Having a faithful and fruitful Anglican ministry under God – Part 2

Faithfulness To God’s Word And Work
At our ordination, the Bishop said: “We trust that long ago, you began to weigh and ponder all this, and that you are fully determined, by the grace of God, to give yourselves wholly to His service and devoted to Him your best powers of mind and spirit, so that, as you daily follow the rule and teaching of our Lord Jesus, with the heavenly assistance of the Holy Spirit, you may grow up into His likeness, and sanctify the lives of all with whom you have to deal,” BCP 1999.

Faithfulness is easily noticed in our devotion to duties. When we realise that our service is unto the Lord, we would be devoted to it.

But often times, we think we are working for man, for the Church of Nigeria or for the Bishop. This is a great obstacle to faithful service. This is because, when we think we are working for man, we would employ all manner of gimmicks and gambits to impress man. Also, we would only work to be seen by men or only do the right thing when we are being watched. We would become hypocrites and men pleasers. But Paul warns us to desist from being men pleasers.

He said: “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye service as men pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God,” Col. 3:22. Paul further admonished us to meditate on these things and give ourselves wholly to them that our progress might be evident to all (I Tim. 4:16). But when we are sincere, we would be completely devoted to God’s work and this is when we become fruitful. And our fruits would remain, for Jesus said: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you bear fruits and that your fruits would remain,” John 15:16.

Meanwhile, God rewards faithful service. He said to the man who received five talents and employed them productively, “well done faithful and obedient servant.”
The Things A Faithful Minister Must Avoid:

• An Anglican clergy must shun entitlement: A sense of entitlement is the bane of many in the ministry. There are those who think that by their level of service, education or intelligence, they deserve to be rewarded in a particular manner. They set time line for themselves when they would become this or that. They choose where to serve and positions to serve.

• An Anglican clergy must avoid pride: Sometimes, it is pride that makes us think we are entitled to this or that. Pride is an exaltation of oneself above measure and it comes from the thinking that one is better than others. Satan, the father of lies was exceptionally endowed by God. As the Bible records, his heart was lifted up because of his perfection, beauty and merchandise. The narrative goes this way: ”Thou was perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in these…Thy heart was lifted up because of thy beauty…,” Ezek. 28:15, 17. A similar narrative was that of Uzziah. When Uzziah saw that he was exalted and established and his fame went throughout the city, he became proud and began to perform sacerdotal functions that belonged to the priest.

• Most Rev (Dr.) Blessing C. Enyindah is the Archbishop Ecclesiastical Province of Niger Delta and Bishop of Ikwerre Diocese, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)

To Be Continued