In my interaction within the church world with gospel ministers in Africa and globally, I've met several types of ministers. Let me share briefly about the first four on my list.
1) Those who called themselves Into the Ministry
I Kings 1: 5: Then Adonijah, the son of Haggith, exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
Those in this group are merely ambitious to be called gospel ministers with titles of (Apostle, Prophet, Prophetess, Evangelist, Bishop, Pastor, etc. because they see the ministry as an easy path to making a living, acquiring wealth and gaining recognition.
To those in this group, it doesn't matter how many guest speakers they invite to their self-style churches; it doesn't improve the quality of their kingdom work since a tree must first be a tree to bear fruits.
If you are in this group, there is hope for you. Be truthful to yourself; seek the Lord and find his plan for your life and follow it. In addition, submit under a word-based Apostolic-Prophetic and Teaching ministry where you can be told the raw, undiluted truth about the kingdom life and ministry.
Ephesians 4: 11: 14
2) The second group are those having a genuine call upon their lives but lack someone to guide them.
As a result, they go with the wind. Whatever other purported ministers do that produces results, whether, from God or the occult, they will copy it, hoping for the same results. Those in this category are like sheep without a shepherd; they keep travelling and attending programs here and there; some have multiple individuals they call mentors, all in their effort to find a sense of fulfilment and success in ministry but to no avail.
If care is not taken, they can easily join the ranks of Magicians on the pulpit out of desperation to remove the reproach of their barrenness in ministry, but that isn't the solution.
The solution is to wrestle with God like Jacob (Genesis 32:22-28) and Jabez (I Chronicles 4:10) and learn under sound fivefold ministers whom heaven has prepared, equipped and sent.
3) The third category comprises those who aren't looking for God but a career through the ministry. When serving under any leader, they always seek promotion within the ranks to secure a good life. They are in love with bureaucracy, and like the Pharisees, their passion for the institution of the "church" is more than for God's kingdom. Why? It is where they work (Career).
4) Those called, prepared, equipped and sent by God. Those in this group are few. It is easy to accomplish much for the Lord with those in this last group because they have a solid foundation and understand how the kingdom works.
What hope has someone in the first, second and third groups? Can something be done to get them on track? Yes, but they must accept mentorship under leaders who will tell them the truth as it is not sugarcoated gospel.
Glatians 4: 1-2Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
I'm just thinking out loud!
Dr Benard Etta, GFC Visionary
Comments
This is so true.
A wonderful and educative piece. Thank you so much Dr Sir.