 Ma'am, sorry to interrupt. We are unable to hear you. Thank you, Seth. Am I audible? Yes ma'am. Thank you. So good morning everyone. Welcome to today's session. On the book of Code of Honor, third chapter, we would be studying on people. Okay, so before we could begin our class with, can I request one of us to lead us in prayer? I think it's been a long time. Jafina, are you online? Can you lead us in prayer? Yes. Thank you. Dear Heavenly Father, we come to you under the name of Jesus. We thank you for this beautiful day and for the beautiful class that we are about. Lord, I place everyone in your hand, especially our teacher, I place her on your hand. Fill us with understanding, fill us with your knowledge, fill us with an understanding heart, fill us with the presence of the Holy Spirit. So that as we listen to all this, we apply it in our life and we place this great good news to everyone who's around us. Amen. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen. Amen. Thank you so much. Thank you. So let's all turn to chapter three on people. Christian ministry is all about building people. Ministry is to do with people, not with any building or any multi-story enterprises or it's not kind of administration tool or building an organization or trying to exercise or even management. But then ministry is to do with people. It's to serve people. That's why God has appointed us. It's not we think like, okay, I'm serving God. So how do we serve God? Serving God is to serve people, serving God to serve people. So again, we need to minister to people, serve people. That's why so Christian ministry is to do with people. We cannot say I'm not good with people and I cannot be among them. So everything I will operate at the back and no ministry is to interact people to solve people problem to serve them to be there with them. Sometimes you may have to interact one on one. Sometimes you need to address a large crowd. So when God has called you, he will also give you the grace to move ahead. Okay, so we don't have to run away, but then God will give us the grace. We need to trust God. Yes, there are stages of growth that we would be going through in our life, but then it is for good. God will equip us. God will give us the required grace, boldness, the skill and talent that has been needed in the area where God has called us. When we trust God and step into it, we see God's hand over us, God moving in and through us. And also ministry is all about touching lives, touching many people, by serving them, by meeting their needs, by listening to them and praying for them, taking their request to God and praying and interceding. And this is what we do. So sharing God's love and this power to see like bondages are broken, sickness are healed. To see people's life transformed, people have been nurtured and brought into the Christ likeness and his image has been formed in them. And this is what ministry is all about, sharing the good news of Christ, transforming each and everyone's life, staying with people, praying for them, being with them during their difficult time and journeying with them is what the ministry is all about. So as we understand this, and I'm sure many of us would have already started to work in those areas because that is the grace that God gives us. When he calls us, he fills us with his love and ministry is birthed out of that love that we carry for God. It is not that we thought I need to have, I'm impressed by somebody else's ministry, so I want to build a similar ministry like them. No, it's not that ministry is birthed when we are filled with the love of God, when God has rescued us from our sinful nature. When we have this understanding, Lord, much is loved when much has been forgiven. Lord, I must say, no, but you forgive me, you have redeemed me, you have set me free and here I am available to serve you, serve your people, to serve in the area, all the area where you have redeemed me, I want to be there as a witness among those people. Then you set yourself available for those people because God has called you, God has equipped you, God has enriched you with that grace that you could do. So you will start to see yourself flowing automatically in that area and the grace you will be flowing in that area to minister, to talk to. You would be available 24-7, keep yourself available and you will never go tired in that area because God has given you the grace to minister to them, to guide the people in that area. It can be anybody, people in the professional, you may be called to work among the youth, you may be called to work among the businessmen, you may be called to work among the urban, you may be called to work among the rural or you may be called to work among the set of a denomination. Whatever area God has called you, you will see that God has given you the grace and you are flowing in that area and you see how God is empowering you and also the people among whom God has raised you. So this is what ministry is all about, building people, nurturing them, listening to them and rejoicing the work that God has given you. And also we see growth happens in stages as we journey together. It's not like once, the minute you step into the minister, you will not see yourself on a big pulpit or preaching to the crowds. But then it happens step by step and it is very important for us to understand that God is leading us. God is leading us, God has called me and this is the word that God