©️Abonyi Hyginus Ebuka
Last year, I wrote about a pastor who drew my attention by gifting his church member who is very poor and finds it difficult to eat or train his children in school, a car gift worth eleven million naira by name Gosple Agochukwu the founder of Shekinah Arena Gospel Ministries, who according to him, was directed by the spirit to do that and people were criticising him for not giving him money instead of car that will bring more problem to him.
I was of the opinion that if the pastor was acting according to the heavenly instruction as he said, who are we to blame him. I also added, the car is now the man's car and he can decide to sell it if he sees it unnecessary or not his problem, he will have more money than the pastor gifting him money.
Yesterday, I saw a news flash, even though I have watched the video where Object Tv got the source of its news where the aforementioned pastor shows off to his program with an expensive car and BODYGUARDS or bouncers. People where criticising pastors who have bodyguards on the basis of leaving extravagant life, deceiving the people to trust their protections to their holy waters, stickers and prayers whereas they (pastors), trust their protection in the hands of humans (bodyguards).
From the people's reaction, the question SHOULD A PASTOR HAVE BODYGUARDS, came into my mind. Hence, a critical analysis will help us know whether it is sin or not a sin.
Before our observation, let us know who is a pastor and what his work is all about.
A pastor is one chosen by God to bear the cross of the gospel, preach the gospel to the people and is ready to die for the sake of the gospel he preaches. He is the feeder of the sheep of God, therefore, a pastor is a shepherd. This is in accordance with the latin meaning of a pastor 'pascere' meaning to set to grazing and equally of the greek origin 'Poimen' also meaning a shepherd.
A pastor is one who trust the scripture and believes that the Lord is indeed his shepherd (psalm 23).
A pastor is one who is meant to fulfill the role of Jesus according to Isaiah 61 which says, the spirit of God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach the good tidings into the meek; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound....
From the definition of a pastor we we see that he is not one who is to amass excess wealth for himself or turn the gospel preaching to a lucrative business. He is to live a life in imitation of Christ who is the way, the truth and the life for without the way there is no going, without the truth there is no knowing and without the life, there is no living.
Now, back to the question if a pastor should have bodyguards. An act is considered immoral by the intention of the moral agent. Then, the question of why do this thing determines this is bad or not bad.
Pastors most especially the ones going with bodyguards are of no doubt influential people and many crowd follow them. If the intention of having bodyguards is to help shield them and make way for them in order to pass those crowd, then having bodyguards is okay for such people.
Nevertheless, if having bodyguards is to help protect them from bad men or because they are so wealthy that they think their wealth will attract intruders into their house or face the assassin's bullet, then they are in the wrong part.
Come think of it, if the intention is that of the first mentioned, then why are those bodyguards have guns? What are they using the gun for?
A pastor is not a politician but it is sad that some pastors go about with more bodyguards than some politicians. Christ says (Matthew 5), Blessed are you when you face persecution, rejoice for your forebears faced the same thing, your reward is much in heaven. A pastor should know that he is a potential martyr like the apostles (except John) who gave their lives for the sake of the gospel and for Jesus' sake.
By their fruits, you shall know them... “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves" (cf Matthew 7:16, 15).
Disclaimer: I am not in anyway trying to say that pastor Evangelist Gospel Agozie is or not a real man of God or in a way trying to terminate his personality. I am only voicing my view on the actions of some pastors who go with bodyguards using Agozie's recent activity as a point of analysis.
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