seems to me that when it comes to mourning and burials, burials, we jettison our overemphasis on autonomy, but when it comes to rejoicing, we take our hard-fast stances on congregational autonomy. We seem to cooperate more during burials, but less when it comes to what will enlarge the borders of God’s Kingdom as well as what will increase our individual and collective capacities. To me, we major in minors and minor in majors.

My first encounter with the term, “Autonomy” was in February, 1987. I was baptized into Christ and added to the Church on January 25, 1987. However, two weeks after my new birth, I was confronted with the issues of congregational autonomy. This was during my formative years in Christ. I almost slipped off.

WHAT IS AUTONOMY?      

Interestingly, autonomy is a not Bible word. From Matthew Chapter 1 to Revelations Chapter 22, you cannot find the word, “Autonomy.” It is Non-Scriptural (meaning, “Not found in Scripture” as against “Unscriptural,” which is “Against Scripture”). However, irrespective of the fact that autonomy is not found in Scripture, the concept is practiced and is well established. This is derived from “Pattern Theology.”  

Pattern Theology simply establishes for us how things should be done (cf. Hebrews 8:5). To prove any statement as Biblically true, as well as to establish a given Biblical pattern, we must show that it is taught or exemplified in the Bible. There are three distinct ways in which Bible teaches:

§  By Direct Command or prohibition.

§  By Approved Example. In this case the example must be exclusive.

§  By Necessary (essential) Inference (implication), that is, logical conclusions reached from given New Testament Biblical texts.

Consequently, the practice of autonomy is established and justified by Apostolic Examples and by Necessary Inferences (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5; Philippians 1:1).   

By definition, “Autonomy” is self-governance. Since we do not have a Biblical reference of the word, we now resort to the Greek Language from where we derived its English Language equivalent is “Autonomos,” Auto, meaning, “Self” and Nomos, meaning, “Law.” 

In his article, “The Challenges of Congregational Autonomy,” Kyle Pope of Olson Church of Christ, Southwest Amarillo, Texas wrote: 

“Autonomy is not self-legislation, but self-governance. The word “autonomy” is derived from the Greek words auto meaning “self, or same” and nomos meaning “law” - thus the idea is “a law unto themselves” (or “self-governing”). This term might give us the wrong impression. It might lead us to imagine that each congregation is left to govern themselves. Certainly in matters of judgment this is true. Yet this does not mean that each congregation may decide for itself what it should teach or how it should function - that is determined by the Head - Jesus. He governs through what is revealed in Scripture.” 

In his book, The Church of Christ: A Biblical Ecclesiology For Today, Everett Ferguson (1996:344) observed: 

“Each local church is the church, full and complete in itself,.... Each church is the whole church in miniature, a manifestation of the whole in a given locality. … The independence of the local church is often called Congregational autonomy,” that is, self-governing congregations. Autonomy is not a wholly satisfactory word. In regard to faith and practice, the Church is a monarchy, subject to her Lord. But in matters of opinion, expediency and human judgment, each church is an independent, self-governing unit, and in this sense, autonomy is an appropriate word.

 

“But autonomy is not isolation. Early church practiced a fullness of fellowship, cooperation, mutual assistance, and communication. There was a sense of being One Body under One Lord (Ephesians 4:4-5)

 

“When there were problems affecting one congregation, representatives of one church went to the church whence the problem arose to discuss the matter (Acts 15:1-2). The Apostles exercised extra-congregational supervision of the Congregations (Acts 8:14; Acts 11:19). The testimonies of the Apostles remains the foundations of the Church, and they remain the ambassadors through whom the Will of the Lord is known. It is noteworthy, however, that when they anticipated the removal of their personal presence, they did not appoint successors to continue the supervision of churches, but only local leaders who were ‘entrusted to the Lord’ (Acts 14:23) and commended ‘to God and to the message of His grace’ (Acts 20:32).”           

The concept of autonomy is universal. As explained earlier, Autonomy is self-governance. Everyone is autonomous. Every marriage is autonomous (For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). “Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man put asunder” (Matthew 19:6). 

