Ministry and Ministerial Calling

Text: 2 Corinthians 13:8 "For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth."

Our objective on this platform has always been and will always be 'to bring the truth of the Word of God to our doorsteps.' We are driven by the passion for truth and the hatred for every form of falsehood. By using the Bible (our more word of prophecy) and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, we shall by the grace of God counter false teachings.

Why we confront false teachings

We confront false teachings based on the following reasons:

1. Appreciation for truth requires opposition to errors (Psalm 45:7). If we consider God's precepts to be right, then we must hate every false way. We cannot support truth without opposing error.

2. As believers we are required by God to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered unto us." (Jude 3). Speaking against false teaching is one of the ways to earnestly contend for the faith.

3. It is a sin for a child of God not to speak against false teachings. James 4:17 (NKJV) warns "to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." Christ Jesus rebuked the churches in Pergamum and Thyatira for allowing false teachings within them (Rev 2:14-16, 20-22). These show that God wants us to reject and firmly oppose false teaching.


4. In the book of 2 John 10 we learn that we must not bid God's blessing upon those who fail to teach the doctrine of Christ. To be silent and fail to preach against error is to bid such false teachers God's speed.

5. False teachings are poisons. No matter the size of a poison, it is capable of killing. Tolerating false teachings no matter how small is capable of destroying the spiritual lives of believers (Romans 16:17-18; 1 Corinthians 5:6).

6. False teaching ruins those who listen to it. The demons know that if you can just fill up a person's head with a bunch of terminology, a bunch of words, human reason and philosophy, you can confuse them about the simple truth of God's Word (2 Peter 2:1-2)

7. We care about truth. And the reason we care about truth is that we care about God and other people. We want to please God by following His will and helping other people do the same (Galatians 6:2).

Distorted use of Scriptures

Brethren the barrage of distorted use of Scriptures coming out of ministers these days is absolutely unbelievable. I recently read in an online newspaper (Daily Post) of an interview with Rev Uma Ukpai (the president and founder of Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association). Rev Ukpai in that interview stated that "Pastors that are poor were not called by God". Some of his other statements in the aforementioned interview are quoted in verbatim below:

1. 'Jesus calls church a business. He said, ‘I am about my father’s business’. He called church work business and what is business? Business is investment plus gain, minus loss.'

2. “Church is all about investment and the gain they make is not in money but in people; that is the gain they make. People also can be called money because for instance, if a pastor’s ministry can cause 20 women to get pregnant; those women will not forget the pastor. If a pastor’s ministry can produce one of the richest 10 men in the country, those men will not forget the man who made them what they are."

3. “When you are into ministry and you have what we call anointing, you have become profitable."

4. “The only man you can worry about is a man who has no anointing; a man who God has rejected; a pastor who God has not approved what he is doing. God does not bless what he does not approve. If God approves what a pastor is doing, he will have more money than he can spend. I am an example.”

Are these statements the truth? Do they have biblical backings? Each of these statements would ordinarily take us separate messages to address, but we would not wish to do that in order not to bore you with details. However, we would address each of them very briefly in the light of Scriptures.

Statement number (#) 1

"Jesus calls church a business. He said, ‘I am about my father’s business’. He called church work business and what is business? Business is investment plus gain, minus loss.'

The Bible's stand on Statement #1

Christ Jesus The Lord used the term "My Father's business" in Luke 2:49. If we look at this passage in context, by saying 'My Father's business', our Lord meant 'His Father's work'. This is confirmed as we look back to verses 46-47 "And it came to pass, that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard Him were astonished at his understanding and answers." What was The Lord Jesus doing in these two passages? Was He investing money or making gains from the people? Was He teaching them the seven steps into becoming a billionaire or how to make money? NO. He was teaching them Scriptures. That is His Father's business. It is the business of seeking to save those who are lost (Luke 19:10); preaching the message of God's Kingdom (Matthew 4:17); delivering all those that were possessed and healing the sick (Matthew 8:16). He directed his disciples to do the same in Matthew 10:7-8; Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 9:2; Luke 10:9 and many more.

