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You are about to listen to a sermon from Reverend Dr. Albert Adi. Now, the word of God.

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Theme for the session now is the work of a church leader. And when we say church leader, a church leader also becomes a corporate leader. Because wherever you are, if your leadership abilities are developed, it's it shows. Is that okay? And the first scripture is from the book of Acts, chapter 20, verse 28. And it says that therefore take heed to yourself. Another word for this is that pay attention to yourself and to all the flock. So the first person you pay attention to is you. And many times the work is done a certain way because of the leader. It's not even because of the people who you are leading. The problem is the leader. You know, these meetings we've not had. Oh, initially it was like, oh, when you call them, maybe they are busy, they will not come, they will not stay. But when we decided to do it, you are here. It's almost like the whole church is still here now, as we are talking. Almost like the whole church are volunteers. So the first person that you must pay attention to is yourself. Take heed to yourself and to the flock. The first thing that must be aligned in your life is what we call self-leader leadership. And the most difficult person to lead is yourself, true of us. How many people have had to lead yourself to do something good? And it's it was difficult to do it. Like you had to pray. But you've not been able to lead yourself to pray the whole week. Let me see. Like you know important, like there are important things I must do, but you've not done them. Sometimes maybe to wash. The things are dirty and they are dead. It's full. But you've not been able to lead yourself to do something that will benefit you. So you can appreciate the difficulty that now comes when you have to lead another person. Because even with you, when you have to do things that you think are right, it's not easy. So the first person to pay attention to is yourself. And then now to the flock. So leadership starts with self. If you don't perfect self-leadership, you struggle to lead people. And for many departmental leads and people we've put in charge of things, the reason why they are not effective is that first they are not effective leading themselves. They cannot lead themselves to go to a reading room. So they are there, they know they have to read, but the day will pass and they've not read because they've not been able to do the difficult thing of leaving their room, taking the book, going to the reading room and read. Hallelujah. So first pay attention to yourself and onto the floor. Among which the Holy Spirit has made the overseers. You see, Paul was writing to these people, but he's saying that although you were appointed or you were invited by a man, it was the Holy Spirit that made you an overseer. And you don't realize that that people who have left, somehow you have stayed because there was a working in your heart. There was a staring. And Paul is saying that staring is the staring by the Spirit. And say it is the Holy Spirit that makes overseers, that makes leaders. To shepherd the church of God. When we say shepherd, is to do the work of a shepherd or to take care of another person. And somewhere in your life and in your development, you have to become conscious of taking care, whether of children like Ella and Dede and Co are doing, or take care of adults. And it's not only preaching to them because I'll now come to the work of a church leader, what you are supposed to do. Which he purchased with his own blood. See, the people who we are gathered here for, someone paid with his blood for them. They are so dear to him that what we are doing now is not a waste of our time. We cannot give our time to them, but someone gave his blood, someone gave his life. There should be something he knows about the people that we don't know. And that's why we all act busy. We act like, oh, we have important things to do. We have to go to our room. It's because we don't realize that someone gave his blood. We cannot give our time. There should be something that he knows about leading people, investing in people, doing something for the church and the body of Christ that we may not be appreciating. Because if someone was willing to give a million for this phone, it means he knows the value of the phone that maybe me who they are asking to give T C D and I'm struggling to give, don't know. Because we are asking, we are being asked to give our TNCDs to something someone else gave a million to. And I want to let you know that anything you step to do for the church, any time you have given, it is not a waste of your time. Because someone who is wiser than you gave his life. Someone who is way wiser than you gave his blood. And there was something he knew about the church and the people, the flock, that made it worthy of his blood. And you see, that's the this is the scripture that changed my service to God. Because I realized that whatever Christ knew about the flock that necessitated his life and his blood is worthy of it. So whatever you've had to do or whatever is required for me, it is not a high price. And it is not a price you cannot pay. A hallelujah. And the second thing I want you to know is that leadership is like a moving part, a moving car. For a car to move, there are covered parts of the car and there are visible parts of the car. Right? And for any car to function, there must be functioning parts which are also connected to each other. So the battery must be functioning, the carburetor must be functioning, the piston must be functioning, the tires must be functioning. Many things have to be functioning. But many of those things are covered. So when you see a car moving, there are many connections that are working, working perfectly that you are not seeing. And if only one part is not working, the whole car stops. There was a time I was parking my car, I wasn't coming, there was a battery problem. Then later, there was another day that my car was not sparking because the mechanic told me it was a battery. I thought it was still a battery. But this time around, it was not battery, it was a connection in the engine. Now another time the car was not. So you realize that anytime a church is not working or a people are not being fruitful, there is a part not working. And there are many people we've put in charge of departments and realize that if prayer department is not working, it can sabotage the church. So that even if media is working, drama is working, the word is good, worship is working, because one part is not working, it sabotages everything. Sometimes outreach is not working, or it's not working well. Sometimes you see, maybe the battery is there, but it's not strong. So you realize that it affects the car, it ejects on the road. And if if the part you play in the church is that important, then you realize that your actions and inactions affects whether the church