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Why teach on the subject “Loyalty and Disloyalty”? I believe the Lord has laid on my heart this practical subject for various reasons. First of all, I have seen the relevance of this subject in the Word of God. The scriptures are littered with accounts of faithful and treacherous people. There is a lot to learn from these accounts in the Bible. 

My few years in the ministry have also made me very aware of loyal and disloyal people. I have noticed the impact that it has on churches and ministries. In the next few pages I will share with you a few reasons why the subject of loyalty is such an important one. 

Reason #1
 LOYALTY IS THE PRINCIPAL QUALIFICA- TION FOR EVERY MINISTER 

An inexperienced person is likely to think that the more gifted you are, the more qualified you are for the ministry. My little experience has shown me that it is the faithful 

and loyal people in church who are most qualified to be leaders. 

Friendly and Flashy! 

An inexperienced person would think that a friendly brother would make a good pastor. He may also think that someone with good oratory skills would make the best preacher. Do not make that mistake. The Bible teaches us that the cardinal requirement for leadership is faithfulness and not anything else. 

...it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 

1 Corinthians 4:2 

I have many wonderful pastors who work with me. Many of them are not overly friendly, flashy or particularly gifted. But time has proven that they are the best gifts that God has given to His church and me. 

Reason #2
 TO FIGHT THE 5TH COLUMN 

Very early in my ministry I realized that the devil is an expert at destroying the church from within. If you are a good minister, called of God and doing the right things, the devil will have very little opportunity to fight against you from outside. Like Jesus said, 

...the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. 

John 14:30 

You will realize that Satan often does not have the oc- casion to launch deadly attacks against you from outside. Jesus was saying that though the enemy was coming after him, he did not have any grounds to destroy him. There are many anointed preachers in this same category. Satan has no basis for which to overcome them so he has to use someone from within. In the case of Jesus it was a traitor (Judas) whom Satan used. 

I recall reading the story of an army general who sur- rounded a large city with the aim of conquering it. This city was heavily fortified with a high and imposing wall and gate. The army general surrounded the city in readi- ness to attack. 

One friend of the general came along and asked him, “Sir, how do you think you are going to overcome the defenses of this city? No one in recent history has been able to conquer this great city.”  

The army general smiled and said, “It’s my 5th column. I’m depending on them to do the trick.” 

The general’s friend was very interested and asked, “What is this 5th column? I thought you only had four columns.” 

The army general replied, “I do have a 5th column.” 

“Oh, I see. Is it a special commando unit or are they airborne paratroopers?” the man asked. 

I Will Fight From Within 

The general laughed, “No, it’s none of these. My 5th column consists of my spies, agents, friends and support- ers who are already within the city. You just wait. They will open those big gates from within and my armies will rush in.” 

This is the only way the enemy can destroy a successful and powerful ministry that is doing all the right things. It has to come from within. The 5th column comprises the disloyal, double-faced, double-tongued and discontented people within every ministry. If these people are allowed to wreck havoc as they so very well can, they will destroy the church. 

I Had a Disloyal Associate 

I remember years ago when I started out in the ministry, I experienced the effect of having a disloyal associate. This person although officially standing on my right hand side, did not believe in me and was murmuring against me all the time. 

His home was the meeting place for all the discontented people in the church. Every time they gathered, they would discuss and criticize me. At times, they would talk about the way I preached. At other times, it was the way I sipped water in the middle of my sermons. Yet again, some felt I was not friendly enough. But the Lord revealed all these things to me. I prayed about it and asked the Lord what to do. 

God told me, “Get rid of that guy.” 

I said, “Lord, do you mean he must leave the church?” 

And the Lord said, “I mean exactly that! Dismiss him otherwise you will never have peace and your church will never grow.” 

So I called for a meeting of the elders of the church. At the meeting I said, “I realize that Brother X is not in sup- port of me. He’s constantly full of bitter criticisms.” 

I said to Brother X, “I know that you do not believe in my leadership anymore. I trained you. I brought you up. And today you are too big to remain under my authority.” 

I asked, “What do you think we should do?” Then the brother said, “Let’s work things out.” 

But the scripture that the Lord had shown me came float- ing up to my mind. 

Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease. 

Proverbs 22:10 

I spoke up, pointed to my assistant and said, “You know as well as I do that it’s not going to work. You don’t believe in me anymore.” 

I went on, “From today, I have relieved you of all your duties in this church.” 

He sputtered, “What!” Then he said, “I will continue coming to church even though I may not have certain re- sponsibilities.” 

You Must Leave This Church Now! 

But I said to him, “No! You must leave! You are not part of us. Your presence in the church will only be de- structive.” 

I tell you, it was no easy thing to dismiss a friend and associate of many years. But it had to be done. The Bible tells us that when Abraham was in FOV 11/00 conflict with Lot he directed Lot to go somewhere else! Abraham was saying, “If we are apart there will be peace and the work of God can go on.” 

A disloyal person breeds strife, hatred and murmuring. These disloyal sentiments are like smoke that fills an en- tire house. The only way to get rid of the smoke is to get 

rid of the fire. 

If we want to have a large church, we need to minister with love and with oneness. If we cannot be one, let’s stop pretending. You see, I encourage people to walk out of my church if their hearts are not with me. 

He that is not with me is against me... Matthew 12:30 

I will beg you to leave, if I have to. I am serious about this. I will even give you money to pay for your transpor- tation and snacks as you leave us! So that those of us who love one another and are confident about each other can stay together and continue working. 

Get Rid of Pretenders 

I don’t know how to pretend. I simply don’t know how to do it. But there are many pretenders* in the church. They pretend to love you and support you but in their hearts they despise you. 

Reason #3
 FOR THE LOVE OF GOD TO FILL THE CHURCH 

The ministry is supposed to operate with the power of love, unity and teamwork. 

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if 

ye have love one to another. 

To minister as effective leaders you need to exhibit the love that Jesus spoke about. People are attracted by love. When they see leaders who flow together in genuine love they are attracted. You must never forget that your church members are not blind. Neither are they deaf. They can see and feel disunity and discord when it is there. 

