Everlasting Gospel
First lesson: 2 Timothy 4: 1 - 2
"I charge you therefore before God. and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing in his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.”
Second lesson: Galatians 6: 1
"Brethren, if a man be over-taken in a fault, ye, which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."
Golden Text: 2nd Timothy 2:24 -25
"And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient; In meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth."
The above lessons exemplify the functions of a missionary. Missionaries are not people who entangle themselves in domestic affairs, and indulge in cooking and eating food. That is why they must come here to be trained on evangelical work and the art of converting sinners and winning souls for Christ. Our lessons emphasize that all missionaries must of necessity preach the word of God under any condition. It is not a common place to use the name of God and Christ to charge one to accomplish an assignment. You are exhorted to preach the word of God whether in distress, sickness or poverty.
5.1 Essence of preaching
It is not enough for you to build a house for the Father or donate a car or money in aid of missionary work. Who will preach and reveal God to people? It does not end in going to tell people that God is here on earth and after giving them prayers and visions you depart. Who will teach them to know God? Missionaries should not condemn people, get easily offended or grudge over wrong deeds of others.
You are charged to “preach the word; be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and, doctrine”. Anywhere you go, stay with them and teach them and point out their mistakes. Carry out the assignment with love, patience and humility otherwise, you are not a good missionary. All missionaries are enjoined to come here to learn and know what to teach and how to do it. A good missionary is not angry or easily upset and does not overlook sins or condemn people. In addition to outdoor preaching, go from house to house, exhorting and correcting offenders. As a good father, mother and brother, you should not be angry or beat up people, but stay with your congregation in a humble and smiling way. They may not regard their actions as inimical, therefore, you must bear with them. If a person steals, fornicates or commits any other sin, do not condemn or disgrace the one, but use a meek spirit to restore him back to God. Meet people in the churches, offices, homes, farms and markets and teach them in humility, and correct them in love. Even while walking on the road preach the gospel to people because this is the work of a missionary. You should not leave the word of God at any time. Prayers, testimonies and songs are words of God. Use the word of God to preach and advise people. If you see a person offering sacrifices to idols, inform him that there is no idol, likewise, show a drunkard the dangers of drinking. If you see harlots, whether male or female, rebuke them and advise them to have their own husbands or wives. Even if your wife or husband is a whore, do not forsake him or her as Satan. If a person has no love and is not gentle, how can he be a missionary?
Many businessmen touch the Bible only on Sundays. Why not preach in your work place? If you see two people fighting on the road, correct them. If you see a rogue, plead with him to steal no more for stealing is not good. If you see people fearing that they are bewitched, explain to them that witchcraft does not exist. A missionary speaks the word of God and not vain words. A missionary teaches the people the ways of God. He is God's witness.
First lesson: 2 Timothy 4:1-2
"I charge you therefore before God. and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing in his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine."
5.2 Diligence in business while preaching
You are given the oath of office in the name of God and Christ to preach the word of God always. This is the problem in Brotherhood because if you do not preach the gospel, you are in trouble. Your prosperity lies in preaching the word of God. tf your business is deteriorating, it means that you have not preached the gospel. If you forsake preaching to engage in farming or trading you are in trouble because you are under oath to preach.
In the office, since there are sinners there, preach to them equally, preach to your relations at home, preach in the school or farm where you are working. Preaching does not stop you from marrying.
It is said that a person may be imprisoned but not the word of God. If you are in prison, preach the word of God to the prison inmates and warders. The first assignment of people in this kingdom is to know that they have sworn to preach always and use long suffering to correct people.
5.3 Power in the word of God
The hall is empty now but in future it will not accommodate people. In the past, preaching was done only on Sundays, but it is now done daily. You are witnesses how we use meekness, love, gentleness and long suffering to tolerate you. You come here with the belief that you are bewitched, sick and lonely, but we reprove you with the word of God without any rancour. When you confess that you have committed fornication and that you have court cases we use the word of God to correct and liberate you. Your work is to correct sinners and not to disgrace them.
The Jews tempted Christ to know whether it was lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not. Christ took the tribute money and asked them whose image and inscription were thereon. They answered that it was Caesar's. He told them to render unto Caesar the things which are Casesar's and unto God the things that are God's. You are to be careful about the statements you make. It is not good for many to be teachers because their judgment is greater. All churches are bad because of false teachings. They advise their followers to drink medicine when they are ill. People do not know that if you divorce your wife and marry another one, that you have committed adultery, and anyone who marries the divorced one also commits adultery. If you marry a person who is already married to one or more wives, you commit adultery. People do not know that making concoctions and consulting a necromancer is bad. The book of Exodus, chapter twenty warns that you should not have any other gods before God Almighty and that you should not bow down to them nor serve them. Why do you say that you are a missionary but do not come here with your note books and pens to record from the horse's mouth before you go out to impart what you have learnt to others? In the carnal schools, students are taught different subjects like English Language, Mathematics, History, etc. Likewise here, missionaries are taught all subjects. In future, only graduates of this institution will be certified to go and teach others for this is the assignment of the new world.