grows or not, or whether what you are doing works or not. So every department we have here, every volunteer who is sitting here, something you have decided not to do can sabotage what we are doing here. And it is the same about the human body. If your heart has a little problem, you stop, but you realize that sometimes malaria is not the heart, it's just a little infection that has entered the blood. How many people have had malaria before? You are having headaches, you are vomiting, your body is aching, you don't even know what to do with yourself. So understand that little parts affect the whole. So if you have been put in charge of anything, you have to be diligent. Because sometimes you don't even know how crucial what you are doing is to the church. I remember some of the sermons Mr. Nyan and his family saw where our very old sermons we recorded with phones. So if the one who recorded a sermon with a phone hadn't done it, how would they have seen it? And there are many other people who have come to church now because someone did his work. Sometimes it's the ushering, sometimes it's the visitation. Now we've done what we call telepathic. It's not we had call center, but now it's not call center anymore. It is telepathing. Why? People are now 80% on their phones. Those days we have clubhouse and social centers and people are out, but now everybody is on their phone. So the way to reach them is to reach them through their phones. So any leader who will be effective or do well will need to find a way of reaching the people through their devices because the people are always on their devices. Is that okay? So the call center is not just an innovation by the church, it is for every department. So now we've changed the name from Edify Call Center. We used to have people who, you know, manage, but now it is telepastoring. And there are people here. You can't preach, you can't sing, you can't um play keyboard or what, but you can call someone for the church, like a member who has not been coming. Hello, my name is Kwatima. I'm calling from the Edify Church. Um, I'm calling on instructions from Pastor Albert, and we just want to follow up on you to find out how you are doing. Are there any issues? Then you pray because now Akosi has to train all the telly pastors so that someone now comes to church, not because Pastor Albert's sermon is powerful, but because Kuatima called. So you now realize that we're not calling, can be sabotaging the work because people come to church and we lose them. We don't even know nobody follows up on them, nobody is interested in them, nobody. There are people who stayed in the church because they said, Oh, after church, pastor came to me personally. He was so warm, he was so kind, he was interested in me, he wanted to know me. Do you get what I'm saying? So there are very little things that can affect the working of the department or the church. Please, I hope we are getting it. So um every leader here, if you are head of a department, every Sunday you must meet your people. Because the whole week we don't meet the people. Or every time the church meets on a Wednesday, on a Sunday, anytime you have an opportunity to see the people, you must meet them. You must plan. You must first plan, you must execute, you must debrief. Debriefing means that after church service, the technical team at the back have to sit down and look at how service went and look at the things that didn't go well and must plan that during midweek, this is what we'll correct. Did it go well? The choir must debrief. The songs we sang, how did they go? How did the audience go? We must debrief with the media team that when the songs were going there, projections didn't come early. So the next time, what do we do to make sure the projections come early? People must be interested in their linkages. How you see the choir came on stage. But some also's work has to be done well for people to follow the songs. Because you realize that people sing along when the songs are projected. Sometimes we are on the third stanza and the thing hasn't changed. Or I'm preaching and with I want a scripture, the next verse, it hasn't come. And you realize that the preaching can like the flow can be cut. So the work I do is dependent on the work Ferdinand does, and it's dependent on the work Sam does, and it's dependent on the work the media team does. So a good leader would have to meet his people. There are many of you on this platform. Your WhatsApp uh platforms are like cemeteries and you are the problem. You the leader, you are the problem. Because you see, if the leader doesn't rise up and do anything, the people don't do anything. And whole departments have virtually died off because there are leaders who are sleeping on the job. Amen. Yes. Some of you are in this meeting because I asked you to wait for me after church. True or false. If the leader doesn't say it would have been in your room. So anytime you don't ask, the people don't act. And that departments that would have done well and would have done better, if the leaders engage the people. And first, the first way of engaging someone is face to face, right? So that's why Sundays are crucial days for leaders. You can't be a leader Sunday after church. No, you've taken your bag and you have run away. This is the only day you get to see people face to face. The people who are in your team that when you put messages, they don't reply. You have to confront them. Say, ah, you have put a message on the page, you don't read messages. There must be fights. Hallelujah. Face to face. You have to meet them. Please, I want you to do this for me this week. I want you to do that for me this week. And I'm saying it's just because of the work. It's not because I have any personal issue with you. No. So a leader would have to maximize the meeting days of the church and the people you work with. There are people on your platform. You've never seen them face to face before. So meet them on Sundays, plan, execute, and debrief. And you realize that for any organization that works, the banks are here. There are teams meetings every day. Ella, there are wardrounds every day for the doctors here. You cannot do a work that you don't meet. There are no meetings, there are no discussions about patients and care and about how we serve our customers in the bank and the thing works. But you want to do God's work like that. We've put you in charge of a department the whole three months of this year. You have never met your people. How? You must meet them in person after church. This is not a time to socialize. This is a time to mobilize your people. We are meeting after church. What do we do to improve the work? At least Monday, Wednesday, Wednesday after midweek, this is not a time to meet all your friends who've not seen before. You have been given a work to do. And the work cannot die in your hands. You must be active as the leader. You must be aware. There must be messages on the platform. Because whenever there are no messages, the work is not done. It's