It is a virtue to be a loyal servant to your master, it is a greater virtue to acknowledge God as the master of all. In one of his teachings Bishop Wisdom Irabor of the Answers Assembly, has advised assistant pastors and spiritual sons not to miss eternity because of loyalty to their seniors in ministry.
The Bishop during a mid-week service at his church preached on the topic: “Wisdom For Founders And Assistant Ministers”. He stated that it is good to be loyal to spiritual fathers but assistant pastors and spiritual sons should never take loyalty to the point of missing eternity.
“We don’t teach loyalty to cover falsehood in ministry. As an Assistant Pastor and a spiritual son, loyalty should be your watchword, but never you take loyalty to the point of missing eternity with God”, Bishop Irabor said.
In the course of his ministeration Wisdom Irabor informed his congregation that whoever they are loyal to in ministry doesn’t have the capacity to take them to heaven. Thus the need for believeers (especially assistant ministers) to follow only leaders that are in Christ.
“Whoever you are loyal to does not have another heaven to take you to. Heaven is one and the standard is one. You are to follow your leaders as they follow Christ”, he said.
However Bishop Irabor warned ministers never to betray their spiritual fathers even if the latter backslide. This is because even if a spiritual father backslide he still has the authority to bless and curse those under him.
“Never betray a backsliding leader; just respectfully walk away. Because even in backsliding, they are still the called of God. The calling may no longer produce but the authority to bless and to curse remains with them to their grave”, Bishop Irabor said.
