Pastor Taiye Olayemi has advised fellow ministers to avoid costly blunders in their churches that can lead to seeking a second chance. He said most collapsed churches due to costly blunders hardly bounce back at second chance.
The general overseer of Ever Increasing Anointing Ministries Int’l gave this advice at a recent two-day church leaders’ conference held at the Igando-based church, Lagos. Olayemi warned that an individual may bounce back from an error; given a second chance but a collapsed church may never have a second chance to bounce back.
His words: “As church leaders we must avoid costly blunders that can collapse our churches and lead us to seeking the face of God for a second chance. That second chance may never come. God can give an individual a second chance opportunity to bounce back from his blunder but deny a collapsed church such opportunity.
“God can give an individual who has fallen into an error a second chance to get to his destination. But when a church falls into an error God may deny that church a second chance. If at all God gives that church a second chance that church may never attain the height He had ordained it till thy kingdom come. So, you cannot afford going for a second chance. No matter how big a church is, if it falls into an error and collapses, and is given a second chance to start afresh; for that church to get back to its former heights it will struggle till Jesus returns.
“Study churches that have collapsed as a result of the errors of their leaders you will notice that they are struggling to get back to the top. So as pastors or church leaders we cannot afford bringing down what God has given to us to start crying for a second chance. God may give you a second chance but you may never ever get to that lofty height He has prepared for you. Therefore, you must avoid committing costly errors that may collapse that church that God has placed in your hands and start crying bitterly for a second chance that may never come,” Olayemi advised.
The preacher warned people not to be deceived by the massive and fanciful auditoriums, acoustic musical instruments and other physical attractions as evidence of living churches, pointing that there are several physically attractive but spiritually dead churches today. He further warned that running churches in the worldly patterns is the route to the collapsing of the churches that are following those patterns. Therefore, he charged church leaders to follow or return to the biblical pattern of running churches.
“The Church needs leaders and people who are ready to stand for the truth in this generation. The Church does not need leaders and people who see, regard or pursue massive and fanciful church buildings with complete instruments and excellent sound systems as evidence of living churches. Church is not that massive and fanciful building.
“Church is the body of saints who assemble in that building to worship and reverence God. You may have a fanciful auditorium, complete instruments and excellent sound systems. All these will only attract people to the church. They are not evidence of a living church. Go for what can sustain you and avoid a lifestyle that can lead you to seeking a second chance. God in His mercy may decide to give you a second chance but you will never attain your peak in the ministry. We must open ourselves up for knowledge to avoid the errors and sins that can lead to the collapse of our churches without a second chance to bounce back,” Olayemi finally admonished.