Tag: Information

Why do many Pastors die young?

WHY DO MANY PASTORS DIE YOUNG?

THE AUTOPSY OF SOME PASTORS 😔 😢 😭

In the past few days, a couple of pastors I know have gone to glory in their prime. While many may say many things from the spiritual angle only, I resist the temptation of being naive and gullible.
– One died going to drop his members after Sunday service. He probably died due to over-exhaustion of his health.

– Post activities exhaustion led to fatigue and accident that took the life of one of the most handsome young vibrant zealous man of God I know in Ghana.

– A Nigerian female Pastor slumped and died in the United States and her host couldn’t even try to connect the family because they can’t afford the $,5000 morgue fee. They allowed the govt to set her for mass burial if not for a friend in USA that alerted us two days before and effort was made to trace her family in Lagos by my friend – after many inquiries.
CAUSE: Pressure and failed hope.

– Another died in his sleep after Friday night vigil. If he had taken adequate care of his health, maybe he will still be alive by now.

=> The story never ends.

– Another died because none was available to help, even the members he burnt his life for and the so called ministers and spiritual sons and daughters were no where to be found in his hours of needs.

>>Most of these people are Bishops with good standing, viable ministries and graduates from good universities.

We conducted mild medical examinations for some Pastors after one of our meetings few years ago, about 200 pastors participated. I Insisted that no minister above 40yrs of age will leave without being evaluated by the medical team, except those in their twenties and early thirties.
The result was mind bugling,
– over 30% had a elevated bp within 180 systolic 90 diastolic.
– 15 had extreme high bp above ,200/120.
– 28% had diabetics,
– 16% had elevated PSA,
– blood cultures done, showed that:
= over 60% had different levels of bacteremia. = Psychological analysis revealed that
– over 7O% had emotional problems they could not share with anyone.
= Urine analysis and smear tests were not friendly either.
= Eye examinations shows levels of deficiency and stress induced factors.

***Most of these pastors never know they had these problems… That is the sad part of the news.

>They were the walking corpses physically even though spiritually alive
>They are dead emotionally.
>Their vision and passion is dead.
>Their spiritual life has little life at all.
>They are burnt out.
>Many have died vocationally.
>Others are waiting for burial.

Autopsies is not a pleasant topic, I get that, but I would be negligent if I did not share with you about the numbers of pastors who are dead in the ministry.
You need to know.
You need to grasp this reality.
You need to pray for them.
You need to walk alongside with them.

=> HOW DID THESE PASTORS DIE?
My figurative autopsies uncovered eight common patterns.
Some pastors manifest four or five of them. Many manifest all of them.

1. They said “YES” to too many members.
In order to avoid conflict and criticism, these pastors tried to please most church members. Their path was not sustainable. Their path was unhealthy, leading to death.

2. They said “NO” to their families.
For many of these pastors, their families became an afterthought or no thought at all. Many of their children are now grown and resent the church.
They have pledged never to return. Their spouses felt betrayed, as if they were no longer loved, desired, or wanted. Some of these pastors have lost their families to divorce and separation.

3. They got too busy to remain in the Word and in prayer. Simply stated, they got too busy for God. Read Acts 6:4 again in the context of all of Acts 6:1-7. The early Church leaders saw this danger, and they took a courageous path to avoid the trap.

4. They died a slow death from the steady drip of criticisms.
Pastors are human. Yeah, I know; that’s an obvious statement. We sometimes expect them to take the ongoing criticisms from members as if they were rocks. But a steady drip can destroy even the most solid rocks.

5. They were attacked by the cartel.
Not all churches have cartels, but many do.
A church cartel is an alliance of bullies, bully-followers, carnal Christians, and even non-Christians in the Church. Their goal is power. Their obstacle is the pastor.
Many pastors have died because cartels killed them.

6. They lost their vision and their passion. This cause of death is both a symptom and a cause.
Like high blood pressure is a symptom of other problems, it can also lead to death. Pastors without vision and passion are dying pastors.

7. They sought to please others before God. People-pleasing pastors can fast and easily become dying pastors. The problem is that you can never please all the members all the time. If Pastors try, they die.

8. They had no defenders in the church. Imagine a dying person with no medicare (medical intervention). That person will die. Imagine Pastors without members who will stand by them.
Imagine Pastors where members are too cowardly to stand up to cartels. If you can imagine that, then you can imagine a dying Pastor.
By the way, this form of death is often the most painful. The Pastor is dying without anyone to help or intervene.