has given me. That's why we need to document, we need to write down, write on everything God has placed us like from the time God has called us, the scripture that he's placed in our life because the ministry not all this season will be like the bed of roses. We would come across certain situations which is not very pleasant. We may question ourselves, did really God call us or is this what really I want to do in my life or is this the area that I need to serve in. So when we write down these promises whatever God has given us certain season it will speak to us and it will give us the grace. It will also increase the patient that is needed to see the spiritual growth and maturing in us and also among the people whom we are ministering in. So what I mean to say is the journey is in a stage. We need to have patience, we need to see how the Lord is working in and through us. So when we start journaling all the stages that we go through how God is working in and through us so it would be easy for us to review how Lord is leading, how we are journeying in with God and we see ourselves grow stage by stage. And very important is again I request one of us to turn to the Gospel of John chapter 16 verse 1, 4 and 12. Okay, to save our time what we can do is there's a list of people here, right? Like we have an order, Anita, Aradna, whoever please pick the scripture and you can start reading because we can save on time. It is very important for us to read the scripture because scripture is what will change as it will transform us because the word of God has power. Okay, so can I request it? Are you ready? Ma'am John chapter 16 verses 1, then 4 and then 12. John chapter 16 verses 1. All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. 1 and 4. I have told you this so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you and then 12 ma'am. Yes. I have much more to say to you more than you can now bear. Thank you. Thank you, sir. This means that we have to purposefully do our preaching and teaching to our congregation. Because even they grow in step by step, they grow in stages. So we need to understand our congregation. According to their need, we need to prepare the sermon. So how we know that we interact with them. When we interact with them and when we look upon their life, we know which stage they are in. And we sit in the presence of God and then plan out our sermons beforehand. At APC we plan out sermons at least six months ahead or sometimes a year. We plan out throughout the year. We write on series of teaching sometimes. Why? To build the congregation in the word and in the spirit. So we need to know the stage, the season that a congregation are and then prepare the sermon. It shouldn't be like just because I need to share the word, let me share something. No, you need to journey with the congregation. We need to understand what does they need, how we can develop, how we can get them equipped in the word. This is what God has placed in our heart to equip the people in the word. To get them to get us and also them rooted in the word of God. So we need to understand the congregation, prepare the sermon and teach them so that we can see our congregation grow spiritually and matured in the way God has planned for them. And we see this growth that happens by stage by stage. We see people take up new levels and they grow in spiritual maturity. And we see their lives been transformed. This is what our ministry should be. We need to see people accepting the word, being equipped in the word, grow in the word and in spirit and see their lives being transformed. As the people life been transformed, you see church growth happens automatically. You see leaders have been raised automatically. So we need to remember we cannot preach what people, we cannot preach to them just like that. But then we need to prepare ourselves. We need to prepare the word in season and then come and share to them and expect God to move among them. As we do this, we should also be very careful. We should not preach what people in the congregation wanted because in the congregation, many people will suggest many things. One may say, Pastor, as this is the end times and we see a lot of signs happening in and around us. So can you please preach on end times? Maybe somebody else comes and say, God is calling me to disciple and evangelize people. Can you please take up these topics and share on discipleship or share on evangelism? So there will be many opinion among the congregation. People will come and give you the suggestions of what message to be preached and taught every week. But then that doesn't work that way. We need to sit in the presence of God. We need to see the benefit of our church congregation overall and then plan our sermons, prepare it and then come and teach to them. So that we can see our church together will transition from season to season, stage to stage. They will grow spiritually and more matured and the Lord. And the next point we see is honor everyone. Can I request, Jeffina, can you please read Romans 12 10? And Ruben, can you take up Matthew chapter 10 verse 42? And Zellie, totally maybe next you can read. Okay, I will give you the scripture. Romans chapter 12 verse 10. Love one another with bodily affection, giving precedence and showing honor to one another. Thank you. Ruben. Ruben Tamang. Okay. So we must, Matthew 10 42 and whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly I say to you, he