THE ROLE OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AS PART OF THE CHURCH MANAGEMENT PROCESS

THE ROLE OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AS PART OF THE CHURCH MANAGEMENT PROCESS

INTRODUCTION: Managing a church of the 21^st century is not just challenging but a dynamic business. It involves managing men (members) materials and money. The Bible confirms that money answereth all things! Therefore, the role of financial management as a critical part of the church management process cannot be underestimated. Although a church is not a profit making organization whose primary objective is to make profit and maximize the value of its shares. However, a church has a similar objective of achieving both spiritual and physical growth of the church in general and its members in particular. It appears that money is at the centre of achieving these objectives. The early church, even Jesus Christ recognized this fact as he created a port folio (i.e treasurer/minister for finance) during his ministry. Judas Iscariot was the treasurer of the disciples of Jesus.

DEFINITION / ROLE OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Financial management is that part of the total management function which is concerned with the effective and efficient raising and use of funds. It is concerned with making decisions about the provision and use of an organization’s finances. The essential role of financial management is to provide a basis for assessing the financial implication of decisions made in the areas of management. Such decisions will be judged according to:

a.       The church’s financial goals

b.       How they affect the overall valuation of the church

c.       How they affect the overall performance of the church. Such performance will be measured against a determined target or standard.   

For instance, if the band / choir wishes to acquire new instruments, then the finance manager (Finance chairman / Committee) will be able to provide the following information for assessing the worth of the venture.

1.       What source of finance (from the point of view of the members) should be used? That is, for members to contribute the money or to borrow from the bank or other lenders? And at what cost?

2.        The effect on the overall growth of the church

3.       Will there be income from the band through engagements etc?

FUNCTIONS OF THE FINANCIAL CHAIRMAN / COMMITTEE

The specific functions of the finance chairman / committee are to ensure that funds are:

a.       Made available at the right time

b.       Made available for the right length of time

c.       Obtained at the lowest cost

d.       Used in the most effective / efficient way.

In other words, the finance committee / chairman must ensure

a.       Optimum financing: That is, the need to develop a financial strategy, which includes determining financial objectives

b.       Management of working capital: This includes cash budgeting, planning and control of cash, debtors, stocks and creditors

c.       Managemet of capital assets: For instance, the head of finance needs to consider the best policy for asset acquisition e.g outright purchase, hire purchase, leasing and the replacement cycle, here, capital budgeting is required.

d.       Financial reporting: How is the performance of the branch, district, provinces, CMCs etc measured? How regular or frequent are reports prepared and made available to members? What kind of reports?

e.       The effects of inflation, risk and uncertainty etc: Here, the finance committee / chairman may make use of techniques such as sensitivity analysis, expected value criterion, inflated discount factor or port folio theory.

These functions are interrelated. The correct timing of the raising of funds for example, depends, on the requirements of the proposed uses. Conversely, whether or not a particular use of funds is both feasible and attractive depends on the cost and availability of those funds. The consequences of a band financial management can be very serious. E.g let us suppose that a decision has been taken by a branch to buy a new bus for commercial purposes, and that this will require N5m in six months time. It is then expected to give a return of 10% per annum over a period of 5yrs. In other to make this plan possible N5m must be made available at the required time.

a.       The amount made available was N6m. The result is that N1m will remain idle and had to be paid for (interest charges) but there no guarantee that there will be any profitable use for it. It may merely be wasted.

b.       The amount N5m did not become available until after one year. The start of the project will therefore be delayed. Other plans following from this one e.g income which could have been earned during the period of the delay will not be earned.

c.       The amount was raised by means of a bank loan repayable within one year. As the project will be running for long after this, new loan / finance will have to be found when the loan runs out and this lays up a difficult problem for the future.

d.       The agreed rate of interest is 15% per annum. Since the project yields only 10% per annum we are bound to suffer loss. The project is not in these circumstances worthwhile.

SOURCES OF INCOME FOR THE ESOCS CHURCH

a.       Tithes (b) Thanksgiving (c) Collections / offerings (d) Special funds e.g building funds etc (e) Donation (f) Ordination

(g). Investment income: Interest on deposits, rents, musical income, royalties, patents, dividends, trading income, profit from business ventures e.g schools, transport, bookshops, stores and supermarkets (where olive oils, candles, whit garments, girdles, staffs, staffs, hymn books, incense etc are sold) Absent in many branches / districts / provinces.

