Rich Pastors, Beautiful Churches, Poor People

Mahatma Gandhi is quoted as observing that “To the poor, God can appear only in the form of bread".

So people ask: Is it the pastor’s responsibility to ensure that everybody in the church prospers?

The thesis of Rev. Dr Cephas Richard Narh’s book, Church Is About People, is not that there will never be poor people in the church.

It is the book’s emphasis that the pastor must make it a duty to put in place structures and systems that ensure poverty alleviation, especially in churches whose preoccupation is the daily addition of the latest state-of-the-art electronic systems and whose pastors never seem to have a problem adding to their fleet of cars and size of mansions.

Nor is Narh’s emphasis only on poverty alleviation. He is concerned that “The fear of God that used to be the standard has seen a decline in the church today”.

His emphasis is that the church “is looking like another human institution, which men are using for various purposes, including making a name for themselves and acquiring a lot of wealth” whilst “the care of the flock of God is sacrificed for other agendas of the leaders”.

If Narh is weeping, his tears …. that “we have tens and hundreds, and, perhaps, thousands sitting in or churches week after week who may not even be born again” while the focus of the pastor “has shifted from what is happening to the people who sit in our auditoriums, to the facilities we provide”. 

Book

In this book, Narh is functioning as a surgeon. Something is wrong in the body of the patient, and he must cut, but like the surgeon, he must cut not to kill but to heal. Narh’s thesis is that the post-modern church needs healing.

Truth has always been bitter, so it is often garnished. Narh has given out a powerful prescription, but he has refused to put the pill into capsules.

These are pills that must be swallowed in their bitter state, for effect. 

That is what he has done in these pages; he is forcing us to look at our faces in the mirror to behold the ugliness of the state of Christianity.

This is important because, as someone has observed, “by the actions of Christians today, God is losing admirers”, and as Pastor Mensa Otabil has warned, “if we continue on this path, Charismatic Christianity will cease to be relevant in 20 years”.

That is why, rather than refusing to advertise this book, our pastors and prophets and apostles must make it compulsory reading to their congregations. Perhaps, it should start from where the pastors are born: Bible Schools.

The author is also concerned about morality versus creativity in churches – Page 83.

He states: “Our churches are full of individuals showcasing one talent or the other, yet living lives morally inconsistent with biblical principles, and we find nothing wrong with that.

Indeed, he adds, “Very often, little attention is paid to the lifestyle of the people providing music, especially the instrumentalists!!”

In a quote, which this reviewer describes as the heart of the whole matter, the author states: “Let the life of the average youth who has been in your church since he was a child be projected on screen and evaluated as the product of your ministry. What does he look like?”

This is the acid test the What has led to this?

The answer, Narh says, is that “Our success rests in numbers and the physical facilities”.

What is the answer? He says, “The Church must pay more attention to discipleship the way Jesus did it.” The Question is, how?

Author answers: “If the Church pays the price to intentionally disciple and mentor all who are won to Christ, the church will become the place for society to look for good people to operate their systems for them.

Only the church can build people of character”.

Pastors

For pastors who may read this book and still not care, Narh quotes Ezekiel 34: 2 - 3 as follows: “Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves. Should not shepherds take care of the flock?

You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock”.

Bottom line for married couples in the congregation, the author asks pastors: “How many couples in your congregation do you have empirical data on that they are having a wonderful marriage and family life?”

Whoever designed the front cover deserved a mention on the credits page. Awesome creativity.

The reviewer is the Executive Director,
Centre for Communication and Culture.
E-mail: ashonenimil@gmail.com