VIDEO: Rev. Nimi Wariboko Outlines Succession Plans For Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Bishop David Oyedepo And Other Nigerian Church Leaders

To avoid the struggle for power that follows the death of church leaders, general overseers of Nigerian churches have been advised to set up a clear system of succession. Rev. Nimi Wariboko gave that advice over the weekend during an appearance on SaharaTV’s Roundtable.

“They have to have a succession plan that is clear and transparent to everybody, and so that when the end comes… it would run smoothly,” Rev. Wariboko said to SaharaTV’s Rudolf Okonkwo. “But the problem with that in Nigeria as with every other institutions in Nigeria, politically, business or so, institutions are very highly personalized. So that there is no distance between the institution and their leaders.”

The senior pastor at Redeem Christian Church of God lamented that Nigerian churches were not open to such thinking. “It is very difficult to think about succession plan without seeming as if you are wishing the person dead already or you think evil,” he said. “It is very difficult for them to think.”

The former Wall Street investment banker blamed such disposition on cultural perceptions. He warned that until change occurs transitions would remain problematic. “But the old way of countering this is to try to set up an institution rather than a personality cult,” he said. “And to begin to reduce the power distance between the leaders of the church and their followers and introduce some form of accountability.”

Rev. Wariboko who is Katherine B. Stuart Professor of Christian Ethics at Andover Newton Theological School suggested that the most qualified person should always a leader that passed away. He rejected the idea that Nigerian church leaders are positioning their children to take over the church. “The fact that they are positioning their children does not mean that their children will take over or that it might be the same institution that their children will take over,” he said. “I believe that if they are not doing something in line with the spirit of God if it has become a private personalized industry, then I think they’ve lost the spirit of God. But I’m not surprised that human beings do such things. Even here in the US, Pentecostal pastors attempt to transfer churches to their children.”

The author of The Pentecostal Principle: Ethical Methodology in New Spirit asked,

“Anybody that is planning to transfer these institutions to their children need to ask, where is God in that plan?”

In a wide-ranged discussion on the state of the church in Nigeria, Rev. Wariboko warned, “If a church is not reforming if a church is not trying to stay with the Holy Spirit as much as it can, God has a way of raising up a different movement. I believe that the Pentecostalism or the form we have it now might not be the last form.”

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And so what difference does

And so what difference does that make?
Attend or not!

Are you a man of God?

This man is trying to mislead some people dat are still babes in christiandom;you better look for another topic to stir d confusion

THE GOSPEL FAITH MISSION

THE GOSPEL FAITH MISSION INTERNATIONAL IS DIFFERENT. IF YOU COME TO ATTEND, YOU WILL SEE THAT ALL PENTECOSTALS ARE NOT JUST THE SAME. IT IS A CHURCH WITH THE WORD FOR THE DYING WORLD. WE PREACH THE WORD, TEACH THE WORD AND LIVE THE WORD. THE GENERAL SHEPHERD OVER THIS CHURCH IS A MAN OF GOD INDEED AND WITH A FOCUS ON HEAVEN. HE IS NOT IN THE PUBLIC NEWS BUT HE IS KNOWN FOR SPREADING GOODNEWS - PASTOR ELIJAH OLUDELE ABINA. GOFAMINT IS A CHURCH THAT CAN LEAD TO HEAVEN IF YOU ARE WILLING TO GO.

Rev. Nimi Wariboko is right

The reverend is very correct, a clear articulate succession plan is very essential for these churches as God's inspiration does not flow along genealogical lines. Being a big person in the house of the Lord does not mean that your children should take over from where you stopped.

Another blinkered lemming

Jeremiah Amedu says ...

REMEMBER!!! TOUCH NOT MY ANOINTED AND DO MY PROPHET NO HARM. Y'all Beware!!!

This is a stale threat.

Naija today has more enlightened people than when information was hoarded to keep people in the dark.

