By Bishop Wisdom Irabor
It is no longer news that Pastor WF Kumuyi hosted Bishop David Oyedepo recently at the Global Crusade with Kumuyi which took place in Ota, Ogun State Global Crusade with Kumuyi (GCK) is an international evangelistic initiative led by Pastor (Dr.) William Folorunso Kumuyi, the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry.
There are a few salient lessons we can learn from that meeting.
LESSON 1: IT IS WISDOM TO EXTEND A HAND OF FELLOWSHIP WHEN YOU COME INTO THE TERRITORY OF ANOTHER LEADER TO HOLD A MEETING:
The Papa Kumuyi of before can come into Ota and do his thing and walk away without mixing with anyone. But in recent times, when they go for their crusades they involve the leaders in charge of such territories for relationship and fellowship sake, Something we all need to also learn.
Unfortunately some pastors don’t have that understanding. They go to hold crusades in different places and do not think it’s important to create a rapport with the pastors they meet on ground. They go with the intention of taking over the territories even when there are pastors on ground already doing exploit. We should understand that ministry is a commission and not a competition. It is collaboration not a confrontation.
LESSON 2: IT WAS GREAT HUMILITY ON THE PART OF BABA KUMUYI TO REACH OUT TO A MORE YOUNGER SERVANT OF GOD, BOTH IN AGE AND IN ENLISTMENT INTO MINISTRY:
There is no where it is written that an elder can’t reach out to a younger person in ministry, Most especially when you are coming into their location to do a programme. Stop using your age, your title and your years in ministry to relate with people. You will lose vital relationships.
Sometimes, relate not minding the difference in age. If Papa Kumuyi considered his own age, we would have missed this opportunity to see both of them ministering on the same altar.
LESSON 3: DON’T GET ANGRY WHEN ANOTHER MAN OF GOD COMES TO YOUR CITY TO HOLD A CRUSADE:
You are not the owner of the city. You are not in charge of any city, you will one day d!e and either be taken away from the city lifeless or be buried in that city. Anyone can do a meeting in any city, it is out of respect for them to reach out to you. And when they try to reach out to you, don’t block all avenues to reach you, because you feel threatened by their coming.
You can’t win all the souls in your territory. You will do your part and allow others to do their part. Bishop David Oyedepo has proved to us that you can embrace the crusade or programme organized by another man of God in your city of operations.
There are Pastors today, the only problem they have is that you went to their cities. Let’s learn from these fathers.
LESSON 4: PASTOR KUMUYI CAN PREACH FOR ALL THE DAYS OF THE CRUSADE, BUT HE DECIDED TO SHARE THE PULPIT WITH BISHOP DAVID OYEDEPO:
I know you are a preaching and teaching machine, still know when it is wisdom to involve other Spiritual leaders in what you do. The Bishop Oyedepo we know, can always come and sit down without even touching the microphone, but Baba Kumuyi believes, it is better to have him come to minister than just to sit down and watch the meeting.
When you get to a territory to do a programme, it is wisdom to engage other fathers in that territory. It makes the work also easy for you. If you notice, after he finished ministering, the host also came up to minister. Meaning the programme was adjusted to accommodate his visit.
LESSON 5: THEIR DIFFERENCE IN DOCTRINE AND MINISTRY EMPHASIS WAS NOT AN ISSUE:
You can see how you are losing vital relationships in the name of doctrines, Let us learn from both of them. Their doctrines are different, but they still ministered on the same pulpit. Papa Kumuyi is known for Holiness, while Bishop Oyedepo is known for faith and prosperity.
If doctrines still separate you from people, it means you learnt nothing from this meeting. There is no time our doctrine will be the same, yet we must function on the same platform.
LESSON 6: BISHOP OYEDEPO PREACHED A MESSAGE ON SALVATION, INLINE WITH THE MINISTRY DOCTRINE AND MANDATE OF BABA KUMUYI:
You don’t go to an elders altar and counter what they have always believe in. Everything Bishop Oyedepo said was to amplify all Baba Kumuyi has been saying. In fact, for the first time, Bishop David Oyedepo was speaking like the branch Pastor of Deeper life.
A pulpit wisdom many don’t have. Bishop David Oyedepo did not come to prove he knows something different, he came to support the purpose of the meeting. Look at the topic he gave, that is not the natural element of Bishop David Oyedepo.
That is what the platform and programme deserves. Stop using your mighty revelations to scatter the innocent work of your host. In crusade ground, the focus is souls, the tool is a salvation message. Anything outside of that is fighting against Christ.
LESSON 7: BISHOP OYEDEPO REFERRED TO BABA KUMUYI AS OUR FATHER IN THE LORD SEATED HERE:
This is where many miss it, in trying not to sound like you have more than one father, you end up disrespecting a father figure that is seated before you. In the words of Bishop Oyedepo, “The Back to the Bible move in the 70’s through Our father in the Lord seated here tonight, Has been a great blessing till date. He is a great sage and a great patriarch”.
He said so many nice things about Baba Kumuyi, It doesn’t take anything away from you speaking well of your host. It is the approach of all wise guest speakers. If there are no nice things to say, look for something nice by all means to say.
He made mention of the tracks he was given in the 70s by the ministry of Baba Kumuyi, titled hell is real. It was the reality of the book of revelation, summarized in a little track. Even in Canaan land, while ministering on Sunday morning yesterday, he still referred to him as his elder Brother
In his words, “I was with my elder brother yesterday…” Showing continuous respect and honour for the person of Baba Kumuyi. What he said in the crusade and what was said in church is not a contradiction, it is respect and honour in different formats, without creating any challenge in the minds of the flocks.
LESSON 8: GOD IS UNITING THE BODY, IRRESPECTIVE OF OUR MANY DIFFERENCES:
This is probably their first official exchange of pulpit. At least not any invitation we know of in the last four decades. There are still going to be many pulpit exchanges that will shock the church of Christ on earth.
The unity that we tasted in the days of Papa idahosa and lost after his demise, is about to be rekindled. Anywhere your garment won’t be stained, forget about their doctrines and style of worship and connect with what God is doing there.
That is what God is saying to the churches at the moment. I won’t be surprised, if Baba WF Kumuyi is invited to minister in Shiloh.
LESSON 9: NO MATTER HOW BIG YOU HAVE BECOME DON’T FORGET THE LABOUR AND THE IMPACT OF THOSE THAT WERE ON THE FIELD BEFORE YOU, EVEN IF YOU LOOK BIGGER THAN THEM:
It is not unscriptural for the younger to be greater or bigger than the elder, it is only unscriptural for the younger to allow his results to make him disrespect his seniors.
Bishop David Oyedepo, is one man who doesn’t consider his level of results in relating with elders. You see him respect all of them that were there before him. Even if it looks like he has what this generation of young boys calls results in ministry more than most of them. I saw him receive a hand shake from Bishop Mike Okonkwo the other day with his both hands. That you are big doesn’t make anyone small. You are big in your own destiny, they are also big in their own destiny.
Papa Oyedepo represents humility and meekness. Only God knows where some of his Spiritual sons got their pride from. You see a son of Papa Oyedepo talking arrogantly and proudly as though he got whatever is making him drunk by his own power.
Anywhere you see results without humility and meekness, God is not in that result. God centred results, makes the recipient become humble and meek. Not talking in a way that elderly men will hear you and fall into depression‼️
Bishop Wisdom Irabor is of Answer’s Assembly in Warri Delta State, Nigeria