because of the work that has become world like this. Your leaders must be, they must be effective. Because prayer department, if you don't mobilize your people, someone say they've joined the prayer team. They've never joined a prayer meeting. Sundays attempt to work, say, ah Lord, you are in the prayer meeting. We've not joined any prayer meeting. This week I want you to join. That's how it works. So you realize that some days are working days for leaders. Oh, has the name vanished from my mind? Else Marie. I met her after I said we need uh uh dear God. Ask her. I told her, I said, hey, we need dear God because this is the time I've seen her. So as the pastor, if we are not doing dear God, I've seen her and just say, hey, we need dear God. Is that okay? Uh you got uh the the point I'm trying to make. I've seen uh Mr. Nyan. I said today after church, I I called you last night or the the night before. I said, listen, today after church, when we meet, meet this person, I called our coach around 11 p.m. after church. I said, if you are a leader and you are sleeping on the job, you have something to do, then you forget. Ah, then you no, you don't do the work of God like that. You must be active, mobilize the people you've been given. And if you do that, the the number increases. Sunday you must be talking to people to join your department. It's not a time to socialize. If you are the music director, Sunday you are looking for people who can sing. You are music director, but you are interested in first timers. Why? Some of them can sing, so you can, which of you can sing here? Hey, come and join us. Which of you can act? Which of you can do spoken word? You don't sit now and you say the department is not growing. You, the leader, you are the problem. Any department which is not is the leader's problem. It's the leader's fault. If this church is not growing, it is my it is my fault. Because this thing that we are doing that we should have been doing long ago. Some of it, you see, everything will rise and fall on the leader. And you see, if you are a leader of a department, you are not supposed to be the one doing the work. You are supposed to mobilize others. So if you are the leader for outreach, it is not for only you to go for, it's for you to mobilize people to go for outreach. Hey, hallelujah. If you are the leader of the choir, it's to get more people who can sing. There are choirs that are bigger than our church. So the number we have in the choir is not enough. Every day we must recruit. We must find how do we get more people to join the choir. So when you see faces you don't know, you walk to them as the MDS. Oh, can you sing? Because that's what you are interested in. Ushering team must be interested in recruiting more ushers. The team at the back, you have to get more people and train them. Is that okay? You have to get more people, train them. You have to always be interested and train them. Behind the door, there must be training. Today I sent a message to some. I said Sunday is not the day to train. It should have been Sunday is the day to execute. So we bring our A game on Sunday because I realize that sometimes they say uh the song is being sung and the thing has not come. Do you understand? I have no personal issues against what they are doing, but you must plan in such a way that on Sunday we bring our A game because we have visitors among us. People who can just look at what we are doing and fall in love with it. And it's the leader's job to make sure we mobilize for the work. A hallelujah. Ezekiel chapter 34, verse 2. Ezekiel 34 verse 2. It says, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel and say to them, that says the Lord God to the shepherds. Woe to the shepherds who feed themselves. You see, there are many leaders who are only thinking about themselves, their education, their career, their job. Oh, I have a group study, or I have online class, I have this, I have this. It's always about you. You are never thinking about the flock. And God says that Ezekiel prophesy to the leaders of my people. Because the shepherds were the leaders of God's people. And some of us are here. It's always, oh, I have this lecture, I have that lecture, and I have this, and I have to be here, and I have to be there. And this is the problem that God had with the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves. It's always about what I can eat, what I can do. There is a whole family here. The nuns are here. The two kids are here. You can see one is crying, but they are here. You know what I'm saying? It is first a willingness to work for God. The others can solve themselves. If the willingness is there, the others will solve themselves. The first problem is the willingness of the leader first, who is not just thinking about himself. Monday you have thought about yourself. Tuesday you have thought about yourself. Wednesday, you have thought about yourself. So when are you going to think about the flock and the people who we've given you? Some of you we've given 15 people to you in the department. You've not mobilized them. I told us now this week. Don't send WhatsApp messages to anybody. Call them over phone. Meet them in person. Because when you send WhatsApp messages, it's in personal. The leader must wake up. How many people and me, I do this. When I go on the church page, I just go leaders page. If there's a contact there, I don't know. I just text the person. Oh, hello, this Pastor Albus. I would like to. How many people have had me do that? If I know you already, but the new people, if I see someone has joined and I, every new person who has come to church today, I have their number. I told them, text me, this is my phone number. How are you a leader and you are not interested in new people? How? Who feed them? Should not the shepherds feed the flock? Should you a leader not be interested in the flock? Should you not be interested in other people to the extent that now I tell Ferdinand to come and tell people to not talk to themselves? Are we not shy as leaders that after church, hey, hey, Acosta and Gideon, they've not seen each other for a long while. Then they are together. Hey, bestie. And there are people who are there who we don't know who could have joined your department. I just call their name because they won't be offended. Some of you are use you right now as an example, you'll be offended. You never come to church. You know. And they say you eat the fat and clothe yourself with wool. Is it not okay thinking about yourself all the time? You are in wool. You slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. Every time you are looking out for yourself, my education, my marriage, my kids. You know, the way you are behaving when you now have kids, it will not be about the kids. And because of my kids, we can't come to church. Because of this, we can't do this. Because of that, we can't. There will always be excuses. And he says that the weak you have not strengthened. There are people who are weak here, there are people who are sick. You