REPORT OF THE GMC PASTORS/WORKERS RETREAT.
Part 1- Tuesday 26 – Thursday 28 2006 (Pastors)
Looking at the retreat from the human stand point, it was rarely believed that it will cause such great an impact, raising a fiery spiritual altar of prayer and an elevated platform for the operation and ministry of Grace Family (GMC) worldwide.
As prayer, praise and worship preceded this gathering, the senior Pastor of GMC Prophet (Dr) Ezekiel Edumoh gave an introductory teaching as he shared on this article by Bruce Lassen, “None of us is sinner emeritus.”
Reading from Gal 6:1-4 and Phil 3:12-16, he extracted the following point:
-Why people are scared from true fellowship. Why should our Pastor always be the last person to know what we are going through?
-“John Wesley’s Holy club” he pointed out, “was established for sharing life issues to the extend of inquiring how members overcame sin each week.”
-To be great, we must break away from the fear and insecurity of true fellowship.
-God created fellowship so that we should help our lives not His. We must therefore be open if we are to receive revelation of where God wants us to be.
Some pertinent questions were addressed:
1) WILL YOU TRUST GOD WITH YOUR LIFE?
-“Your Father” he said, “wants to know the most dirtiest part of your life.” The Senior Pastor also pointed out that when you hide your real life from him, you are doing yourself more harms than good.
-Things should not happen to you that your Pastor will have to hear from the outsiders
-He also encouraged the Pastors to always share deepest emotions with a member of the Grace Family or with him.
2) WILL YOU TRUST THE CHURCH WITH YOUR LIFE?
-When we life in secrecy, we cannot grow. True fellowship involves prayer, studying the word and confession. This is what brought about God’s outpour of the Holy Spirit upon the Disciples in the upper room as they were waiting for the promise of the Father.
-You will find a different person in you if you can trust your life to God and your fellowship.
2) WILL YOU GET OUT THERE AND BE INVOLVED IN THE WORLD?
-The Church is still a lonely place for some people because there are some believers who have “arrived” and as such don’t pollution. No! The Church is a clinic for the sick.
-The reason we stay in fellowship is because we are prone to fail. The fact that someone sins doesn’t make him a former Pastor/Christian. There is nothing like Pastor emeritus., or former Pastor.
HOW DOES BELIEVERS SOLVE THEIR LONELINESS?
-By sharing. Even Jesus chosed to share His loneliness with three of His trusted disciples when he was about to face the death of the cross. Concluding this introductory lesson, he said that Christians should be challenged to “bring their lives to the Church. Living within closed doors or as an island will bring such negative effects as:
-Living with guilt,
-Living in fear and
-Inferiority complex
We are to discipline people for corrective, and not for punitive reasons.
TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Was the next topic that the Pastor took time to elaborate upon:
-A transformational leader does not look at the beginning of anything but the end.
-The same power that transformed you is the power that will transform those to whom you’re sent. Transformation is resurrection; it is the quickening power.
-Six major characteristics were deliberated upon:
1) Supportive Leadership Behavior: Get in touch with your people one on one. You will never be forgotten by anybody who discovers you are interested in him.
2) Identify and articulate a vision: Get what heaven has dropped in your soul concerning the future. Carry your people along into the future. People yearn to be part of a great cause.
3) Provide an appropriate role model: Let them see more of your life than more of your preaching and teaching.
4) Foster acceptance of group goals over individual goals.
5) High performance expectations: Develop yourself to carry a multi-task. Improve daily on your performance level.
6) Intellectual stimulation: The Holy Spirit does not use ignorant
Concluding this teaching session that lasted from 10.00am to 1.30pm was a prayer lead by Pastor Columbus Eyo. Coming up next was a one hour break with a common meal from the Grace Family Mummy.
Later in the afternoon came up the commissioning of the Business meeting which lasted up to 5.00pm. Two main committees were commissioned, the planing committee, under the chairmanship of Pastor Uwak was to take care of the programs the church intent to achieve for 2007. The following persons were to work with this commission; Pastor John Onuoha, Pastor Ime, Evang Mercy Isaac, Pastor Samuel A., Pastor Bawu Daniel. They were also to plan for a long-term program of five years and the goals to achieve within this period.
