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1. INTRODUCTION
BELOVED, we believe that you know what it is the Almighty God Himself who named this church, "The Redeemed Church Of God" through a revelation He gave to the founder, the late Rev. J.O. Akindayomi. This fact alone, we are sure, makes this Church a rather unique establishment of the Most Hight; secondly, concerning this Church, thealmighty made a series of promises among which are:
(i) That He will meet this Church on His return
(ii) That this church will become a model
to the whole world
(iii) That other churches from all over the world will come to learn and worship in this church etc.
Big as these Divine promises are, God is more than able to fulfill what he has spoken Numbers 23:19. infact, as of today, he has given this church such a good name among other churches in this country that on many occasions:-
(i) our workers who apply to other Missions for employment had been promptly employed even without any formal interview.
(ii) Missions who have Bible Colleges of their own still send their Ministers to our Colleges to be trained.
To God be the glory
Moreover by the special grace of God, our beloved Church is growing very fast and we believe God that it will continue to grow extremely very fast now on.
The foregoing are some of the reasons why we therefore feel that the qualifications and code of conduct for workers and Choristers in this Mission ought to be a spelt in our writing for the information and guidance of all concerned.
2. DEFINITION:
(a) Who exactly is a worker?
(b) For whom is he or she working?
(c) What are the works of the Workers?
(a) A worker in the Redeemed Christians Church Of God is any child of God who, on the recommendation of the local Pastor, had been set aside for special services in the house of god. included in this category are members of the choir, the ushers, the Sunday School Teachers and children Teachers etc.
(b) Primarily and ultimately, the worker is working for God Almighty Himself. It follows immediately that he/she will get his/her reward from the Almighty too. Secondarily however, the worker is working for the Redeemed Christian Church of God as part of the visible body of Christ on earth, which is why the General Overseer mentions the workers in his daily prayers to God. This constant prayer of the General Overseer is basically the reward that the Redeemed Christian Church of God Offers her workers throughout their life's span
(c) the worker of the workers include the following:-
I. PRAYERS
Intensive prayers for:-
(a) The progress of the Church: Spiritual, Numerical, Financial etc.
(b) The Missionary efforts of the church.
(c) The Pastors, Assistant Pastors and all their families.
(d) The General Overseer, the Deputy General Overseer, the Mothers-in-Israel, The Assistant General Overseers, The Directors/State Co-ordinators/Regional Pastors, Provincial Pastors, Area Pastors, Assistant Area Pastors, Pastors, Assistant Area Pastors, Pastors, Assistant Pastors, Deacons/ Deaconesses, Unordined Ministers, Workers, Workers-in-training, Baptized members, saved unbaptized members, New comers, the yet to be saved.
(e) All the members of the Mission as a whole, both old and new.
(f) The Restoration of all backsliders into the fold.
(g) The rapid expansion of the Mission as a whole and the particular local church of the workers.
(h) All pregnant women for safe and easy delivery
(i) All midwives for special Divine assistance
(j) All barren women for quick answers to their prayers.
(k) All children in the Mission for Divine protection, wisdom from above, good health and spiritual development.
(l) The workers themselves for steady spiritual progress and all-round prosperity.
(m) All the sick, jobless and needy for recovery of health, job and prosperity.
II. FINANCIAL
(a) Financial contributions to all the projects of the local church and the Mission as a whole
(b) Generousity towards the Pastors and their families.
(c) Assisting the needy in the church in all possible ways.
(d) Contributing actively to ease the burdens of those bereaved or who had been blessed with a new child.
(e) Contributing actively to the maintenance of the church buildings and its surroundings to maintain an atmosphere congenial to worship.
III. PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL
(a) Every worker is expected to be an active soul-winner and an incurable witness for Christ.
(b) Therefore he/she should be involved in the propagation of the Gospel by means of word of mouth, tracts distribution, letter writing, crusades, Seminars, Youth services, Village evangelism, child evangelism prison, hospital and market evangelism. etc.
(c) Every workers is also expected to be very, very active in follow-up programmes.
3. QUALIFICATION OF A WORKER
The one who would qualify as a worker must satisfy the following conditions at least he/she must be:-
(a) Born again - John 3:3,5
(b) Sanctified - John. 17:17, 1 Thess. 5:23.
(c) Filled with the Holy Spirit - Acts 1:8; 6:3
(d) Baptized by immersion in water, Matt. 28:19, Acts 16:15-16.
(e) A Tithe-payer - Malachi 3:10
(f) A cheerful giver - II Cor. 9:7
(g) A proven soul-winner, Mark 16:15-16.