see, it is through conversations that I realize that some of your parents are not well and have offered to take care of them. If I've not had conversations with them, I will not know. Some of you who have treated is because I spoke to you. So Pastor, I was not well. So what's wrong? See, Pastor uh Pastor Bright. Um, the new game students who have come to church. I introduced all of them to Pastor. right already i say he's the director for the medical school health services get his number i've introduced them to ferdinard because that's what the church can offer please do go on i'm saying there are weak people among us and he says that the leader's job is to strengthen the weak there are people going through things that you the leader when you come and put on the page it is time for rehearsal that one day as a pastor this changed my life there was a time when we're very small about four or five people or sometimes they will now new people come four or five to church then there was this guy who didn't come to church that was on him I didn't know his mother has died you see if you had known you realize that you would have even offered support you would have been you see the flock the the the shepherd who doesn't know his people who doesn't talk to his people who doesn't interact with his people who don't know that there are things that they need help with they have not the weak you have not strengthened nor have you healed those who were sick it means that there are people who have problems whose problems you must solve as the leader and sometimes it doesn't take much to solve people's problems sometimes it's not even money that solves problems it's just encouragement you're just saying this oh it is well I'm praying with you or you even pray for the person if you are a departmental lead you must talk to your people Gideon you must mobilize people for the bus there by now you should have built a team you see someone who is walking around the church they don't seem to do you want to join the bass and team you have to do it so that you can help bring people to church. It is because you know that the work I'm doing is so critical in bringing people that I cannot do it alone. We need more people to mobilize people on Sundays and bring them to church nor brought back what was driven away. There are people who have been driven away from church they've come but we don't see them around again and they are in departments their departmentalists haven't visited them since they stopped coming to church how how is me head pastor now the one asking where is this person but that person is a member of a department and that departmental doesn't even know that person is in their department. Someone said I joined a department three years ago but the departmental head doesn't know that there is someone on the page for three years. Hallelujah the way the place is like it's like hey if I drop a pin no have you brought back that which was driven that people who are not among us who you must bring back there are people who come and tell me oh Pastor this person has a problem with their church or has a problem with you. You see there is no way we can do church without offense. Bible said offenses will surely come there is something I will say there is something someone will say there is something someone will do. There are different things that bring offense. There was even birthday someone said me I didn't share their flyer on their birthday but others they mean the people I like if there are people who I send their flyer so the person was offensive and stopped coming to church. And it was someone among us who now spoke to the person the person finally said oh that your pastor doesn't think about us it's only his favorites if it's the day's birthday you say oh a queen was born today but we there we are not queens something like this can be the reason why someone doesn't come to church and you the department that's why everyone should be in a department so that you are so alert you realize that this Sunday the person is not here next Sunday the person is not here you should have picked it up not even me you should be the one telling me that this person hasn't been around if you are a departmental lead when we close here go to your the your departmental page we share this flyer on the uh what's the name the link for people to join department people join department and you have left them you have not mobilized them you've not equipped them you've not given them any responsibility you are sabotaging the department and there are car parts that must change or now is that you see there are times that you can repair parts and we are doing the repair now but very soon if you will not do the work who will replace you because there are departments that could have done better. You see when um what's the name let me not say it but I'm saying that the same work that's like it's not working when they you know one day the Holy Spirit says something to me maybe I'll say I'll say this to you you know that maybe a different pastor would have made the edified church different you know that if God has given this vision to someone else probably they would have worked harder they would have probably mobilized more they would have probably bought a land by now the Holy Spirit told me you have been too slow about this work. It is taking you too long at a point that God doesn't accept excuses again. Oh they are students have they complained with this second offering thing God told me about eight years ago I've not said they are students oh they don't have money sometimes it is the leader who is the problem not the people your excuses have become too many and he says that those you have not brought I've even jumped one those who are sick you did not help nor bound up the broken there are people who are broken among us it is the leader's job to bind the broken and help the people see many of you here there are things I've done for you that have made you committed to this vision i i i'll tell you for a fact it's not just the preaching I remember the day I went to Mr Nyan's home he was not home but he was he spoke about it I said hey this far place you came all the way so you can imagine if I never went do you get what I'm saying the wife I met him his parents the whole family that that the cry didn't know that little action would mean that much do you know what it will mean to your people if you visit them on a Monday morning or sorry Monday afternoon or evening so I've come to see you from the edified church a member of my department what do you think we can do to make the department better do you know how that department will change that things you've not bound the broken nor brought back what was driven away nor sought what was lost that people who we are losing every day in the church to offense to sin to whatever discouragement people have referred from from exams and they are discouraged and if you're not careful you will lose them and he says that not sought what that which was lost but with force and cruelty