shall be by no means loses reward. So we must learn to treat everyone with respect. Regardless of the gender, social or, you know, the educational or culture background or the age, small or big, we must learn to respect everyone and treat everyone without any partiality because that is not from God. God is not partial. So we need to treat everyone. We should not discriminate between the rich and the poor. Treat everyone the same. Give everyone the first place, the place of order. Even if it is a little child, respect the child and speak to them. When we do this, we are honoring God with the way we treat people because they are God's children. They are God's children. In God's Kingdom, the simplest service that we do, the smallest one because to each one of them is as though we have done it and to the God. So in God's Kingdom, the simple service done to some least because they are part of God's family will not go unnoticed by God. We will receive the reward that God has in store for each one of us. So we need to keep that in our mind and move ahead. Next is honor leaders, elders and fathers. 1 Timothy chapter 5 verse 7. Zellie, can you read? Let the elders who rule well be counted, worthy of double honor, especially those who live in the world and the free. Amen. So we are called to give double honor to those who are our spiritual leaders, especially those who are serving in the ministry. We must hold our spiritual leaders, elders, fathers with great respect, though they may not expect it, but then we need to honor them because God has placed them as a leader over us. Though times may change, times may change, things may change, but we must continue to esteem those who are walking ahead of us in this journey with faith and with great respect. We may also grow in the Word, we may grow to be a good leader, but no matter how our growth is in the Lord, but we should not be from respecting our elders, we should not keep away from respecting our pastors, our spiritual fathers who led us to God. They may be the simple person, they may be retired, they may have grown old and weak now, but still our respect to them should be much greater. Than what was before, but never reduced in any way. We may as youngsters, we may be very tech savvy or we may be more efficient than them. But then never forget to honor and respect our leaders, elders, pastors or fathers who led us to Christ in a very simple way. We need to give them the all respect and honor that goes with them because God has asked us to honor our elders, honor them with all our heart with high esteem and it gives them the preference and priority rather than making ourselves equal with them. No matter how high we grow, we cannot keep ourselves equal to them, but then we need to honor them. So next is show no partiality, that is not from God. 1 Timothy chapter 5 verse 21. Who can read? Brother Lubega, Brother Lubega, can you turn to 1 Timothy chapter 5 verse 21? Today is a big chapter, so we need to complete this in time. Okay, Sid, go ahead. 1 Timothy 5-7, the elders who ruled well will be counted worthy of double honor, especially both who lived in the world and Dr. L. So this is a very important instruction that we need to keep in mind as we serve God and service people. We just mute. Somebody's mic is on, I'm just muting it. So we need to keep in mind, it is very important to keep in mind and relate God's people without any partiality in all our decision making towards people. We should not without any person prejudice or without partiality as Paul instructs Timothy, the young Timothy to lead and to serve God's people in this manner without any partiality to minister and serve them because in ministry we will have different people coming in with different high status or low status. We don't look at people with what status they come in, with what background they carry and come. We look at people as the children of God and we serve them in that. We look at people, everyone are in the same level ground, so we've ministered to them and we serve them without any partiality. We honor everyone. This is the practice that we need to keep in our mind and serve along with them no matter how gifted, how talented one may be. But then we treat everyone with honor. We treat everyone equally in God's kingdom. The next point is be grateful. Say thank you often. Very, very important. We must learn to be grateful to Lord for the people whom He has placed around us. Just expressing thanks to the Lord for people indicates that we realize what we are. Not because of our own great effort, what we are in the ministry but with God's grace and God has also given us the help through people around us. So as we are thankful to God, we also should appreciate people who are around us and be thankful to them. We see in many instances Paul in the ministry being thankful to the fellow believers. He has been very thankful to them for the ministry that they have been planting, for the ministry that Paul is able to plant in and through them in certain area and how he moved them and how they carried the gospel to the ends of the earth. So he is very thankful to each and every fellow worker. He writes to them. He greets them. He also encourages others to appreciate them for the good work that they do. See genuinely, they have been thankful. Well, this is very important. And what is shared in confidence must stay in confidence. In the ministry, people come toward you with great