(h) Humble - Isa. 57:15; Luke 22:26.
(i) A prayer warrior - 1 Thess. 5:17
(j) Well-behaved - 1 Cor. 13:5
(k) A faster (i.e. given to fasting) - Luke 4:2; Matt. 17:21, Acts 13:2-3
(l) Trustworthy - Jer. 35:1-8.
(m) Blameless and without blemish in the congregation - Phi. 2:14-16.
(n) And any other qualifications that the Mission may from tine to time consider necessary.
4. CODE OF CONDUCTS FOR WORKER
The Lord Jesus calls us the light of the world, Matt. 5:14-16, the salt of the earth, Matt. 5:13; and the ambassadors of Christ, John 20:21. These imply that we are very important to god and out responsibilities are heavy. In order to effectively and correctly discharge our responsibilities to God and His church, without falling God our disappointing the Pastor who recommend us, every worker should observe the following code of conduct: He/she must be:-
(a) Totally submissive to constituted authorities if the Mission, 1Pet. 5:5; 1 Corinth.16:16; Heb. 13:17 e.g.
(i) When traveling he/she should inform the Pastor, II Kings 6:2.
(ii) Should be ready to attend all meetings and go wherever he/she is sent, Joshua 1:16.
(iii) Be absolutely obedient to Pastor/ Assistant Pastors when they give orders that do not contradict the Bible, 1 Pet. 5:5.
(iv) Be an example to the congregation in submitting to the doctrine of the church, Titus 2:7; 1 Tim. 4:12; 1 Tim. 4:6; Titus 1:9.
(v) Be an example to the congregation in spending and being spent for God, 11 Cor. 12:15; Gal. 2:20.
(b) Hygenic in all dispositions, Isaiah 52:11
(c) Well dressed in accordance with the scriptures. Where there is any doubt, must be willing to give the benefits of the doubt to the Lord, I Pet. 3:1-4, I Tim. 2:9, Isa. 3:16-26.
(d) Someone who will be a worthy ambassador of both Christ and his church such that id he/she be transferred from his/her working place to a town/village where there is no branch if this church, he/she will promptly start one. Acts 8:4; Acts 11:19.
(e) Only too happy to attend all-night vigils and/or organize such in his/her home, Lk, 6:12; Acts 16:25.
(f) Punctual at all Local, Area, State or National Meetings, Heb. 10:25.
(g) Walking, worshipping and growing in the spirit constantly, Gal. 5:16; John 4:23-24, Psa. 117:12; Col. 3:16.
(h) Someone who enjoys a life of Holiness and Sanctifications, living right in the open and in secret, and dwelling in love, 2 Pet. 3:18; 2 Tim. 3:14-17; Eph. 5:25-27, Matt. 5:13-16, Heb. 12:14, I Tim. 3:2.
(i) Ready always to do good works, Titus 2:14, Gal. 6:10.
(j) Ever ready to protect the good name of the church, I Tim. 3:7; Titus 1:10-13.
5. DISCIPLINE AMONG WORKERS
(a) Where there is love, there must be discipline. Hebrews 12:6; Rev. 3:19. Consequently, in this Mission, if any worker sins or does anything that his/her Pastor consider inimical to the progress or good image of this church will receive instant and adequate punishment. Such punishment which will be proportional to the offence, range from an open rebuke among follow workers, suspension from workers meetings for a period of time to total dismissal from workers cadre.
(b) During period of discipline or suspension from workers' meeting the worker under discipline must attend all the church services regularly, sitting wherever the Pastor shall appoint, Hebrews 12:5-8; Prov. 3:11-12.
(c) If a worker is not satisfied with the discipline imposed on him/her, he/she Pastor and ultimately to the General Overseer if not satisfied by the Area Pastor's ruling.
(d) If a worker shows genuine repentance, he/she may be pardoned before the period specified for the suspension.
(e) If a worker shows no genuine repentance, his/her period of suspension must be automatically extended. If after an extension of the suspension period there is still no repentance, such a worker may be recommended to the General Overseer, through the Area Pastor, for dismissal from workers' cadre.
6. PROMOTION AMONG WORKERS
WORKERS of exceptional character, spiritual endowments and evangelical abilities may be promoted in due course to the level of Assistant Pastor.
1. WORKERS' SUNDAY ACTIVITIES
The workers are the people who are the first to come to the church on Sunday morning. For Example they would have been there an hour before others come. In the evening they also come early before the congregation. They must wake up early on Sunday morning in order to see that they are there early. As far as workers are concerned, the whole Sunday belongs to Jesus Christ. In case a parish does not hold evening services, House fellowship must replace the evening services and there must be a House fellowship center in the Church or parish. Those who do not hold their House fellowships on Sunday must hold evening services.