ESOCS FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING

ACCOUNTING: Is the act of recording, summarizing, reporting and analyzing financial transactions. It involves a complete record of all activities of the church with details of every aspect of the church transactions from origin to present and insight into the future. It consists three basic activities, identifying, recording and communicating the economic events of the church. Theses economic events are transactions and investments. In broad terms, INVESTMENT can be described as any action which beings about changes in a church’s income stream. The form of investment may be in stocks and shares, farming, land and building, plants and equipments etc.

USERS OF ACCOUNTING INFORMATION: Two broad groups use financial statements of any organization.

a.       INTERNAL USERS: Need the accounting data to run the church. Users in  the group include.

-      His most eminence, the baba Aladura

-      The CMCs

-      Provincial heads

-      The district / Branch heads

-      Chairman of finance committee at all levels

-      All members

-      Internal auditors

b.      EXTERNAL USERS: This group needs accounting data for investment or other legal and / or regulatory reasons. Users in this group include investors, government agencies (for regulatory reasons) competitors, external auditors etc.

ACCOUNTING EQUATION:  Accounting financial records describes what the church own and what it owes as assets and liabilities respectively. Asset = liabilities. This is the basic equation that accountants use to record and report financial information. Accounting red flag goes up if assets fail to equal liabilities.

ESOCS ACCOUNTING YEAR

ESOCS accounting years runs from Oct-Sept each year

COMPOSITION OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO LAGOS PROVINCE    

Chairman, Secretary, treasurer (Female)and four (4) others. Nominated and forwarded to his most eminence for ratification and final appointment. The same structure exists in the branches with the provincial chairman giving final appointment

ELDERS-IN-CHARGE AND 40% REMITTANCE TO LAGOS PROVINCE

All elders in charge have the obligation to remit only 40% of their branch income from tithes, thanksgiving/collectors/offerings to the province which remits 25% of the amount to the national headquarters. This remittance ought to be made or before the 2^nd Saturday of the subsequent month. This obligation is being abused by several elders in charge who sometimes default as long as three or more months before remittances are made. This is wrong as all branches are deemed to be the property of the national headquarters, the provinces being trustees. Any elder in charge who fails to remits 40% of it’s branch income to the province is actually fighting the Baba Aladura/ church and is really applying for his removal. Finance chairman are to ensure that these remittances are done promptly. Money has time value.

RETURNS ON INVESTMENT

Returns on investment (ROI) is a concept used to evaluate the efficiency of an investment or to compare the efficiency of a number of different investments. Return on investment (ROI) is calculated by dividing the benefits (returns or gains) of an investment with the cost of an investment, the result is expressed as a percentage or a ratio.

ROI= Gain from investment   or gain from investment x100

Cost of investment            cost of investment    

In the above formular, gain from investment refers to the profit obtained from investing in any project while cost of investment refers to the capital outlay i.e money / fund invested in the project. The purpose of returns on investment is to measure per period, rates of returns on money invested in an economic entity in order to decide whether or not to undertake an investment. It provides a snap shop of profitability, adjusted for the size of the investment asset tied up in the enterprise.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT / GARDEN OF EDEN

The primary purpose of any church is the spiritual / physical growth of it’s members. In other words without adding value to the life of its members, the church, the has failed. Without books and records, it is difficult to measure performance in order to ascertain whether the church is growing or not. It is therefore necessary to have time or period for accounting in order to determine the return on investment and ultimate position of the church. This concept has been as old as genesis in the holy bible as man is required to give account of investments under his care. The church is put under the care of man and man must give account to God. The garden of Eden was like a church under the care of man which he mismanaged by eating the forbidden fruit. When God visited the garden to see how well man was doing, man could not give account of his position in the garden. He has failed and the garden (the church) has collapsed while Adam tried to pass the bulk to his wife (Gen.3v3-9)

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT/PARABLE OF THE TENANTS MATTHEW 21VS33-43 

There was a certain householder (Jesus Christ) who planted vineyard (church) and hedged it round about, and dug a wine press in it and built a tower and let it out to tenants (church members) and went into a far country. When the time of the fruits (accounting) drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants that they might receive the fruits (returns on investment) of it. The tenants did not only fail to pay rents (returns on investment) but destroy the house, attacked the landlord’s agents etc” he will miserably destroy those wicked men and will let out his vineyard unto other tenants who shall render hi, fruits in their season. Therefore, I say unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given t a nation bringing forth the fruit thereof.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT / PARABLE OF THE TALENTS. MATTHEW 25 VS 14 -30

Again, in the parable of the talents, the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country who called his own servants and delivered unto them his goods. The different talents here represent investment. The servants here are the elders in change/finance chairmen/provincial chairmen and other church leaders/ elders/members and the man (God) was the investor.

