In a bid to equip her ministers and workers for effective and fruitful kingdom service, Christ Apostolic Church, Oshodi Zone, Oshodi, Lagos from Friday 15 to Saturday 16 July, 2022 held 2022 Oshodi Zonal Refresher Course with the theme "Ministerial Integrity in Leadership" at the zonal headquarters.
Guest Ministers for the programme are Pastor David O. Osholana, Pastor Samuel O. Dada and the Superintendent of Somolu Olaleye DCC, Pastor Joseph O. Akinyomi. Topics discussed at the programme include: The Impact of Integrity and its Reward in Ministry, How to keep Integrity in Ministers' Home, How to Lead with integrity as Church Workers, How can Elder and Deaconess Maintain Integrity in Church Administration And finally and Sustainability of Integrity in Todays' Church.
In his welcome address, the Zonal Superintendent of Oshodi Zone, Pastor F. F. Daramola (PhD) said it is not a gain saying that our society has been bastardized by natural and carnal Christian believers, Ministers of God, Elders, Deaconesses and all categories of Church Workers.
He stated that no one can trust an average believer from pulpit to the pew, we have arrogant ministers, ritualistic vicars, immoral worshippers etc
According to him, this is why this year theme of the refresher course is germane in scrutinizing the integrity of Church Leaders.
"There is a diminishing in the core value of attaining greatest heights in the ministry today, which will be adequately addressed in this seminar. It takes only a man or woman on the side of God to bring about the desired changes in the society. It is my earnest prayer that you and I will be the man or the woman that God will use to secure the value of ministerial integrity in our generation for a godly legacy. We also need the Revival of Pentecostal Ministerial Integrity of Church Leaders," Pastor Daramola stated.
While ministering on Saturday July 16, 2022 at the programme on the topic "How to lead with Integrity as Church Workers", (text 1st Kings 9:4; Titus 2:7) the Superintendent of CAC Somolu-Olaleye DCC, Pastor Akinyomi noted that every church worker is an associate co-worker with a leader or Pastor of His church.
He said that integrity is highly needed today because that is the principal qualifications of a worker, leader, at any level.
He however said that it is unfortunate we have so many people who are in the ministry of the Lord who lack integrity and disloyal to God and their leaders.
The Clergyman said;"there is crisis of dishonesty everywhere and a lot of back-stabbing between leaders and their followers. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions."
According to him, a person of integrity is a reliable, trustworthy, dependable, faithful church worker, adding that it is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations and morals.
"It is a state of being complete, unified a situation where words are matched by deeds. A worker of integrity does not have a divided loyalties nor does he play the hypocrisy game. People with integrity are whole people - they can be identified by their single-mindedness. They have nothing to hide and nothing to fear. Their lives are open books. A person of integrity is one who has established a system of values against which all of life is judged. Integrity is not what we do so much as who we are. Who we are determines what we do," he explained.
Pastor Akinyomi further explained that loyalty, truthfulness, faithfulness are the principal qualification expected of every leader/church worker at any level, saying that there is no two ways about it, it's either you are loyal, faithful, dependable, truthful or disloyal, unfaithful, and undependable.
Lack of integrity among the worker, according to him will affect the work negatively and may eventually render the church redundant, stating that it is better to work alone than with a team of disloyal, double-faced disgruntle and disaffected church workers/leaders.
The Cleric said a durable church can never be possible without principle, credible, loyal, faithful church workers.
He admonished that each and everyone of us must imbibe the qualities of "FAITH" worker if we must please the Lord who called us to partner with Him to glorify His Son and expand His Kingdom into every heart.
He said "FAITH" is an acronym and it means Faithful, Available, Initiative, Teachable and Honest.
Pastor Akinloye stated that a good church worker must be faithful and sincere, saying that he or she must be faithful discharging and faithful in reporting back all transactions.
The programmme ended with questions and answers, Holy Communion and group photograph.
Photo speaks !