confidence, seeking help as a pastor. They come to you and they share their heart to you. So whatever they shared in confidence, seeking your help or seeking your prayer, we need to be with them, keep up their trust and not to use those instances or those scenarios as an example when you are sharing the message to everyone. We should be very careful in this area. Or even if you're bringing a correction, okay, that point I'll come later. But here we are talking about the confidence when people come and share their life stories with you is only to pray for them, to minister to them, to help them and not for us to take that scenario, take that circumstance and preach out in the congregation. We should not do that. As a leader, as a servant of God, we should be completely mindful of other people, their situation. So yes, we have seen many people use instances, scenarios like that. So when we can use, we can use the situation, the scenarios on one on one discussion, on a small gathering, on a conference setup, when you're teaching. Okay, we can also use it without taking the person's name, without taking person's name. Just use it for the learning purpose or to bring a point to it. And also make sure when you're using the scenario or the instance or to illustrate it at some point, make sure that person is not there in that conference. That person is not there in the meeting. You got it? So that that person is not affected. It should be used one on one. And if there's any testimony to share or you can ask permission with that person, do you want me to share this testimony among the congregation, which would be a blessing? Okay, if that person say yes, you can use my testimony, use my situation as a testimony, you can share it, but don't let my name. So because you have taken the permission from that person, without taking the person's name, you can share the testimony with the congregation for the glory of God. But we have to take the person's permission. Okay, very, very important. So what has been shared in confidence should be kept in confidence. And how do we correct people lovingly? We do not correct people taking up the situation, preaching it as a sermon front of all the congregation, trying to point out one person and trying to bring correction. No, we never do that. Do not use your pulpit time for any of these things. Pulpit time should be given only to the Word of God. Because we see many pastors or ministry leaders, they may want to correct certain people in the church. Maybe there are two or three people going against pastor or doing some unhealthy things in the church when you want to bring a correction or you want to bring a fear among the other people not to behave like them, you know, directly using the sermon hour to speak about people's mistake and trying to correct people during the sermon where everyone would get to know. That is something that we need to be mindful of not to do this. Sermon hour, preaching hour is to preach the Word of God only. Give your pulpit time only to God and not to any of these things. Correcting people should be done one on one. Always. We can appreciate and give a plod in public. We can appreciate them in the church. But then when we correct, when we bring correction, it has to be personally done on one on one. Lovingly. This is a very sensitive matter because we are working with the lives of people. We need to handle it very cautiously. Correcting people is something very difficult. Personally, I have seen in the Bible College, when we minister to our students, we see them grow. They are with us for at least two to three years. We see how their character change. We not only teach the Word, but we also develop the students and their character. When we see certain things are not very well with them, even when we sit personally one on one, we do it in such a way that only that person will get to know what we discussed, what we have noticed. When we lovingly put it across and see what has been expected from them and how they can change, how their life will be a blessing when we explain it to them, when we put it across in a very loving way, in a gentle way, that gives sufficient time for the person to accept that correction and also to implement in their life and learn to grow, outgrow that mistake. And we see people change their life. This type of correction worked everywhere. It works with everyone. Then we try to correct that person in front of everyone, putting that person into shame on getting that person embarrassed is not a good thing. And also, if in the ministry, we're talking from the ministry front, if we see any, you know, when we bring a correction in a ministry leader who was serving under us, we have to see why they're not able to serve well. Is it because of the lack of any skill or any resources we need to find out? If there's a lack of any skill or any resources, we see to it that, you know, there's a proper training given to that person and, you know, the resources have been provided so that we can see that person grow in the ministry area. But then if you see that person, a person is not able to perform well is because of his own or own laziness or unwilling to work or lost interest or because of pride or conflict with people and they showcase a bad attitude, then there is a correction which needs to be brought in and this will again be done one on one trying to understand why, what, when give them a certain, I mean, give them some time