Autonomy confers on individuals and entities the inalienable rights to decide for themselves what they should do and how to do them within the confines of the rule of law guiding their conducts and operations. 

In view of this, one can safely say that individual Christians are autonomous of other Christians. In the same vein, congregations are also autonomous of other congregations. However, both individual Christians and congregations, irrespective of their independence are not islands unto themselves because they find strengths from one another. Romans 14:7 says, “For none of us lives to himself, and no man dies to himself.” Even though we are autonomous of on another, yet we are not absolutely autonomous. We all exist within our social, spiritual and economic ecosystems. In this case, the principle of “What affects one, affects all” applies.    

Each congregation is autonomous, but not absolutely autonomous. The autonomy of a congregation begins and ends with her faithfulness to the Lord and to His Word. The moment doctrinal or Scriptural error is detected and established, she ceases to be the Lord’s Church and will now be subjected to external evaluations and interventions.      

WHAT AUTONOMY IS NOT     

1.   Autonomy was not designed to stall congregational growth, but to strengthen congregational faithfulness.

2.   Autonomy was not designed to keep brethren at bay, but to ward off wholesale congregational error.

3.   Autonomy was not designed to destroy fellowship but to strengthen it.

4.   Autonomy is not anti-cooperation, but pro-cooperation.

5.   Autonomy is not isolationism.

Self-sufficiency is found only in the universal Body of Christ, not in any local congregational. In other words, what a particular congregation lacks, another congregation can supply. Therefore, it takes congregational cooperation to fill those needs. Writing to Roman Christians, Apostle Paul at Romans 1:11-12 says: 

“I yearn to see you so that I can bestow on you some spiritual gifts for your confirmation. I mean that we may be mutually strengthened by your faith and mine.”       

For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. - Romans 15:26-27.

 

For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. - 2 Corinthians 9:1-2.

And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it - 1 Corinthians 12:26.

In New Testament, there was a commonality in sharing. Even though they respected the “autonomy” of one another, yet cooperated in sharing “Apostolic epistles.” An example of this is found at Colossians 4:16:

“And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.”    

The basic Scriptural principle of cooperation is “Willingness” of brethren and congregations to mobilize forces to advance a given cause (II Corinthians 8:11). 

CHALLENGES OF AUTONOMY

 1. Method Versus Model

The fundamental challenge of autonomy is that we are more interested in the letter, not of the spirit. In law, a fundamental rule is to ascertain the intendment of a law, not its letter. We are more interested in method, not the model. In one of His encounters with lawyers in the Bible who were more interested in methods than in models because sat to eat with “Sinners,” the Lord told them matter-of-factly:

    “But go ye and learn what that means, I will have mercy, not sacrifice: for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Matthew 9:13) 

In view of this. Would it be safe to say that the Lord designed autonomy to cause cataclysm in His Church and to stall her growth? Obviously, No. If there is any such, what it implies is that we have misread His intent. 

Consider the case of the three men who encountered the man who was travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho (Luke 10:30-37). Two of them followed the method while one followed the model. At the end, Jesus commended the man who modeled His intent than the men who misread his Model for their methods. 

2. Double-Speak, Conflicting Implementation

If a congregation which is high on absolute autonomy disfellowships One of their members, usually a letter of disfellowship would be dispatched to other congregations. Receiving congregations are expected to abide by the decision of the congregation from where the disfellowshiped letter emanated. However, in the “letter” of autonomy not in its “spirit,” a receiving congregation decides to assert her autonomy after considering the matter and then goes ahead to fellowship with the person that was disfellowshiped, the other congregation would get angry. 

The question is, “Is this not a violation of a local congregation’s autonomy?” If this situation becomes the case amongst us, would it not amount to double-speak? 

3. Absolute Autonomy, An Existential Threat

Going by the advocacies of some “Faithful” brethren and Die-hard proponents of Absolute Autonomy, it would be safe to say that autonomy is an existential threat to the growth and stability of the Gospel of Christ in particular and the Church in general. 

What absolute autonomy does is that it promotes “smallishness,” and by extension makes the Gospel Message as proclaimed by the small congregation unattractive because when people see our smallness, they are easily turned off. My mother’s death and burial with attendant massive turnout of Brethren taught me a great lesson and has remained beneficial to my village congregation. 