Sheep Only Drink From Still Waters 

One thing that every pastor must know about sheep is that they drink from still waters. If the water is murky and rough the sheep will stay away. You see, they are not sure there is no crocodile in the water! 

...he leadeth me beside the still waters.
 Psalm 23:2 

Whenever there is treachery and distrust your church members become scared and wary and stay away. 

Reason #4
 TO HAVE A LARGE & SUCCESSFUL MINIS- TERIAL TEAM 

One man can only do so much. One pastor can only be at one place at a time. He can only minister until his strength 

John 13:35 

(which is limited) is exhausted. 

Because of this, anyone who wants to extend his minis- try and bear much fruit has to learn to work with many other people. These people are the team that I’m talking about. However, it would be better to work alone than with a team of disloyal, disgruntled, disunited and dis- affected people. In fact, it is not possible to have an effective team with such people. I believe I have only been able to do as much as I have done because of the team with whom I work. 

Reason #5
 TO HAVE A MEGA CHURCH 

As I am writing, there are Lighthouse churches all over the world – Ghana, South Africa, New York and Switzer- land to mention a few. These churches are part of a net- work that is loyal to the headquarters of the church in Ghana. People often ask me, “How do you sustain churches in all these different locations? What sort of controls do you have?” 

You see, much of the system depends on loyalty. The churches are pastored by ministers who are loyal to the Lord, to me and to the Lighthouse vision. 

Without loyalty every network or denomination of churches constantly undergoes disintegration. They frequently divide into splinter groups and smaller sub- churches. 

Their Church Disintegrated 

I remember the story of a branch church that disinte- grated because of disunity. Some longstanding seeds of disloyalty manifested shortly after a fundraising
 event in the local church. As a result of this disagreement, the pastor decided to resign and start his own church. He was so angry that he returned all the monies he had raised. The church members of course were very surprised that the money they had given to the church was being returned. This pastor spread many bad stories about his denomina- tion and its senior ministers. Naturally, this church virtu- ally disintegrated following the pastor’s actions. 

Dear friend, I can give you story after story of why churches (especially branch churches in big cities) con- stantly divide and break off. What I can say for sure is that without principled and loyal pastors, the ministry of our Lord will always be limited. 

Reason #6
 TO HAVE A LONG LASTING MINISTRY 

One person has only a few years of practical and effec- tive ministry. Jesus only ministered for three and a half years but he extended his ministry and his influence through an effective and loyal team. Notice that Jesus’ ministry has branched out into the whole world and has spanned almost two thousand years. 

If I die now, the Lighthouse Chapel is going to live on! 

It does not depend on me. I have not built a church around my personality. The church will continue. None of us is indispensable. God can do without us. That is why we need to build a team of loyal successors. 

Reason #7
 IN ORDER TO REAP OUR FULL REWARD 

Those who benefit from the blessings of success are the faithful and loyal ones. One day we all hope to hear those famous words: Well done, good and faithful servant. Those who stick with you through difficult times are different from those who come in when everything is working well. 

Well Done! 

Jesus himself told his twelve disciples that they would be treated differently from any other famous minister. They would have a special kingdom and their names would even be written on the foundations of the New Jerusalem. 

And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles... 

Revelation 21:14 

Even the great men of God we know today, will not qualify for this special reward. Jesus gave a reason for this special reward – they had been loyal to him through the most difficult part of his ministry. 

Ye are they which have continued with me in my temp- tations... I appoint unto you a kingdom... 

Luke 22:28,29 

You see, loyalty is most appreciated in hard times. In the good times everybody seems loyal. 

A Few Have Stood 

I appreciate very much the pastors who have stood with me throughout my ministry. They have watched me rise and supported me, even in my mistakes. To me they are different from others. Like Jesus said, they have a special reward! 

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Becoming Disloyal is a Process 

Disloyalty doesn’t just happen overnight. Becoming disloyal is a process! Most people are unaware of the fact that they are becoming disloyal. Many leaders do not even notice disloyalty in their associates. In this chapter, I am going to outline the stages a person goes through when he is gradually changing into a rebel. 

Learn to Detect Disloyalty /

There are two reasons why you must know these stages of disloyalty. First of all, it will help you to identify and kill any such tendency within you. Secondly, it will help you to detect disloyalty in any person you work with. This applies to the ministry and even to businesses, espe- cially smaller companies. 

The Lord has shown me eight important stages that a person goes through when he is becoming disloyal. The 

first stage is when he develops what I call an independent spirit. 

1st Stage
 THE INDEPENDENT SPIRIT 

The independent stage is so subtle that most people do not recognize it for what it actually is – disloyalty. When a person belonging to a group, ministry or company devel- ops an independent attitude, he sort of becomes autono- mous within the set-up. The rules of the organization no longer control him. Such a person is still a part of the church but does what he wants to do, in spite of contrary instructions. 

For instance, the pastor may say, “We are all fasting on Friday.” But the person with an independent spirit would think, “I’ve already decided to fast on Wednesday. So that’s what I’ll do.” 

Watch Out for the Independent Ones 

Pastors, watch out for deacons and leaders who have independent spirits. You may call for several meetings, but a person with an independent spirit decides to attend only those he feels are important. Such a person obeys only certain instructions – the ones he thinks are really important. 

Because Ghana is independent of the USA, whenever there is an American holiday it has no bearing on Ghana. Ghana and America are two countries in the same world, but independent of each other. When Ghana declares a holiday, America takes no notice of it because America is independent of Ghana. 

If you are unfortunate enough to have choristers who have independent spirits you may experience something like this. You would declare prayer meetings, rehearsals, and outreaches, but an independent chorister would de- cide, “I think I’ll just attend the rehearsal.” Once again this individual is doing exactly what she thinks should be done. 

There is nothing wrong with being independent. I be- lieve in independence and we thank God for independent people. However, if you are a part of a denomination, group or company you are not independent. 

When you begin to exhibit a spirit of independence within an organization, be it known onto you that you are becoming disloyal. 

I Had an Independent Spirit 

Many years ago, I belonged to a group that had branches all over the country. I even founded a branch of this group. But as time went on I began to have difficulties with the headquarters of this group. 