After a long time, the Lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them” while some grew their investment, one failed. The man who failed was referred to as wicked and his talent was received from him and give to the most profitable servant. Condemning the wicked and unproductive servant (bad financial manager) the master said “you ought therefore to have put my money to the exchangers (bankers) and then at my coming, I should have received my own with interest (return on investment)

RETURN ON INVESTMENT/THE WITHERED FIG TREE MATTHEW 21 VS 18 -20

Also, the story of the withered fig tree epitomizes the importance of returns on investment (ROI) “And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and he said, let no fruit grow on you again forever, and presently the fig tree withered away. Here again, any elder in charge/ branch that fails to grow the members/yield returns has failed and is clearly a wicked servant and should be in the outer darkness, weeping and gnashing his/her teeth.

THE RISK /UNCERTAINTY FACTOR IN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT 

Risk may be defined as the probability that a prediction will turn out to be wrong. If there is a high probability that a prediction will prove to be considerably in error, then the risk is high and vice versa. Risk should be managed as it can hardly be avoided in business decision.

Risk may be reduced for a church investment through the policy of diversification. The key is that risk varies directly with rewards. In other words, the more the risk, the higher the rewards and vice versa. Uncertainly refers to a situation where there is no basis to make predictions. It is a clueless situation.

RELEVANT BOOKS OF ACCOUNT

1.       The cash book: This records the total cash receipts and payments made each day/Sunday. This must be kept.

2.       The unified cash book: The unified cash book is a customized cash book designed for use in ESOCS church (see attached proforma) it is designed to accommodate cash receipt and payments for the convenience of the provinces/districts and branches calculate their 45% 40% 25% 10% etc as the case may be.

3.       Tithes book: This is a several column cash book that is used to record tithes in all branches. This record must be property kept in all branches.

HIGHLIGHTS / OUTLINE OF RECOMMENDED INVESTMENTS IN THE PROVINCE / DISTRICTS / BRANCHES    

-      Farming: poultry, fish pond, pig rearing, grass cutter, snails, palm tree / oil, cassava, yams, banana, plantain, orange, pawpaw, pineapple, guava, mango, apple star etc

-      Micro finance

-      Business centre, cybercafé, photocopy, typing, building, computer training etc

-      Transportation: Buses, cars, keke Napep, motor bike, bicycle etc

-      Schools: kinder garden – university professional examination training e.g ACA, ACCA, ACIB, ACIA, ACTI, NIM, TUTORIAL CENTRES FOR GCE, WACE, NECO, JAMB, classes etc

-      Hostels: Houses for rent, shops etc

-      Leasing: wheel barrows shovels, knives,bus,cars, keke napep, motor bikes, plates, chairs, canopy, tables etc

-      Viewing canters for football, games etc

-      Cold rooms: chicken, turkeys, fishes etc

-      Bookshop: primary, university / ptofessional

-      Restaurant and bar

-      Bakery

-      Hospitals, pharmacy, chemist

-      Nylon production

-      Water production: sachet and bottle

-      Clothing/ foot wears

-      Mother care: babies etc

-      Newspapers / periodicals

-      Borehole drilling and servicing

SUMMARY / CONCLUSION

The role of financial management as part of the church growth process cannot be over-emphasized. The 21^st century church and its members cannot neglect the issue of finance as it appears to be a major pillar for its growth and survival.

Thank you for listening and may the good Lord bless you all. Amen.

