Pastor Poju Oyemade on The Shepherd, The Wolf, The Sheep and The Hireling – The Four Characters That “Play” In The Church Space.
Jesus speaking about the shepherd also tells us about these four principal characters who make up the dynamics of a Church or really any business organization. He said it this way
Joh 10:11-13 (KJV) I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. [12] But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. [13] The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
The Good Shepherd
We have the good shepherd whose role is the care giver to the sheep. His business is to make sure the sheep are adequately provided for conveying his responsibilities first and foremost through the words he speaks to them. He feeds them with words of knowledge and understanding and places them in folds for their protection.
His character trait is that he will defend the sheep with his life and reputation. He doesn’t flee at the sight of battle but will rise up to the challenge no matter what the wolf throws at him.
Jer 3:15-16 (KJV) And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. [16] And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land…
The Hireling
The next character is the hireling.
This is a person who gets involved for commercial reasons. He is not really dangerous to the sheep because he is not after them, he seeks not to break the church, in fact, he wants the church doing well but his motives are financial, period.
He is in it for what material gains can come to him. He has no concept of the vision of that place, he will not lay down his life for anyone and his “brand” is more important to him than the future of the kingdom of God. In making decisions money is his bottom line and not the will of God for the people.
The only problem you may have with him is to put your trust in him thinking he will ride with you through thick and thin.
Once he sees a threat and he thinks things may get rough here he jumps ship and looks for the next sheepfold where money can be made in peace.
Misplaced trust in a hireling may lead one to getting heart broken but outside that he is no real threat to the Church. In a business he works for money and will show no understanding of the vision that will make him go an extra mile for the client or customer out of love.
To Be Continued…
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Maximizing Personal Retreats – Apostle Joshua Selman
Whatever God tells you, He can do it. Don’t mind what you see when He’s speaking to you, just take your eyes away and with childlike foolishness, say Lord, I believe
A retreat is part and parcel of the spiritual growth process of a believer.
A retreat is a time when you end and and begin seasons of your life with God, this should not be done in the flesh.
The most spiritual aspect of your lives is when seasons are ending and when seasons are beginning, because this is when satan gets at people.
It is a time when you are exclusively alone with God.
There are certain things that God will not tell you in public, He tells you only when you are alone with Him.
End of year retreat is very important
A retreat should be at least 2 days, one day alone should be dedicated to thanksgiving. Take out time to have personal retreat.
What are the activities that should happen in a retreat?
Thanksgiving – when you thank God, mention things one by one. Your end of year retreat is barren of God’s power without thanksgiving. God never gets tired of people thanking Him.
Don’t be careless with your thanksgiving, forget not His benefits. When you thank Him, mention things one by one. Take out quality time to thank Him.
Review your progress for the current year. Seriously, sincere and unashamedly review the year.
Break your review into 6 different units:
Your spiritual life (passion for God, illumination of the word you have accessed, character) –
What did you know/understand now that you didn’t understand in the previous year. In retreats you must be honest, unashamed and very sincere before God.
Mental development and capacity (did I cooperate with the word of God to develop my mind, did I acquire useful info that will set me on the cutting edge of relevance).
Be able to communicate the life of Christ to your environments.
To be continued.
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