At that time I thought to myself that my superiors at the headquarters were out of step spiritually. You see, the group I was leading was growing. Many souls were being established every week. 

The overall directors of the organization would call for meetings at the headquarters. They wanted the whole group to come into town for these meetings. But I never went for any such meeting; neither did I encourage any of the mem- bers to attend. 

I always said to myself, “Those meetings are not impor- tant. What I am doing on campus is important. I am win- ning souls.” 

I Was Wrong 

But I was wrong. I had an independent spirit and didn’t even know it. The overseers found me to be a successful leader in my little branch. But they could not control me within the organization. At that time, I just attributed the conflict to lack of vision on the part of my overseers. 

The point I’m making here is; if you belong to an orga- nization, you are not independent of that organization. Therefore, you cannot just do what you think is right. You must comply with directives that are coming from the head. If you feel you want to be independent than you should resign. 

Pastor Joab – The Independent Killer 

Were there independent people in the Bible? The an- swer is yes. Throughout the Second Book of Samuel, Joab is noted as someone who did what he wanted to do. He was part of David’s army. He was part of David’s ministry team, if you like. He was one of David’s managers! You could say he was the Prime Minister or David’s right-hand- man. He was so powerful, yet he had an independent spirit. This independent spirit manifested itself many times. 

The first example of the independence of Joab was in the murder of Abner. 

Abner was the commander-in-chief of another section of the armies of Israel. David as the head of government, decided to make peace with Abner after years of conflict. 

The King even called for celebrations of this peace agreement by feasting with him. 

So Abner came to David... And David made... him a feast... and he went in peace. 

2 Samuel 3:20,21 

But when Joab heard that this man had been entertained in the palace, he was furious. He chased him, caught up with him and requested to speak with him privately. But Joab tricked him and killed him. 

And... he [Joab] sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again... took him [Abner] aside... and smote him... 

2 Samuel 3:26,27 

When the King opted for peace, his right-hand-man de- cided to do otherwise. Although he was supposed to sub- mit to the wishes of the king, he went ahead with his own plan. People like this are dangerous. Joab could have plunged an entire nation into war through his indepen- dent actions. 

There are people like that in church. The founder or Head pastor is often the vision carrier. He leads the way because he is the head. 

All associate pastors and leaders in the church are sup- posed to flow with his vision. An independent ‘Pastor Joab’ will only bring confusion and strife to the church. Take note of such people in the church, because they are only a few stages away from open rebellion. 

The second incident I want you to notice is in Joab’s handling of Absalom’s coup d’état. 

Rev. Joab Moves Independently Again 

Absalom rebelled and actually ousted his father David from the throne. Absalom was now in power and David was faced with the bizarre circumstance of having to fight against his own son. 

In the midst of these extraordinary circumstances, David specifically instructed that the army should not kill his son Absalom. He wanted to spare the life of his son. 

And the king commanded Joab... Deal gently for my sake with... Absalom... 

2 Samuel 18:5 

Thankfully, the battle turned in the favor of King David and Absalom had to flee. A certain man reported that he had seen Absalom hanging by his hair on a tree. Joab immediately blurted out, “Why didn’t you kill him? I would have rewarded you handsomely.” 

But the man said, 

...Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king’s son: for in our hearing the king charged thee... saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom. 

2 Samuel 18:12 

This unnamed person was part of King David’s set-up and was obviously loyal to him. But here comes a man with an independent spirit and look at what he did. 

Independent People Do What They Want To Do 

...And he [Joab] took three darts... and thrust them through the heart of Absalom... 

2 Samuel 18:14 

Independent people do what they want to do inspite of the instructions that are emanating from above. 

Ironically, Independent People Don’t Leave 

Notice that Joab never really left David’s camp. Such people have not decided to leave. They will stay around but will do what they want to do! That is the independent spirit and it is a degree of disloyalty. 

I always notice independent people within the congre- gation. Some of them are leadership material but because they are independent of me and of my vision, I cannot work with them. 

He Was Spiritual, But Independent 

I once asked an independent church member, in whom I saw leadership potential, to join our Bible school. Quite characteristic of an independent person, he said, “I have been in the church since it began many years ago. I have heard all of your messages.” 

He went on, “Pastor, what else am I going to learn in this Bible school?” That was the end of the matter. He didn’t attend. 

At another time, I asked him to become a fellowship (cell) leader within the church. He told me, “Pastor, I am already conducting a fellowship in my home.” 

I asked, “Who are the members of this fellowship? Are they members of our church? Do you consider this to be a church group?” 

“Oh no!” he answered. “They are my personal con- verts.” 

This brother could not be a cell leader within the church because he was building his own private cell group. He had no intention of defecting from the church. He was within the church but independent of everything going on around him. 

Branch Pastor Joab Threatens a Take-over 

The next example of Joab’s independence was when he fought against the royal city of Rabbah on behalf of King David. When victory was in sight he sent a warning mes- sage, “You better come and participate in the war other 

wise I will get all the credit.” 

Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it... 

2 Samuel 12:28 

He wanted David to be there himself! What he was saying in other words was, I’m no fool to do all the hard work only for you to take the glory. As is said in Ghana, “monkey dey work, baboon dey chop”. (In other words, the monkey does all the hard work whilst the baboon ben- efits from the reward.) 

Pastor Threatens to Change Church’s Name 

Joab went on to threaten that if the king did not get involved as he was suggesting, the city could be named after him instead of David. 

...lest I take the city, and it be called after my [Joab] name. 

2 Samuel 12:28 

How can you send such a message: “Come quickly otherwise I will change the name of the church”? Such a pastor can take over a branch church and rename it. Such a person can convert a cell group into his personal church. This is the reason why some pastors don’t believe in cells or branches. They fear that they will have Joabs as lead- ers. 

The last example of Joab’s independent spirit comes at the end of the king’s life. David made it very clear that he wanted Solomon to be the next king. 

Independent Pastor Helps the Opposition 

There was another son named Adonijah who wanted to be king in the stead of Solomon. To do this he needed the help of some perfidious characters. Once again Joab, who knew David’s wishes went contrary to it and helped Adonijah. 