SNR. APOSTLE (DR.) RAY UBA JP, PhD, FCA, FCIB, FCTI

REFRENCES

Holy Bible                                   King James version

Raymond Brokington                 Financial Management 5th Edition 

Okigbo P.N.C.                            Nigeria’s Financial System Longman Group 1987     

Nwacho C.F.O                           The Nigerian Financial System London Macmillan Int’l 1987

I.F. Johnson                               Financial Management

BOSKET TA PROBATA MOU (“TEND MY SHEEP”)

BOSKET TA PROBATA MOU

(“TEND MY SHEEP”)

BY

BRO. ANDY-PHILIP, NESTA

A PAPER PRESENTED FOR THE LEADERSHIP TRANFORMATION SEMINAR ORGANIZED BY THE ETERNAL SACRED ORDER OF THE CHERUBIM AND SERAPHIM,  LAGOS PROVINCE, ON THE THEME “CHURCH LEADERSHIP, MANAGEMENT/ADMINISTRATION” HELD AT MOUNT ZION NATIONAL HEADQUATERS, 38 TEJUOSHO STREET, SURULERE, LAGOS, ON SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2015.

PREAMBLE

I give thanks to God and the leadership of the Lagos Province, especially the Provincial Chairman for this great privilege given unto me for carrying out this spiritual assignment. This is my second coming since my first appearance here in 2009. I am particularly thankful to God for my spiritual experience in ESOCS, since my contact with the Church in 2009; the LORD God has been very faithful. I have seen the hand of God in my spiritual life; it has been a rewarding experience. I love the Church, and will continue to serve God here as He grants me grace. Once again thank you for the privilege to serve.

INTRODUCTION

The proper grasp of the concept of the Church is a prerequisite for Church leadership, management and administration. The knowledge of the Church and the purpose of the Church is the impetus for successful Church leadership.

The Hebrew word qahal means assembly, congregation, and gathering, a band of people or group of people. The word suggests the idea of Church, expressed in the following ways; congregation of God’s people, the Assembly of God’s people, the band of the LORD’S prophets and the Assembly of God’s chosen people-Israel. Similarly, the Greek word ecclesia means assembly, congregation and a gathering. It is the New Testament word for Church. The word has three parts, the first part is ek-it is a preposition out of, the second part is kle- from the verb kaleo-I call, and the part sia is ones. Looking at the word as a component it can be giving a literal translation to mean called out ones. It implies then that, the Church is called out people, from where? From the world. Called by whom? Called out by God set apart for this purpose. Considering the etymology of both Hebrew and Greek words, the question, what is the Church? Changes to, who is the Church? Both questions bring to our minds two ideas namely metaphoric and personified application of the word.

     What is the purpose of the Church? The purpose of the Church is the same thing as the purpose of a believer on earth. A quality of believer’s life depends on his execution of God’s plan after salvation. Eternal salvation becomes an accomplished fact at the moment of faith in Christ. Heaven is guaranteed for anyone who has believed in Christ as Savior and Lord (Ro. 8:38-39; 1 Pet.1:4-5).

  After salvation what? The primary assignment of every believer and the Church is evangelism. The etymology of the Greek word eungelion from which the word evangelism is derived, suggests the work and the content of evangelism. The word means Gospel. Gospel means Good News. The spreading of this Good News to all sundry for the salvation of their souls is what evangelism entails. And this is the purpose of the Church. Our LORD God initiated it. Evangelism began with the fall of Man when Adam and the woman needed the Gospel. The LORD sought them out in the Garden and personally presented them with information about the seed of the woman (Gen. 3:15). The Bible itself records numerous instances of evangelism throughout the world. For example, we know from 1 Tim.3:16, Col.1:16 and Acts.17:6 that the world was evangelized in the 1^st Century.

Evangelism, leads to the conversion of souls and conversion of souls leads to Church growth and the Church keeps growing through purposeful leadership and management to the glory of God. This is our concern in this seminar.

FOUNDATIONAL COMMAND ON CHURCH LEADERSHIP

The focus of the seminar is on Church Leadership, management/administration, in line with this, I have titled my paper “Bosket Ta Probata Mou.” this is the Greek New Testament expression for “Tend my Sheep” or “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17). Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him. The first time Jesus said “Do you love me more than these (Greek agape: volitional self sacrificial love)? The second time, Jesus focused on Peter alone and still used the word translated into Greek agape. The third time, Jesus used the word translated into Greek, phileo (signifying affection, affinity, or brotherly love) and asked in effect, “Are you even my friend?” Each time Peter responded with the word translated into Greek as phileo.

  Jesus doesn’t settle for quick answers. He has a way of getting to the heart of the matter. Peter had to face his true feelings and motives when Jesus confronted him. How would you respond if Jesus asked you, “Do you truly love me?” Do you really love Jesus? Are you even his friend?