In direct contrast to what Rev Uma Ukpai said of the church as a place where you invest, make gains minus losses, our Lord Jesus condemned those who did such things in His days. We read in John 2:13-16 that The Lord Jesus made a scourge of small cords and drove out those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money out of the temple. He warned them never to make His Father's house a house of merchandise. The current trend of turning churches or ministries into 'investment corporations' therefore does not have the approval of The Lord Jesus. Any minister doing this does so at his or her own peril. Be warned! God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).

Statement number (#) 2

“Church is all about investment and the gain they make is not in money but in people; that is the gain they make. People also can be called money because for instance, if a pastor’s ministry can cause 20 women to get pregnant; those women will not forget the pastor. If a pastor’s ministry can produce one of the richest 10 men in the country, those men will not forget the man who made them what they are."

What the Bible says about Statement #2

The Bible unequivocally condemns ministers who make merchandise of believers. Peter says in 1 Peter 5:2-3 to pastors, bishops etc "Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;". There is nowhere in Scriptures where The Lord Jesus saw those who received miracles as conduits for money making. He would tell those healed and delivered from demons to "Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee" (Mark 5:19). The early apostles obeyed the directives of their Master which says "freely ye have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:. Peter, Paul, James, John, Philip the Evangelist etc did not charge churches money for invitations to preach. Peter the apostle did not become a 'superstar' when his shadow become a healing contact point (Acts 5:15), neither did Paul become handkerchief and apron merchant because handkerchiefs and aprons that touched him brought healing to the sick (Acts 19:11-12). Paul and Silas refused to be accorded instant celebrity and godlike status when the crippled man at Lystra was healed by the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 14:8-10). They did not receive praise to themselves because they knew that those miracles were only made possible by The Lord Jesus Christ.


Statement number (#) 3
"When you are into ministry and you have what we call anointing, you have become profitable."


The position of the Bible on Statement #3
To counter this false teaching, let us look at what the Bible says about "Anointing".

John 14:26 "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

1 John 2:27 "But the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him."

Just like the Holy Spirit teaches us all things in John 14:26, The Anointing in 1 John 2:27 teaches us all things. We see from these two passages a direct link between the Holy Ghost and the Anointing. When therefore we refer to the Anointing in the New Testament we are referring to the presence of the Holy Ghost in the life of a person. Isaiah 61:1 confirms this as follows: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me." All children of God are given the 'Anointing' by God to help them into truth. When believers know the Word of God learnt through private studies or mutual teaching and exhorting and with the help of the Holy Spirit they are safeguarded against extra biblical teachings like the ones we are dealing with in this message.

Aside teaching us all things the anointing is there to do God's work: preach the gospel to the poor, the destitute, the afflicted, the humble, the broken hearted etc. The anointing brings healing to the whole person: physical and spiritual. It is to open the eyes of those who have been blinded by the god of this world in order that they might see the truth of God's Kingdom (Luke 4:18-19). From the foregoing, it is clear that God's purpose in anointing believers is not for money making or profiteering. It is for the spiritual growth of His Kingdom.

Statement number (#) 4
“The only man you can worry about is a man who has no anointing; a man who God has rejected; a pastor who God has not approved what he is doing. God does not bless what he does not approve. If God approves what a pastor is doing, he will have more money than he can spend. I am an example.”



The Bible's stand on Statement #4

As already stated above, every true believer receives an anointing from God, irrespective of his or her ministerial calling or financial status. When God calls a person, He equips him or her with spiritual gifts to function (Romans 12:3,6; Ephesians 5:7; 1 Peter 4:10-11). God's approval of somebody that He has called into the ministry is not determined by the millions of dollars in a minister’s bank account; neither is it measured by the number of private jets owned by a pastor; the size of a minister’s congregation has no input into it. Rather

1. Those approved by God are those who please Him and are determined to do His will. The Bible describes Moses as a man who was faithful in all God's house (Numbers 12:7) because he did according all that God commanded him (Exodus 40:16). David served his generation by the will of God (Acts 13:36). Our Lord Jesus did the will of His Father by dying on the cross to redeem mankind (John 10:15; 1 Timothy 1:15). The early apostles focused their attention on doing God's will and completing their God given assignments (Acts 20:24; Acts 21:14).

