1.   What is the message behind the theme ‘So will I’?

The message is based on the scripture Ephesians 4: 16, ‘from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes the growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.’ That says that when every joint supplies the body grows. There is no insignificant member of the church or even society. It is by everybody making their contribution that the Kingdom of God is advanced. This month we are praying that God will help us to take everybody’s focus away from themselves and their prayer requests and focus on how they can be a joint that supplies in the Church and in the Kingdom of God.

2.  How else apart from being a worker can people play their part in the Church?

When you think about the things of God from the Kingdom point of view, you don’t have to be a worker to invite someone to Church or bless the needy in the community. It is less of being a worker and more of working for God, so if we redefine the term ‘worker’, we would regard it as someone who is serving God and then it makes it easier for all of us to serve God in whatever capacity we find ourselves. If the truth be told the whole concept of being a worker has been abused that there are people who are workers and are not even working for God, so it is not the label, but what you do that makes the difference.

3.  Do you have any advice to anyone sitting on the fence about playing their part in the body of Christ?

There are things that serving God has done in my life that I am excited to offer to anyone. First of all, serving God helps you to grow. For example, if you have hands and do not use them, the muscles will dry up, and you become a frail person. Serving God both inside the Church and showing excellence in the workplace has certainly helped me to grow my faith and my knowledge of God and of people.

A second thing that serving God has helped me to do is to keep myself on the straight and narrow path. Anyone who is serving God knows that your effectiveness in serving or being a blessing to your neighbor is reduced when you are living a double life. For example, if you wanted to be a blessing to a waiter in a restaurant but you are rude to this waiter. It would be difficult to invite the waiter to the Church. If you represent God well in your family, it is so much easier to raise your children because they emulate your actions, and not just what you say.

Another interesting fact is, God actually rewards people who serve Him! I personally have been blessed spiritually and materially just because I am a minister of God both in and outside of Church. I find out that professionally, for example, having a servant heart in the workplace has given me more opportunities both when I was an entrepreneur and now as a director in my organization. Being a leader, who says ‘How can I help you?’ has given me enormous opportunity to advance. From the financial reward point of view, I have been blessed by a lot of people. God himself is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. I believe the good health I enjoy is as a result of God making me available to serve Him because when you are sick you are not useful to God or man.

4.  The Body of Christ has been under attack in recent times, as NewSprings how can we stand out?

People have always attacked the body of Christ, even Jesus Christ while He was still on earth was a victim of an attack. The entire crucifixion was a product of the angst that people had against him. It is a constant, that darkness always likes to contend with light. Let’s remember that the Church is not the building or the parish, but the people. One significant way for the Church to be the light in the middle of all the darkness is to ‘Be The Light’ by living the way Jesus would live. Refuse to compromise no matter where you are or whatever the circumstance. When David committed adultery and murder, the prophet Nathan told David he had given the enemies of God a reason to mock God.

Do the right thing in traffic, in your relationship with people, be fair and humble. Just be the Light! The Bible says that even a cup of cold water would not go unrewarded. If all you can do is offer someone in the office a cup of cold water, then you are being the light. As Christians, we cannot be like people of the world and expect to shine.

5.  Sir, as we enter the third month of the first quarter, what words of wisdom would you like to share so we can finish the quarter and year well?

God told us as a parish three things to do for the year. One of them is to prepare. I am sure all of us have visions and dreams of things we are looking up to God for in 2019. For example, if you are praying to get a good job, then you need to prepare yourself, research about the company you want to work for so when the opportunity comes you are prepared. What I do for a living involves interviewing executives, a few weeks ago we interviewed someone who wanted to be CEO of an organization and he had not done any research. He knew nothing about the company. The lack of preparation cost him the job. Preparation is a great thing to do, whether it is learning a new skill or improving your health and well-being. For singles looking to get married, the Bible says He that finds a wife finds a good thing (Prov. 18:22). The single guy has to be a good thing to find a good thing, and vice versa.

The second is expectations. Expect God to show up! Nothing breaks the heart of God than people who pray, and do not have an expectation because He has already said if you ask, you will receive. How do people demonstrate they don’t have an expectation? By being uncommitted and temporal in nature. The Bible says, to be sober and vigilant because you don’t know the hour when God would visit. From the day of Pentecost till now, God always visits when nobody expects Him. So, one of the ways you show you want a new thing from God is to stay expectant.

The last one is to maximize every opportunity that comes your way. Be nice to people. Be civil and generous with your time. The Bible says, Redeem the times because the days are evil (Eph. 5:16). Maximize every relationship. Make a good first impression. If there is an opportunity to give, give. The Bible says he that does not sow will not reap.

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Olusola is the Senior Pastor of RCCG NewSprings, a passionate teacher of the word of God and an accomplished Human Resources Consultant.