… Is it a question of BETRAYED TRUST?

Memoirs of the author… On my strong recommendations, my family and I changed churches on Sunday, March 30, 2008. We moved from Winners Chapel Ghana (WCG) (back) to Winners Chapel International (WCI). That Sunday, after service in WCG, I met with shareholders of CCU Investment Club (CCUIC) in an extra-ordinary emergency Shareholders’ meeting. CCUIC is an investment club of which I am the Fund Manager. That morning, my family and I would have gone straight to WCI, but for these august shareholders. For two long hours, we had a serious session discussing the way forward. We finally settled on me retaining my membership and position as Fund Manager; but that as a club, we would move our meetings to a neutral venue.

On the Monday after (March 31, 2008), during our morning devotion in our car on our way to work and to school, I told my children; “of all the virtues I teach you everyday, if you will forget them; never forget this one: in ALL your dealings, let the Word of God be your standard. Measure every decision – EVERYTHING you do–with the standard of God’s Word”. I was giving further explanations as to the reasons why we changed churches to my three teenage children, when I said that.

The Bible admonishes us to Test every spirit. How do we test every spirit, one may ask? We should test every spirit with the Word of God! What is God saying on the given issue? Let that be your guide. Therefore, if what anybody or spirit is telling you is in agreement with God’s Word, then keep it; it is good advise. On the other hand; if what the spirit / person is telling you is contrary to God’s Word, then drop it like a hot coal. This is the advice I gave my children.

‘‘A self-appointed leader takes upon himself the authority and responsibility of a spiritual office to which (s)he has NOT been divinely called.’’ - Author Frank DAMAZIO.

I was far-away in England when Winners’ Chapel in Ghana split into two after Bishop George Adom Adjeman ‘‘successfully’’ led a rebellion against the leadership, and indeed, spiritual authority of Bishop David O. Oyedepo. This was in the spring of 2004. I was privileged to advise Bishop George Adjeman not to attempt to take over the church – Winners’ Chapel. In my naivety and inexperience, I simply told him that if it became necessary to separate, then he should leave and found his (own) church, rather than take over what somebody else had established. This advice was given in one of my e-mails to him.

In retrospect; if the situation had recurred today, I would have advised him to do everything within his power to reconcile with his Father, Bishop David O. Oyedepo…and make sure that when the time came for him to leave Bishop Oyedepo’s ministry, he will do so with the latter’s blessings. I really do not know if he ever had such an advice, but I would, at once, be surprised if he did not. In any case, this is a whole Bishop I was ‘audaciously’ trying to advice. I am sure he knew better; much much more than me.

SELF-APPOINTED LEADERSHIP:

According to John C. Maxwell, author of the Maxwell Leadership Bible, there are two kinds of false leaders that emerge within organizations: man-appointed leaders and self-appointed leaders.

Balaam was a false leader of the first kind. King Balak persuaded him to do something against the will of God, and the Lord rebuked Balaam for his arrogance. You can find his story in Numbers chapters 22 to 24.

Korah was a false leader of the second kind, i.e. self-appointed. Korah blatantly and arrogantly rebelled against Moses’ leadership and authority. “Hear” John C. Maxwell: “In self-will and presumption, Korah followed a process of self-appointment common to many who illegitimately pursue power:

I. He caused others to rise up against existing leadership (Numbers16: 2).

II. He publicly criticized and questioned existing leadership (Numbers16: 3). III. He accused leadership of what he himself was guilty (Numbers16: 3). IV. He despised as too little the position he had been given – he wanted more (Numbers16: 10). V. He continued to murmur, complain, and create a negative atmosphere (Numbers 16: 11).”

As Pastor Harold C. Mac Farlane of the Bibleway Church, (17 Three Colts Lane, Bethnal Green, East London) said some twenty years ago; ‘‘Some were sent, and others just went…’’.

Or is it an issue of the possibility that Bishop David O. Oyedepo got it all wrong by ordaining Bishop Adjeman to the high office of Bishop? At this stage, I am thinking aloud, because I simply cannot come to terms with the reality of this debacle. It’s been five long years and I am still imagining this is happening. At a point in time in my days at Winners Chapel, I literally fell in love with the sagacity of then Pastor George Adjeman…so much so that I “believed” more in him than even in the founder of Winners’ Chapel, The Bishop, David O. Oyedepo. He was so unassuming one wondered if he could even hurt a fly.

I, however, do not think Bishop Oyedepo got it all wrong at the time he ordained then Pastor George as Bishop George Adjeman. My reason is simple: It is only God who never changes. Man can change at any time. To think that somebody in the high office of a Bishop, could get it all so very wrong…. This is at once frightening and humbling.