            The first time when Peter responded “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” In Peter’s second response, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”  Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” In the Peter’s third response, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said “Feed my sheep.”

   In the first command to Peter, Jesus used the noun lambs (Greek ania) and the verb feed (Greek bosket) this suggests provision of spiritual nourishment for constant or steady growth. The Second time Jesus used the noun-metaphor sheep (Greek probata) and the verb take care (Greek poinaine) the implication here is that of shepherding, leadership and management. The third time Jesus repeated the noun-metaphor sheep (Greek probata) and the verb feed (Greek bosket) was repeated, this suggests constant or continuous provision of both physical and spiritual well fare.

THE MASTER’S MASTER PRINCIPLE

“Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all” (Mark: 10:43-44). Although Jesus was not a revolutionary in the political sense, many of His teachings were startling and revolutionary, and more so than those on leadership. In the contemporary world, the term servant has a very lowly connotation, but that was not so as Jesus used it. Indeed, He elevated it, equating it with greatness, and that was certainly a revolutionary concept. Most of us would have no objection to being masters, but servant hood holds little attraction. Christ’s view of His kingdom was that of a community of members serving one another –mutual service.

The contrast between the world’s idea of leadership and that of Christ is brought in sharp focus in Mark 10:42-43. From this story Jesus revealed that:

There is sovereignty in spiritual leadership (Mk 10:40); there is suffering in leadership (Mk. 10:38). Thus the thoughts of suffering and servant hood are linked, even as they were in the life of the Lord.

Therefore, as a spiritual leader you need:

i.                    The Spirit of Servant hood (Isa.42:1-5)

ii.                  Dependence (Philipp.2:7)

iii.                Approval (Ps.40:8)

iv.                Modesty (Isa.6:2).

v.                  Empathy (Isa.42:3)

vi.                Optimism (Isa.42:4)

vii.              Anointing (Acts 10:38).

NATURAL AND SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP

          “When I came to you…my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit of power” (1Cor.2:1, 4). Leadership is influence, the ability of one person to influence others. One man can lead others only to the extent that he can influence them to follow his lead. Spiritual leadership is a matter of superior spiritual power, and that can never be self-generated.

         There is no such thing as a self-made spiritual leader. He is able to influence others spiritually only because the Spirit is able to work in and through him to a greater degree than in those whom he leads. It is a general principle that we can influence and lead others only so far as we ourselves have gone. The person most likely to be successful is one who leads not by merely pointing the way but by having trodden it himself. We are leaders to the extent that we inspire others to follow us.

Some appear to attain leadership purely by reason of a series of fortuitous circumstances. They happened to be available at the crucial moment, and no one better qualified was on the horizon. But closer investigation will usually reveal that the selection was not accidental. Behind the scenes a hidden training had been taking place in the life of the person involved that fitted him for the position. Joseph was a perfect example of that. His elevation to prime minister of Egypt seemed to be purely fortuitous, but in fact it was the outcome of thirteen years of rigorous though hidden training under the hand of God.

  Natural leadership and spiritual leadership have many points of similarity, but there are some respects in which they may be antithetical. That is seen when some of their dominant characteristics are set over against one another.

Natural                                                                Spiritual

Self-confident                                                     Confident in God

Knows men                                                         also knows God   

Makes own decisions                                         Seeks to find God’s will

Ambitious                                                          Self-effacing  

Originates own methods                                   Finds and follows God’s methods

Enjoys commanding others                              Delights to obey God

Motivated by personal considerations               Motivated by love for God and Man

Independent                                                        God-dependent

Although conversion does not normally make leaders of people who would never become such otherwise, church history teaches that in the hour of full surrender the Holy Spirit sometimes releases gifts and qualities that have long remained dormant. It is prerogative of the Spirit to bestow spiritual gifts that greatly enhance the leadership potential of the recipient.

CRITERIA OF LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL   

“Send out for yourself men…everyone a leader among them” (Numbers 13:2). Because qualities of natural leadership are by no means unimportant in spiritual leadership, there is value in seeking to discover leadership potential both in one and in others. Most people have latent and underdeveloped traits that, through lack of self-analysis and consequent lack of self –knowledge, may long remain undiscovered. An objective study of the following suggested standards of self-measurement could result in the discovery of such qualities where they exist, as well as the detection of incipient weakness that would make one unfit for leadership:

1.      Have you ever broken yourself of a bad habit? To lead others, one must be master of oneself.

2.      Do you retain control of yourself when things go wrong? The leader who loses self-control in testing circumstances forfeits respect and loses influence. He must be calm in crisis and resilient in adversity and disappointment.

