GREENER PASTURES

they have tasted different opportunities and have experienced varieties. To a large extent I tend to agree with him but like any other concept in life, making the conclusion absolute would not stand in every situation. I had and still have this grand idea of working with people who know how to change their environments and situations. I would so love to work in companies like Google who seem to think before overtaking any concept they focus on.

It’s that idea that made me learn programming so I could be independent in producing software, the same idea has made me try to modify the contents of the syllabuses I presently teach. I however understood that joining the flock of succeeding people is one step in the right direction but creating your own succeeding flock is a bigger stride in a never wrong direction. It makes more sense to be a producer than a consumer.

Yes, I knew this a very long time back but it never occurred to me that I was negating that very idea when I chose to
change my Church, the local assembly where I worship.

I was tired of listening to sermons that I didn’t foresee would help me grow at the rate I wanted to. I was sick of not moving my body when the music was going on because everyone around was so stiff. We the youths were acting even older than our parents. I had a lot of issues with the church and the youth most especially. I couldn’t stand the dryness and the solemnness I always encountered and I sought to leave. To leave for good. I decided that out of honour and respect I should speak to an elder before I proceeded on my already concluded decision to leave.

I spoke with an elder after a Sunday service and I told him I was leaving. He asked me why. I vented all my anger on him as if he was the cause. He never challenged my words. He actually agreed with me, then he asked me which church I wanted to move to. I told him that any church I move to would be better than mine. That was when he disagreed.

“Charles”, he started. “Every church and congregation have their peculiar issues and it may be different from your church, but no church is perfect.”

He spoke some more then concluded thus:

“If you would permit me, I would show you how to eat. Come with me and you will see how we eat”.

I decided to try him. I had nothing to lose. Once he fails to convince me, I will continue with my mission. No love lost.

That was the beginning of a journey that I never returned from, one I never regretted. One that I can never quit even with much persuasion.

He showed me how to concentrate on giving rather than receiving. He helped me understand that once you are in church, you are part of the success and the failure all together. That when you do nothing to provoke or initiate a change then you have no right to criticize and analyze the situation.

I stopped verbalizing my complaints and started praying for the choir, the pastor, the youths, the elders. I decided to associate with the youth and I even found out that they only wanted someone to lead the way, they were as energetic and ready to work and live like other youths I had always envied. It was a hard decision to remain in my church. It was really hard.

My friends called and asked me what I was doing in a “dead church”, they spoke about their church and to worsen the matter, a pastor of a well-known and vibrant church asked me to come and help his youth after I gave a talk in his church. It was too late then to heed their words. They were distractions to me now. I was focused. I had decided to face the situation and try to better the situation.

I decided to bring in concepts, to look for available people and willing minds, joyful hearts and grateful spirits and I found more than enough, in the same people I thought were dead afore. Today I am happy I stayed because my local assembly has become a model to some other churches around. They borrow our concepts, they call us to intervene, to initiate and even to lead their own ideas. I never knew that dead bones could rise again so fast and even give life to other dead.

The idea of changing your environment rather than looking for a changed environment is a righteous one. Not just looking for a well-paid job but working on creating well-paying jobs. I have decided not to just be affiliated to winning teams but to create teams that never permit losing. I am no more a crowd-critic but a crowd-puller.

The words still fly around and many are bound to mouth very annoying words but I know the origin of the present. I know that God is looking for Givers, not getters. I know he called us not to look for green pastures but to make out own pastures green because the grass will always looker greener on the other side of the fence.

I no longer “trip” for churches, none is better than mine and mine isn’t better than any. We don’t compare. We are all parts of the same body. We are where we are so as to do what we ought.

I am happy I stayed. I didn’t want to but I did. I had good reasons to leave but none of them is to be compared to the lessons I have learnt having stayed.

If you want to make a difference amongst a people, then you have to associate with them and come down to their level.

If you want them to do something, make sure you are doing it yourself or you have what it takes to motivate them to action.

If you want to criticize, be sure it is constructive else you might do more harm than good.

People grow and not at the same pace, you need to be patient with them all.

Be firm and not sissy, be strong without being intimidating.

Above all, we are all men and imperfect. Let God be your light else all is still a vain pursuit.

Before you take your next decision, even after praying, seek counsel. Youth, seek an elder. Selah

“Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.”  

Pro 15:22:

“Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.”