Absolute autonomy promotes non-cooperative spirit. In this case, youths of a particular congregation are not encouraged to fellowship with youths of other congregations for fear of violating congregational autonomy. 

Isolating our young ones because of church autonomy has led to a lack of sense of belonging, direction and fulfillment. This has led them to go into relationships with unbelievers, sometimes into marriage and ultimately apostatizing the Faith. 

Absolute autonomy has led to stunted growth of the Lord’s Church in Nigeria.  

4. Absolute Autonomy and “Come Over To Macedonia,

     and Help Us.”

Acts 16:9 remains a clarion call, any time, any day as far the Gospel is concerned and life on this plane of existence subsists. Here, we read: 

“And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.”            

 Suppose a new congregation results from such a clarion call, can this new and young congregation be considered “autonomous” from the congregation that planted it? If in the name of autonomy, a young congregation that is not doctrinally sound is left to govern herself, the result would be “Scriptural syncretism.”  I had this awful experience in Ikpuiga and Amachalla, both in Enugu-Ezike, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area, Enugu State. 

By nature, we do not give birth to children and allow them to take care of themselves when they are still young. Proverbs 29:15 tells us that “a child who is left unto himself brings shame to his mother.” Is this a surprise that we have a number of undisciplined preachers with New Hermeneutics who are disgracing us everywhere in the Brotherhood? 

BENEFITS OF AUTONOMY

Whatever the LORD made has many benefits. However, what we are against is its manifest abuse or abuses. Ecclesiastes7:29 tells us: 

“Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.” 

The primary benefit of congregational autonomy lies in its ability to protect the Church from wholesale error. In his book, WHY I AM A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, Leroy Brownlow (1973:39-40) wrote,

Autonomy is defined as “right of self-government; a self-governing state; an independent body.” In the first century each congregation was independent of every other congregation. The church in Rome or Jerusalem had no authority over the churches in other communities. Men outside the congregation had no right to exercise authority and power within the congregation. The elders and deacons in one congregation had no authority to exercise any other kind of rule over the elders and deacons in another congregation. Each church was free and independent, under the teaching of Christ and the apostles, to govern itself, carry on its own work, and manage its own affairs. There was no system of church government larger or smaller than the local congregation. All congregations had the same head, foundation, and mission; preached the same gospel; constituted the one body. But each was independent to direct its own work!

The wisdom of God is seem in such an arrangement for his churches. If one became corrupted in doctrine or affected by evil practices, other churches would not be so affect. If dissension arose in one, it would not spread to the others; if one perished, the others would not be dragged down. If a window is made of one large pane, a break injures the entire pane; but if it be made of several panes, it is not so bad to break one. The independence of the churches is a protection for each one. 

WHAT SHOULD NEIGHBOURING CONGREGATIONS DO WHEN A CONGREGATION GOES BESERK? 

“The care for one another” is a fundamental teaching of the New Testament. At II Corinthians 11:28-29, Apostle Paul lamented:

“Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not?”

Our goal should be to restore the erring. James 5:19 enjoins:

Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

HOW CAN WE BALANCE THE TEACHINGS OF ABSOLUTE AUTONOMY WITH COOPERATION? 

We must always strike a balance between what the Lord with what we think He means, especially as they concern “Apostolic Examples” and “Necessary Inferences” as are opposed to “Direct Command.”

It is wrong to hide under autonomy to teach and practice what are not in line with plain teachings of the Bible. It is also wrong to hide under autonomy to deny other congregations of our cooperation towards enlarging the borders of God’s Kingdom in hearts and communities of men through evangelism, edification and in times of material needs.

I would like to conclude with the words of Oji O. Oji. In His book, Autonomy Issues and Unity of the Church of Christ (2009:5-6), Oji O. Oji wrote:

It is unfortunate that in our time, many Gospel preachers pay lip service and give erroneous interpretations to the principle of congregational autonomy. We all agree that each local church is separate and independent in organization from all other local churches. However, we should oppose all erroneous or misleading interpretations and applications of the principles of autonomy of the church, especially those that negate robust cooperation of the local congregation as enshrined in the Scriptures.   

