The School of the Local Church

30/04/2026

Why You Need a Pastor - Part 5

Your Pastor is assigned by God to train you for the work of ministry. If we could train ourselves why would God bother to give us a trainer?

The local Church is where we receive training to go into the world and do the work of ministry.

Your Pastor's core responsibility is to equip you for ministry work. The work of ministry is for all the saints, not for the clergy alone.

Those who aren't trained become tools in the hands of the devil for destruction.

Ephesians 4:12-14
[12]For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
[13]Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
[14]That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Christians who refuse to be trained or aren't under a Pastor who will or can train them will be tossed to and fro and carried about with wrong doctrines. There are so many of such waiting to deceive and hoodwink those not matured to resist them.

See another instance recorded in the Bible where those not perfected in the word will be swayed into deception:

Acts 20:28-31
[28]Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
[29]For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
[30]Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
[31]Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Paul was leaving and he called unto the Pastors and charged them to take the responsibility of Pastoring the flock of God seriously because if they don't. The flock will be exposed to danger.

There're grievous wolves all over waiting for the simple minded to pounce on and devour. Your Pastor is God's security for you against such.

See another instance:

Hebrews 13:7-9
[7]Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.
[8]Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
[9]Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

We're to always keep close to all we've learnt and learning for our Pastors. By doing so we'll be established in Grace and not carried about with divers and strange doctrines.

Did you notice how all the referenced scriptures tied the pastoral ministry to your security against grievous wolves and strange doctrines?

Social media is not where God designed for your indoctrination and Christian maturity or perfection. The Local Church under a Pastor is God's design for your growth and equipment.

Your eyes and heart must carry a strong filter as you browse through social media and all other media. There's so much trap arranged there for your soul.

Use your TV and social media selectively. Let what you've been taught in Church be your filter and guide. Don't entertain itchy eyes and ears.

Stick to the Pastor God has given you to feed you with knowledge and understanding. Eating from the plate where God didn't serve you food can be poisonous.

Avail yourself for training from your Pastor. There's so much work to be done in the world but all that depends on how much training you're receiving now.

Kevin Ashwe
The School of the Local Church

30/04/2026

29/04/2026

Why You Need a Pastor - Part 4

The vital role a Pastor plays in your life cannot be over emphasized. It's so important our work and walk with God on earth is shaped by it. We rise or fall by the kind of Pastor we submit to.

Would you like to despise someone God Himself sent to watch for your soul? It's a high risk to fight one equipped and empowered by God to give you spiritual security from satan's wiles.

See what the scripture says:

Hebrews 13:17
[17]Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

From the verse above it's clear we're expected to have someone over us. If you have no one over you, you have no one to watch over your soul.

The one God has sent to watch over your soul should be obeyed and submitted to. That's how to fully enjoy the ministry of watching for your soul.

You place yourself at great disadvantage or unprofitability when you don't allow your Pastor to do his job over you with joy. You lose and the devil gains.

Your Pastor is watching you through his teachings, instructions and corrections. Be obedient and submissive to him for this reason. All those warnings, chastising and orders are not against you but for your good.

The Greek word "watch" as used in the verse above is "agrupneō", all the other places it is used is related to prayer - Mark 13:33, Luke 21:36, Eph 6:18. This means a major way your Pastor watches over you is through his prayers for you.

Even though you can pray and you should pray, your pastor's prayers for you are vital and without it so much can go wrong. A prayerful Pastor is a great blessing to you.

This is why Jesus prayed for his disciples and the Church. It's why Paul always prayed for his churches and disciples.

Let's see some examples:

Luke 22:31-32
[31]And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, *Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:*
[32] *But I have prayed for thee,* that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Jesus saw something about Peter's life he didn't see or know. Your Pastor knows some things about you you aren't aware of. It's the privilege of his office and work over you. God gives him this information so he can do his job over you well.

Jesus prayed and dealt with the issue before even telling Peter about it. And then he told him to do the same with those under him. Your Pastor is doing the same for you.

Judas could not be shielded from what satan hatched against him because he was not under the umbrella of his Pastor. He wasn't doomed for destruction but his attitude made him susceptible and an easy prey.

Another example:

Matthew 23:37-38
[37]O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have *gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings,* and ye would not!
[38]Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

Jesus said He wanted to shield Jerusalem like a hen does to her chicks. How does a mother hen gather her chicks? She keeps them protected from harsh weather conditions and prey. That's a picture of the pastoral ministry.