you have ruled them it is cruelty to rule the people without reaching out to them without taking knowing where they are oh hallelujah so he said so they were scattered because there was no shepherd there are departments and there are churches that although they are leaders it's as though there is no leader it says that so they were scattered what leads to scattering on the edified church page we are almost 500 on that page where are they if the leaders don't do the work visits the people you know bring back you know those who are lost you know bind the broken what ends up happening is that the people are scattered there are many church members everywhere but they cannot come together the reason why our Sunday service are called gathering services is that wherever the flock are we bring them together. That's why we call it gathering service and if you are a leader Saturdays are working days for you. Those are the days you call all your members you know where they are those are the days the MDU calls some these are the songs we are singing these are the lyrics so that when we are now singing and you don't project we can hold you up doing the briefing that we sent you the outline how come the outline didn't come early for the people to sing along a hallelujah I think today the first song the choir sang I mean I didn't know that song it would have made a difference if you was project I would have been singing along so I went to I said young man what project that in because now it was like they were singing and we're watching them. So the choir if you know you are coming to sing a new song make sure some projects it so that we don't you are not like performers we are you are supposed to lead us in worship. So generally sing common songs but if you want to sing a new one because it's powerful then now make sure you are teaching us or you are projecting it for us to follow did I shoot some fires I hope no one is offended. Oh by your ministrations were beautiful today but we must we must correct you hey if you the song the one who led it did an amazing job that's how it was it was a new song song no powerful song when I was hearing the song I like the lyrics but I said I don't know the next thing she's coming to say so I was standing there MG it's your job connect with another part make sure hallelujah it said they were scattered because there was no shepherd and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered there are people who have stopped coming to edify church they are now watching things on TikTok or strange doctrines that some of them are going to churches that they are doing all things because God destined for them to be here but because we didn't do our work we've lost them and now they have become what pray for the beast of the field I pray that we all wake up this is a wake up call if you are a leader that you must be active see if you are a leader and me I come and put a message on your page it's a disgrace to you then what are you doing there as a leader? If me I'll come and ask a question before you the department will now you should be active you should be active sometimes sometimes I even text you at the background to put a message like what does it take to mobilize the people sometimes you put a message and nobody will mind you. So you should have called the people hey that times I call the day I say I've put a message on the page go and comment that's what it takes to lead people and now you should know that people don't just respond. Hey hallelujah I call acosia and say acosia I've put a message for leaders and volunteers meeting today after church can you send a personal uh what's the name broadcast message to them too because I'm not leaving anything to chance as the leader. Please I hope we are getting me and this is what it takes to lead you see and in the corporate world you realize it to be able to do well and that's why many church people can't do well they think by being serious about their academics when they go into their corporate world they will do well but they don't realize that people are people everywhere it is difficult to lead people everywhere. You'll be a leader of a team your team members won't work when you put up a message they will not mind you you have to learn how to lead people and the first opportunity God has given you is this and some people run away from it hoping they'll become CEOs of companies when we give you the company you spoil the company because it's people everywhere this is how it is a hallelujah so the last thing I'll share now is the work of a church leader because many people don't know what the work of a church leader is as we've called you here the first work of a church leader is not giving uh lights in the room or recording with a video camera or the editing that Pastor Chris is doing. That's part of the work but the first work of the church leader is prayer is the work of prayer the book of Acts chapter 6 verse 1 it says that now in those days when the number of the disciples were multiplying there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists or the Greeks because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. In any group a problem always arises any group in the early church just after the resurrection Pentecost this what happened a problem came with growth with growth our problems this thing that we are doing now we are not able to take care of about 100 150 people if God makes us thousand how would you lead them you have a department of 15 people you have not led them you have not brought them you have not gathered them now if we are we have a thousand member church and we still make you the head of outreach how do you lead them we may have a thousand member church and we make you head of prayer band or we make you a the a church administrator that's 100 member church or 150 member church you've not been able to do the administration well or MD now you have 300 people who must come for rehearsals who you must teach songs you must call songs for who must lead so you realize that problems come with growth so in the early church there was a problem and he says that then the 12 summoned the 12 are the apostles they summoned the disciples and said it is not desirable that we leave the word of God and serve tables next one therefore brethren seek from among you seven men of good reputation full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom whom we may appoint over this business. A good leader knows how to delegate I delegate a lot there's a lot I'll call acosia I'll call Pastor Chris I'll call this person I'll call that person you must learn to use people in a department so what Pastor Chris is doing now he has put Gideon behind the camera. That's what I've I've always been insisting on so that we don't need Pastor Chris behind the camera all the time he can have his time doing his editing while someone else is doing that. Is that okay? So everybody who is a departmental lead now that people you must give jobs to and you must supervise them to do the work right because