CONCLUSION

Brethren, the way to go is cooperation, not overemphasis on autonomy. We must respect autonomy but play big on cooperation. Cooperation gave us:

11. Trans-Nkisi.

OOnicha Ngwa Bible College and Hospital.

 Bear Valley

World Bible School.

6.   World Video Bible School.

Etcetera.  

God bless us all!

References

Kyle Pope (2020). "The Challenges of Congregational Autonomy," Faithful Sayings, Volume 22, Issue 17 (April 26, 2020), Olsen Church of Christ, Southwest Amarillo, Texas. 

Everett Ferguson (1996). The Church of Christ: A Biblical Ecclesiology For Today, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA: Wm B. Eerdmans.  

Leroy Brownlow (1973). Why I Am A Member of The Church of Christ. Fort Worth Texas, Brownlow Publishing Company, Inc. 

REBUILDING OUR SPIRITUAL DEFENCES: BROKEN INDIVIDUALS, PEW AND PULPIT

 “Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it, and whoever breaks the hedge, serpent shall bite him.” – Ecclesiastes 10:8

“For we must needs die, and are as water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person, yet, doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.”  - II Samuel 14:14

Most times, we are the architects of our fortunes as well as our misfortunes. Breaking our spiritual hedges amounts to breaking down our individual spiritual walls. When we do, the result is usually unwanted visitors. Igbos would say that “Anyone who fetches an ant infested firewood has invited lizards to a feast in his house.” Israel had broken the hedge and the serpents of captivity and devastation bit her.

The book of Nehemiah can aptly be titled, “Diary of a Reformer and Restorer.” It tells the story of a man who was on a mission to rebuild a nation that was totally devastated. Recalling God’s warning and its attendant results, Nehemiah prayed:

“Remember the word You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations.” (Nehemiah 1:8)     

The devastation that was visited on Israel was as a result of opening themselves up to sin and disobedience of all sorts. Because Israelis had broken their spiritual walls (their defences), they were bitten by the serpent of captivity and desolation. Yes, Israel was the architect of the misfortune she suffered, but would God abandon His people? When we fall, will God abandon us?

GOD IS INTERESTED IN REBUILDING AND RESTORATION

God is God of New Beginnings. The God we serve is the God of Second Chance. He opens doors for Fresh Start. He desires to give people New Beginning, only if they would accept His offer to make them the way He wants them to be. At Jeremiah 18:1-6, God gives us a revelation of what He does with those who have lost themselves: 

“The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, ‘Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.’ Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again into another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter?’ saith the LORD. ‘Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in mine hand, O house of Israel.’ ” 

God is an expert in rebuilding shattered lives, shattered dreams and shattered expectations. In essence, He is the Porter and we are the Clay. He has a place where He refines and remoulds people back to usefulness. In Jesus, God recreates our past, renews our present and readies our future. When we are down, He will lift us up. When sin interferes with our lives, His grace intervenes on our behalf. When Satan shatters our lives, His grace glues us up and restores us to wholeness.   

REBUILDING BROKEN INDIVIDUALS

Sin disorganizes, defaces and destroys people, but grace rescues and restores them. Someone remarked that, “Man is born broken, he lives by mending Grace is the glue.” Galatians 6:1 enjoins us: 

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” 

Admittedly, the Church of Jesus Christ is a spiritual hospital where all manners of sick people are admitted and treated. People are plagued by different illnesses. What ails one is not what ails the other. The twelve Apostles of Jesus aptly embody this fact: all these were suffering from one spiritual malady or the other. Some were mild while others were grave. While they were with Jesus, eleven of them were rescued from their various ailments while one (Judas Iscariot) whose ailments could not be cured was lost. At John 17:12 Jesus prayed: 

“…those You gave me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition…”

There is no gainsaying the fact that we are all plagued by one spiritual and moral ailment or the other. While we meet as Christians, God uses His Word and Spirit to address our spiritual and individual challenges. Some of us have been cured of the sicknesses we came into Christ with and are now strong and alive in the spirit while some of us are still struggling with our various ailments. What should we do to those who are still struggling? Should we “shoot our wounded” or help them to heal and be restored?   