2. Those approved by God are those who are committed to suffer for His Name's sake (Acts 9:16; Acts 21:13). The patriarchs, the prophets in the Old Testament, the early apostles and many other believers suffered for His name's sake. Stephen was stoned to death (Acts 7:59-60), James was beheaded by Herod in Acts 12:1-2. Peter was crucified by Nero with his head turned upside down. It was not the early apostles alone who paid the ultimate price for His name's sake. Numerous believers had been and are being beheaded, slain, persecuted etc. They were all anointed by the Holy Spirit, yet they suffered. Suffering by a true minister of the gospel has never been and will never be a sign of disapproval from God. Whoever teaches or preaches this is not of God (2 John 9). It is very Scriptural to suffer for His Name's sake (Matthew 5:10-12; James 5:10-11; 1 Peter 3:14).

3. Those approved by God are those who declare the gospel of truth and not the philosophies of men (Ephesians 6:19-20; 2 Thessalonians 3:1). All through the Bible (Old and New Testaments) those approved by God declared the whole will of God. Noah of the Old Testament was described in 2 Peter 2:5 as "a preacher of righteousness". Paul, Peter, John and other early apostles never shunned to declare unto all the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). They “preached the word; were prepared in season and out of season. They reproved, rebuked and encouraged with great patience and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:2). Although most of them were poor materially, they were called by God. They did not seek the approval of men. They sought God’s approval (Galatians 1:10). Hence they carried themselves with dignity. They did not hobnob with the Roman government or the Jewish leaders like we see this generation of preachers do. Neither were they given awards by the worldly and ungodly leaders of their days.

4. Those approved by God are those who preach the gospel of Christ with signs and wonders following (Mark 16:17-18). One thing that greatly distinguished the early Apostles and preachers from those of us in this generation is that their ministries were accompanied with signs and wonders. They did not have money but they had the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:43 says that many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. Theirs were real miracles and not most of the fakes we see nowadays orchestrated by pastors to increase their popularities thereby deceiving the undiscerning. This is not to say that there are no genuine signs and miracles in our generation. There definitely are, but not usually through these popularity seeking pastors.


Conclusion

The unholy matrimony between the ministry and cash is becoming especially true as we can see all around our churches. This is a poison that is sickening the church of Jesus Christ. The church has been polluted to the point that the real expansion of God's Kingdom is being hindered and people are kept away from following Jesus. Without mincing words, being materially wealthy as a pastor and having a mega church is never a sign of God's blessings, but rather a sign of corporate sinfulness. Be reminded that the Laodecia (aka the lukewarm) church although was very rich materially, was described by The Lord Jesus Christ as being spiritually wretched (Revelation 3:17). This is exactly the state that most mega and prosperity preaching churches are before Christ Jesus. God does not see things as man sees them: "for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God" (Luke 16:15).

Brethren, the church is all about Christ her Owner. He is the Head of the Church and the Saviour of the body (Ephesians 5:23). He has a pattern for His church. The blueprint of running the church is seen in the Bible. As believers we have to follow the Jesus pattern like Moses did. This association of wealth is inappropriate for those who are Christ's disciples and wish to continually walk with Him (Matthew 6:24).

Let me advise all ministers of the gospel that they teach only what The Lord Jesus and the Apostles by the Holy Spirit taught. Be reminded that we have been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone (Ephesians 2:20). We cannot lay another foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11). No one who lays another foundation can claim to still be part of His Kingdom (John 15:4,6). Let us be mindful of what we say, especially those of us with very large followers. Be reminded that we shall give account for every false teaching that leads people away from God (Matthew 18:6-7). We have to bear in mind that as watchmen God will require the blood of every soul that He puts into our care to shepherd or lead (Ezekiel 3:17-19; Acts 20:27-28; 1 Timothy 4:16; 1 Peter 5:2).

Find below the link to the interview
http://dailypost.ng/2014/12/20/pastors-poor-not-called-god-uma-ukpai/

Are you a child of God or a child of the devil? Do you have a relationship with The One Who made you? Should the trumpet sound or you die now will you be with Him in glory? Examine yourself now and see if you are in the faith. If you are in a church that does not build you up and prepare you for eternity with Christ, then come out of that place now. It is nothing but a synagogue of satan (Revelation 3:9). Repent of your sins and turn to The Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.