to correct and show themselves improve in that area. But then if you still see there's no improvement, the person is continuing with the same kind of attitude, then we may have to take a decision to release that person in the call of God into hands of God and ask the God to work in that person and, you know, so that his attitude may not affect others in the ministry. So that, you know, this works when we correct people in private, we see to that personally, this has helped many of them to build and change from the correct their mistake and improve and also when we applaud people, we need to do it in public because that is the right way to honour some good work. This will also influence others to do the good things in the Lord's kingdom. So have a personal strategy for handling difficult situation. Have a personal strategy for handling difficult situation. So in Proverbs 19 verse 20 says, listen to counsel and receive instruction that you may be wise in your latter days. So it is very important that we continually learn from the difficult situation that we faced in our life, the mistakes that we did, the hard path we took, we need to learn from that. So the lessons that we learn in this situation will help us to handle the situation that we come across in future. It is very, very important. And as we go through certain hard times, we need to develop a strategy. When we sit in the presence of God, sometimes God gives us a strategy how to deal with many scenarios. It can be with people, many, see each, we cannot deal everyone in our congregation in the same way. We need to understand each one's background and we need to handle them in that way. So that we understand their background, the situation, what they are coming from. So with their understanding, you can handle them. So when we see, for example, if, yes, we need, we should not be partial. We should be equal, I mean, we should give everyone, everyone are on the same level ground. So when we keep all this in mind, at the same time, there are some difficult situations that may arise in the ministry. Okay. One situation that comes to my mind, I'll just share it with you in our Bible college. Like, yes, all our students had to take up an exam. Everyone should appear for the midterm exam to the final exam. This is very important. It is mandatory. But there was a situation where one of our students after a very long time, you know, she was in her 50s, she joined the college and she had this fear of examination. She had this fear of examination. First, she's in her 50s. Second, she had some weakness from a past. She was not, she didn't go to a regular school. She was home schooled because of this fear of, you know, examination fear within her. So personally, she had some challenges that she's been carrying and she was also on medication. So she was taking some pills with related to some psychological effect. So knowing a background, she didn't appear for a first exam. So this was a concern to me. I called her up and she said, ma'am, I cannot come. I cannot give my exam. I'm very scared. This is not something now, but this is what has been affected with me from my school days. So same kind of fear is holding her back. But then she's a very good student. She genuinely want to study the word despite a difficult situation. She used to travel more than 20 to 25 kilometers every day to a Bible college. And she used to be the first one to come in the morning and study. She's been genuinely doing everything, but it was surprising that she didn't appear for an exam. When I spoke to her, she said, ma'am, if it is okay, can I continue the course without the exam? Or I will discontinue the course because I'm not able to give my exam. So in this case, what should we do? Class, you all suggest me what we can do? Yes, yes, brother Lupeka, please go ahead. I think it is a point where you've got to talk to the authorities over you. And then I think the body can take the decision. Thank you so much. Okay, thank you. Can I ask you something? Yes, Prado. There are two things to be done here. Yes. One, you can take an exam by asking a question. I did get you. Sorry, sorry. Are you with me? Yes. Yes, brother Enoch, you can go ahead, please. Brother Enoch. Hello. Yes, please, go ahead, brother. Okay, I said there are two things to be done here. Number one, either you talk to the school authority to waive our exams or you will have the exam script with you without giving it to her and you'll be asking her questions on the exams to actually know if she should also know what is going on, the school, what Yashiyab is taught. Thank you. Thank you, brother. Next, Divya, you would like to share? Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. I was just sharing the same thing like ask questions like an interview like without her knowledge, you know, you can ask practically how she can apply those concepts. That's right. Yeah, that has been more than the class. Thank you. That's right. That's what I made. That's what I made. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, brother Enoch. Thank you, Divya. Yes, Sid. Ma'am, keeping the ladies' problem and keeping the protocols of the ABC Barber College, what should be done like we can do some kind of examination for her personally, which will not be looking like an examination, but like a kind of a logical reasoning. Some kind of a situation is giving what we do in this kind of situation. If a person is coming for counseling, what will you do to her? What would be, what will you do if you are in this kind of situation, this kind of questions can be asked and it can also fill the criteria of the examination. Excellent. Thank you. Thank you. Yes, brother Paul, please go ahead. To me, I think also we can pray against the spirit of fear. Some things are just demonic. So we can pray to cancel that spirit of fear and then the person comes back to normal. Amen. Amen. Anyone else? Excellent. Everyone gave a valid point. Exactly. Exactly. We can take up everyone's point. Actually, how we handled is exactly the same, just like how you said. So I told her, please come over to college next day. I said, you come. Don't give your exam. Just come. She just came. Then I asked the questions of the previous exam. I just asked her, what is the answer for this? She could answer all the questions in the question paper. She could answer. But then just this fear that was there within her, exam fear that I cannot write. I would not meet the expectation. I will be thrown out of the college if I'm not able to. Or what if I score less marks? I am incapable in my studies. You know, all these fear was there within her that it's not like now she's been battling it from a younger age onwards. That's why she was not able to go to a school or to her college. And now with that earnest heart to study the word at the age of 50, she has joined the college. Well, we said, okay, you will not take this exam. But then join our college. But then we cannot be admitting a student without the exam as well. And as you all suggested, yes, I took permission from our management so that the person can give an exam after a week later. So I thought I can prepare within that week. Okay. So I started ministering to her, preparing, talking to her counseling. And then we prayed over as brother Paul said to bring out that fear, to cast that fear out from her. And then after a week, we prepared a special paper and on all the subjects. It shouldn't be the same paper we are repeating. Okay. Keeping in mind, there's no partiality. Okay. So we gave her the paper and she answered. In fact, she scored more than everyone. And we could see the improvement with the know in next six months. I mean, not next six months in next few months, two or three months, the final exam would come. That was the first exam all our life. She appeared. And when she wrote each and every exam with much fear, much trembling, she prayed and she appeared for the exam. And she was excellent. She scored the highest among everyone. And by time she moved from first year to second year, we see Lord working in now. She stopped. This fear of examination was out of her. She could write an exam with boldness with courage. And we also see as she journey till the third year, she stopped with a medical pills. Lord also worked in the area where she was going through like depression or anxiety, the psychological effect and she was on the medication. All the pills were stopped. She could work and she could handle herself without any pills. So she came out as a testimony when she graduated from a college that she stopped with all our pills and she's, she conquered all of fears and she's able to study. She's able to give an exam and she was the highest. Okay. So there are certain situations where we need to handle in a different way. It's not partiality. We are not showing any partiality, but we are working with a love of God. We are, we are showing God's love to that person and helping that person to handle the difficult situation. Yes, there are some times. So in similar way, okay, it can be different scenarios in a church setup. Okay. So when we handle each one, so we should handle them according to the difficult situation, what they are going through. They are journeying in. We may, we may not be able to share that with anyone because that's personal. That's one on one. But as a pastor, as a ministry leader, you know that person difficulty. Okay. So we need to be little more gracious, little more kind, little more loving towards that person to overcome the challenge what that person is going through. Okay. The next is do not be a boss over God's people. Very, very important. Very important. First Peter chapter five verse one to four. Can I request one of us to please read? First Peter chapter five verse one to four. The elders who are among you I exalt who am a fellow elder and a witness of the suffering of Christ and also partaker of glory that will be revealed shepherd the flock which is among you serving as overseers not by compulsion but willingly not for dishonest gain but eagerly nor as being lots over those who those interested to you but being examples to the flock and when chief shepherd appears you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. Thank you. Thank you. Very, very important. We need to be very clear that you know as a spiritual leader we need to serve because Jesus himself showed us the example I've come here to serve and not to be served. So as a leader we need to serve people but not expect them to serve us. There are some situations we have seen I'm not very sure of abroad but then in India we see some pastors they need escort four or five people to escort them to the pulpit. You know we also see you know the ministry leaders who serve along with them one carries a laptop one carry their Bible one carry their water bottle you know everything they carry it for them when