9 They died as a result of pressure to be like others.
Travel around the world, have a big cathedral, be announced by God, be popular and live in affluence, competing with one another or others they have no idea about their stories.
They allowed wide mouthed intimidators make them feel they are failures without telling them the true stories behind their presumed success.
They burnt-out and it took a toll and caused their death.
They lost the simple rule of ministry that God gives to everyman that – size and miracles are not indicators of good success before the Master.
The letters to the Churches in Revelation showed it clearly.

10 They died because they gave room to ignorance, ego, and unwillingness to take advantage of opportunities God provided to help and enlighten their life.
They succeeded in Church but failed their health and spiritual health because they over-evaluated their status.

11. Some are killed by their fellow Pastors, who added nothing to them but negativism. Increased their conflicts and inflicted more injury to their wound.
Don’t invite a guest from afar if you have no plans for them. You break their hope and add more frustrations to the existing ones.

You have associates, you live big while they scratch to survive with their families. What you added killed them. Because they felt used, neglected and abandoned.

=> Autopsies are not fun. Talking about dying is not fun.
But if you are a Church member, or a Senior rich selfish ego exhibiting, exaggerating Pastor, you can be a part of the reasons why Pastors are dying because of your unwillingness to be sensitive and to do the right things.

. *Pastors have a tough job. They get more kicks than kisses. If a pastor is young, he lacks experience; if he’s grey–haired, he’s too old. If he has five kids, he has too many; if he has none, he’s setting a bad example. If his wife sings in the choir, she’s being forward; if not, she’s not dedicated enough. If he preaches from notes, he’s dry; if his words are impromptu, he’s too shallow. If he spends too much time in his study, he’s neglecting his people; if he makes home visits, he’s not a good time manager. If he’s attentive to the poor, he’s after public approval; if he attends to the wealthy, he’s ingratiating. If he suggests improvements, he’s a dictator; if he doesn’t, he has no vision. If he uses too many illustrations, he neglects the Bible; if he doesn’t use enough stories, he’s unclear. If he speaks against wrong, he’s legalistic; if he doesn’t, he’s a compromiser. If he preaches for an hour, he’s windy; less than that, he has nothing to say. If he preaches the truth, he’s offensive; if he doesn’t, he’s wishy–washy. If he fails to please everybody, he’s hurting the church; if he tries to please everybody, he has no convictions. If he preaches tithing, he’s a money–grabber; if not, he’s failing to develop his people. If he receives a large salary, he’s mercenary; if he doesn’t, it proves he’s not worth much. If he preaches on a regular basis, people get tired of hearing the same person; if he invites guest preachers, he’s shirking his responsibility. Wow! And you thought your pastor had an easy life! How’d you like to change places?
Bottom line: love your pastor

ISLAMISATION: CAN Disowns Arewa Pastors

The attention of the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has been drawn to a group of clergymen under the aegis of Arewa Pastors Peace Initiative, Nigeria (APPIN) who visited President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday to pledge their support to him and his government.

The group went further to the extent of claiming to the President that they knew some Pastors who are being used by the opposition against his government. Claiming that islamisation agenda is the idea of the opposition is the least expected of those who claim to be Christians in the country where Christians are becoming endangered species daily.

CAN does not know any of them and their organisation is even alien to the Association and fortunately enough they did not claim to be part of CAN. We are happy that the Northern Christian Association of Nigeria (Northern CAN) has also disowned them.

We are totally disappointed that a group of people who claimed to be Pastors will be visiting the President without asking for the freedom of Leah Sharibu and over 100 Chibok girls who are languishing in the captivity of the Boko Haram terrorists, whose only crime is their religion.

We wonder why these supporters of our President, who claimed to be Servants of God, would not ask him to stop the unending killings going on under his watch in the Christian predominant communities in the North Central and some states in the South. They were so concern with the 2019 election that they forgot to tell the President that the primary duty of any serious government is to provide security to the governed irrespective of their religious and ethnic affiliations.

Telling President Buhari that the opposition had hired some pastors against his government speaks volume of where they are coming from and who they are in the body of Christ. We are waiting for the list of the pastors whom they know that are on the pay roll list of the opposition who are allegedly guilty of hate speech. We all know how those who engaged in such an ungodly exercise in the Bible ended up.

The Christian Association of Nigeria will not be discouraged by the activities of those whose agenda include but not limited to polarisation of the Association and blackmailing its leadership. We cannot turn the blind eye to the ordeal of our brothers and sisters anywhere in the country. Those who are not concerned about the violence in the country are also free to associate and express their views while Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church is on the throne to reward loyalty and judge the betrayals sooner or later.

CAN as an organisation is apolitical and we always ask our members to pray for President Buhari and other political office holders in the country to rule with the fear of God.

