By Pastor Wole Oladiyun

It is important for any worker in an organization to know that there is the need for absolute faithfulness while you are there, that means reliability and absolute dependability.  This is because what you sow is what you will reap.  

Galatians 6 v 7 – Be not deceived, God is not mocked, what a man sows, he reaps.

Proverbs 28 v 20 – A faithful man shall abound with blessings but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent; Luke 16 v 12: And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s who shall give you that which is you own.

• Wherever you serve, put in your best as every seed you sow will be harvested in the nearest future. Do not forget that WHAT YOU RESPECT is what you will Expect.  The faithfulness you sow in another man’s vision will determine what you will get when you are on your own in multiple fold.
• Never you sow a seed of discontentment in the flock about the organization where you are serving.
• Do not start inciting the congregation or masses against leadership by saying “If I were the leader, I would do so and so” That is Absalomic spirit.  Those who do that and break away in rebellion may succeed for several years, but God judges later.
• If God wants you to establish a new ministry you must disengage honourably from the parent organization with the blessings of your leader and the church.

Leaving an organization can be for the under-listed reasons.

1. God asking you to leave the organization to start a new work to further His Kingdom or join another organization for this same Godly purpose.
2. Some are dismissed because of disloyalty and insubordination.
3. Some leave out of their own personal ungodly interests or because some disgruntled influential people are hailing them to go out with an assurance of helping them.

It is important for you to examine your heart very well before you take any decision as your decision my MAKE or MAR your future.

Pray with the following Scriptures:

1. Prov. 20 v 24 – “Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?
2. Psalm 32 v 8 – “I will instruct thee and teach, thee in the way which thou shalt go; I will guide thee with mine eye”.
3. Psalm 25 v 12 & 14 – “What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose”.

v. 14   – “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenants.”

• Isa 30 v 21 – “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, this is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left”.
• Jer.  33 v 3 – “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not”.

It is important to note that in the Apostolic times. Paul and Barnabas also disagreed on Silas and Mark. Acts 15 v 39 & 40: “And the contention was so sharp between them that they departed asunder one from the other, and so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; And Paul chose Silas and departed being recommended by the brethren into the grace of God.”

According to Nathaniel M. Van Cleave, the author of “A History of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel”: “No matter how healthy a Vine may be, in periods of rapid growth, where there is activity and traffic, some branches will get broken and separated from the Main tree” The same observation holds true from the Apostolic/Ecclesiastical Vines and branches.

BEFORE LEAVING THE ORGANIZATION

1. Note that there is no perfect organization anywhere and no perfect person.
2. It is extremely important to give your organization sufficient time/notice before leaving.
3. Never share your disappointments of your present organizational hierarchy with congregation members.
4. Do not tell the members every little problem you have with the Church leadership in other to win personal followership/disciples.
5. It is very unfair to criticize and exaggerate the leadership challenges with the followers after you have decided to leave.  People who win followers this way pay for it dearly in their lifetime because their disciples will do the same to them many folds.
6. Remember that it is a known fact that every Minister or Workers sees the FAULTS of those he is following and sometimes faces the temptation of killing them so that he can rise faster but WOR to any Minister who indulges in such an act.  God’s judgment shall fall on him.  Do not forget that when David had the opportunity to kill King Saul, he did not.  1 Sam. 26 v 9 – 11 v9.  And David said to Abishai destroy him not, for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?  v.11 The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed…”

If David had killed Saul, when he also started having problems, his people would have killed him because they would have been taught that to get to the throne you must kill the one on it.

• Close the door gently.  You may need it tomorrow.  Do not kick off or break the ladder that took you up, you may need it tomorrow.  Remember that where your anointing refuses to pick up the missing Axe-Head, the grace of the father will do.

HOW TO END A RELATIONSHIP/CLOSING THE DOORS BEHIND GENTLY

Gen. 30 v 26 – “Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.”

This world is a small place.  You need to close every door with “Welcome signs” on the doors.  You cannot enter the next season of your life with joy unless you exit your present season correctly.  You must leave your office in such a dignifying way that your boss supports you all the way.  You may someday leave your present position.  Close the relationship with dignity, thoughtfulness, thanksgiving, and integrity.  Who knows, your boss today could be your acquaintance in your life next year.

Whenever you are convinced to disengage from where you are, there are some standard procedures you must follow to leave with a good report and receive the blessings of God.