Then Adonijah... exalted himself, saying, I will be king... And he [Adonijah] conferred with Joab ...[who] helped him. 

1 Kings 1:5,7 

2nd Stage OFFENCE 

The second stage of disloyalty is offence. Jesus said, 

And then shall many be OFFENDED, and SHALL BETRAY one another, and SHALL HATE one another. 

Matthew 24:10 

From this scripture you can see that people begin to betray and hate one another when they are offended. The Bible says folks will betray you when they are offended. I have always been wary of wounded people because I know that they can turn against me. The spirit of of- fence opens the door to the spirit of treachery. 

Is Anyone Hurt? 

Dear leader, look around you and observe those who 

have been wounded by one event or another. If these people have not genuinely overcome their hurts, hear the voice of the Spirit today. They are potential separatists, and they can easily become your enemies. 

I believe that Absalom was grievously hurt by two im- portant events. First of all, his half-brother’s rape of his sister. He probably decided to kill his brother from the very day it happened. 

Secondly, his father King David did not take the appro- priate action against Amnon for raping Tamar. The Bible says King David was very angry with Amnon. However, he was under obligation to do more than just being angry. If he had done his duty, he would have fulfilled the Law of Moses. 

And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s daugh- ter... and see her nakedness... [he] shall be cut off... 

Leviticus 20:17 

The penalty for incest in those days was death. But David failed to implement it. Never forget this, hurts and offences usher people down the road of disloyalty. 

3rd Stage
 P ASSIVITY 

After being offended by one thing or the other, people become passive. 

When a person is in the passive stage of the disloyalty 

process he does not involve himself in much. He sits and watches unconcerned and uninvolved. Pastors, look out for people in the congregation who are indifferent and un- concerned. They are potential deserters of the ship. 

Watch Out for the Uninvolved Members 

For instance, I consider members to be passive if they don’t get involved in prayer meetings or smaller group activities. 

If all businessmen were called for a meeting, he is not likely to attend, even though he is a businessman. Such people may have been hurt in the recent past. They say things like, “I don’t want any more trouble in this church. Let me just keep to myself.” 

Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceit- fully, and cursed be he that KEEPETH BACK his sword from blood. 

Jeremiah 48:10 

You can see from the above scripture that God expects you to get involved when you have something to contrib- ute. This verse is actually teaching us that it is a curse to be uninvolved when you have something to pitch in. 

Passivity is dangerous because you move rapidly into the critical stage of disloyalty. In order to become criti- cal you must be uninvolved. You must have enough time to scrutinize and despise the church and its leaders. Don’t you know that an uninvolved person more readily sees the faults around him? 

As they say, it is the bystander who sees that the worker 

is digging a crooked trench. All leaders must learn to look for this important sign of passivity among their workers. The uninterested leader is uninvolved for a reason. 

Why Was He So Quiet? 

Remember the story of Absalom who went through this stage of passivity. Amnon had raped and disgraced Absalom’s sister, Tamar. Absalom was doubtlessly angry with his half-brother but said nothing for two whole years. That is passivity! Doing nothing and saying nothing! I do not overlook silent and detached people who have nothing to say or contribute. 

And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad... 

2 Samuel 13:22 

But notice again that this indifferent person (Absalom) quickly degenerated into a murderer and tergiversator when the opportunity presented itself. 

...Absalom had commanded his servants... when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine... then kill him... 

2 Samuel 13:28 

Are You Happy? 

When I talk about being quiet, I am not talking about someone who has a naturally subdued personality. I am talking about someone who is normally outgoing but is consciously subdued and detached. 

One of the common questions I ask those around me is, “Are you happy?” I want everybody around me to be happy. I am concerned when someone is unusually calm and cool. Every good leader must ensure that those around 

him are secure and content. If King David had noticed Absalom’s nonchalant attitude, he might have been able to prevent his son from becoming a full-fledged anarchist. 

4th Stage
 THE CRITICAL STAGE 

A disloyal person is not passive forever; he progresses into the next step of being critical. This is the stage of noticing and magnifying faults. In church, he finds faults with the preaching of the Word and with the order of ser- vice. He analyses the building and notices all the defi- ciencies of the surroundings. 

Miriam had become critical of Moses. She had followed his leadership all the way out of Egypt, but now she began to see his faults and humanness. And she spoke about his marital problems. 

And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses... Numbers 12:1 

I remember early in the ministry, a spirit of disloyalty entered my church. Many of the church members became very critical of me. With eagle eyes they watched out for my faults. Poor me! 

I Was Frightened By My Church Members 

I was a young pastor with no theological training. Here I was, being subjected to the critical scrutiny of these people. 

“Is he really called?” they asked. 

“Can a medical student be a pastor?” 

I could virtually hear them saying, “We know you don’t have much to say. Just summarize your message and let’s close the service.” 

I Dreaded Saturday Evenings 

I would become so nervous on Saturdays that I would have diarrhea from Saturday night to Sunday morning. Once I asked my beloved (fiancée), “Is this the dread I will have to go through every Saturday night?” 

I will never forget standing before the congregation, on one particular Sunday morning. I lifted my eyes from my Bible after praying, and saw the angry and hypercritical eyes of my assistant and a host of others. I knew within me that they would never find anything good in what I was going to preach. This critical atmosphere almost broke up my fledgling church. 

Naturally, a hypercritical atmosphere does not help anyone to preach well. Some may ask why I teach so much on the subject of loyalty. This is because I have experienced the devastating impact disloyalty can have on the ministry. 

Point of View or Viewpoint? 

Someone once told me, your point of view depends on your viewpoint. The value of a thing varies depending on the glasses through which you look at it. If you look at something with critical eyes, you will only see the im- perfections. However, if you look at it with an eye of love you will see something good and hope for the future. 

Absalom also had begun to find faults with the king’s style of leadership. He was so engrossed with the defi- ciencies of David’s ministry. He could see no good any- where. This only led to another stage of disloyalty – de- ception. 

And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. 