The international Leader's Representative and Chairman, International Missionary Fellowship, Pastor (now Bishop) A.suquo Ekanem said that when missionaries visit overseas countries and stay for only two weeks, the sheep they gathered would disperse after their departure. Therefore, if you do not have fare to go back to revive them it is of no use. However, what is impossible with men is possible with God. After Paul and Barnabas had completed their first missionary journey, they decided to revisit the brethren. Barnabas decided to take with them John Mark, but Paul refused because he left them during the first missionary journey. The contention was so sharp between them, that they separated, Barnabas took John Mark and sailed to Cyprus while Paul chose Silas as his companion and went on a different direction. You may go to a place and preach till the necromancers forsake their practices. But after your departure another person can go and convince them to resume their practices. Since you do not revisit them for revival, they are led astray. When you preach about Brotherhood to people, the anti-Christ’s are listening. Immediately you depart they step in to turn your converts away from the truth. They may be so biased that they fail to greet you when they meet you on the road.
5.4 Full-time Missionaries/Crusaders
The duties of a missionary require full-time workers. When I was trading, before I returned from the market the sheep had scattered. At the fullness of time I forsook trading and settled down to do full-time work. No one will perish except the son of perdition. If you have no love, patience, and knowledge of the gospel, you cannot do the work.
It is a pity to note that graduates, professors and school certificate holders come here without writing materials. If you do not take down notes what will you teach others outside? The Father who knows everything had foreseen such lapses on your part and therefore causes all the gospels to be documented. They are found in the book-shop and cannot be exhausted till eternity. Money, food, cloth, shoes, cars, houses are earthly messengers ministering to the flesh, but the real work of Brotherhood of the Cross of Star is preaching the word of God. It is said: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent?"
This shows that preaching is the most important assignment. The gift of preaching is not given to everybody. So, if you are not gifted, you cannot preach. The spirit is one but the gifts are different. The vineyard is large enough to accommodate all the different gifts of God. Till today, many people do not know that taking snuff is sinful. They do not know that a building is not a church, because man is the church, kingdom and vineyard of God. Therefore, you are to go and reveal this truth to the world. Those of you who are lucky to be here are charged to go and preach always with patience and convince people of their sins. Peter was an illiterate fisherman, yet he witnessed boldly for Christ. The witnessing ministry is greater than academic qualification. If you go to a station and see abominable things,. do not abuse them but correct them with love and humility.
Second lesson: Galatians 6: 1
"Brethren, if a man be over-taken in a fault, ye, which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."
This is the assignment of Brotherhood. Members of the Roman Catholic Church, Presbyterian, Moslem, Secret Societies and the entire world wallow in sin. It is your place to go with meekness to correct them. If they burn candles, incense, play band, use talisman and amulet, whatever they do, do not be angry with them. Go into their midst and correct them.
5.5 Associate with others
If you do not enter into the society, how can you change it? If you meet native doctors, necromancers and sorcerers, do not forsake them. but go near and correct them. When the Father sends out people He goes before them. If you meet a native doctor, do not abuse him because God will reveal His glory in him. His child may fall sick and his juju will not be able to save him. If you pray for the child and he becomes well, he will forsake his juju and follow God. Do not condemn a prostitute, but get near and correct him/her. That was why Paul worked more than others. For the Jew, he became a Jew that he might gain the Jews. To the harlots and Gentiles, he became these people so as to save them. You are not doing the work of God if you forsake them. He did not go to a necromancer to obtain concoction but to convert him. He did not go to fornicate with the harlots, but to convert them. He did not go to the hotel to drink but to convert drunkards. That was why Christ went to preach and convert souls.
Now all the churches and organisations invite the Holy Father for launching. The Father accepts all the invitations, not because of launching, but to preach the gospel. Before the Father's envelop is given to them, there must be sermon first. This is the secret way to reach the world. In the Roman Catholic Church, women are not allowed to preach. But when a sister is sent there, before she delivers the envelop, she preaches in the presence of the Reverend fathers. Women are not permitted to enter mosques, but we send sisters who enter there and preach before delivering the Father's envelope. When the Father is invited by Obon, Ekpo, Ekpe and other masquerades, He attends their functions to preach the gospel, although He is not a member of these societies. The Father's action illustrates the work of a real missionary.
If you criticise the churches, for burning candles and playing band, you are not a true missionary. It is said, "When you see a brother in a fault, you who are Brotherhood, use love and meekness to restore him and be careful to avoid temptation”. If a Brotherhood member backslides, go and bring him back to the fold.
