THE SHEPHERD AND THE SHEEP
Every sheep needs a shepherd. This is a common religious saying these days, especially from the lips of soul winners. Soul winners are church workers who go out the field to win souls over for Christ (or the Church?).
There is no gainsaying the fact that the sheep looks up to the shepherd for protection, provision and guidance. A sheep without a shepherd is unequivocally likened to a sheep in the midst of wolves – they are always in constant danger. This is the scenario in churches these days. The soul winners do a great job converting weary souls with heavy burden and bring them to the church. The Head of the church prays for them, converts them and do all other things to make them permanent members of their congregation. After that the sheep is only part of the church’s mission and does not even have direct access to the shepherd to take his personal problems, which is the main reason why they came to church and not because of the sweet words of the soul winners. No hard feelings.
This is why the sheep are wandering the field looking for other shepherds to herd them. A shepherd is one who knows his sheep by name, provides for the sheep and protects the sheep. Hence the Biblical saying “the shepherd knows his sheep by name and his sheep follow him” (John 10: 1-5). The shepherd is ready to lay down his life for his sheep. Many people get converted for many seasons but the one reason that rules them all is “freedom from the devil” – sickness, poverty, spiritual attacks, name them. People get converted to be free from the above, but do they really get free and if they do, what happen after that?
Many religious heads in Nigeria are not true shepherds like Jesus instructed. They don’t know their sheep and they don’t know the problems of the sheep. The shepherds are too busy, either engaging in politics or media to even look after their own sheep. They boast of a population of 750,000, 2,000,000, etc members, but what is the essence when the hopes or rather faith of their members hang on a thread?
During temptation or trials, the sheep knowing the shepherd is far away from them and does not even know them – the sheep scatter to look for salvation elsewhere. Hence people decamp from churches to churches in search of a true shepherd to cater for their spiritual needs and not pressing them to sow seeds when they don’t have any means and when they are weary with heavy burden.
With the uncountable denominations in Nigeria, with questionable names such as ESCAPE HELL FIRE MINISTRIES, JESUS NEVER FUCK UP MINISTRIES, etc, one would have thought the problems of many seeking God would be solved. Instead of reaching the poor, weary and heavy burden, some shepherds gun for dignitaries of this country and they justify this discrimination by saying EVERY KING NEEDS A PROPHET. What about the opposite, what do they need? This question is a matter of conscience, search your conscience, if your ministry ignores the sheep and goes for the KINGS, then I think you might have a serious case with God.
In conclusion, shepherds called by God should deliver without discrimination. Pastors, Prophets, Bishops, Reverends, High Bishop, etc etc, these are just titles – you are a shepherd. Tend your flock, lest they go astray and God will hold you responsible. Having a church building as big as the National Stadiums, Abuja and Lagos combined will mean nothing if the sheep are left to fend for themselves. Stop this discrimination. Draw close to all your members, through any means, (thanks to technology) no matter the number, because you sent out the soul winners to win them over to God under your ministry. Know their problems, stay with them during their trials, until their problems are solved and you are a good shepherd. Your reward will definitely be in heaven and on earth. Every sheep gathered in the field should be catered for, lest it be lost forever. God will not only reward you for the numbers you converted, the Almighty will also judge you for the numbers you let slip away in the hands of the devil.
