A repentance - by Ibrahim Haruna Madison

There was a young man, about 18 years old. He attended one particular church, and he was a chronic porn addict. He just loved going to church, just like other Christians who aren't born again do. One day, this guy met with a street evangelist who preached to him and got him saved. He was baptized and abandoned his old lifestyle. For almost a month, this guy was at home, praying, fasting, and meditating on God's Word. After a week or so, he launched into the streets and started preaching about Jesus. From street preaching to preaching in schools, he became a well-known Jesus addict. From a mere churchgoer who enjoyed porn to a Jesus addict, burning for God. One day, his church pastor, the pastor of the church he was attending, invited him to his office. They had the following conversation: Pastor: Son, you are doing a wonderful job. I am happy for you. The guy: Thank you very much, Sir. Pastor: But how long have you been saved before volunteering into this ministry? The guy: A few months ago, Sir. Pastor: What! You are still young, immature, and have zero experience in ministry. Even I myself, as your spiritual father, can't release you into ministry like that. It took me 30 days of prayer and fasting before I became born again, and it took me 20 years of waiting on God to start this ministry. Son, you are treading the wrong path. Leave ministry and go and repent! The guy: I have gone too far, Sir. The way God saved me, I can't just stop preaching about Him anywhere. Pastor: What! Do you want to crash? Son, if truly I am your spiritual father, you have to listen to what I am telling you. The guy: I am very sorry, Sir. I never said that you are my spiritual father. I had been in your church, living in darkness for many years, and all your sermons couldn't change me. Why? Pastor: Now leave my office. Don't come to this church again. The guy: Sir... Pastor: Leave my office!! That was how the guy was driven away from that church, and he never went back. His passion for God kept growing....These are the kinds of pastors we have in our generation today. They don't want you to grow beyond them. They don't want you to discover God for yourself. They don't want you to become a threat to their position. They want you to remain under them forever, so that you will always need their permission before doing anything for God. This is one of the things we don't talk about enough in Christianity. There are people standing on the altar who are not interested in raising disciples. They want you to believe everything they say because they are the ones standing on the altarAnd the moment you begin to experience God for yourself, they become uncomfortable. Imagine someone who had spent years in the church, listening to sermons every week, but remained trapped in pornography. Then one day, someone preached Jesus to him on the street, and his life changed. Instead of the pastor asking, "Son, what happened to you?" Instead of asking, "How did you overcome this?" Instead of saying, "Let's help you grow in Christ." The first thing he did was try to stop him! The pastor said, "It took 30 days of prayer and fasting before I became born again." But salvation is not a competition. God doesn't save people according to timetable! "It took me 20 years of waiting on God to start this ministry." That may be his testimony. But why should another person's journey with God have to look exactly like yours? If God called you to wait 20 years, does that mean God must make everybody wait 20 years? If God took you through a particular process, does that mean anybody who doesn't follow your process is automatically rebellious? I am not against any pastor or preacher, if this is what you are doing in your church, please stop it! We are populate Christ, not your reputation!

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