A committee for the setting up of the church constitution was also inaugurated under the chairmanship of Pastor Austine Eteng, and the following member to work with him; Rev. Mrs. Arit Edumoh, Pastor Adeyemi Abolarin, Evangelist Blessing Edumoh and Pastor Khan Kingsley.
The results of the two committees were submitted to the Senior Pastor after another session in the following day for careful examination. Such an atmosphere of prayer and retreat before God was a good foundation for building the priorities that will sustain the Grace family (GMC) in the years to come.
STEPS TO WARDS LEADERSHIP BREAKTHROUGH.
This was another striking topic that the Pastor took time to deliberate upon.
From this article by John Maxwell, he drew out the following points.
1) Personal growth; Leadership is a journey and not a destination. A leader must grow out of sin if he is to be influential. The sin in your life will not allow people to hear you even when you are saying some important and salient things that nobody else has ever said. Each time you allow sin to get into you, your level of influence is reduced. And what breaks the altar of prayer in a person’s life is sin.
-Learn from personal experiences and also from the experiences of others.
-Develop emotional stamina. Have a high emotional quotient. When one’s emotions are down, he begins to preach self-pity messages as a means to liberate self from the mess. Don’t delay yourself in one class, grow and move no.
2) Responsibility. One of the differences between the leader and the follower is the ability to take up responsibility.
-Look for responsibility because behind it is possibility.
-Responsible people are driven by excellence.
3) Connection. Where you are is as a result of connection
Ways to get connected:
-Make getting to know people a priority.
-Find out a commonality, e.g interests, experience, hobbies, etc.
-Respect others’ differences in personality or opinion.
-Find out what motivates others.
-Include the people as a leadership friend seek ideas.
4) Resolve. Be decisive. Know your priority and concentrate on it.
5) Positive attitude. Attitudes are contagious.
-Your progress will be hindered if you have a wrong attitude.
-Surround your mind with positive people and positive pictures. Never feed your mind with negative pictures.
-Set a daily goal for yourself and make sure you achieve it. Leader develops from inside out.
Wednesday 27/12/06
As the fervent prayer session of the early morning ended, preparation in anticipation to another encounter with the Lord proceeded. By 9.00a .m, the team was once again swept into God’s awesome presence.
Reading from the book of Joshua 14:11-12, the Senior Pastor uplifted the spirit of everyone present:
-“It is time to forcefully get what rightly belongs to you”, says Prophet (Dr) Edumoh.
-Celeb asked for his mountains. It is on the mountaintop that the world will see you. That is your platform.
-You have been counted among the weak for too long.
-Inheritance is something that rightly belongs to you from the lineage. E.g, your inheritance of excellence, wisdom, influence, power, anointing, etc.
-Your story is changing today. You will leave this earth as a man of influence and honour.
-Matt 21:18-19 You may not know how many people have cursed you, as they came with hungry souls only to be disappointed by your fruitless life.
-If you are afraid of thinking and dreaming big dreams, God will be afraid of giving them to you because you will drop them.
-Dress your mind and build the kingdom in your mind. Your vision must outgrow and outlive you.
-We have entered into a time of the drought of fishes. When is about turning your captivity, time is not in essence.
As the Senior Pastor concluded this session with prayers, break time was observed and a common meal was shared.
Coming up in the afternoon was the continuation of the business meeting. The prayer session in the evening was so tense as the Anointing and unction of the Holy Spirit was increasingly released from on high throughout the retreat. Earnest prayers were offered to God on behalf of GMC worldwide, for her increase, expansion and impact in all the earth. Also noted are the special requests that were made to God on behalf of Rev Rebecca Micheal who was commissioned by the Senior Pastor to plant the GMC Parish in Canada, and Rev Samara for USA. The GRACE UNIVERSITY was not left behind, especially as all were excited for the miraculous vast land already at hand, donated by the Ijibollos.
As the day’s program came to a close, Daddy, Mummy and everybody had a common supper; and then retreated for rest at about 9.30p.m.
Thursday 28/12/06.
It was another wonderful day as the priests, prophets and kings; servants of the Most High God rose up with the fresh dew of the morning upon their lives. After a good breakfast in love and oneness, we were naturally swept into the presence of God without struggling as the service started.