2 Samuel 15:3 

5TH Stage
 THE POLITICAL STAGE 

When a person becomes political, he tries to involve others in his ideas and philosophies. Politicians operate on the power of people’s opinions. Many politicians can- not tell the truth because they want to please people. What people think and say is what concerns them most. 

When a person is becoming disloyal he tries to involve other people in his treacherous ideas. He wants to gather a following and make people believe that he has identi- fied a real problem that must be addressed. This is exactly what Absalom did. 

Absalom was hurt (offence stage), then he said nothing for two years (passive stage). He then became unduly analytical of David’s policies (critical stage). Now he began to involve other people in his disloyal thoughts. 

And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. 

2 Samuel 15:3 

The Bible tells us that Absalom sat at the gate of the city. When anyone came to see the king, he would ask if they had any problem. He would then listen carefully and sympathize with them. 

He explained to the people, “It is a pity that the king has no time for you today.” 

He lamented, “Unfortunately, he has not even bothered 

to delegate someone to attend to your problems.” 

Let’s Pray For Our Pastor 

Absalom went on, “Let’s pray for our dear king. He’s getting older and is probably finding it difficult to cope with the job.” This is the mistake that some associate pastors make. Because of their work schedule they may have more opportunity to interact with the people. The congregation begins to feel that the associate is more ac- cessible and friendlier than the senior pastor (the king) is. The mistaken associate will allude that the senior pastor (the king) is incompetent and really just a figurehead. 

The people of Israel were so impressed with the king’s son for two reasons. Number one, he was so handsome and physically attractive. Two, he seemed to genuinely care for them. After impressing them for a while, Absalom won the hearts of the people. 

...so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. 2 Samuel 15:6 

When someone becomes political he wants to involve others in his train of thought. You see, the more people that you can involve in something controversial, the more confidence you will gain. Disloyal people have an insidi- ous way of discussing the shortcomings of their leaders. 

They ask questions like, “How did you find the service today? I thought it was a bit dry.” 

They even come up with scriptures. “As a Bible based 

church, don’t you think we should have some miracles?” 

“Do you think our pastor is as anointed as he was last year?” 

“Have you noticed that a lot of people are leaving the church?” 

“I think that our pastor travels a bit too much. Don’t you?” 

These questions are used as bait for unsuspecting Chris- tians. They drag innocent members into analysis of issues that are “above” them. 

...neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. 

Psalm 131:1 

Gradually they are able to spread their dissenting feel- ings to a group of gullible Christians. 

Many People Are Saying... 

The next thing is that they approach you with reports of discontent within the congregation. From experience I have come to learn that when a person is in the political stage of disloyalty, he has three favorite phrases: 

•  ·  A lot of people are saying “so-and-so”. 
   
•  ·  Everybody is saying “so-and-so”. 
   
•  ·  Many people are saying “so-and-so”.
   They say, “A lot of people are saying, ‘You travel too 
   

much.’ Everybody is saying that the church building project has taken too long to complete.” 

They explain, “I am speaking on behalf of many who are not happy in church.” 

His Home Was the Center of Discussion 

Some years ago, I had an associate just like that! He seemed friendlier than I was and more accessible. People would take their problems to him. His home was the 

center for the discussion of the problems of the church. They discussed all of my shortcomings in his house. The church members became more and more discontent with my style of doing things. 

“He preaches too long, don’t you think?” “He sips water while he preaches.”
 “He walks up and down too much.” 

With time, he began to tell me, “A lot of people are saying... Many people are saying...” 

There Is Joy and Liberty When He Travels 

I recall one day I was at a retreat center for a time of fasting and prayer. I came across the associate pastor of a large church in my city. After exchanging social niceties, I asked, “How is your senior pastor?” 

“Oh, he’s around.” He said.
 I went on, “How is the church doing?”
 He replied, “We have some problems, but we are watch- 

ing. You know what; when he travels everybody is happy.” Confused, I asked, “When who travels?”
 He smiled and said, “The senior pastor.”
 “Why is this so?” I queried. 

He answered, “Because when he’s away there is liberty and joy, and the Holy Spirit flows. The fact is that, a lot of people are not blessed anymore when he preaches.” He emphasized, “Oh, many people are not happy when he is here! There is joy and liberty when he is away!” 

As I listened to him, I concluded that this man was far down the road of disloyalty. And I was not wrong! Less than a year later he rebelled and broke away from his senior pastor with a section of the church. 

Sack Him! 

When a person gets to this political stage of disloyalty he becomes dangerous to the unity and stability of the church. Such an individual is a threat to the security of your leadership. It is unsafe to maintain this “Absalomic” personality within your ranks. In my opinion, you have more than enough grounds to get rid of him. 

6th Stage DECEPTION 

One thing that I am sure about is that people who rebel are grossly deceived. If they were not deceived they would not do some of the things they did. Most people who have 

rebelled have ended up in destruction. And I know that no one intends to destroy his life. 

I want to take you through some of the common decep- tions that ministers encounter as they progress along the road of disloyalty. You must realize though, that every minister is tempted with these thoughts. 

Many rebellious people are deceived into thinking they are greater than their seniors. Sometimes a son in the ministry can rise up to do greater things than his father. Jesus did not seem to be worried about the fact that some of His disciples would do more miracles. He actually predicted that His trainees would do greater things than He had done and He was happy about it. 

...the works that I do shall he do also; and GREATER WORKS THAN THESE SHALL HE DO... 

John 14:12 

History has proved this to be true. Today, evangelists minister to larger crowds than Jesus ever did. Ministers have larger Bible schools than Jesus did (Jesus had only twelve students in his Bible school). Jesus never traveled more than two hundred miles from the place where He was born. I have traveled thousands of miles from the place where I was born. Jesus never wrote a book but you are reading one of my books. Jesus never had an office for His ministry. But most churches do. Jesus never went to the university, but I did for seven years. 

Jesus raised only two people from the dead, but some- one like Smith Wigglesworth is said to have raised twenty- one people from the dead. At the end of His life, Jesus 

was ruthlessly murdered by His enemies and condemned amongst thieves. Most pastors would be given an honor- able exit from this world. But Jesus didn’t have that! 

