Just Before You Start a Church (Jesus Is Closing Down Some Churches Soon!) By Segun Olumide
Jan 17, 2016
Just Before
You Start
a
Church
(Jesus Is Closing Down Some Churches Soon!)
By Segun Olumide
©2014 Segun Olumide
1st Edition
All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise stated, all scriptures quoted in this book are from the King James Version of the Bible.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. SOME EXISTING CHURCHES MUST FOLD UP; WHILE SOME NEW ONES MUST SPRING UP
2. WRONG REASONS FOR STARTING A CHURCH
3. RIGHT REASON FOR STARTING A CHURCH
CHAPTER ONE
SOME EXISTING CHURCHES MUST FOLD UP; WHILE SOME NEW ONES MUST SPRING UP
Malachi 1:10 (NIV) reveals: " 'Oh, that one of you would SHUT THE
TEMPLE DOORS,so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am
not pleased with you,' says the LORD Almighty ."
Jesus boldly warned the leader of the church in Ephesus: "I hold this
against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from
which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.
IF YOU DO NOT REPENT, I WILL COME TO YOU AND REMOVE YOUR
LAMPSTAND FROM ITS PLACE" Revelation 2:4-5 (NIV).
The prophetic warning to the prostitute church today is: "Though you,
Israel, are a prostitute, may Judah avoid such guilt.
DO NOT JOIN THE FALSE WORSHIP AT GILGAL OR BETH-AVEN
[house of wickedness], EVEN THOUGH THEY TAKE OATHS THERE IN
THE LORD'S NAME" (Hosea 4:15, NLT).
God has raised up some dangerous ministers with the dangerous anointing
to undertake the dangerous task of closing down churches that heaven
wants to close down.
This is not to be done in the flesh. It is as the Spirit moves His servants.
One of them is an apostle here in Lagos. He made the declaration about 2
years ago.
Then this year I listened to Sister Toun Praise whom Jesus gave a strong
fearful message titled; “CHRUCHES DUE TO BE CLOSED.”
I strongly advise every minister to watch this video. You can google it and
watch free on the internet via you tube.
The Lord gave her Jeremiah 7:14, “So just as I DESTROYED SHILOH, I
WILL NOW DESTROY THIS TEMPLE THAT BEARS MY NAME, this
Temple that you trust in for help, this place that I gave to you and your
ancestors” (NLT).
CHAPTER TWO
WRONG REASONS FOR STARTING A CHURCH
If you have started a church mainly because of any of the following wrong
reasons without receiving a rhema or specific instruction from God, then I
am sorry for you.
So now, you need to get ready for the shaking, spiritual earthquake coming
to churches!
1. “SO THAT I CAN HAVE THE FREEDOM TO DO WHAT I WANT TO DO
FOR GOD.”
"No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as
Aaron was" (Hebrew 5:4, NIV).
2. “MY DENOMINATION DOES NOT APPRECIATE MY WORTH OR
VALUE.”
(see Galatians 1:10)
Ed Stetzer, an experienced church planter training church planters and
pastors around the globe said in an interview: "If you're starting a church
because you're mad at the leadership of your old church or they wouldn't
let you preach, or you've got something to prove, I think those are wrong
reasons to plant a church." 1
3. “MANY PEOPLE ARE PERISHING; SO IT WILL HELP ME REACH OUT
TO MORE SOULS.”
(see 1 Chronicles 13:9-11; 1 Chronicles 15:13-15)
4. “AS A TRAVELLING PREACHER, I WANT TO HAVE A PLACE TO
RETURN TO FROM TIME TO TIME AS MY BASE OR TO RETIRE TO
WHEN I AM OLD.”
A certain prophet here in Lagos told my wife and me years ago that he had
started a church so that when he becomes old he could have a place to
retire or return to! How absurd! (see John 3:27).
5. “I HAVE THE FINANCIAL AND MATERIAL RESOURCES TO DO SO.”
(see Psalms 127:1)
6. “THAT IS WHAT MY FOLLOWERS WANT.”
(see 1 Kings 13:7-14)
7. “THAT IS THE REIGNING THING TODAY, SO IF I DON’T DO, I’LL BE
UNPOPULAR AND IRRELEVANT.
The Lord says: "Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong" (Exodus 23:2,
NIV).
8. “I HAVE BEEN TO A BIBLE SCHOOL.”
Pastor David Yonggi Cho related the sad story of two young men who
graduated from their Bible school and proceeded to start a church.
Eventually, when failure frustrated their effort, they went to ask him why
they failed whereas he succeeded.