people don't do what you expect them to do. They do what they are supervised to do. When I was at church my house officer one of the no my residents my resident called me there was a patient who were managing for end stage heart failure patient's chest is you know is so flooded he's not breathing well he has kidney damage his heart is gone the liver has problems so we wrote medications for him and he got better on the first day second day I called I said hey is the kidney function ready is this ready is that ready so I was in church when he sent me so he's also at end stage kidney failure. Add that medication do a chest x-ready call the renal team so you realize that even in church I'm doing something I'm not you see the sense of responsibility even if I'm not there presently the work is being done because I'm supervising the one who has to do it is that okay so the disciples called seven men and appointed them over the business of serving tables. They didn't say that we will not serve tables again. They said serving tables is important but it's not good that we serve tables. So but we would give ourselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the word see the first work of a church leader or a volunteer is prayer because prayer makes you spiritual only spiritual people can do the work I'm talking about. And I realize that the more someone becomes spiritually mature the more they are willing to serve God. If you see inertia someone who is struggling to serve God they don't they've not met Jesus in the church the way to know how far people are from him is to see how willing people are to serve him. Because those who have truly gotten close to Jesus they want to serve his church. They are looking for something to do for him. So it is said that we would give ourselves to prayer prayer makes you a spiritual person. Meet anyone who is praying on the internet or who is joining some prayer group or say they are praying themselves who doesn't serve they are lying anyone who is saying they are spiritually mature who is not endeared towards the work of God is lying. In fact if you check the private life of those who don't serve they don't pray because prayer will move your heart towards the flock. So anyone who is so detached from the flock the problem see many leaders who are not effective when we take an audit of your prayer life you are not praying you meet any ineffective leader or volunteer anyone who is doing something in the church who is not up and active the first problem is the fact that they are not spiritual because spiritually makes you awake you are you are you are aware of your surroundings you are aware of the work you are aware of the flock you are always thinking about the church other things will drive you away so the first thing a uh a church leader or volunteer the first work is the work of prayer because prayer is work and if that work cannot be done all other works cannot be done all those who are doing the work in the flesh they give up quickly or they they become offended oh pastor didn't even recognize me I won't do it again. But you see when you are praying I'm not the one who you take instructions from you take instructions from Jesus because it's his church it's his people we are serving. So prayer is the first work and I want all of you here make time to pray Sunday when we meet department should pray you must lead your people to pray and that's why I thank God for the car because at times I see that they are doing fasting on the page at the Dara and code they are putting outline I've been seeing it because I'm on every page the telly the telepastoring department you must pray for the people you call and I said there should be a protocol for telepastoring before you call the people you must pray for them even if it's for 20 minutes 15 minutes prayer is the bedrock upon which the work of God is done and any Christian who is maturing in this area serves God. So those whose prayer lives are in tatters take an audit phase look at where the problems are see because there's always a problem when someone is not praying and if you can't take stock of where the yeah I always pray on my way to work yes because I realize I spend a lot of time in traffic so anytime I'm on my way to work I'm praying I'm normally playing a sermon and praying whilst listening yeah you must make time to pray and I have an alarm give a handsome make time for Jesus 7 p.m it's it comes on every 7 p.m so someone who wants to effectively do the work of God must give themselves to prayer. That's number one and the scripture is from Acts 6 verse 1 so they said they'll give themselves to prayer you know okay so acts 6 2 verse 4 we've read it James 5 verse 16 he says the effective fervent prayer of the righteous available then luke chapter 5 verse 16 Bible said that he himself withdrew into the wilderness and prayed this was the bedrock of Jesus's ministry. He prayed he prayed anyone who is not doing ministry is not praying because prayerlessness will take you away from the ministry. Any leader who has forgotten the work has forgotten his people is not praying because prayer will remind you I realize that normally when I call Pastor Chris and I call Anise and I call bright it's my prayer times that I'm remember I'm reminded I call acosia after the church prayer I was praying and I remembered something I call acosia immediately or sometimes I take a pen and I begin to make no anytime I start praying God reminds me of the church. God reminds me of a department God reminds me. So a liter's prayer life must be intact. If you are a church leader a church volunteer you must bring back the altar and you must put fire on it. How many people repair the altar you know the same altar the unbelievers use was the same altar Elijah repaired the Bible said he repaired the altar and then put a sacrifice on it and the fire came down fire doesn't come down if you don't repair the altar. I pray for you that you give yourselves to prayer oh hallelujah the ministry of the word the second thing the second responsibility for church leaders and pastors is visitation. Visitation that's your work you know I've not yet mentioned singing I've not yet mentioned preaching I've not yet mentioned recording video I've not yet mentioned playing the keyboard I'm saying your first role is to pray then the second role is to visit people that's a leader's job visit people in their rooms visit people on their job even visit people in church when you meet people meet them visiting is meeting people in the scripture we have is Jeremiah chapter 23 verse 2 and it says that therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed my people you have scattered my flock driven them away and have not visited them I like the version that says that you have not visited them lack of visitation scatters the flock if you are the leader you must visit the people if you don't visit them you scatter them. Stephen you must visit the choir especially the members of the choir they've joined the choir but we don't see them where