While He was dying, the soldiers gambled for one of the few things He had on earth – His coat. However, most ministers now own more property on this earth than Jesus did. 

These facts do not make any of us greater than Christ. Christ is still Christ the King. And you and I are still mortal non-entities. Without Him we are nothing. Do not be deceived by your recent promotion in the ministry. You are still you. 

Jesus said, 

...The servant is not greater than his lord; neither HE THAT IS SENT greater than HE THAT SENT HIM. 

John 13:16 

It is unfortunate that when we make little gains in the ministry, we begin to think that we are greater than anyone who has been before us. 

Don’t Despise Your Teacher 

Ministers despise their teachers just because they have acquired a little following and a new car. One of the oaths I had to make as a new doctor was to respect my teachers. You must remember that you have been helped by some- body to get to where you are. You must never forget that, in a certain sense, you have been set where you are by or through someone else. 

Lucifer was appointed by God, but it seems he forgot the all-important fact. 

Thou art the anointed cherub... and I HAVE SET THEE SO... 

Ezekiel 28:14 

Lucifer forgot that his perfection, wisdom and beauty had come from somewhere. It was actually created. You learnt what you know from somewhere. Eighty per cent of what we preach and teach is learned. Lucifer was a created being. He did not create himself. 

...Thou... full of wisdom... perfect in beauty... WAST CREATED. 

Ezekiel 28:12,13 

Some people have a little vision and go off into the deep end. Some pastors have a few miracles in their churches and from that time they respect no one. They lay hands on one or two people who fall under the power of the Spirit and their hearts are corrupted because of their success in the ministry. Many sing their praises and young ladies approach them with admiring eyes. 

Deceived By His Recent Success 

Thine heart was lifted up BECAUSE OF THY BEAUTY... 

Ezekiel 28:17 

Many Ghanaian pastors become rebellious when they are sent outside their country to pastor churches in rich 

European and American cities. They walk up and down in the midst of the “stones of fire” and it goes to their heads. 

I remember one minister who had been in training for some years. He was sent to pastor a branch church for the first time in his ministry. After six months he returned completely transformed into a rebel. 

He Said, “Give Me Six Months” 

No one could control or counsel him. He had cutting rebukes for his seniors, pointing out to them that they were not always right. 

This person had become deceived into believing he was as gifted as anyone else was. In the end, he resigned, bitterly denouncing and deriding his superiors in the ministry. Out of contempt, he called his former church a cult. He even went as far as calling his father-in-the-Lord (the one who led him to Christ) a fool, for associating with the church he was leaving. 

To emphasize the “I’m as good as you are” attitude, he started a church a few meters away from his home church. And began to invite members from his previous denomi- nation to join him. 

That was not all. This refractory anarchist vowed to prove his ministerial gift to all and sundry within six months of his defection. However, years after this defiant separat- ist revolted, he has simply disappeared into obscurity. 

This obstinate insurgent thought that within six months he could achieve things that take many years of experi- ence to attain. 

I believe that avoidance of deception was one of the 

reasons why Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper. It is to remind everyone that no matter what you achieve or attain you are not Christ! We need to remember our origins. We need to remember how we became what we are today. Jesus said, 

...this do in remembrance of me.
 Luke 22:19 

Many rebellious people are deceived because they are gifted and anointed. Absalom was very gifted but wanted to be the king. Many insurrectionists think that they have acquired all the knowledge they will ever need. 

The Mother of All Deception 

The mother of all deception is when the mutineer thinks that he can destroy his teacher and father. He thinks he has enough clout to obliterate those who have been a blessing to him. The spirit of rebellion does not only lead assistant pastors to defect but also inspires them to fight against the authorities that have been set over them. 

Absalom fought against his own father and failed. Ju- das tried to destroy Jesus his teacher and Lord but that is the mother of all deception. You cannot destroy the Lord through your uprising. Lucifer thought he could dethrone God, but that was also not possible. What folly! What unthinkable madness! 

He Threatened to Destroy His Own Father 

Some years ago, I sat at home fellowshipping with a Nigerian minister. This pastor friend of mine is the over- 

seer of several large churches scattered all over Nigeria. As we chatted, I realized he had had experiences similar to mine. He spoke of one mutinous pastor who had grown up in his house as a sort of servant. 

I Will Publish a Book About You 

This young man had graduated into becoming the pas- tor of one of his largest branch churches. My friend told me that this pastor had become anarchistic and had de- cided to fight against him. I was struck by one of the comments that he made. 

He told me, “This young man rebelled, broke away and began to say all sorts of malicious things about me.” 

His own son in the ministry said, “I will publish a book of seditious material that will bring you down.” 

I Will Run You Out of This Town 

How interesting, I thought. I remembered a similar threat that I had received from a rebel pastor. This person had said that he was going to run me out of my own city. 

You see, this is the mother of all deception. This is the spirit of Absalom that fights against your own father. The spirit of Lucifer, is the spirit that tries to replace and take over rightful authority. The spirit of Judas, is the treacher- ous spirit that betrays and turns against its own teacher. 

I want you to learn right here, that all of these things are impossible. You cannot replace God. And you cannot succeed in fighting your own father. God will not help you 

and in fact, He will fight against you. All of nature, including the wild ravens and eagles of the air will fight against you. The Bible says, 

The eye that mocketh at his father... the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. 

Proverbs 30:17 

7th Stage OPEN REBELLION 

This is the stage where deceived insurrectionists fight openly against authority. This open fight comes about because of the confidence the rebel develops over the months and years. He gains psychological support by gaining the support of some of the people he talked to. Remember that Lucifer gained the support of over a third of the angels. He has had time to analyze the merits and demerits of the person against whom he is rebelling. Then suddenly, he exposes himself to be what he is at heart. 

1. Lucifer did this. 

And there was war in heaven ...and the dragon [the devil] fought... 

Revelation 12:7 

2. Absalom fought against his father. 

And David said... Behold, my son (Absalom), which 

came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life...
 2 Samuel 16:11 

3. Absalom tried to become his father in all aspects, including in the bedroom. 

...And Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. 