Thank You

Signed
Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, Special Assistant, (Media&Communications) to the CAN President, His Eminence, Rev Dr Samson Olasupo Ayokunle.
6th April, 2018

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What’s the health of your relationship with the HOLY GHOST!

WE ARE STILL TOGETHER

You don’t have to sin before you lose intimacy with the HOLY GHOST…
The same way you don’t have to cheat on your lady or guy before you lose intimacy with him/her….
All you have to do is to stop talking to her for some time, stop thinking about her, stop talking about her, and stop caring about her…
All other things would fall in place….

YES!!! That is exactly what we are doing….

Your job has successfully prevented you from talking one on one with your LOVER…

Your books have driven you away from your secret place….

Your contract has retracted you from TRUE FELLOWSHIP….

Now that you have 10 branches of your church, there is nothing called RETREAT again….

Ohhh…. You’ve raised the dead now, You can’t roll in dust in praise to your GOD…

Is it because you are still alive, you are beginning to think your weekly fasting is what has made you find Favour…

It’s time for us to LOVE the HOLY SPIRIT like never before… Dance with HIM… Talk about HIM, Spend time with HIM, Read about HIM and LIVE for HIM….

Don’t abandon your TRUE LOVER…..

My Dear HOLY SPIRIT…
@endtimes822

I AM NOT A LENDER TO NATIONS

Have you ever thought about this ?

It’s a big understatement for you to be a Christian and join others to claim that you are a Millionaire or Billionaire or Trillion aire🤨

_Don’t you know how rich you are?_

You WORTH Philippians 4:19

Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Guess what…

You are not even a Lender To Nations… You are a DASHER to nations…

Tell me…🤔

If Bill Gates can dash a whole Country, money to settle its bills.. I mean National Bills that means HE exceeds Deuteronomy 15🙆‍🙆🏿‍♂

Deuteronomy 15:6 For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.

So, from now on…😃

We ain’t lenders to nations…. That’s an understatement to the New Creation who has received all blessings pertaining to LIFE and GODLINESS🤬

We are exceedingly rich such that we freely give…

GLORY TO GOD

I AM A DASHER💪

©endtimes822

When Dependency Means Everything

The ability to cherish the presence of GOD more than anything in life is the shield against any disappointment in life.

Exodus 33:15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.

Many believers today have not seen the reason why they are useless without the HOLY SPIRIT.
Why? They’ve not cared to walk in the supernatural.

The only reason why you would think you can live a day without communicating with your Father, is because you’ve not understood the life-source of your secret place..

Moses, couldn’t dare lead the Children of Israel till HE was sure the Presence of GOD was going to accompany them àll.

Without me ye can do nothing- John 15:5

It didn’t say you can do ‘much’ but ‘Nothing’…

Why?
No branch bears fruits of itself except it’s connected to the Vine.

The problem is that most times, we think we are bearing Fruits but it was mere leaves we were bearing all the while…

Ask for GRACE to Be glued to the Presence of GOD such that you wouldn’t think of making a step without a confirmation of HIS Presence.

©endtimes822

Netanyahu to Macron: Read the Bible – Jerusalem is our capital!

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Netanyahu slams efforts to deny Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, while French President Macron urges Israel to restrain settlement expansion.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Sunday, days after President Donald Trump declared that the United States recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city, and announced that the State Department would begin the process of relocated the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

President Donald Trump made the historic announcement on Wednesday, drawing criticism from European allies and much of the Arab and Muslim world. Riots broke out following the announcement, peaking Friday afternoon.

Prior to Trump’s announcement, French President Emmanuel Macron urged the American leader not to publicly recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, pressing him in a phone call to preserve the status quo.

On Sunday, Macron met with Netanyahu, one of the few world leaders to praise President Trump for his historic step in recognizing Israel’s capital.

During the meeting, Macron pressed the Israeli premier to restrict the growth of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, and urging him to present goodwill gestures to the Palestinian Authority in a bid to reboot final status negotiations, which have been frozen since 2014.

“It seems to me that freezing settlement building and confidence measures with regard to the Palestinian authority are important acts to start with, which we discussed with Prime Minister Netanyahu,” Macron said.

In a press conference with Netanyahu immediately after their meeting, Macron said he had implored Netanyahu to “show courage” in pursuing negotiations with the PA, despite anti-Israel incitement by the PA and recent attacks, including a stabbing attack in Jerusalem on Sunday.

“I urged the prime minister to show courage in his dealings with the Palestinians to get us out of the current dead-end,” Macron said.

The French president also condemned “all the attacks in these last few hours and days”, referencing the Jerusalem stabbing attack.

