By 'Gbenga Bankole
As part of its strategies to raise godly leaders, the Directorate of Christ Apostolic Church Youth Fellowship (CACYOF) Nigeria and Overseas, has on Thursday February 2, 2023 commenced National Leadership Retreat 2023 for all regional and centre leaders of the fellowship.
The well attended annual programme with the theme "Discipleship: God's Strategy for Raising Leaders" holding at Babalola Memorial International Miracle Camp, Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State has in attendance regional and centre youth leaders from nooks and crannies of the country, and Benin Republic.
Day one of the programme started with praise and worship session led by the retreat choir, followed by opening hymn, roll call/attendance by Assistant Director of Youth Affairs, Pastor S.O. Oke and lecture-one by former Assistant Youth Coordinator of the old Akinyele and incumbent District Superintendent of CAC His Fame House, Pastor I.D.O. Akinpelu on the topic "Discipleship: The Right Process of Raising Sons of God."
In his keynote address, the Director of Youth Affairs, CAC Nigeria and Overseas, Pastor Samson O. Gbuyiro citing Isaiah chapter 26 verse 26 said "God is the best Strategist and the Scripture is replete with instances where God called His beloved children to come into His secret place and abide under His shadow to draw strength for the journey ahead. Retreat to refire."
He further said the eyes of God are always on the finished line, and He is constantly consistent in offering us what it requires to finish strong.
"Therefore, waiting on God for renewal of strength remains a spiritual standing rule which must not be compromised if we truly desire and are determined to run with the heavenly vision, up to the finishing line unhindered. The Bible confirms that the glory of young people is their strength. Yet, running with the heavenly vision requires something more reliable, tested, and trusted than the natural strength," Pastor Gbuyiro stated.
Citing Isaiah chapter 40 verse 30, the Youth Director told the youth leaders that the passage confronts them with a reality of human limitations and offers a direct and unlimited access to God for supernatural strength, adding that as a matter of fact, there is need for some break from work to rest and re-strategise to achieve better results in ministry for God.
Speaking on the theme of the retreat (Discipleship: God's Strategy for Raising Leaders), the Clergyman said it is imperative to inform this generation of the potency and efficiency of discipleship as God's ordained strategy, which is non-negotiable if an enduring and lasting impact would be made in (leadership) ministry.
Former Assistant Youth Coordinator of the old Akinyele and incumbent District Superintendent of CAC His Fame House, Pastor I.D.O. Akinpelu while ministering on the topic "Discipleship:The Right Process of Raising Sons of God" taking his text from Matthew 28:18-20 said it is obvious that paucity of discipleship is a major reason for stunted growth in any church organization and if not corrected, it will continue to affect the end-time harvest.
He noted that discipleship is therefore the power that allows any church to experience an end-time bumper harvest.
"Be discipled and make a move to disciple others. This must be the goal of every bona fide member of the Christ Apostolic Church Youth Fellowship in Nigeria and overseas.
In His holy name, may we receive the grace to live up to this standard," he stated.
Pastor Akinpelu said making disciples is not only the mandate of the Master but also the mission of every Christian, saying that we may ignore it but we cannot evade it.
"Christ, the Master, left this legacy- the magna charte of the church. To prove how fundamental it is, Christ our Master provided both model and the method. His life and death recast the lives of men. He demonstrated that you have not done anything until you have changed the lives of men. Obviously somehow, we have forgotten that His promise to abide with us is not a Carte Blanche. His promise is linked with a process. It is not just possible to embrace the promise and ignore the process. Being a disciple of Christ begins with a proper relationship with Jesus Christ and having on your heart what is on His," he stated.
According to him, making disciples therefore begins with evangelism, the fundamental objective of every member of His Kingdom is to populate heaven and depopulate hell.
"For the real sons of God to be properly raised therefore, discipleship is second to none. There are three major approaches to discipleship according to our textual source: The Making of the disciple (v 19a), The Marking of the disciple (v 19b) and The Maturing of the disciple (v20a). The maturing of the disciples is the process that is required for raising Sons of God," he said.
It was a moment of another divine encounter during the prayer session led by the Assistant Regional Youth Coordinator of Akinyele Region, Pastor I.T. Ariyo.
The programme continues today will end in the early hours of Saturday February 4, 2023.
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