2 Samuel 16:22 

4. Judas betrayed and fought against his Lord and master. 

Judas... came, and with him a great multitude with SWORDS... Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: HOLD HIM FAST. 

Matthew 26:47,48 

Judas had told them to get a good hold of Christ and not let Him go. This is the open fight against your master, teacher or your father. It is what I call the open rebellion stage of disloyalty. This leads us into the last and final stage of this drama. What I call the execution stage. 

8th Stage EXECUTION 

The end of all rebels is one and the same – execution. Rebellion is an essentially evil thing. The Bible teaches us that rebellion is as witchcraft. 

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft...
 1 Samuel 15:23 

The Biblical punishment for witchcraft is execution. 

Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Exodus 22:18 

God does not support rebellion in any form or fashion. Do not involve yourself in any kind of rebellion. The people who get involved in revolts are often simpleminded. Many of them do not know what is afoot. 

And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and THEY WENT IN THEIR SIMPLICITY, AND THEY KNEW NOT ANY THING. 

2 Samuel 15:11 

Many people run into rebellion because of their inno- cence and ignorance. If Absalom’s followers had known exactly what they were doing, I believe they would not have followed him. 

The fruit of rebellion throughout the Bible is very clear 

– execution. God will divinely displace and replace you with someone else. Your seat will be taken by another who is worthier than you. You will be banished into ob- scurity and oblivion. There will be a curse on you and your family. Just study the following list of executions: 

LUCIFER 

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 

Revelation 12:9 

ABSALOM 

And ten young men... compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him. 

2 Samuel 18:15 

AHITHOPHEL 

...Ahithophel... hanged himself, and died...
 2 Samuel 17:23 

 

 

 

SHEMEI 

So the king commanded Benaiah... which went out, and fell upon him (Shemei), that he died. 

1 Kings 2:46 

ADONIJAH 

And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him (Adonijah) that he died. 

1 Kings 2:25 

JUDAS 

And he (Judas)... went and hanged himself. 

Matthew 27:5 

 

 

 

]]> 2019-03-05 10:14:19 UTC https://padlet.com/birdy_prosolve/aemrkiezfizn/wish/337830430 birdy_prosolve https://padlet.com/birdy_prosolve/aemrkiezfizn/wish/337831742
A culture can simply be defined as “the way we think and the way we do things around here”. The culture of a church is a very powerful force. A church can either have a culture of loyalty or disloyalty. In visiting different churches, I have noticed a prevailing climate of loyalty or treachery.
I remember once when I was in South Africa to minister, I interacted with several assistant pastors and leaders. Throughout my interactions, I noticed a certain reverence and genuine love that all the associates seemed to have for their senior pastor. Never once was there any sarcastic remark from anyone. They seemed to sincerely love and respect their pastor.
That Church Had a Culture of Disloyalty
I recall also being in another church where the contrast was unmistakable. I found assistant pastors who did not hesitate to make sarcastic comments about their head pas- tor behind his back. They seemed to think that they were

gaining my sympathy by applauding different aspects about my church while maintaining an unfavorable picture of their own church.
I remember one of the pastors said, “Oh, I like your church building. It’s simple and practical.”
And he continued, “You know our ‘man’ (he was refer- ring to his senior pastor). We have been doing this expen- sive project for many years and we are getting nowhere.”
I just looked on in amazement! You see by this com- ment this pastor had ridiculed his pastor and his pastor’s management in front of me, an outsider.
I remember another time, when I was officiating a wed- ding of a church member. The bride was from my church and the bridegroom was from this other church. I had asked my associate to perform the nuptial ceremony so that I would preach.
He Said, “I Like Your Style”
After the service, this pastor who belonged to the bridegroom’s church approached me and said, “I am very happy to meet you. I like your style.”
He added, “I’m glad to meet a Bishop who allows his associates to participate in the ceremony. You know, at our place things are different. Our man the Bishop, would not have allowed anybody else to play a prominent role.”
I listened quietly. I thought to myself, “This man thinks he’s praising me by making cynical remarks about his Bishop.”

But He Was a Rebel
I said to myself, “This is a rebel in the making.” And sure enough a year later, this pastor rebelled against his Bishop.
I am talking about a culture of disloyalty. A culture can simply be defined as “the way we think and the way we do things around here”. A church’s culture is simply the set of unique customs and values that the members are accus- tomed to.
The culture of a church is a very powerful force. You may not be aware of it but it is real. You need to develop a good culture of faithfulness, fidelity and loyalty. Even in the business world, the culture of the company in ques- tion determines how well it does.
In my church, we have gradually developed what I call a culture of loyalty. It is unacceptable to speak negatively about any minister. I myself have no sardonic remarks to make about my friends and pastors behind their backs. If I have anything to say I will usually just say it.
People Notice Loyalty
Lighthouse church members would regard you as a rebel if you began to speak in a certain way. One brother, com- ing from a less loyal church culture remarked, “Your church is airtight.” What he was trying to say was that he had found our culture impermeable to all forms of malicious talk. As a result, the undercurrents of murmuring and dis- contented people are not free to exist in our environment.

KEYS TO THE CULTURE OF LOYALTY
Key #1
THE NORTH WIND
The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
Proverbs 25:23
The first key to developing a culture of loyalty may come as a surprise to many. It is what I call the Key of the North Wind. The Bible says that the north wind drives away the rain. A powerful rainstorm is driven away by a strong wind. In the same way, the power of malicious backbiting tongues can be neutralized by certain facial expressions.
Your Face is the North Wind
Just show someone by your face that you are not inter- ested in their conversation. According to the Bible, your disagreeable attitude is strong enough to deter unruly and rebellious elements. People will gradually get to know that disloyal people are not welcome there.
One day a certain young lady came to see one of my associate pastors. She mistakenly thought she was prais- ing him when she said, “How approachable you are!
She went on, “If it wasn’t for you I would have left this church.”
My associate pastor told me, “As soon as she made that

