Understanding The Ownership of The Church (Part 1)

There are people who think that leading pastors own the churches they oversee based on the manner in which some of them go about ministry today.

In this day and age, a pastor can proudly say, “This is my church. I founded it with my sweat. I have 100 branches all over the country with over 130 pastors or workers on my pay roll. I make sure they work for me the way I want them to. Anyone who cannot work according to my instructions may have to find his way out.”

As a result of statements like this, many people have tended to liken pastors especially head pastors of Charismatic and Pentecostal churches to private business owners. They see them carrying themselves as Chief Executive Officers (CEOs). They also regard them as people who have the power to hire and fire workers without any consultation.

In fact, I have heard of businessmen and women who establish churches and employ Bible school graduates who have oratory skills to manage them.

An anointing of God, faithfulness to God, love for Christ and neighbours, and sound knowledge of the Word of God are not their primary concern. Their preoccupation is the ability to speak fluently to inspire people and excite their emotions.

Both the founders and the caretaker-pastors have no burden of leading souls to the Lord Jesus. These hired pastors oversee the churches and render monthly financial accounts to their employers. They are paid their salaries and allowances monthly, making them appear like mere ‘career or professional pastors’. Money or material gain is their god and motivation but not Christ Jesus and the salvation of the souls of people who follow them.

It is common to hear that some men of God fight at pastoral meetings simply because of their strong desperation to acquire wealth, riches and positions. They fight over worldly goods but they hardly seek the spiritual development of the flock placed under their care.

It is a known fact that lately some general overseers or head pastors are making sure that either one of their children or their wife takes over the leadership of their churches after they are dead. It is difficult to understand if such pastors seek God’s approval or will concerning their decisions.

These pastors do these things because they think the church is their personal property. They think the church is their personal investment and so they own it. They see the church as a property they have worked hard to establish and so they must be allowed to exercise their power and authority over its management and administration.

Clearly, this problem has been a key contributing factor to the proliferation of false prophets and false teachers around the world especially in Africa. It has also led many immature Christians to have faith in their pastors far more than in God.

This, however, ought not to have been the case. Pastors have a responsibility to lead Christians to build personal relationship with their heavenly Father and to trust in Him for all their needs.

Note: This is an excerpt from my book: How Jesus Builds His Church Through His Genuine Ministers

To be continued,,,

By James Quansah