As you start, I feel strongly to share this experience in my earlier days in this work with you, sirs and ma. If or when you get to this point, the outcome will be dependent on your response.
Grin…grin…grin…”PM you have a call”, I was told. “Hello man of God.” It was a dear friend of mine. “What’s up now?” We moved past the pleasantries and he told me the main reason he had called was for me to come and preach for him, to which I responded NO almost immediately. When he asked me for the reason, I told him point blank that I didn’t have money to make the trip to Lagos to preach. Pioneering takes a lot courage, sirs and ma.
He went on to tell me why I had to please make the trip. He said; “I am going to South Africa and I need someone I can trust with the congregation in my absence who will not feed them poison or contrary to what we stand for as a house.” It was a tough place for him, I could understand. When I insisted that I didn’t have cash on me, these were days when I didn’t even have food to eat sometimes, he asked if I could get someone to give me the money for my trip to Lagos that he would drop some cash for my return trip. I was really reluctant but I agreed.
So I got to Church on Sunday morning. I kind of got there earlier than everyone. I realised I was thirsty and wanted to get coke from an eatery. But my spirit told me not to buy the coke. Keep the money. So I swallowed saliva till the thirst left. I preached with everything in me that day again. Folks came to me after and said “Whoooaa! Pastor thank you, sir. They all thanked me and left one after the other. All along I was looking for the person my friend said he will send the cash through.
When the last lady came and said all the wonderful things, all I was waiting for was for her to say “Ehen! This is the envelope Pastor said to give you.” But she said “Pastor, I want to lock the door.” So I said glory to God and stood up to leave. I kept walking, secretly wishing someone would say ‘Pastor, here it is’ BUT NO, I WAS STRANDED IN LAGOS. I got home, thankfully, I didn’t buy coke. I carried my bag and faced the motor park. All I had was 200 Naira and I needed 2000 Naira at least to get home. I kept my faith walk, got into the bus and sat there. After a while I asked another passenger who the driver of the bus was. I walked up to him and called him to the side to plead with him to allow me ride without paying. Guess what followed. HE JUST STARTED TO SHOUT!
So I left him to pick my bag from his bus. As I was about to pick my bag, someone taped me on the shoulder and asked why the driver was shouting at me. “NOTHING REALLY” I said. I have learnt to keep my faith walk to myself and God. He said, “If there was nothing why was he shouting at you and why are you removing your bag. Something tells me you don’t have transport fare and I believe I am to pay for it.” He further told me that the Holy Spirit told him to come and talk to me. Glory to God! He didn’t just pay for my trip, he bought me sausages and a drink.
When we set out to leave Lagos, I heard God say to me clearly like He was in the car; “YOU PASSED! NOTE FROM THIS DAY ONWARD. HONORARIUM WILL NEVER BE AN ISSUE FOR YOU. I AM YOUR REWARD AND REWARDER. WHAT NO MAN CAN GIVE YOU I WILL GIVE TO YOU”.
Whooaaa! That was worth 1 billion pounds to me. God promised to be my reward and rewarder. And he has proven it beyond a shadow of a doubt.
As a young minister, learn to make him your reward and rewarder very early in ministry. You will be glad you did. Be a blessing to Gods people without tying money to it. Go preach the gospel. If they bless you with money, wonderful; if they don’t, common don’t be angry. Just keep your joy knowing GOD IS YOUR REWARD AND REWARDER. Yes I know the following scriptures are true but let God minister it to the heart of the folks that invite you and if they don’t see it, NEVER FOR ONCE BE OFFENDED.
Galatians 6:6
“Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things”
Romans 15:27
“It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things”.
There is a Church that invites me regularly and they always give me egg buns. That’s all they know to do. I have never turned down their invitation except the days are fixed for other meetings. YOU FOCUS ON YOUR PART, WHICH IS TO PREACH THE WORD. I know you will do well in this work. I believe in you and I sometimes remember to pray for you.
God bless you and your ministry.