remark I ‘squeezed’ my face.”
(In other words, this young lady was saying that I was not a nice enough pastor. And the only reason she could give for staying on as a member was the presence of my associate.)
However, the expression on the associate pastor’s face was enough to quench any further traitorous discussion. You see, the pastor could have thought that he was very anointed and that was why this church member was saying what she said. But that would have been a mistake.
Assistant pastors must not be deceived by temptations to be disloyal. The devil often uses ordinary people to bring about these temptations. The women in Israel sang, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thou- sands.” This was not true. David had just killed Goliath and not tens of thousands of Philistines. Do not be deceived by empty words that come out of baby Chris- tians.
The Friendly Assistant Pastor
Often the assistant pastor seems friendlier than the head pastor. This is because the head may have certain duties that are for the benefit of the whole church. The assistant pastor may be delegated to handle the lesser needs of the church. The assistant pastor therefore seems more ap- proachable and accessible.
Some associates can become deceived into thinking that the congregation prefers them to the senior minister. A

loyal assistant must learn to drive away any backbiting and criticism of the senior.
Her Face Frightened Me
Many years ago I attended a meeting of a church group to which I belonged. At the close of the service the pastor decided to take a second offering. When he announced it, I immediately turned to the person sitting by me and mur- mured, “Why take a second offering? It’s not necessary.” She said nothing but gave me a look I will never forget.
Suddenly my heart smote me and I realized I had done something wrong. I felt so bad that I had complained, even though it was unknown to the pastor.
...an angry countenance [drives away] a backbiting tongue.
Proverbs 25:23
Key #2 CONSTANT PRUNING
To have a culture of loyalty you must constantly prune out disloyal elements that find their way into our midst. I believe that no one should stay on in a church when he or she does not want to. I have discovered that if anyone indicates his desire to resign, it is best for such a person not to stay on but to leave immediately. This is because his heart has already left the church.
Remove Disloyal People Quickly

I learnt this the hard way when I encouraged a rebel- lious pastor to stay on after he had indicated his
desire to leave. The extra months that he stayed on were not worth the trouble they yielded. Now, I have a different policy. If you indicate your desire to leave, you will have to go immediately. Even if you change your mind, it is too late. The reason for this is simple,
...a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
1 Corinthians 5:6
One dissenting employee pollutes the others with his disgruntled attitude. After Judas resigned from Jesus’ ministry, Jesus told him,
...That thou doest, DO QUICKLY.
John 13:27
One pastor of a large church described how many un- happy experiences he underwent because he retained a pastor who did not want to stay on. People who don’t want to be with you must go; and they must leave as soon as possible. It’s as simple as that.
Some pastors are so soft that they do not remove openly rebellious elements. I remember the testimony of a pastor who graduated from the Bible school of a church with a disloyal culture.
He said, “It was obvious that the Dean and lecturers of this Bible school had little confidence in their own church.” “They could rarely find something positive to say about

their church.”
This pastor said something that I find amazing! He said, “Whenever there was need of an example to illustrate a negative point, they would choose their own church as the example.”
He went on, “Once when we were being lectured on administration and management, the lecturer said, ‘See, this church (and its pastor of course) is an example of a church with a poor administration and bad management.’”
What do you think the students would think of the se- nior pastor whenever he taught in the Bible school? Such people need to be weeded out of the system. Do not allow any leader to pollute your precious sheep.
Key #3 CREATE FIRE
At times it is necessary to create conditions that expose disloyal elements within the team.
...there came a viper out of the heat...
Acts 28:3
When Paul landed on the island of Melita, the local folk kindly kindled a fire for him and his companions. Paul gathered some sticks and laid them on the fire.
The Stick Was a Snake
Suddenly, a viper (which by the way is one of the most

dangerous species of snakes) came out of the fire and fastened itself to Paul’s hand. One of the ‘sticks’ was a snake! The fire exposed it. Before being subjected to fire, some snakes can pose as ordinary sticks.
What fire am I talking about? The fire of time for in- stance is an example of something that exposes the snake- like nature of some people. Difficult times and hard- ships also bring out the true nature of people. Some- times softening the path on which ministers travel does not help to test their hearts.
Jesus suffered in the ministry from wicked people all around him. We must also suffer. And suffering brings out the true nature in people.
Do Not Be Under Pressure to Promote People
Do not be in a hurry to promote people. If they will rebel because they have not been promoted, they will rebel even if they are promoted. If you don’t believe me, just try it out! I have come to see that rebellion is of the heart. If a person will cause trouble, no amount of money or attractive conditions of service will prevent it.
Transfer and See What Happens
One of the fires that bring out snakes within a large denomination of churches is the “fire of transfer”. Nu- merous pastors when subjected to the possibility of transfer rebel against the authority. Why should you rebel against your transfer? Did you obey the call of God on condition that you would live in a rich city? A person’s reaction to

being transferred tells us a lot about his character.
Key #4
WORK WITH WILLING PEOPLE ONLY
Make sure you do not have unwilling (trapped) people around you. Constantly make a way for them to leave if they want to. One thing you should not have is someone who would like to leave but because of financial or other reasons feels trapped within your organization. The hearts of such people are not with you anymore. They can be- come traitors. Make a way for such people to exit peace- fully.
There is nothing like working with a willing and happy person.
For if there be first a WILLING mind...
2 Corinthians 8:12
I have decided to assist the departure of any unwilling person who wants to leave. Because in helping them I will also be helping myself.
Key #5
TEACH AGAINST DISLOYALTY
Constant teaching on the subjects of loyalty and disloy- alty are very important. Most people are ignorant of the evolvement of the disloyalty process. In other words, many

rebels are unaware of what they are doing. Constant edu- cation will prevent people from unknowingly involving themselves in traitorous activities.
Anyone who wants to build a large church must con- stantly teach on faithfulness and loyalty. No one is born with faithfulness and loyalty written all over. Every min- ister will have his due share of temptations to become disloyal. Your leaders will develop a culture of loyalty as you constantly teach about it.


Warm Regards

Elizabeth Mammoliti]]> 2019-03-05 10:19:30 UTC https://padlet.com/birdy_prosolve/aemrkiezfizn/wish/337831742