Church leaders warned: You are servants, not gods

MANZINI – Church leaders have been warned to assume their positions as servants of God and not be puffed up like gods.

The advice came from Senior Immigrations Officer in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Sipho Mohale, during a seminar titled ‘Pursuit of Church Unity’ at The George Hotel yesterday.

Mohale recalled how incidents of squabbles in church have tarnished the image of the gospel of late and warned the church leaders to exercise restraint and stick to biblical principles.

The event was attended by over 500 church leaders from the Eswatini Conference of Churches, led by Bishop Robert Kasaro of the Jesus Calls Worship Centre. The guest speaker was Rev Samuel Lee from the United States of America.

Mohale said it is pleasing to see church leaders coming in droves to learn and be reminded of Christian leadership principles. “It is very discouraging to see pastors fighting. What image are we sending to those who are not Christians?

Some people are eventually saying it is better to go and drink alcohol, than to go to church. Can you blame them?” he asked.

Mohale said the plea from the ministry is that church leaders should also be flexible to be guided where they have erred.

“Some leaders cannot take advice, just because they come from large churches. You are servants of God, You can’t elevate yourself to some little gods. Do not forget the assignment that God gave you. Give direction to the leadership of the country,” he said.

He also appealed to the leaders to contribute to the ongoing process to draft policy that would help churches to regulate themselves and harmonise the way they operate. He said this has many benefits to guide the church in the role it plays in the country. He acknowledged that this is not the first of such workshops by the conference and thanked their visionary leadership.

“God is waiting on us to pray for the leadership of the country,” he said.

Acting Home Affairs Minister Apollo Maphalala said the fundamental strength of any government lies in the prayerful church. He urged the church leaders to pray for the outpouring of the latter rain as well as the early rain.

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Return to foundation relationship with Christ

MANZINI – Rev Samuel Lee of the United States challenged Eswatini’s religious leaders to confront the greatest hindrance to Christian unity: Personal insecurity.

Speaking at The George Hotel during a high-profile Church Leaders Summit organised by the Eswatini Conference of Churches, Rev Lee suggested that the divisions often seen among Christians are rarely about theology alone, but are rooted in the fragile egos of those in power.

Rev Lee proposed that the only antidote to the insecurity plaguing modern ministry is a return to the foundational relationship with the Saviour. Drawing from the life of Jesus, Lee noted that the Son of God prioritised divine communication in solitary places every morning.

“Where do we find the cure for insecurity so that we can all feel secure?” Lee asked the assembly. “We find it in having a relationship with our Saviour. We must have a daily encounter with our Heavenly Father to be reminded of His love and His pleasure over us.”

The visiting reverend argued that security in Christ changes how a leader interacts with their peers and their congregation. According to Lee, a secure leader possesses three distinct traits, which are the ability to rejoice in other people’s successes and blessings without a sense of jealousy or envy; the capacity to accept constructive criticism without becoming defensive, making excuses or harboring resentment, as well as the strength to bless others from a heart that does not feel threatened by another’s growth.

 “Some leaders don’t want to be challenged in their style of leadership,” Lee remarked. “But secure leaders can encourage and bless others from a genuine heart.” Addressing the harsh reality of public life, Rev Lee acknowledged that leaders are often targets of unkind and untruthful words. However, he offered a sobering perspective on the elevated position of leadership.

*Full article available on Pressreader*