When they finish their morning prayers they must go on houses witnessing or follow-up in order to invite people to the church. After the service, just as others go to have their siesta, they will still come back to the church for workers meeting. It is compulsory they attend evening services or House fellowship.
2. CHURCH HIERARCHY
There is order in heaven. We have God the Father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit, followed by The Four Living Beings, Twenty Four Elders, the Arch Angels, The Cherubim and Seraphim and then the ordinary angles. As it is in heaven so also it is here on earth 1 Cor. 15:41. In the Redeemed Christian Church of God, we have hierarchy for the sake of orderliness. For example, we have the General Overseer who is the spiritual head, followed by the Deputy General Overseer, The Mothers in Israel, The Assistant General Overseers, The National Elders, The Directors/Regional Co-ordinators / Regional Secretaries, The provincial Pastors, The Assistant Provincial Pastors/Assistant Area Pastors, Pastors, Assistants Pastors, Deacons/Deaconesses, Unordained Ministers, Workers, Workers-in-training. Baptized members,saved unbaptized members, New comers, yet to be saved.
3. SPIRITUAL APPOINTMENT AND PROMOTION
STRANGERS in the Church are regarded as Newcomers. As they develop spiritually, they begin to climb the hierarchical ladder, from the bottom. That is, New comers move to unbaptized members, to baptized members who become workers in training, then full-fledged workers. It is among the workers that Deacons, Deaconesses and Assistant Pastors are chosen; from Assistant Pastors to Pastor and so on and so forth. This is in line with Scripture when Jesus Christ chose seventy disciples from Five hundred brethren; Twelve apostles from seventy disciples. Three - (Peter, James and John) from Twelve and one (John) from three. There is a difference between the seventy and Twelve, between the Twelve and three and between the Three and One.
Five hundred is represented with the biggest circle; inside it, is the circle of seventy, inside this is the circle of twelve, then three and lastly circle of one.
THE FIVE HUNDRED BRETHREN
1 Corinthinas 15:6
This category of people represents the church members. They are brethren, born again but follow Christ for a far off. They go to the church when it is convenient for them; and so close to the world that they can easily backslide because the part of the world is still attracting them. In an unfavourable situation they can easily deny Christ. John 18:18, 25-27.
As peter followed Jesus Christ from afar off, he denied Him when there was sudden danger. This is the spiritual standard of these five hundred believers. If you remain in that group, you are not sure you can stay to the end. Prov. 9:16-18. Sin may appear attractive but the end result is death. But those who are still afar off from Jesus Christ, occasionally they still go back and taste the world; and they run back again to Jesus Christ. Often they are up and down tomorrow. Most of the time they fall and never return; and you know yourself that it is easier to fall than to stand.
To have tasted God and then fall back again is a very unpleasant thing indeed because all the joy that they have will be gone for ever II Pet. 2:20-22.
The five hundred brethren are just like people coming to the church and going back to their houses.
THE SEVENTY
Luke 10:1-11
The second groups of people are the seventy. They were fully instructed about what to do on their journey; how to begin, how to behave and what o say. The first thing we learn about this seventy is that they were fixed for service. They were not just bench-warmers. God looked at them and saw that there was something special that this seventy could do; so he set them apart. He found that they would be useful; they would be obedient and they would be able to take instructions. If you want to move out of the entire congregation, you must obey instructions (i.e. be obedient).
For example, if after this training you are found fit, you will be asked to join the workers. Then suddenly you discover that you have to obey the Pastor more than before. You have to make up your mind whether to obey the pastor and remain with the workers or to disobey and join again the ordinary members who are represented by the five hundred.
When you are just in the congregation (five hundred) you can travel anytime you like, go anywhere you like. You don't need to tell the Pastor, but the moment you join the workers (seventy) even if you are going to see any one over the weekend you have to inform the pastor.
Even if there is a work to be done by workers that requires the presence of every workers and you have your own programme, you have tochoose either what others are doing or you choose your own programme and go back to the congregation (five hundred). It is a question of choice.
To be in the workers, you must be there forever. You may decide voluntarily not to be a member anymore but once God has made you head, may you not become tail again. If you cannot do what the seventy did today, you cannot go farther than five hundred. Gideon's Army were chosen because they were disciplined.
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SEVENTY
THOSE who will be among the seventy must learn to serve continuously. When Jesus sent them out, He did not follow them Himself, which means anyone who belongs to the Seventy must learn to serve without supervision, Phill. 2:12.