they themselves can carry it so as a ministry leader this is something that we instruct our students our students like do everything whatever possible by your effort when everything you can do it do it for yourself we should not expect people to get things for us when we can carry our own water bottle we can carry our laptop let's do it all by ourselves not expecting others to get things done for us these are simple things and we don't have to be escorted by hundreds of people we don't have to be even when we're having a fellowship with them you see in a big conference or a meeting you see the man of God need to be given a special place a special table for their lunch dinner served and you know the congregation and all the other side the pastor should not be interrupted by the other people no we should not be that way as a leader we need to be one among people we need to fellowship with people we need to move among them and as a leader we also should make sure that we take our lunch plate or dinner plate or have food at the end first serve our congregation first serve our people as a leader everyone are nourished and then we sit for our lunch as much as possible we need to award that first place first priority special treatment not needed we are just here to serve them God has appointed us to serve them we don't have to use people to get our things done what is personal I am the pastor I need some help can you please come to clean serve me I have a guest so I need somebody to babysit my children or take care of our being nothing for our personal need we can take help for our church work we have a special event coming we need help can I get some volunteers serving in the church is serving God we can do that but nothing to be done with keeping our personal agenda to do our personal work we should be very careful not to use people but we need to serve God's people and also we need as a leader we need to set our life as a godly example in Christ's likeness to serve God and to serve his people yes do not control do not manipulate second Corinthians chapter 1 verse 24 says not that we have dominion over your faith but our fellow workers for your joy by your faith you stand so as pastor, as ministry leader there is a fine line between protecting God's people and controlling them we are here to serve them we are here to nurture them in word and spirit and in faith but we cannot control them that is demonic controlling people is demonic we cannot demand people to attend only our church to listen to our decisions without pastor's decision the church congregation or the members in the church cannot search for a job cannot relocate, cannot get married cannot purchase anything for their house for the pastor's knowledge we should not be in control of their personal life any in this area as a servant of God as a ministry leader we should only spiritually feed our church we should not be making decision for another person we cannot control and manipulate people's decision by using a threat that is the reason you should ask pastor so that when we pray when you seek our decision God will bless you do not use such manipulating messages or to control them that is all spiritual witchcraft we need to give freedom to people we need to direct them to God in their own personal life we cannot ask people whom they should marry whom they should not be getting married to that is their decision we should give them the freedom if somebody wants to search looking out for a job pray for them and bless them ask them freely go ahead and search for a job we cannot hold people to ourselves we cannot be in control of their life what is happening in their life we should give them the freedom we should allow them to see God and walk in freedom in every area of their life we should be there to feed God's word to people nurture them in the word of God and allow them to grow them building their relationship with God when we give the freedom to God a freedom to people to make their own choice in their life this is what the Bible teaches us when we do that we see we see that they nurture and they grow in spirit we see that they make decisions on their own even if they mistake they learn from their mistake and we minister to them in love and not pointing out their mistake what went wrong what they could have done nothing most of the time in our church when we counsel or when we listen to people most of the time we tend to listen to them but we don't direct what they need to do we don't take decision for them we allow people to make decision on their own we only listen to them pray with them or if the decision is not very right when we know but we will not even tell them this decision is not right we can guide them to a counselor maybe you need some counseling a counselor may be able to decide better for you I'm sure you need some advice you need a counselor's help to make decision in this area we can direct them to a counselor then we directly telling them what to do what not to do and when we lead them in the right way people grow people get matured people understand they may not understand you now but then they will understand as they grow but then they will grow in freedom they will be with us in a long journey okay before we could go to the next point we will take a 10 minutes break now it's 53 so we will come by 10 3 10 minutes from now okay take a break and let's be back and we will continue on the same subject thank you good bless