3rd January, 2022.

START THE YEAR ON THE RIGHT FOOT Pt.3

Hebrews 10:25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. NLT

REGULAR FELLOWSHIP WITH THE BRETHREN

Sometime ago, a retired Colonel(as he claimed) in the Nigerian Army reached out to me on phone claiming that he gave his life to Christ after reading our tract. He shared some of his challenges with me and I told him that the nature of his challenges required he submit to pastoral leadership where he can be discipled and nourished with God's word. His response showed that he wasn't ready to identify with any bible believing church in town. He insisted I step in but I told him I wouldn't cross the line in ministry. I know what God has called me to do, I will not step into pastoral leadership except God tells me to do so. There are many people in our world today who are not attending a church neither are they willing to submit to pastoral leadership.

Several times, I've heard people say, "Church is in my heart". They say this to excuse themselves from gathering with the brethren to fellowship with them. Wrong use of technology has also fuelled this act of irresponsibility. There are people who were committed to attending physical services in their local churches before but now they dissociated totally from a regular church to stream services online. They prefer to watch their favourite preacher online while sitting at home. Technology is good and not demonic as some think but we must not allow technological advancement replace real fellowship. True christian discipleship cannot be achieved remotely. That preacher you watch on t.v. may not be there for you in time of need. There's a limit to the quality of counsel you can get remotely. Sometimes, you need someone you can access to ask questions, fellowship with people of like minds and an environment where your spiritual needs can be met. This can't be achieved by streaming services online.

This new year, let it be topmost on your agenda to be part of a bible believing church where pastoral care and leadership can reach you. Jesus Christ, our Lord and saviour was regular in synagogue meetings in his incarnation. "When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, HE WENT AS USUAL TO THE SYNAGOGUE ON THE SABBATH and stood up to read the Scriptures", Luke 4:16 NLT. He didn't see himself as 'too big' and important to fellowship with those He created. You cannot outgrow fellowship with the brethren. Aostle Paul, a great preacher and teacher of the word in his days went to the synagogue: "As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures", Acts17:2. Though he went there to preach on this particular occasion, yet he had a custom of going to the synagogue on Sabbath days. He wouldn't have been the preacher all the time he went to the synagogue. There were days he must have listened to others as well. Don't say "the nature of my ministry doesn't permit me to identify with a church". No matter the kind of ministry God gives you to the body of Christ, you must identify with a church and be under pastoral leadership. Don't be an irresponsible minister who hop from church to church under the pretext of invitation. Brethren, beware of loose canons wearing the garb of minister. They cause more harm. If Jesus, Paul, and contemporary fathers in the faith still attend a church either to minister or be ministered to, you have no excuse to sit at home watching t.v.or streaming a service online when others are physically present in church. Turn a new leaf this year.