During this missionary week, there should be elaborate publicity and house to house ministry. Before the adult education programme was accepted, there was wide publicity and mass education by the government. If the government would undertake such campaign, that of God should be more grandiose.
At the beginning, there were only two ordained sisters, four pastors and a few deaconesses. Now there are thousands of these ranks. The deaconesses, for instance, advertise themselves and every sister longs to be a deaconess. Likewise, the missionaries should magnify their office to entice others. Brotherhood does not come to congregate indoors. You must spread to all churches, government establishments, firms and into all nooks and corners. Brotherhood was very insignificant in 1957, but now it has spread to all parts of the world.
I told you that we used to cook all types of dishes and buy drinks. Members used to wear earrings and neck-laces to the service. But one day, we collected all of them into one box which I showed unto you. In 1964, we killed seven cows during the Pentecostal assembly and ate them. But now we do not eat meat and fish. We celebrated a feast and invited the whole world, but they did not honour the invitation except one person. Therefore, we ate our feast. This shows the work of a good missionary. In your own case you complain that a song or prayer is too long. You do not even go on ministry work. What then will you use to attract people? The Missionary Week will be celebrated world-wide. During such times, all choristers in other churches all over the world should be invited because they are all missionaries.
Golden text: 2 Timothy 2 : 24 25
"And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient. In meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth."
A true missionary attends all fellowship meetings so as to reprove and win them back to the path of rectitude. A missionary must not strife, but must be patient, and apt to teach even under any provocation. That is why it is said that the Father will provide the lamb for sacrifice because no one can bluff God.
5.6 Noble profession
People pray for money and children but not to be true missionaries. The greatest work is the missionary work. A missionary has to be gentle and loving person who uses the spirit of meekness to stay with people. People hear that we have missionaries but they have not seen them. If we visit any station and exhibit all the virtues of God toward them, they will be convinced, and turn to God. Missionaries seek the lost sheep and do move from bethel to bethel. They investigate why a person has backslided and do everything to reinstate him. There is no work as good as this. They should visit "countries, towns, communities, churches or fellowships and identify themselves as ambassadors of God. If you do not exhibit the virtues of love, no one will follow you. The Father sends food items to the orphanage, hospitals and prison yards. That is why membership in Brotherhood is surging high. The Father does not sleep but labours day and night for the welfare of the sheep.
If you cannot travel to America, does it mean that you cannot work locally? A missionary is a person who does not strife but reproves a sinner with meekness, peradventure. God will change him because if God does not change a person, he cannot change by himself. During the Women's Fellowship and Father's Day meeting, gifts are always distributed to people in the town. The missionaries should do likewise for identification. A good missionary should be able to mix with people so as to win them for Christ. He can buy drinks for people to enable him win them. When the bush is cleared, leave it for God to set the fire. If you hear about an evil doer, visit him and change him. Recall when Christ passed through Jericho, Zacchaeous, a chief Publican sought to see who he was. He ran before, and climbed a sycamore tree because he was short. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him and said unto him: "Zacchaeous make haste and come down; for today I must abide in your house." He joyfully came down and received him. He confessed his sins immediately and repented. Anybody who does a good thing must do so openly and not in darkness.
A spiritual song says that there is something more than gold. This is true. Money, children and houses are not the only necessities in life. The gold referred to is the spirit of love, meekness, gentleness and peace used in converting sinners. Missionaries should visit healing homes to preach and console the sick. You cannot do this work if you are not patient, meek and gentle. Anywhere you go, listen to people's complaints and know how to give seasoned answers. Stay and relate amicably even at home to show love, patience and meekness. The work of a missionary is to wash one another's feet. Tolerate people and use gentle spirit to restore the lost sheep.
5.7 Father's example
If you want to be a true missionary you must receive training from the Father, observe His life-style, and go back to do exactly. There was trouble at Kano bethel which could not be resolved. I sent Christ Witness Ime Akpakpan who is a true missionary and he successfully resolved that conflict. There was no Brotherhood in Biakpan until I sent him there in 1985. Now the work is progressing. You do not want to learn how to be a true missionary. It does not consist of preaching, seeing vision, singing or extracting charms from people. What is more than these, is the use of the spirit of meekness and love to convince people of their sins.
It is difficult to learn when you are old. If a person is a rogue, then you appoint him a chairman, you are encouraging him to repent. This is the method I use in selecting Leader's Representatives. You argue that the nominees are not good because you do not know the motive behind the selection. This week is set aside to teach you how to perform the missionary assignment. Our requirement is not only money. If you abide by the instructions I give, it will be better than the seeing of visions or extracting charms.
It is said that a stroke of the cane is sufficient unto the wise. Those who have ears, let them hear. May God bless His holy words; Amen.
THANK YOU FATHER