1. Pray very well and hear God right.
2. Never Resign in Anger.  James 1 v 20: – For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
3. Any decision taken in anger will never be right.
4. You cannot think straight when you are annoyed.
5. Do not slam doors and do not yell
6. It is the attitude of your exit that determines if you can every walk back through that door again.
7. Prepare your family members ready so that they can offer you support.
8. DON’T RESIGN, SURPRISINGLY. Tell your present employer of your decision yourself.  He should not hear from another party.  Do not send an e-mail or text message to him.  Book an appointment to have a one-on-one chat.  Do it prayerfully with reverence.
9. Explain your decisions clearly without running down the organization and leadership.
10. Ensure your responsibilities are left in order.
11. Clearly write the condition and level of development of your areas of responsibilities.
12. Also be sure you leave a proper financial record to obtain a release from the authority concerned.
13. You may suggest how your take-over officer can improve on what you have done so far.
14. Encourage those who worked with you to be hard working, proactive, responsible, productive, and loyal to the new person and the leadership in general.
15. Allow time for a replacement to be found.  Giving short notices is damaging and frustrating.  Agree with your leader on the length of time left for you.
16. Do not leave with anything that is not yours without due permission.  If God calls you indeed to start a new work, he will provide everything needed to make you stand.  You must leave by faith, absolutely over-depending on God.  Do not struggle on the properties belonging to your father.  It is a taboo.  So many ministers have brought curses upon themselves by taking properties not belonging to them.
17. It is unethical for you to be trained by your organization and you resign soon thereafter.
18. Resigning without notice or stealing automatically causes you to forfeit all benefits or consideration you may be entitled to.
19. Take time to prepare and think well before you resign.
20. Re-read your employment contract.
21. Get your timing right.
22. Do not broadcast your exit before leaving.
23. Be flexible about your exit date.  If your boss needs you a bit longer, be accommodating as much as you can.
24. Do not use resignation to extort or intimidate.
25. Say a formal goodbye on your final day of work to all and sundry.

COUNSELS FOR THE LEADERS

1. Kindly allow those who want to resign to go because God’s vision in your hands cannot die.  If you keep them, they will become problems to the system.
2. Do not quarrel or make troubles with anyone who wants to leave.  God’s vineyard is so big, and we have been given portions to tend for Him.  The Gardener can accommodate many more.  Remember Mathew 9:37 & 38, “the Harvest is plenty, but the labourers are few, pray the Lord of the Harvest to send labourers into His vineyard”. More labourers are needed.
3. Not all the people working in your organization would stay there forever.
4. When you hear of a Minister who has left your organization raining insults on you or praying negative prayers, DON’T ANSWER him, commit him unto God, let God answer him.
5. Let the Holy Spirit reveal secrets to you.  Do not set spies in the Church.  It is unethical.  God will always defend His interest in the organization.
6. Whoever wants to take the organization properties away should be counseled not to do so, but if he is adamant, let God judge between the two of you.
7. Remember, when a tree is alive and a branch severs itself off, other sprouts in its stead.  God has his own divine mechanism to fill up any gap.  Rejoice in the Lord.

MY PERSONAL TESTIMONIES

I served as an Associate Pastor under my father in the Lord, Rev. (Dr.) D. K. Aboderin, the founder and General Overseer of Faith Family Bible Church, Ojodu, Lagos, Nigeria for Six years (1990 – 1996).  By the Grace of God, I was sent forth into an Apostolic/Evangelical Ministry in 1996.  My boss prayed for me and wished me well.  The Church organized a befitting send forth party for me and my family.  I remembered my leader asking me to go and prosper by the Grace of God and be a good ambassador of Christ.

Two years later, on April 2nd, 1998, God started the present work through my hands and ever since I left, my boss and I have maintained a very cordial father – son relationship to the extent that till the time of writing, my boss releases blessings upon me and the work.  Sometime, in year 2009, he visited me at home and said son, I am here with a brother who is a Medical Equipment Missionary.  I have told him that I have a son who is interested in Maternities/Hospitals.  The two of you should work together and he left.

Beloved till now, many mighty testimonies after fourteen years (14years) of leaving him.  May the Lord bless him, his family, and Ministry in Jesus name.

LESSON

Make effort to build relationship with your leaders.  A relationship that will stand the test of time.  If you must break anything at all, not a relationship, because you might need it someday.  Become the person your leader can sincerely trust and count on at any given time.  Run away from those things that will violate the trust of your leader in you.

Pastor Wole Oladiyun is the Senior Pastor of the Christ Livingspring Apostolic Ministry (CLAM), Omole, Lagos. For more of his bulletins and books, visit www.woleoladiyun.com, www.prayerparliament.com, or www.clamgo.org.