Jesus’ encounter with a woman who was caught in adultery (John 8:1-11) shows us what to do. First, it reveals that sin is a trap set by Satan with baits on it to attract weaklings, who, in the moment of arousal of passions lose their senses, get on board and are caught.

What was Jesus’ reactions to this woman’s spiritual and moral challenge? Did He join those who were calling for her head? No! In the midst of voices of judgment, Jesus’ Voice delivered mercy. After addressing the judgementality and hypocrisy of the crowd when He asked, “Who among you is without sin? Let him cast the first stone” (John 8:7), the result was “…those who heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even to the last …” (John 8:8). Indeed, “Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13b).

We should not excuse or tolerate sin because sin is destructive (“He who sins against me hates his soul” Proverbs 8:   ). While God hates sin, He still loves the sinner. He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (II Peter 3:9).

God is interested in rebuilding shattered lives. No matter how low you have sunk, God is still interested in remaking you. The word, “Remission” found in Acts 2:38 is from the root word, “Re-mission.” It means to “re-commission” and to “re-launch.” In other words, in Jesus Christ, God re-commissions and re-launches us.  

At I Timothy 1:12 – 15, Apostle Paul recalls what God can do with those who are willing to change:

“…I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me because he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and injurious, but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”

Here, Apostle Paul says that God used him as an example for anyone who thinks he/she has sinned beyond redemption. God can change anyone. If He could change Saul, a terrorist and religious bandit who became Paul, then there is no one He cannot change. Ephesians 2:10 says,

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

In a typical carpenter’s workshop, he produces and showcases his craft. Usually, he has a showroom where he displays “his workmanship.” Here, he demonstrates how he is able to turn “useless woods” into “beautiful pieces of furniture.” In the same way, God takes “useless people” and makes them “useful” (cf. Philemon verse 11), and displays them for the world to see. At I Corinthians 6:9 – 11, Apostle Paul expresses what God can do with sinners who are willing to be reworked:

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

God is not interested in condemnation, but in redemption. He takes pleasure in the return of the Prodigals and their reunions with Him. 

How To Recalibrate Your Life To Serve Higher Purpose

1. Live a Self-Supervised Life

Philippians 2:12 enjoins us, 

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

Do not wait to be seen and monitored by fellow Christians before you live the way you should. Regulate and supervise yourself. 

2. Live A Practical Christian Life

In his book, James: Practical and Authentic Living, Chuck Swindoll asked: 

“If you say you believe like you should, then why do you behave like you shouldn’t?” 

II Timothy 2:19 says, “Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, ‘The Lord knows those who are His. Therefore, let everyone who names the Name of Christ depart from iniquity.” Immorality is antithetical to the Christian Faith and Congregational growth. 

Moral prodigality will remain a stain on our Christian garments. At Zechariah 3:1-3, we see what moral prodigality can do to a child of God: 

“And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.  And the LORD said unto Satan, ‘The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD Who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?’ Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.” 

Let us make it a priority to beautify the Church of Christ in our local congregations with the beautiful moral lives we model.

3. Cultivate Higher Moral and Spiritual Disciplines

As Christians, our daily goals should be to “please God.” II Corinthians 5:6, 8-9 says:

“So, we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. ... We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.”

To be “present in the body” is to live the way we would have loved to while to be “absent from the body” is to live the way God wants us to.  

4. Practice God’s Presence Daily

Recognize that God is watching your every move. II Chronicles 16:9 tells us:

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.…”

If people do not see you, God sees you. Knowing that God sees you and knows everything you do even when others do not should help you to know how you live.       

5. Live Above Spiritual Mediocrity

Going to church is not the end of it all. Learn to be completely absorbed in the Divine and to experience God personally. At Philippians 3:10 Apostle Paul wrote, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection….”  

6. Stop Living For The Now

Remind yourself daily – time and time again of the consequences of living in the “NOW.” Esau lived for the NOW and he suffered the consequence. Hebrews 12:16 - 17 warns: 

“Let there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.”  