are they visit them part of visitation is the telepastoring because there are people who are currently on vacation don't leave them because they come back from vacation and you still don't see them hallelujah they're on vacation our school has resumed but we still not see them because once they're on vacation nobody visited them see visitations are powerful things that change things you know when Jesus Christ visited the earth he changed the earth forever when Jesus Christ visited the home of Peter he said the mother in law was sick he healed the mother in law when Jesus Christ visited the home of Mary and Martha their brother was sick Bible said what he healed he raised Lazarus from the dead listen visitations are powerful things every leader must do. You can't go through the whole week without going through the people you are leading and calling them and reaching out to them going to their rooms where do you stay I remember I went to see Esther it was she was she didn't even know how come you know I'm not able to visit everybody but once in a while when it works sometimes I'm doing something in Mamprobi then I remember Esther says she lives there so let me pass there. If you are a leader you pass by our block there are your members in our block you never branch to see them and you go and visit your besties from Wesley girls God punish you for sabotaging the work do you get me you've gone to our block your there are people in your department in our block but you are just and gossiping with a friend in room one but room three has a member but you don't even know your member lives there hey and when you visit the people pray for them a hallelujah there is no visitation without you praying find out how the person is doing check up on them their academics their socialized you know you may not have figured out your own life but you can leave an investment of prayer a hallelujah when you visit someone he says that you have you have not you have scattered my people you see the first scripture we read was in Ezekiel and in Jeremiah God still had this problem with the shepherd I pray that you God will not have that problem with you hey you didn't say amen I said I pray that God will not have that problem with you he said you have scattered my flock driven them away and have not attended to them you have not paid attention to the flock you have not visited them and he said behold I will attend to you for the evil of your doing it's an evil thing I'm telling if you have been made a leader and you don't pay attention to the work you have been given is evil it's evil a hallelujah and then the next thing is counseling so it's P V C I counseling is feeding the flock when you visit the flock you must feed them feed them means that you must have a word and that's why you the leader you must always be in the scriptures you must always be reading something share oh when I was doing my morning devotion today and normally when I visit people I share my devotion with them sometimes I preach my devotions in church so you the leader must visit the people you know Acts 2020 says that how I kept nothing that was helpful but proclaimed it to you and taught you publicly and from house to house this is the apostle Paul talking and he's saying now listen I preach publicly and also in your homes I came there house to house if you are a leader here you must visit your people you must share the word of God with them. You must share an encouraging word especially you know um Stephen will not need to necessarily visit Dede as a member of the choir or the day does not necessarily have to visit let's say Kwaxima as a member right because somehow she is consistent. But you must now figure out which members of the choir don't we see regularly they are the ones that you visit so the ushering team look through the list look at the ones who come to church and this will be there. There is no need to now come and focus on Anise although anything also and you know some of you that don't visit and all that because somehow I know you are okay or you are not okay. I now have to spend my time on people who I feel are not consistent Martin I'll not go and waste my it's a waste of my time because I know when he's in school you'll be in church do you get me? If he's here part there you'll be in church I don't have to now go and be spending time on Fed in all Pastor Bright now I've come to visit you how I still counsel them all the time I said Pastor Bright yesterday I say marry say fine let's find a woman yeah I've been telling the Pastor Chris I still I still visit them I'm talking in terms of visitations because people are not around but all the time I talk to them yeah I call last I say hey give me updates you cannot just be moving around like we are just here you must marry you say give me updates has the man come or is coming or sonny and gideon and it will be your 10th soon you must marry a niece you have not been have not been a niece you promised me two years ago you bring someone it's been two years you've not brought you've not brought anyone a niece it's an evil thing to promise your pastor and not keep your word hallelujah oh still on visitation Matthew 25 verse 36 it says I was naked and you clothed me I was sick and you visited me leaders must visit how many people are going to visit this week let me see your hand hey no you must be quick about this thing visit this week leon your hands are not up you're not you're not visiting anyone this week how many people visit I want to see your hands up hey sonny visit someone it's not like Martin no the the other Martin man this Martin there Martin you must visit he said I was sick and you visited me I was in prison and you came to me you see it is evil when you don't visit people because sometimes you don't know what they are going through you see so visitation is a core part of our way then when you visit counseling when we say counseling counseling is giving advice Bible saying the multitude of counselors is safety right counseling means that you can say something about the person's academics immediately we got new first time is I said ah do you know bright that's the first thing I asked them he said they don't you don't know said bright he's bright you know because he's teaching people he's teaching game class he has all these notes so I'm thinking about the flock I've met them today you know I said you have to meet Sebright say come come give them your number let them see you in your office tomorrow you must counsel the flock you must advise them counseling part of it is teaching them because the apostle said we'll give ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word and then the last one is interaction interaction which is building relationships with the flock every almost everybody have your phone number how are you a leader you don't have people's numbers you are here now there are people you know by face and don't know by contact it is evil I'm telling you you must aspire to know everybody see it's difficult because every new every first