3.      Do you think independently? While using to the full the thought of others, the leader cannot afford to let others do his thinking or make his decisions for him.

4.      Can you handle criticism objectively and remain unmoved under it? Do you turn it to good account? The humble man can derive benefit from petty and even malicious criticism.

5.      Can you use disappointments creatively?

6.      Do you readily secure the cooperation and win the respect and confidence of others?

7.      Do you possess the ability to secure discipline without having to resort to a show of authority? True leadership is an internal quality of the spirit and requires no external show of force.

8.      Have you qualified for the beatitude pronounced on the peacemaker? It is much easier to keep the peace than to make peace where it has been shattered. An important function in leadership is conciliation-the ability to discover common ground between opposing viewpoints and then induce both parties to accept it.

9.      Are you entrusted with handling of difficult and delicate situations?

10.  Can you induce people to do happily some legitimate thing that they would not normally wish to do?

11.  Can you accept opposition to your viewpoint or decision without considering it a personal affront and reacting accordingly? Leaders must expect opposition and should not be offended by it.

12.  Do you find it easy to make and keep friends? Your circle of loyal friends in an index of the quality and extent of your leadership.

13.  Are you unduly dependent on the praise or approval of others? Can you hold a steady course in the face of disapproval and even temporary loss of confidence?

14.  Are you at ease in the presence of your superiors or strangers?

15.  Do your subordinates appear at ease in your presence? A leader should give the impression of sympathetic understanding and friendliness that will put others at ease.

16.  Are you really interested in people?  In people of all types and all races? Or do you entertain respects of persons? Is there a hidden racial prejudice? An antisocial person is unlikely to make a good leader.

17.  Do you possess tact? Can you anticipate the likely effect of a statement before you make it?

18.  Do you nurse resentments, or do you really forgive injuries done to you?

19.  Are you reasonably optimistic? Pessimism is no asset to a leader.

20.  Are you in the grip of a master passion such as that of Paul, who said, “This one thing I do? Such a singleness of motive will focus all one’s energies and powers on the desired objective. Do you welcome responsibility?

QUALITIES ESSENTIAL TO LEADERSHIP

When Jesus was preparing His disciples for their future role, He displayed a superb training method. He taught them by example as well as by precept, and His teaching was incidental rather than formal. He arranged retreats for special instruction, but in the main their characters were developed in the highways of life rather than in isolation. Their experiences in daily life afforded the opportunity of inculcating spiritual principles and values. He employed the internship method (e.g., Lk. 10:17-24; Mk.9:14-29). 

In preparing a man for leadership, God always has in view the sphere of service to which He purposes to call him. He is able therefore to adapt the means to the end and endow him with gifts of nature and grace that will best fit him to fulfill his commission. Here are general qualities that go to make a man a spiritual leader and that require to be continually developed by the possessor.

 Discipline; Vision; Wisdom; Decision; Courage; Humility; Integrity and sincerity; Humor; Anger; Patience; Friendship; Tact and diplomacy; Inspirational power; Executive ability; Therapy of listening and Art of letter writing.  Paul summarizes the qualities “An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle; non-contentious, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household,   how will he take care of the church of God?); and not a new a convert, lest he become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil (1Tim. 3:2-7).

CONCLUSION

“For not from the east, not from the west, not from the desert comes exaltation; but God is the Judge; He puts down one, and exalts another” (Ps. 75:6-7). Let me conclude in the words of George Liddell:

Give me a man of God-One man,

Whose faith is master if his mind,

And I will right the wrongs,

And bless the name of all mankind.

Give me a man of God-One man,

Whose tongue is touched with heaven’s fire?

And I will flame the darkest hearts,

With high resolve and clean desire.

Give me a man of God-One man,

One mighty prophet of the Lord,

And I will give you peace on earth,

Bought with a prayer and not a sword.

Give me a man of God-One man,

True to the vision that he sees,

And I will build your broken shrines,

And bring the nations to their knees.

Beloved, the Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim, Lagos Province is in search of a leader-a man of God-one man. The big question is “Are you that man of God?”