7. Live With Eternity In View

Live with eternity in view. Do not live for today, live for tomorrow. Do not destroy your future with your present. In his novel, The Celibates, James Kavanaugh wrote, 

“Do not destroy your beautiful soul with a piece of ass….” 

We must understand that a few moments of joy could usher in months of misery (Romans 6:21). Deuteronomy 32:29 states: 

“O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!” (KJV). 

When we live with eternity in view, life would have more meaning than the present holds. This is because there is life beyond this present life. Living for the hereafter has greater purpose and requires all the resources one has to attain to that purpose. Living for the hereafter is living for the higher purpose. This is the real life. Anything short of this is a mirage. 

STRENGTHENING THE PULPIT

While the Church is the “ground and pillar of the Truth” (I Timothy 3:15), the Pulpit is the heart and engine of a doctrinally sound congregation. A weak and compromised pulpit are threats to the continued existence of the New Testament Church.

A doctrinally weak congregation is a compromised Church. We stand to lose the Church of Christ of today to a future generation who do not know the differences between the New Testament Church and churches of men.

There is no gainsaying the fact that the differences between the New Testament Church and denominations is doctrine. To strengthen the Pulpit is:

1.    To equip men to become men of Book, Chapter and Verse.

2. To equip men who would contend earnestly for the Faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude v.3).

3.To equip men who will speak where the Bible speaks, Silent where the Bible is Silent, Call Bible Things by Bible Names and Do Bible things by Bible ways (I Peter 4:11).

4. To equip men who will not go beyond that which is written (I Corinthians 4:6).

5.To equip men who will stand to ask, “By what authority?” (Matthew 21:23).

6. To equip men who will insist, “To the Law and to the Testimony: if they do not speak account to these there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).

7. To equip men whose allegiance is to the Lord, and to His Word (Acts 20:27). 

8.    To equip men who will insist on “Divine Pattern” (Hebrews 8:5; cf. II Samuel 6:3-10; I Chronicles 15:13-15).   

9. To equip men to detect error with Biblical laser-like precision. It was T. M. Clement, Jr. who observed, “Those who set a truth apart, have truth in part and from the Truth depart.”   

To equip men to strike a balance between Moral Purity and Doctrinal Integrity – to “watch over their lives and their doctrines” (I Timothy 4:16).

The Pulpit is where sound doctrines are promoted. It is not a place for entertainment. Preaching is not a call into the paparazzi or the razzmatazz. It is a solemn call to duty, which requires uncommon courage, commitment, can-do-spirit and Sterling-worth integrity.

Preachers are people whose sermons should be bullets, not buckle shots. We need pulpits where the Word is strongly proclaimed, where doctrinal errors are not tolerated (Galatians 2:4-5).   

Guideposts to Strengthen the Pulpit    

The mission of a minister is to bring God’s Word to the people and to bring the people to God. To strengthen his serve, he should do the following: 

1.   Implant Jesus

The greatest responsibility of a preacher is to make Jesus known; to implant Him in the hearts of those he ministers to. Apostle Paul’s heart-touching message at Galatians 4:19 remains every preacher's challenge: 

“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again UNTIL CHRIST BE FORMED IN YOU.”    

God’s ultimate desire is to see that every believer conforms to the Image of His Son (Romans 8:29b).

If a preacher succeeds in this assignment, he will have no problem in his work as a preacher because each person would be “established and rooted” in Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:6-7). When this happens, there will be less infighting, less lethargy and more commitment to the things of the Lord and to His Church.

 2.   Avoid the Pitfalls of Encomiums  

Preachers must close their ears to accolades and focus on their callings. Often, the mistakes preachers make is to allow themselves to be carried away by commendations. Some will say that you are a “powerful man of God.” Thank them, but do not let such statements get into your head. You must remember that God did not call you to be “powerful,” but to be a “faithful” man of God (II Timothy 2:2; Luke 17:10). It is this faithfulness that God rewards. 

3.   Be a Person of The Word

A preacher is God’s Mouthpiece where he is. He is called to sound the trumpet, to preach the Word. Therefore, he should “be instant in season and out of season, to rebuke and exhort with all longsuffering” (II Timothy 4:2).