time I edified church I take their contact I do it I want to interact with the people you have to build bridges you have to build because people have been a blessing to me oh I've been a blessing to people but people too have been a blessing to many people here you know some of you I don't even know you you are doing game but I didn't know that you you can do something you see because you are far you have my number you don't text you don't reach out you are in your own world if an opportunity comes how would I remember you because see there are many people I knew I remember second year the acosia she reached out to me and said Pastor second year is coming what do I do I said go ask this person ask that person go and meet this person go and meet that person that's how it works interaction is part of leadership if you lead people you must interact with them hallelujah yeah you must interact you must know the flock some of you I can't blow your cover because there are things happening in your life yeah beautiful thing Richard is laughing but because he doesn't want me to oh I'm serious no he's he's been he's been humble about it but no inter interaction will let you know a lot many people many people here if you knew the kind of people God brings to church you become more interested in interactions if you talk to individuals it will shock you the people who God has brought you to fellowship with but because you are somewhere you've come you just know one person and is that one person you want to be with every Sunday there are many people God has brought here and through interaction you know the people I mean I don't have needs again I'm telling you I don't have needs because there's always someone who meets them who is here people who are sitting by you are answered prayers your answered prayers some of you your wives are here your husbands are here you've not spoken to them so you don't know them hallelujah hallelujah when when persis had an international job to go and mc you know this thing she started in church she got a gig she called me and told me thank you pastor for making me mc in church you see sometimes you think you are coming to do something for God so that's why you are dragging you don't know it's for you at the end of the day it's for you it's for your it's it's your honor that you get to do it I'm telling you she called me said Pastor I'm doing my first international gig her flight was ready and she just started mcing in church let's let's invite the edified choir yeah she's now on planes I pray that your eyes will open to interaction the people who came who are in the game class said this the director of the university health services but he's the one who led Bible study and you will not know if I didn't tell you look at how he's humble there he's sitting there he's sitting there like one of us hello he's sitting there like one of us mr nyan he's been in banking the wife they've been in bank when we have to do hello hello hello when we have to open a church account it was done we have a dollar account we have whatever money is in them that's how it works that's how it works there are many people God will lift among us you know and I I'll end with this right visit an interaction we got some scholarship slots for the church some of you I don't know you are in need because the way you spot I think you have money you don't look like you have needs at all so I called the people who I thought had needs and some some people today don't have needs but yeah the scholarship will release the tensions more but I put it on the page too some people haven't seen it because they don't interact when the church it feels like a border when we put messages on the page you are too mature to read them you know you are doing important things you are running the galaxies so you don't have time for we children who are playing on the church page you know there's a data scientist who is here humble among us working for big corporations you know and listen through interaction lady pastor went somewhere with Pastor Seth yeah you know I'm saying it because I want to let you know listen no I want to let you know listen it is for your interest that as a leader you learn to interact because every problem you ever have the solution is among us and the solution has not to come and say I am the solution it doesn't come like that it comes when you genuinely know people the people who I came to after church today say take my number I genuinely want to know you yeah I genuinely want to know sometimes I've forgotten the name but I want to still know so I'll ask again I'll ask till I know it yeah I'll ask till I know you know it is a very high profile patient in this country it was through interaction that they called my name that I should take I'm going there this evening some of you if you come up tomorrow I'll be taking you to such places yeah although the doctors know ask Pastor Bright I always give them up fair dinner then cook i i always and you see sometimes the the day you realize why you needed this relationship is in five years it is in five years that you realize how you need these relationships why they are important sometimes so when that's why you have to be careful the way you act here you have to be very careful the way you act because when you come and it's like you are not gaining anything then you do it anyhow. Someone wanted to come to Kolibu one of the people I said speak to Prof. Parkins she's on the board she went to speak to her she says staff of kolibu but her friends are in Mamprugu Akando has sent them very far away upper east upper west stalon north but God has brought you because he knows you finish medical school and you'll be posted and there's a cardiologist here you know and also through interaction now some of you when you come to church you are behaving like I'm a bother to you till you get to clinical yes and realize I lecture you do you get me some of the students that's how they behave yeah some of the people who come around it's like they don't pick my call suddenly you are being referred and realize I'm on the board I will refer you an exams board you can say examine these patients what what what is the different is it not different if you know the examiner but lucky you are doing your best do you gotta say you are doing your best but you know the examiner interaction and there are people who are in the church but they don't interact so we don't know them. Someone say oh I visited your church don't you know I don't remember see fight to be known and as a leader interact get to know people oh my name is Albert what's your name nice are you a student oh you are a staff oh you are a nurse oh okay which school okay this is my number what's your number send me a contact or do this stay in touch because you have to interact with the people that's the work of a church leader God bless you God bless you how many people are going to do the work of a leader you are going to pray first you are going to visit you are going to counsel and you are going to interact