15 groups of members a Christian Leader must not take suggestions from

One of the marks of a true leader is the ability to listen and take suggestions from people, especially those he leads. Some leaders listen to the point where they even have suggestion box displayed in front of the Church or positioned where everyone can see it. That is how to know a shepherd that wants to operate a system that is all inclusive.

In our own ministry, you can confirm from our members that are your friends on facebook, we have what we call THE ANSWERS SUGGESTION TEAM (AST). A group of people that are authorized to sit down and discuss how to move the Church forward, by giving quality suggestions to the Senior Pastor or the Presiding Bishop as the case may be.

I may not like their suggestions but they are assigned to speak as a team. I am not under obligation to accept their suggestions, but it will be on record that they gave such suggestion. Last year December, I gave a particular amount of money to all Pastor’s kids serving under me, and I intentionally omitted a particular family because I wasn’t pleased with the attitude of both the father and mother, and a member of the ANSWERS SUGGESTION TEAM approached me and pleaded that I should reconsider my decision, and extend the same hand of fellowship to those kids, but I insisted on not giving them if the both parents still insist on having a divorce. That was my own way of letting them know that I am not part of their divorce plan. Even when I decided to do it, who to give it between both parent became an issue. But it is on record that somebody was given the opportunity to make such a suggestion to me.

Having established the above, there are some people you must not listen to if you must end well as a Christian leader. Now, the fifteen (15) groups of people you must not listen to x

(1) Never listen to any member who has a track record of disloyalty to you.

(2) Never listen to any member who is gifted in blaming you at all times.

(3) Never listen to the suggestions of any member who is not constant with his followership of you.

(4) Never listen to any member who is not supportive of the vision God gave you

(5) Never listen to any member who criticizes everything about you. He wants you to fail.

(6) Never listen to any member who doesn’t respect and honour you.

(7) Never listen to any member that will walk away when things go wrong.

(8) Never listen to any member who is not following your teachings and principles. They have nothing to offer.

(9) Never listen to any member that has never done anything meaningful and useful with his own life. You can’t manage your own life, you want to manage an entire ministry.

(10) Never listen to the suggestion of any member who is not available for implementation. For Joseph to speak to Pharoah, he must be available to implement.

(11) Never listen to any member that is very close to those who hate you.

(12) Never listen to any member who wants to correct everyone without taking corrections himself.

(13) Never listen to any member whose advice always leads you to regret. I have a member that has never told me a thing that did not end in regrets.

(14) Never listen to the advice of anyone whose money is not in the direction of his mouth.

(15) Never listen to anyone that is a friend to enemies of the church. He may be around to implement the evil desires of the enemies of the church.

PLEASE NOTE:

If you can’t avoid them, allow them to talk, but never take them serious. Guide your heart against their wrong influence.

Someone can be in church, but does not understand church administration. Church membership and church administrations are two different things.

Avoid the pastor that takes advice from no one. But weep for the pastor that takes advice from everyone.

Wisdom is in knowing the difference.

This post was written by Bishop Wisdom Irabor. Presiding Bishop and Founder of Answers Assembly Christian Ministries, Warri and Founder of Founders and Assistant Ministries