A preacher is not called to “pamper people to hell, but to push them into Heaven.” How can this be accomplished? There should be no “What went wrong” sermons – every sermon must be a message.  

Preachers should remember that they are called to “feed the flock,” not to “feed on the flock.”  

4.   Magnify Your Ministry

At Romans 11:13, Apostle Paul affirmed, “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I MAGNIFY MY MINISTRY.” What does this say to you, servant of God? – You must go about your duty with dignity! Do not make mockery of your calling and office by engaging in any kind of pettiness. You must not allow anyone to undermine your work.  Titus 2:15 says, “These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.”   How can a preacher magnify his ministry? By the way he conducts himself.     

5.   Have a Working Knowledge of Those You Minister To

Know your members. Know where they live and what they do to earn their living. Do not be standoffish. Visit them in their houses, farms, workshops and stalls. Apostle Paul’s statement at II Corinthians 11: 23-28 suggests that he had a working knowledge of the people he ministered to. 

6.   Draw a Work Plan (Proverbs 24:27)

Plan your work and work your plan. You should have a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly plan of work. These plans should include targeted number of conversions, restorations, teachings and projects to initiate and execute.  

STRENGHTENING THE PEW

In Political Science, people talk about the “Office of the Citizen.” In the same vein, in Christianity, the Pew are critical stakeholders in the Kingdom business. To strengthen the Pew, the Pew should do the following:

1.    Do not accept line, hook and sinker whatever the Pulpit dishes out. Be like the “Bereans who searched the Scriptures daily to ascertain the veracity of what were taught” (Acts 17:11). 

2.    Do not go to Church to listen to the musicality of the Preachers’ voices. Ezekiel 33:30-32 says, 

“… son of man, the children of your people are speaking about you by the walls and in the doors of their houses;  they say to one another, ‘Come, and hear what is the Word that comes from the LORD.’ And they come to you as people come, and sit before you as my people; they hear your words, but they will not do them because with their mouths they express love, but their hearts are after covetousness. Behold, you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: they hear your words, but they do them not.” 

The Pew can only be strengthened when they become responsive to God’s Will. 

3.   To strengthen the Pew, Brethren must appreciate the fact that Preachers and Church Leaders are not called to “minister,” but to groom the saints while it is the responsibility of the saints to do the “work of Ministry.” Ephesians 4:12 says: 

“And he gave some, apostles; some, prophets; some, evangelists; some, pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”   

In Church, “every member is a Minister.” Therefore, find out what roles you can play and what areas of your congregation’s need you can meet.     

4.    The Pew must appreciate the fact that they are not called to be “entertained,” but to serve (Church is not a group of entertainers, but a group of worshippers. Late Brother Jim Massey affirmed that “Worship is an outward expression of an inward sense of praise”). One of the greatest gifts we can give to God to strengthen our respective congregations is “Availability.”   

To demonstrate the importance of availability, the Psalmist says, “In the days of His battle His army shall be volunteers” (Psalms 110:3). Again, “The Lord gave the Word, great was the company of those who proclaimed it” (Psalms 68:11). 

II Corinthians 8:1-5 underscores the importance of availability when Macedonian Christians were commended for giving themselves first and then to the Lord. Giving ourselves or making ourselves available is an all-encompassing and all-involving transaction. It involves our time, talents, treasures and our lives in general.

No one who gets busy in the Lord’s Vineyard would ever complain of inertia. 

 CONCLUSION

Rebuilding our spiritual defenses requires cultivating personal relationship with God. As a Church, we must appreciate the fact that we are called to be “our brothers’ keepers.” When any one of us falls, it is our duty to help him or her to rise. We must stop “shooting our wounded.” We must cultivate grace-attitudes rather than being Pharisees (those who are far-to-see) and Saducees (those who are sad-to-see).

 To strengthen our Pulpits, our preachers must keep improving themselves to improve their serve. At I Timothy 4:13, 15 Apostle Paul told Timothy, “Until I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. ... Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.”

 Our Pews should be more “service-oriented.” We are happier and more productive when we serve than when we are not.

 Thank you.     

Hilary Johnson Chukwuma Chukwurah