There are frightening similarities in Korah’s episode and Bishop George Adjeman and his colleagues: When Bishop Oyedepo recalled Bishop George Adjeman on transfer, back to Nigeria, he flatly refused to go. Compare that with when Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and they said, ‘We will not come up!’ (Numbers16: 12).

Or, consider the 250 supporters of Korah. The Bible describes them as “leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men (and women) of renown”. This same category of leadership backed Bishop Adjeman – not necessarily the same number - but leaders nevertheless. Leaders; who with their superior knowledge, should have known better and steered any individual and/or group to God’s recognition of the authority, sanctity and reverence of Fatherhood in His Church.

THE POWER OF A FATHER

‘Honour thy father … that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee’. Exodus 20: 12.

From this scripture, it is very obvious for us to know God’s mind and will on our relationship with our Father(s). Indeed; it is the only commandment with a blessing!

In Dag Heward-Mills’ book, ‘My Father My Father – Cover my defenceless Head ’, we will come across the nine fathers in our lives: Our (1) Heavenly Father, (2) Father in Christ, (3) Father in the Ministry, (4) Biological Father, (5) Substitute Father, (6) Father-in-Law, (7) Father of a Church, (8) Father of a Movement, and the last and least, (9) Father in Sin.

Paraphrasing Dag Heward-Mills; Fathers have the power to bless and to curse. They occupy a seat of authority given by the Lord. There is tremendous power released when a father speaks a blessing over a son; and (I dare add, and) vice versa. Dag continues; ‘There are three groups of people on earth that have been given divine authority. In the family setting, the father has been given authority. In the nation, the government has been given authority, and in the church, the pastor is the authority figure’.

“EVERYONE MUST SUBMIT HIMSELF TO THE GOVERNING AUTHORITIES, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, HE WHO REBELS against the authority is REBELLING AGAINST what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”

- Romans 13: 1-2 (New International Version).

THE QUALITIES OF A BISHOP:

The qualities of a Bishop (aka Overseer) can be found in 1 Timothy 3: 1-7. Even whilst I quote, I will highlight certain areas for special emphasis: “This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behaviour, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous, one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.” (1Timothy 3: 1-7).

Are there any lessons to be learnt for both the Appointer and Appointee?? Yes; three, at the very least. The Bible says one who aspires to the office of a Bishop must be blameless, not greedy for money and not covetous. Definitely, someone is very wrong. The question is; is it the Father or the son? That is food for thought….

‘‘I WAS LEAVING AND THE PEOPLE (especially the LADIES) ASKED ME TO STAY…’’

This is one of the myriad of reasons Bishop George Adjeman purportedly gives for staying on. One may, however, ask; how different his rationale is from that of King Saul who was given express instructions to kill every Amalekite and not leave anything - man or animal - alive. Please remember what Samuel told King Saul: “Obedience is better than sacrifice…”. Or let me see myself as Nathan, who literally had the guts to reprimand his King; David, when the latter committed both adultery and murder. The fact of the matter is that, no matter the grievances of the people, staying on to support ‘their’ rebellion amounted to taking over a church somebody else had toiled to establish. That is assuming Bishop Adjeman did not have any malicious intentions and that it was indeed the people who planned and executed everything from start to finish. He, however, forgot one sage called General Charles De Gaulle – the leader of the Free French during the second world war, who went on to become the President of France in the 1960s. He said: “a man of destiny knows it before everybody else. What he does not know is the limit to his capabilities”.

I am ‘saying’ by asking that, even if the people started everything; what do you think would have happened if Bishop Adjeman had demonstrated leadership and stood his ground, insisting that every church member respected the church’s leadership/ hierarchy? If Bishop Adjeman had preached a sermon based on Romans 13: 1-2; does anybody think this rebellion would have succeeded?? I do not think so. That is why, based on De Gaulle’s quotation, I can deduce that he took undue advantage of a volatile situation to covet another man’s church. The church belongs to Christ, yes; but it is formed by individuals. And we all know that he did not found Winners’ Chapel when they came to Ghana sometime in 1997. Indeed, he was brought to Ghana (the second time) to solve a problem, particularly because he was Ghanaian and in the leadership’s thinking, could identify easily with Ghanaians. Alas, he chose the line of least resistance in the moment of destiny. Yes; there is indeed a tide in the affairs of men, which when taken at the flood leads to fortune. Omitted, all the voyages of life shall be bound in shallows and in misery. That was William Shakespeare. How very poignant. I wonder if he was a believer….

