A call has gone to ministers of the Church to be good shepherds rather than butchers of God’s flock as they seek to possess the nations. Apostle Matthew Larbi Wettey, the Tema Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, made the call when speaking at the Assin Foso Area 2019 Officers’ Retreat at Assin Foso.
He said the journey of the Israelites to Egypt and their subsequent exit is an imagery of how God wants the church to be. Quoting from Exodus 1:5, 7; 12:37, he said the Israelites were only 75 in number when they entered Egypt, but they increased to over 600,000 when they were leaving.
“The Israelites increased in number and in strength, and this made the Egyptians afraid of them. The strength of every human institution is in their numbers and how well the strength of each individual is harnessed,” he stressed.
He posited that although the flock follow individuals in the church, the dividing line of who a shepherd or a butcher is, is their motives and what they seek to see or get from the flock as they lead them.
“Good shepherds always have multiplying effects on their flock. Their sheep always increase and look healthy. The well-being of the flock is their ultimate concern while butchers under the cloak of shepherds always look for the flesh of the animals and their sale value,” he disclosed.
Apostle Wettey challenged the ministers and their wives in the Area to seek both the spiritual and physical well-being of their members, because the well-being of the church depends on the improved lives of the members.
He advised them to eschew extravagant lifestyle and motives that seek to better themselves to the detriment of the flock that God has purchased with His own blood.
“Be willing to take care of the flock; be eager to serve them. Set good examples for them to follow knowing well that those who serve well will receive crowns of glory from the Chief Shepherd who is the Lord Jesus Christ,” he concluded.
Present at the event were Prophet J. E. Ameyaw (retired), Apostle Sylvester Arhin (Assin Foso Are Head), among others.
Report by Samuel Avornyo.