I … beseech you to walk worthy of the calling …with all lowliness and gentleness…” – Ephesians 4:1-2
An anointing descended upon Restoration Temple A.O.G, deep in the New York winter as Bishop Dr Murtland Rapahel Massiah made a call for leaders to walk together, in the manner described by Apostle Paul in Ephesians. Bishop Dr Massiah made the bold declaration that his assignment is to go after souls and leaders. The leadership call was made against the backdrop of the existing enemy raid on the 21st-century church that has convinced persons that they are unworthy to serve. The congregation was challenged to show what they were producing in the factory [the church] as Dr Massiah decried the fact that the house of God is constantly producing leaders. Yet, they disqualify themselves or seem to be waiting on the perfect moment to serve.
Power over Thrones and Dominions [Nations]
In laying out the leadership strategy presented by Apostle Paul in Ephesians, Bishop Dr Massiah articulated that the attack on the 21st-century church cannot succeed because of the power dynamics established in the Bible. Colossians 1:15-18 demonstrates the pre-eminence [power] of Jesus Christ:
- He is the image of the invisible God
- By Him all things were created, whether thrones or dominions, or principalities or powers
- In Him all things consist
- He is the head of the body, the church
While secular authority includes quotes of United Nations decrees to establish a thing, God’s Word gives authority [power] as we take up our leadership roles. This was the encouragement by Bishop Dr Massiah.
Consolidated Power Comes from Walking Together
He went on to explain that the counsel of the Apostle Paul (Ephesians 1:1-5) has challenged us to ‘walk together’, which can be seen as a blueprint to repel attacks (seen and unseen) on the Church. He laid out ‘doctrines’ on how we should live and ‘rules’ on how to take up responsibility or duty. The church must be alert, and persons must revisit their availability to serve as part of the walk-in togetherness. Apostle Paul preached about the ‘one body and its parts’ that we might develop a spirit of cohesiveness in the body of Christ with an understanding that uniformity is different from unity. Unity does not interfere with our individuality or unique giftings, yet we must also distinguish our giftings from calling. Ephesians 1:4 admonishes us to “… walk worthy of the calling …in one hope…”
Bishop Massiah took the opportunity to contrast the natural ability of Usain Bolt (the famous athlete with the ability to accelerate while others are decelerating in the 100-200 metre) with spiritual giftings that add to our natural abilities. “When a PhD holder can humble himself or herself to cleaning duties or similar tasks in service at church, then you display the spiritual gift of humility,” said Bishop Dr Massiah. Expounding on the fact that humility is not self-centred but Christ-centred, he described the order of service as first to Christ, second to others, and third to oneself. This is contrasted with secular leadership where persons put themselves above others. A paradigm shift is needed if we are to “walk worthy… in one hope.” When we walk together, we are more powerful.
Walking Worthy Means Walking Meekly
In wrapping up the sermon, Bishop Dr Massiah treated the congregation to the analogy of the colt being tamed as a likeness to some of us before salvation compared to the trained thoroughbred horse, which displays power under control. This image of a ‘worthy walk’ in meekness is what Christ expects, yet we live in a world messed up by the pursuit of power, and the church is operating in this vacuum. He admonished the congregation not to allow the quest for power to consume their service in the Lord’s church but submit to God. A lesson in humility and meekness was at the heart of Apostle Paul’s message in Ephesians. Here are some leadership takeaways:
- Walking [leading] in meekness will help you consolidate power for positive outcomes in family and other leadership roles.
- Meekness is not weakness but power under control.
- Meekness ushers in other leadership qualities such as patience, but the absence of meekness can create conflict and other challenges.
We are called to be leaders and can use this blueprint before us to serve in Sunday School, Men’s Ministry, and other areas in the church. As we make ourselves available, God will help, using our giftings to bring out the leader in us. Bishop Cummings, who had earlier welcomed Bishop Dr Massiah, closed the service with a prayer that the church would create an oasis of love, healing, and restoration as we walk together. Something must have shifted at Restoration Temple this past Sunday (20.02.2022), and we hope it resonates with our readers too.