Then it was discovered that while Pastor Cho began church planting based
on instruction from God, these young ministers started without any
instruction from heaven! They were imitators or copycats (see Acts 19:13-
16)!
9. “I HAVE THE EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE TO START A CHURCH.”
10. “I SAW MYSELF PREACHING TO A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.”
(see Hosea 4:6)
11. “I HAVE A SPECIAL ANOINTING FOR HEALING, MIRACLE,
PROPHECY OR VISION.”
12. “IT IS AN EXPERIMENT; IF IT WORKS OUT, WE’LL CONTINUE, BUT
IF IT FAILS, WE’LL BACK OUT.”
The Lord revealed: "I have not sent these prophets, yet they run around
claiming to speak for me…" (Jeremiah 23:21, NLT).
13. “GOD HAS CALLED ME TO BE A PASTOR.”
Not all pastors will start a new church. Some are called to pastor already
existing churches while others are called to start new churches.
You must, however, find out from the Lord the type of pastoral calling you
have.
14. “I WANT TO PROVE TO SOME PEOPLE THAT I CAN DO IT, TOO,
EVEN FAR BETTER THAN THEIR EXPECTATION.”
15. “I WANT TO HAVE THE BIGGEST CHURCH AROUND.”
Who told you it is now a competition? (see 2 Corinthians 10:12)
16. “NO CHURCH HAS WHAT I WANT.”
17. “WE NEED MORE CHURCHES BEFORE WE CAN COMPLETELY
EVANGELIZE THE WORLD.”
(see Matthew 28:19-20)
18. “A GREAT MAN OF GOD ORDAINED ME; SO I WILL PROSPER IN
ANYTHING I LAY MY HANDS UPON, INCLUDING STARTING A
CHURCH.”
19. “SINCE GOD WANTS VOLUNTEERS, SO I DECIDED TO BE ONE OF
THEM.”
This could be a misunderstanding of Isaiah 6:8-9.
Isaiah was not a volunteer prophet. He had been prophesying before then,
but he was separated into his prophetic office just as Barnabas and Saul
were in Acts 13.
God does not want volunteers to start churches, he has ordained those
who will do that! Starting a church is different from starting a fellowship!
20. “YOU CAN’T BECOME RICH IN MINISTRY UNLESS AND UNTIL YOU
START A CHURCH.”
(1 Timothy 6:5-12)
21. “I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS A FOUNDER.”
A young man who attended some of our meetings years ago said he
wanted to be a founder. That was his passion (see Romans 10:2).
22. “I WANT TO LEAVE SOMETHING BEHIND FOR MY WIFE AND
CHILDREN TO INHERIT.”
So how has the church of Jesus Christ become your family heritage? (see
Romans 12:2)
23. “I HAVE RUN SECULAR BUSINESSES SUCCESSFULLY; SO I
BELIEVE I CAN START A CHURCH AND RUN IT SUCCESSFULLY
THROUGH THE SAME PRINCIPLES.”
24. “SOMEONE SAID THAT GOD SAID I SHOULD START A CHURCH,
BUT I DON’T KNOW IF GOD SAID SO.”
(Proverbs 20:27, Romans 8:14)
25. “I HAVE ATTENDED MANY CHURCH GROWTH CONFERENCES
AND READ GOOD BOOKS ON HOW TO START AND GROW A GREAT
CHURCH.”
(Romans 9:16, 19-20)
26. “I HAVE FAILED IN MY SECULAR CAREER OR BUSINESS.”
(Proverbs 29:18)
27. “THE MORE CHURCHES WE HAVE, THE MORE REVIVAL THERE IS
IN OUR LAND OR COUNTRY.”
God spoke through Prophet Hosea: "The more priests there are, the more
they sin against me…" (Hosea 4:7, NLT).
28. “IF I DON’T START A CHURCH, THE FRIUT OF MY EVANGELISM
WILL BE WASTED OR LOST.”
(see Acts 8)
29. “I WANT TO HAVE A SPECIAL CROWN OR REWARD FROM
CHRIST FOR A CHURCH PLANTER OR FOUNDER.”
The Lord will never reward you for what he did not call or assign you to do
(see Matthew 20:20-23).
30. “IT IS A SIGN OF HIGHER SPIRITUAL MATURITY.”
(see Ephesians 4:7)
CHAPTER THREE
RIGHT REASON FOR STARTING A CHURCH
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God"
(Romans 8:14).
David thought he had a good reason to build a temple for God, but God did
not lead him in that direction.