THE CONCLUSION OF THE MATTER:

God always rejects false leadership. He rebuked Balaam, and put Korah to death. Unfortunately, Korah did not die alone. Misguided Israelites who stood with him, and those unfortunate enough to be his relatives, died with him. For Korah’s children, it is an issue of what I will call ‘the sins of their father’ who literally, ‘sinned against his (own) soul’. I believe Korah’s wife was God-fearing; that’s probably why she stayed on. But did she really have the chance and/or time to decide her own fate, assuming she even could?? Because, within 24 hours of his rebellion, Korah and his family and friends – all those who stood with him - were gone! They disappeared into the earth…buried alive!! Just imagine that. I do not think God would be that dramatic in this day and age, though that is very possible…for with God, all things are possible. However, everyone who is standing with Bishop Adjeman should check the state of affairs in their own lives, and they will see that it could have been much much better. That is if they will be honest with themselves.

RESPONSIBILITY: Whatever happened between the two (2) Bishops, I believe one called the other ‘Papa’ or Father. The onus therefore is on the subordinate Bishop to go back to his Papa/Father and ask for forgiveness and reconciliation. Unless of course, Bishop Adjeman no longer considers Papa as his (spiritual) Father anymore.

From the afore-mentioned nine (9) types of Fathers, I believe, at various points in time; Bishop George Adjeman either called Bishop David Oyedepo his Father-in-Christ, or Substitute Father or Father-In-Ministry, etc. For sure, he was his Father-of-the-Church – the church he had ministered in, in the last twenty (20) or so years. Dear Bishop George Adjeman; in all humility, please go back, like the prodigal son and ask for forgiveness. Don’t let pride stand between you and reconciliation; for it (pride) precedes a fall!

And ‘talking’ about falling; the Bible is replete with many a fallen former-hero-now-turned-rebel. Name them: the Korahs; the Balaams, the Joabs; the Adonijahs; the Absaloms; the Judas Ischriots; and hitherto, God’s favourite arch-angel – Lucifer – now turned Satan, etc. In Bishop Dag Heward-Mills’ Lighthouse Chapel International, they are called ‘orangoos’; otherwise known as rebels or betrayers. The Bible says in Genesis: ‘…for as long as the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest time shall never cease’. Simply put; loyalty breeds loyalty, whilst disloyalty breeds disloyalty. Until Bishop George Adjeman goes back to make peace with his former mentor and Father; rebellion towards himself will hang over his head like the sword of Damacoles…forever guaranteed. Even when he makes peace with him, it will take the special grace of God to avert rebellion in the future. David’s own life is a typical case in point. In the Bible, this law can also be found in Galatians 6: 7-8a; ‘‘Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption….’’ In the very next verse, the Bible admonishes us not to weary in doing good…. I must add that, doing good includes being a good care taker and not coveting another man’s ‘property’. (Refer to the qualities of a Bishop). James, in chapter 3:1, warns us not to aspire to the (high) office of a teacher: “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive stricter judgement.”

WE ALL GOT IT WRONG: Despite my earlier admonition to Bishop Adjeman, I still went back to Ghana to literally, “stand with him.” When I arrived in Ghana in January, 2005, I fellowshipped in a different church for almost one year. Then I decided to go back to my “kinsmen”; forgetting that in God’s Kingdom there is no place for nationality and/or politics. There is nothing political about this saga. What is wrong is wrong. We do not have to side with Bishop Adjeman because of his nationality. Unfortunately, that is how they have played their strategy and/or “politics”: most Ghanaians are with him simply because he is Ghanaian. This is not a Nigeria versus Ghana saga so nobody should politicize it as such. In spiritual matters, there is nothing like politics, tribe, ethnicity or nationality. We are all one in God’s family so long as we are believers.

If you get something wrong and you come to the realization of the truth, you quickly apologize and reconcile with your Spiritual Father. See what God says in the Bible:

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH THEE, and thou mayest live long on the earth.”

Ephesians 6: 1-3

Paraphrasing Bishop Dag Heward-Mills, the greatest blessing for sons is hidden in their obedience to their fathers. Until Bishop Adjeman goes back to his Father, Bishop David O. Oyedepo, he will know no peace. I hope God will grant him His special grace so that his eyes of understanding will be enlightened. I also hope his ‘advisors’ will also come to this realization (like some of us have) so that they can advise him accordingly. Papa, Please forgive us and receive us as your prodigals. We know you have forgiven us already, yet we still have to acknowledge your Fatherhood and ask for forgiveness.

Thank you and God bless you. Long live your Ministry.

Bro. Jones Osei-Ababio Former CCU Leader (1998 – 2000), Ghana.