USE IT OR LOOSE IT
As the Senior Pastor read from Ex 6:5-8 as discussed at length. He pointed out that:
-God’s authority is in our hands to use it or loose it.
-You are either a conqueror or a complainer
-You are going to be operating in God’s abundance you go.
-If there is anything the is doing, it is shielding you from recognizing the authority of God in your life.
-Every word that will speak has been insured by heaven. You don’t have to doubt whatever word you speak.
-The Master is so full that he needs nothing. The only he needs is for you to carry Him along so he can help you to possess some of His possessions.
-Do not be afraid of saying it.
-When you feed a baby you don’t follow after the food in the stomach to effect digestion.
-Don’t give chances. Use what you have. Anytime people see God in action, they respect Him.
This session was rounded up with prayer. A common meal from Mummy Edumoh was served during break time.
As break was over, the two committees came up and handed their reports to the Senior Pastor. The Pastor expressed his immense appreciation to the pastoral team for their active participation throughout the retreat.
The following appointments were read. Leaders of various offices will serve the Church (GMC) for 2007.
1) Bishop Arit Edumoh……. CRS Parish.
2) Bishop Adeyemi Abolarin…… Ebonyi State Parish.
3) Pastor Peter…………………... Enugu State Parish
4) Bishop Rebecca Micheal………Canada.
5) Rev Deb Murtgh……………… USA.
6) Bishop I F Uwak………………Foreign Missions Coordinator.
7) Pastor Columbus Eyo…………. Missionary Evang./Administrator.
8) Pastor Austine Eteng…………...Mission Prayer Coordinator.
9) Evang. Mercy Isaac…………….Evangelism and Follow up.
10) Pastor John Onuoha……………Mission Treasurer.
11) Evang. Supol Offiong………….Patron.
12) Bishop Arit Edumoh/ Bleessing Edumoh…. Achacha Children PACM Bible Club.
13) Pastor Khan Kingsley…………. Mission’s General Secretary.
14) Senior Pastor shall be in charge of Mentorship and Discipleship.
(OTHER APPOINTMENTS ARE IN THE SENIOR PASTOR’S LIST)
Consecration of Bishops and the ordination of Pastors was scheduled for November 2007. Rev Rebecca Micheal of Canada and Rev Samara from USA will be join for this Nov. 2007 consecration service.
The closing session of the evening program was marked by sincere gratitude from everybody. .As the Senior Pastor gave his closing remarks, he reminded the GMC Pastoral team to keep up with God’s standards as they enter into the year of Acceleration and Divine speed.
Part 2 – Pastors/Workers. Friday 29/12/2007
The Senior Pastor opened this session with an exhortation titled “Biblical Philosophy of the Church.”
Reading from 1Peter 2:5,9,22, he elaborated on it with the central thought that every believer is supposed to know what the Church is all about; lively stones building up a spiritual house to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God.
Following was the first lecture session by Pastor I F Uwak who deliberated more on “Openness”. Pastor Austine also later as he exposed the in dept on “Stewardship”.
As the workers returned from an hour’s break, the Senior Pastor gave a short exaltation on “The calling and conduct of the Church.” From Ephesians 1: 6,12, he pointed out the following functions of the Church:
-The exists to glorify God.
-To exalt Christ. 1Cor 10:31, Col 3:17.
-To equip the saints, Eph 4:11-16.
-To evangelize the lost, Matt 28:19-20
As the Pastor drew a conclusion, Bishop Adeyemi came up as he spoke on “Service.” Pastor John Onuoha later came up as he folded the day with “Leadership”.
He pointed out that Leadership is influencing others to achieve a common goal. That leadership is not position or title or big name, but service.
Final remarks were made by the Senior Pastor as he cautioned all the workers yo be serious for the up coming year. All workers shall be expected to be fully involved in all the weekly meetings of the Church (Monday Bible study, Wednesday miracle service and Friday prayer meeting) .
Also GMC workers shall be expected to be in church at 8:00a.m every Sunday for an hour’s prayer before service.
Any worker will be stripped from his/her duty in a case of lateness. Such repeated lateness, with no strong reason will attract suspension from functioning as worker throughout the year.
Dr. Ezekiel Edumoh
GMC Int'l Senior Pastor
WWOMI President
GFU Chancellor