Prime Minister Netanyahu ridiculed continued opposition to President Trump’s declaration, and the ongoing refusal of most of the international community to acknowledge the reality that Jerusalem is and has been the Jewish capital city.

“There is an effort, continually, in UN forums – UNESCO, and elsewhere – to deny the millennial connection of the Jewish people to Jerusalem. And that’s absurd.”

“You can read it in a very fine book – it’s called the Bible,” Netanyahu said. “You can read it after the Bible. You can hear it in the history of Jewish communities throughout our diaspora – ‘Next year in Jerusalem’,” continued Netanyahu, referencing a phrase from the Passover Seder.

“Where else is the capital of Israel, but in Jerusalem? Where is our Knesset – our parliament? Where is our supreme court? The seat of our government? The Prime Minister’s Office? The President’s Office? It’s not in Beer Sheva, it’s not in Ashdod – these are wonderful cities, but its in Jerusalem.”

Which Minister do you claim you are?

1. Dear choir, if you don’t study the Bible, you’re in the music industry, not music ministry. You’ll sing nonsense and call it “gospel” like we do today. You’ll be entertaining instead of ministering… You better choose one of the two. 2. Dear usher, if you don’t study the Bible, you’re a traffic warden or better still, a party protocol. You simply maintain foot traffic in the assembly. 3. Dear Bible study leader, if you don’t study the Bible, you’re an ordinary public speaker, not a minister. You’ll preach rubbish. 4. Dear children department cordinator, if you don’t study the Bible, you’re just a social juvenile worker or betterstill a nanny. 5. Dear drama group member, if you don’t study the Bible, you’re just doing Nollywood, no life! 6. Dear instrumentalist and technical unit member, if you don’t study the Bible, you’re just a D Jay, a very noisy one for that matter. 7. Dear Prophet, if you don’t study the Bible, you’re just a soothsayer. You’ll be predicting Arsenal vs Leicester city, not anything relevant to God’s kingdom on earth. 8. Dear Christian writer, if you don’t study the Bible, you’re just D. O. Fagunwa, Chinua Achebe, or the writer of “Eze goes to school.” You’ll write for fiction, not for the Kingdom. 9. Dear Christian motivational speaker, if you don’t study the Bible, you’re just a psychologist. 10. Dear church members, if you don’t study the Bible, you’ll be mislead by false doctrine and heretic teachings. 11. No matter how anointed you are, if you don’t study the Bible, you’re just a spiritualist, not a spiritual person. Those who preach and teach alone aren’t the only ones called by God to be rich in the Word of faith and sound doctrine. Every child of God is. This is the reason why many are “merely engaged” by churches, but aren’t ”imparted”. This is why much of what some call “service” in God’s household may result in futility. Check well before you call it ministration.

STOP BEING A RICH FOOL

The Bible didn’t say Fools wouldn’t build houses.
But that, their houses would lack the right foundation.

Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

So, it’s not about you getting rich.
It’s about what your riches are standing on.

The problem is that , the storm would always come.
If the storm wasn’t going to come, then any avenue to wealth is okay.

But the devil still remains the devil.
The same crook that constructed a shortcut to wealth, would develop a storm that will wreck those who followed him.

So, you’re not rich because you have some amount of money in your bank account, you’re actually rich Because you live by Faith.

Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

So even if your site of wealth is Eliminated, you can’t be poor because it was never your source of wealth. Why?

Your wealth was founded on Christ.

So, the only time you are allowed to dwell in poverty, is when CHRIST dies.

If HE never dies, as HE remains Eternal. You won’t be poor

Just live in faith and poverty can’t ever find you.

But the day, you begin to believe that you’re rich because of that Business STRATEGY.

That’s the day you swap foundations for sand.

Live in Faith, and the country’s Economy won’t change your Financial status.

Don’t mishandle the Scepter of Challenges

THE SCEPTER OF CHALLENGES

Many at times in life
We encounter challenges that desire our life
We hang on a line, trying not to look feeble
We generally identify this Encounter as pure evil

We ignore the importance of enemies in our life
We frown at the advantage of failures and smile
We use our moments of ease as a yardstick to measure our growth
Like, Life was a bed of roses in a speed boat

We forget that A Valiant warrior is a Victor of deadly challenges
We forget that..it takes scars to authenticate an inspiring story
We neglect the fact that it takes real Challenges to keeps us on fire
We underestimate the Excellence of a Victorious Life

Sons and Daughters of GOD..
Being a child establishes one fact in you..
The fact that… You never lose, you either win or learn.

A General that doesn’t have scars lacks the ability to train people, like who has scars.

Challenges in life are not an endpoint to your progress and success, they are only hurdles you have to jump without feeling helpless.

1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.