Pastor embarrass Bride and Groom in front of invited guests: In one of the many wedding ceremonies that take place in Kenya, the pastor stood up and before giving his remarks, he disclosed something about the couple that they wanted kept secret. They had discussed with him during the pre-marital counseling session and assumed that given the parishioner and clergy privilege, their little secret was secret and would not be reviewed. In fact the pastor had promised them that their secret was safe with him. The bride wept throughout the ceremony. The day meant for joy, laughter, and celebration became nothing but agony. The pastor chose public opinion and self – preservation over the Divine principle of Good!
When the pastor was asked why he had disclosed this secret, he claimed, “Well it is a public event and the people needed to hear this.” It is this theory that continues to destroy the pulpit in many African countries. Kenya is notorious for this violation. You see, there is The Kingdom of God (In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.), The Kingdom of man: human government (Be fruitful and multiply and cultivate the earth), The Kingdom of the devil (Now Satan is the ruler of this world), The Universal reality (matter and the unseen), and Kingdom that is death (And the last enemy to be defeated is death). All these are founded on divine decrees.
The authority of human government is established as absolute within time and space (Romans: 13:1ff) They are answerable to the governed as per their agreed system. This then is submitted to God who claims the final right to judgment. It is the same case with the devil. The earth has independent authority. Therefore, grass grows without human effort. Trees and bushes control their height. When Americans with all their technological weapons and powers see tornados on the radar, they tell their citizens to run or hide! That is the only thing one can do. Death speaks for itself. Each with authority derived from God and consummated by God!
The pastor represents the Kingdom of God. The pulpit is where he stands to speak on behalf of God. It is a spiritual platform in human form! It is not a place for personal innuendos. For example, when a pastor allows a politician to stand on the pulpit and speak, he is handing over the divine mandate to an authority devoid of this authority. Thus the pastor is handing over the spiritual mandate to the world mandate. In doing so the Kingdom of man, which is inclusive, given Satan’s participation in its policies, is allowed to infiltrate the fellowship of Christ. The congregation can be composed of the wheat and the tares, but the pulpit must remain sacred within its exclusive mandate of Divine proclamation.
Politicians can attend the church within the principle of letting both the wheat and the tares grow together. However, they cannot be given the pulpit for their proclamation is outside the mandate within spiritual authority. The United States Senate allows pastors to attend the senate and to pray. Not to debate the policies. This is done in recognition of the Judeo-Christian tradition within which the State submits to the Divine principle.
The pastor as the authority should preserve and protect the realm of the spirit within the pulpit. In the case of the couple, they confessed her pregnancy to him given his authority as their spiritual father. The confession should have guaranteed them forgiveness from the pastor (if that is Sin). Having agreed to not disclose, he entered into a spiritual covenant (whatever you lose on earth will be loosed in heaven). He then went and violated that covenant to protect himself against backlash on the pulpit. The pastor must not bow down to pressure. He, as a priest must act on behalf of the Kingdom while on the pulpit. Politicians can speak in funerals and wedding, if outside the pulpit, for these are but human natural gatherings.
When the pastor submits the pulpit to other authorities, he allows the devil time to distort the Cross. In fact, I would argue, and in this I am supported by scripture, he lets the devil preach, losing some in the process. When a politician stands in the pulpit, I get out rest the devil “evangelizes” to me! So it is written so it is.
Teddy Njoroge Kamau (PhD). HTBluff Associates. #HTBluff
