CALLED TO JOIN THE LORD IN HEALING HIS WORLD THROUGH THE CHURCH

The world is in turmoil. From Egypt, through Syria, Ukraine to Northeastern Nigeria, the story is the same. Death, deaths and more deaths! The usual tales are of Muslims killing Christians. Central Africa Republic has shown not just Christians killing Muslims, but giving them no room for Muslims to live in the same country with them!
Within our church, we have, in the recent past, felt the cold hands of death on some of our members. On many occasions, we have had to rise as a church to pray for our members in pains in hospitals within and outside the country. Apart from those going through physical pains there are many going through psychological and emotional pains. ‘Jesus, when will you come into my situation?’ is the cry of many. For some, testimony times are irritating times. ‘Lord, if you are doing so much for these ones, why am I in this situation?’ is the pain some go through.

The Lord is still very much in the business of making the leprous Naamans of our time transformed to look like fine young boys. God’s mandate to the church to pray for the sick and expect them to be healed has not been withdrawn. The issue is that God is looking for the young girl, nameless and doing the menial jobs in the house, but who knows the God of Israel. He is looking for the four friends who love their paralytic neighbour and who are convinced that if only they could get him to the feet of Jesus, there would be a difference in his situation. The search for these maids and friends has reached our church today.

Today is our vestry meeting, where we shall be reviewing the progress our church has made in the past year and elect leaders to manage the church this year. The question is what type of leaders are we going to elect or what criteria are we going to use to elect them? Shall we vote or choose leaders because they have been lobbying us for our votes, they are friends, tribesmen or our associates or shall we be prayerfully electing those we believe are God-fearing and will have genuine ideas to move the church of God forward?. Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, advised him to “…select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens” (Exodus 18:21). Moses was a leader with a difference; God-fearing, committed and focused. He was in charge of everything until the in-law advised him to select assistants for quicker reaction to issues without compromising the quality of decisions. Also in Acts 6, the twelve asked for the election of people “…who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom…: to become deacons, who would see to the needs of the people (Acts 6:1- 4). The difference we would make as Christians, which becomes an example for the world, would depend on whether or not we base our selections on the attribute Jethro suggested to Moses and which the early church used in selecting the seven deacons. My prayer for you today is for you to cast your vote on the basis of these God-given principles.

To those elected to the PCC what type of leadership are we going to provide? Are you going to be ‘the captive young girl from Israel’ or one of the four friends of the paralytic? Do you have the faith of these friends of the paralytic? Are you ready to join hands with Jesus to bring about phenomenal development in this church this Council year? By your accepting to serve in the Council of His church, you are enlisting in the army to transform the world for the Lord.
In the world outside, especially our nation, leadership is seen over the years as a means of recognition, popularity and self-enrichment and not an opportunity for service. Many lobby and some would kill to attain certain positions. James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with a request for special positions in His coming Kingdom. The others became indignant over such requests. Jesus later taught all of them that greatness comes through being a servant leader (Mark 10:35-45). The church must teach this to the world through its attitude to leadership in the church and wherever we have the opportunity to lead in the secular world. Welcome to a year of leadership with a mission geared towards the healing the world.
Have a fruitful Council year as you elect people who will place themselves under God’s constant influence and do only His will for the church and His world.

Your brother, Vicar & Archdeacon
  S. Igein Isemede.