Wherever he is, he will perform well as if Jesus is there. Whether the pastor is there or not, he will still be working for God because he knows he is not working for man and it is only God who will reward him,
Col. 3:22-24.
He asked them not to take any money with them because He was trying to teach them how to endure hardship. When you are sent to somewhere you do not know and you are asked not to take any money with you, you know have to endure. Nobody can join the workers unless he can fast because occasionally you will come to the church and think that after the service you will eat but you discover that there is no time for eating till the evening. Fasting is one of the responsibilities of workers. Fasting helps you to grow spiritually. If you want to join the group of seventy you must be ready to endure hardship and be ready to fast.
Anyone who wants to join the workers must be ready to serve God with all his ability, Matt. 5:20-23. You cannot do more than your best God expects you to do your best. If you do your best, He knows you cannot
deceive God. They were asked to go without taking anything with them. It means they are supposed to use whatever they have for God. Anything you have, you must be willing to use it for God, but make sure you take the best for God. Mark 14:3-9.
Also He sent them without supervision so that they might serve Him without seeking recognition; they worked for God without eye-service (1 Peter 4:11). In other words when you belong to the circle of seventy, you must be doing things only to glorify God, not seeking the praise of anybody; not that anybody may see you. You must learn to serve with humility. (John 13:14). It is one of God's ways of teaching of humility. You cannot be in the group of seventy without the teaching of humbleness. If you still consider yourself as someone indispensable God cannot use you.
Those that God will use must be ready to serve Him joyfully (Psalm 100:2). If you want to be in the group of seventy you must learn to serve God with Joy. When you are asked to do something you must do it joyfully.
Finally, you must remember that their efforts are not in vain. They run up and down for God; they pray and fast; they must remember 1 Cor. 15:58. when God asks you to go out and work, you can be sure He is going to reward you in the end, whatever you do for Him you can be sure that the reward is no the way.
SUMMARY
Those who are in the group of seventy must:-
(i) serve continuously
(ii) learn to serve without supervision
(iii) be ready to endure hardship
(iv) be willing to work the best of their ability
(v) be willing to use whatever they have and their best for God
(vi) learn to serve without seeking the praise if anybody because all glory must belong to God
(i.e. avoid eye- Service).
(vii) Learn to serve with humility
(viii) Be willing to serve Him with joy
(ix) Constantly remember that their efforts will not be in vain.
(x) Know that they need prayer to make all the above possible. John 15:5. Christ says, ".Without me you
can do nothing."
THE TWELVE
Mark 3:13-15
HE chose the Twelve to live with Him; to send them out to preach, to have power to heal, to have power to cast out spirits. These are the four things that Jesus said the Twelve should do.
Anybody who thinks ahead of the present, who thinks about what will happen tomorrow will not have a friend. This is because the worldly people believe on the food that is ready i.e. they prefer to enjoy now and later face hardship. Jesus Christ preferred to endure hardship and later enjoy the rewards. He knew that a day was coming when He would be crowned, when He would be glorified. That was why He had no friends; that was why he arranged to select the Twelve that would move together, come in and go out, with him. Sometimes He was homesick; He was constantly talking to the Father, "that glory we have together, I don't forget, don't let this glory pass me by." Occasionally, He sneaked out to pray alone to the Father. Those who want to deal with Jesus must have a lot of sanctification.
THE AMBASSADORS
He chose the Twelve because they had something special. They deserved being His Ambassadors.
THEIR CHARACTERISTICS
1. They were of humble character; (gentle) very truthful, prayer warriors, holy within and out.
2. Their only ambition was to make their Captain happy, to please Him joyfully (II Tim. 2:4). Out own ambition too is to please Him.
3. Whatever they did, they did it like their Captain. The African adage says, if the leaf stays so long with soap, it automatically becomes soap. Because they lived with Christ, their action was like Christ's (John 2:6).
4. Anyone who saw then knew they had been with Jesus for long,(Acts 4:13). If someone sees you in a market-place, will such say you are a child of God.
THE THREE:
Mark 9:2-9; 5:37, Matthew 17:1-9; 26:36-38.
7. CONCLUSION
Since no one ever becomes a Pastor in this Mission without having first been an Assistant Pastor, it follows therefore that becoming a worker is the first step in the line of spiritual promotions in this Mission. It is therefore a great honour and privilege to be invited to join the workers cadre.
If you are willing to abide by all that had been written above, kindly sign copies of this pamphlet, affixing your passport photographs in the appropriate place and submit them through your Pastor to your Area Pastor.
May the Almighty uphold you to the end in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor E.A. Adeboye
General Overseer
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Worker's Signature
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Pastor I/C Signature
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