Church Growth is a movement
within evangelical Christianity which emphasizes missionary work combined with sociological
awareness of the target population .Pastor’s wife must have passion for “Great
Commission” and a willingness to apply research to attracting members. The Pastor’s
wife is the only church member who has stayed with him from the very beginning
and therefore she is vital to the success of both the pastor and the pastorate.
There are certain expectations, ignoring the unnecessary, placing others in the
right perspective and right priority that will enhance the Pastor’s wife life
and the ministry of her husband.
For a man to be successful in
life, he needs a divine helpmeet. It is like a child who learns a trade or
vocation, at the completion of the apprenticeship period the parents will make
an input by investing on the material or tools needed to function as expected.
So also is a valuable companion in person of Pastor’s wife. She is the
contribution or tool of God towards her husband’s God-given ministry. God has
invested so much on every companion given to a minister in order to share his
work load in the ministry together.
For effective church growth,
whatever the minister has left undone either intentionally or unintentionally,
the wife is there to add value to it. Her gifts and talents are given for the
expansion of the kingdom
of God and for the
benefit of humanity according to her ability without reservation. She should be
ever ready to carry out the work of God in all ramifications. A minister’s wife
needs to understand that she is brought to her husband’s ministry in order to
compliment him and not to compete with him to get the will of God accomplished.
Pastor’s wife must be committed, co-operative and be a good follower and a
loyalist. She is the better half of her pastor’s husband and need not set
another goal outside that of her husband’s ministry. She must key in her vision
into her husband vision for the glory of God.
However, a minister’s wife must
possess certain qualities, which will give her the necessary opportunity and
power to add value to the work of God. Some of these qualities are as follows:
*She must be a Christian, Spirit
filled and a lover of God. [John 3:3]
*She must be submissive with
inner beauty [Eph.5:22]
*She must be woman of prayer. [I
Tess.5:17]
*She must be patient, wise and
enduring. [I Tim 3:3]
*She must be hard working and
dynamic.[Proverb 31:15]
*She must be respectable. [I Tim.
3:2]
*She must be hospitable and
pleasant. [Titus 1:8]
Her roles in church growth can be
explained in the following ways:
*To be a woman who carries
people’s burdens.
*To be a model to others:
believers and unbelievers alike.
*To help people discover God’s
truth and will for their lives.
*To be contended with what she
has and should never express worry or anxiety in anyway.
*To affect the lives of people
around her positively.
*To forgive and forget any wrong
committed against her even if others don‘t find it necessary.
*To love indiscriminately and
unconditionally every members either old or young.
*To share the husband vision.
*To be faithful supporter of the
mission work.
*To be a defender in times of
attack spiritually.
*To preach and teach the
undiluted word of God.
*To give Christian counsel in all
circumstances.
*To visit and encourage the
church members with all modesty.
*To provide warmth for her
husband in order to give him emotional stability to cope with temptation of
sexual advances. [Ecclesiastes 4:11]
Conclusively, it is not an
overstatement that the roles of pastor’s wife in church growth are of paramount
important in the scheme of progress in any church setting. I hereby strongly
encourage every pastor’s wife to rise up to their expectation in the Lord in
fulfilling God’s mandate for His church in this end time and never to be a
reproach to the Church
of God. Remain blessed
and be fruitful in Jesus name. Shalom.
REFERENCES
*Onwuka A. John. The True Minister of God, Lagos. A balanced truth Publisher. 2002.
*Sanda F.A. Minister’s Wife a Valuable Companion, Ibadan: Crown Interest
Ventures. 2008.
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