The Scripture says: 'After the King was settled in his palace and the LORD
had given him rest from all his enemies around him, he said to Nathan the
prophet, "Here I am living in a palace of cedar, while the ark of God
remains in a tent."
Nathan replied to the king, "Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do
it, for the LORD is with you."
That night the word of the LORD came to Nathan saying: "Go and tell my
servant David, 'This is what the LORD says, ARE YOU THE ONE TO
BUILD ME A HOUSE TO DWELL IN? …
Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their
rulers whom I commanded to SHEPHERD my people Israel, "WHY HAVE
YOU NOT BUILT ME A HOUSE OF CEDAR?...
When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raisee up
your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will
establish his kingdom. HE IS THE ONE WHO WILL BUILD A HOUSE FOR
MY NAME." ' (2Sam 7:1-5, 7, 12-13, NIV).
Building the temple in the above Scripture can be likened to planting a
church today. God did not want David to build the temple. Rather he chose
Solomon to do it.
Similarly, unless God directs you to plant a church, don't ever try to plant
one or else you may be looking for unnecessary trouble.
Pastor Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church, USA said that one
positive reason why an individual should plant a church is that such a
person feels "SO BOUND IN SPIRIT TO DO SO THAT IT WOULD BE
COSMIC TREASON (crime) TO DO OTHERWISE."
He explained that when he first had the burden to plant a church, the youth
ministry he was into had just exploded in growth from 25 to 1,000 people in
three years. But when he had the burden to leave the youth ministry and
plant a church, he felt 30 per cent crazy and 70 per cent certain that God
was prompting him.
He admitted that before he planted that church, he was confident in God's
calling. He eventually obeyed God and planted the church when it dawned
on him that one day he would have to give account to God and be judged
for 'treason' and fearfulness if he did not plant the church.1
When Ed Stetzer was asked what is the first step for a church plant, he
replied: "…Experiencing the prompting of the Holy Spirit and being
obedient to the leadership of the Holy Spirit is the key..Not everyone can
plant a church. You could be a very effective pastor but not have the
wiring to be a church planter." 2
REFERENCES
CHAPTER 2
1. Should You Plant a Church? − An Interview with Ed Stetzer by Randy
Bloom
CHAPTER 3
1. "Bill Hybels: 4 Reasons Why Leaders Should and Shouldn't Plant a
Church" by Jessica Martinez
2. Should You Plant a Church? − An Interview with Ed Stetzer by Randy
Bloom
SINNER’S CONFESSION
If you are not yet born-again, say this:
I choose to repent today. Also I choose to believe that Jesus died for my sins and rose up for my justification.
The Scripture says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10:9).
Therefore, I believe in Jesus in my heart and confess Him as my Lord. Now I am born-again (Amen).
SAY THIS ALOUD TO RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT
Also Jesus said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses…” (Acts 1:8).
And on the day of Pentecost “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4).
Therefore, I receive the Holy Spirit by faith right now and I begin to speak in an unknown tongue (unlearned tongue) as He gives me the utterance.
I command every foul spirit [spirit of fear, spirit of unbelief, spirit of doubt, religious spirit, unforgiving spirit…] wanting to hinder me to stop in its evil operation in my life in Jesus’ name.
Thank you, God for filling me with your Spirit in Jesus’ name (Amen).
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False Doctrines Exposed!
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SPECIAL! SPECIAL! SPECIAL!
A MUST READING/VIEW
(Google the following free of charge on the Internet and God will change your life forever.)
1. “Holiness Required For Heaven by Carillo from Bolivia”
2. “Eternal Destinations: Godly Attire and Adornment”
3. “Another Warning by Kingsley Ubani”
4. “Time Is Over: Run For Your Life by Kingsley Ubani”
5. “9 Testimonies on Tithing from Heaven and Hell Visions”
6. “The Dangers of Eating God’s Tithes and Offerings”
7. “The Visitation of Jesus to Samuel Oghenetega”
(Crosscheck these testimonies with the Scriptures and if you have questions you may send us an email.)
About the Author
Segun Olumide and his wife, Tosin are founding ministers in the New Apostolic Movement and the Glorious Family Church International both in Lagos, Nigeria. He has a divine mandate to align the Church with God's purpose.
In a vision, the Lord showed him a Bible opened to the Acts of the Apostles with the words “APOSTOLIC CALL” on one of the pages. They reach out through School Of Ministry, School of Life (Pre-Bible School) and Healing School. His apostolic teachings have blessed the Body of Christ across the nation.
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