Just two seconds on Google will reveal ...
Pastors committing murder
Pastors having sex in church
Pastors abusing children sexually
Pastors embezzling money
Pastors commiting adultery
Pastors dancing on dollars
Pastors advocating mass suicide
Pastors reserving front rows of churches for crooked politicians

And many, many more examples. It's like Fela sang, " ... and them (Pastors) dey do bad bad bad bad things (Suffering and Smiling)"

Nobody touched all these "annointed" and did them no harm while they perpertuated their criminality, with mugus like you cheering them on.

I bet your own Pastor was "annointed" in a Private Jet or Hummer Jeep.

Leave the church of God alone

Pls leave the church of God alone.I dnt know y analysts can't leave penticostal churches alone.When i was growing up,there was a phrase used in describing pastors''church ran''but now God has blessed the church to the extent that d church sponsored some of its members to higher institutions,award bursaries to her members and provide for d needies.pls discuss positive change among the youths and stop disturbing us with needless topics.

God help us

Is this the problem of Nigeria? Every man has a God-given vision. Jesus says you first remove the log of wood from your before removing the beam from your brothers. BEWARE OF THE ENEMY CALLED FLESH. Mr. Rev, seriousely, let God judge every man in his own way. Thanks for understanding.

Do you guys remember the

Do you guys remember the Church of God Mission owned by late Benson Idahosa? I still remember his wife insisting on taking over and being ordained a 'bishop' after the death of her husband. The elders of the church even pleaded for her to hands off and allow the most senior pastor take over pending the graduation of her eldest son from school, but she bluntly refused. Today the church is a shadow of what Idahosa left behind. It is all family business. No pretensions.

Jeremiah Ahmedu, Mumu

Ahmedu, u be big mumu. No wonder Nigeri canot progressi with idiotic thinking of people like you in respect of pastors preying on the vulnerabilty of poor members of their churches. Mumu Jeremiah Ahmedu

BEST SELLING

Please guys, we aren't babes here and this so - called saga of running Pastors is Stale Gist...
Why not mind your businesses, grow your families and keep praying for Nigeria with these so much strength that has been put into running Pastors down. Aint a Pastor but I DON TIRE FOR THIS UNA GIST.
We should teach Nigerian Youths on how not to be used by politicians in destroying our land, we should put much effort in teaching Nigerian Entrepreneurship, we should spend more time in self empowerment teachings etc and Just let the Pastors be.
REMEMBER!!! TOUCH NOT MY ANOINTED AND DO MY PROPHET NO HARM. Y'all Beware!!!
Funny enough, those lamenting and judging these Pastors do not even contribute these things, we wey dey contribute and give the seeds no dey complai.... I can even BUY THE ENTIRE EUROPE FOR MY PASTOR IF I HAVE THE MEANS... Make una give us new gistssssssss

I think Rev. Wariboko is

I think Rev. Wariboko is laying the wrong emphasis. The Rev. needs to see that the church is not business entity like almost how all the churches in the United States have been operating. Him advising the church overseer to make a succession plan is uncalled for. They bible says upon this rock i will build my church and the gate of hell will not overtake it. I believe the Lord will take care of it's church.

Con Men and ther Loot

I'm glad that when these con merchants finally kick the bucket, they will not be able to take their loots, private jets and limousines to hell with them.

These Problems Only Exists In Non Denominational Church.

We have the Assemblies Of God, Catholics, Baptist, Anglican and Methodist Churches that do not pass the leaderships of their Churches to their children. Leaders are elected by spirit filled elders. Only in one man church you have these problems. The founders want to keep their church in the hands of family members. They do not trust others to run the affairs of their visions. There is nothing bad for their heirs to continue to run the church if they have interest in the services of God. No one wants to throw his children away from doing the will of the Father who called them to the ministry. Please we should also understand that there are people with other motives. If the members feel that it is okay to worship under the founder's off springs they should do so without bias.

BIG PROBLEM

THESE GUYS ARE OUR PROBLEMS. I HAVE ZEROED MY MIND NOT TO ATTEND ANY PENTICOSTAL CHURCHES AGAIN. THEY ARE ALL CRIMES. THANK YOU