Jerusalem rejected Jesus from doing what would keep them shielded from evil. Their end was that they became desolate. Rejecting the Pastoral ministry over your life leads to desolation.

Jerusalem opposed and killed Pastors God sent to them to watch over them. They ended up in desolation.

One of God's help for your soul is the Pastor He placed over your life. Learn to take advantage of that help.

Kevin Ashwe
The School of the Local Church

27/04/2026

Why You Need a Pastor - Part 3

One of the major ways God leads us is through pastoral ministry. Your Pastor is not only your teacher but also one whom God uses to lead you into His plans and purposes.

Despising and negating the pastoral covering over us is doing away with God's system of leading and protecting us from grievous wolves after our souls.

Israel left Egypt to Canaan, the journey was long and herculean, God's way of taking them to His desired destination was through the pastoral ministry of Moses.

Psalms 77:20
[20]Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Your Pastor is leading you on heaven's behalf through his teachings, instructions and corrections. Imagine Moses' followers disobeying his orders, teachings and instructions. They would have all been lost in the wilderness without God's leadership through Moses and Aaron.

Let's see some examples:

Acts 13:3-4
[3]And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
[4]So they, being sent forth *by the Holy Ghost,* departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

God needed Saul (Paul) and Barnabas to be be separated for an assignment He had for them. He spoke to the Church and the Church carried it out.

Why didn't God do it Himself? Why didn't He asked Saul (Paul) to do it by himself? God's way of reaching the believer in Christ is through the local Church by the Pastor.

God's way of leading His people has always been through chosen vessels. We can find scores of examples all over the scriptures.

Now, take note of verse 4, after the leadership of the local Church had prayed, fasted and sent them forth according to divine instruction, we're now told it was the Holy Spirit who sent them forth.

What the leadership did is seen as the deed of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does things through the leaders of the local Church. So what the Church does is what God is doing or would have done.

1 Corinthians 11:1
[1]Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

The principle Paul outlines here is this: I receive from Christ and give it to you. The leader takes from his own leader (God) and gives it to his those the Lord put under him.

This is how God has always operated, from Genesis down to Revelation. Anything outside this is monstrous and ungodly. God leads men through men.

The Local Church is where God has instituted on earth for him to lead, teach and train believers into all He has planned for them. If we can completely lead ourselves He won't bother giving us Pastors to lead us.

Ephesians 4:11-12
[11]And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
[12]For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

This great examples shows how God perfects his people through the local Church by choose men. You cannot perfect or equip yourself for the work of ministry. God chose your Pastor to do that for Him and for your own good.

Let us join in defending and protecting our Pastors from the onslaught of satan against them. Joining the world to fight our leaders is teaming up with the devil to fight your own soul.

The Church of God will do better if we protect our shepherds. God leads us through them so whatever happens to them will adversely affect us.

The way satan attacks millions is by attacking a man who millions follow. Instead of going after each of them he focus on the leader. Smite the shepherd and the sheep will scatter (Mark 14:27).

Any attack on a man of God is an attack on you in disguise!

Kevin Ashwe
The School of the Local Church

25/04/2026

Why You Need a Pastor - Part 2

You can read your Holy Bible yourself but the feeding of your soul is the exclusive duty of your Pastor. God called, equipped and empowered your Pastor to feed you.

Your spiritual growth is dependent on the pastoral ministry. Your Pastor is saddled with the divine responsibility to feed you into growth and maturity.

If you can feed yourself God won't send anyone to feed you. He won't waste time and effort calling and equipping a man to do what you can easily do for yourself.

See what a Pastor is empowered to do according to God:

Jeremiah 3:15
[15]And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall *feed you with knowledge and understanding.*

God gave us Pastors to feed us. If we decide to feed ourselves we'll eat poison and not even know. Why not allow those whose job it is to do their job?

See Jesus reiterating the same thing:

John 21:15-17
[15]So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, *Feed my lambs.*
[16]He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, *Feed my sheep.*
[17]He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Peter was the leader of the other apostles, so Jesus is instructing him on behalf of all the others.

Jesus told him 3 times to feed His sheep. Why will Jesus be repeating one instruction to Peter? Why is Jesus insisting on this matter to Peter?

He wanted Peter to take it seriously because it's the core of pastoral work. It's what will determine the growth, health and quality of the sheep He died for.

It's the primary responsibility of every Pastor and Local Church. If we miss it here then we've missed everything. Everything we do in Church must be geared towards building quality and effective Christians.

Jesus repeated this instruction (in form of question) to Peter because He didn't want Peter to miss it. It's a matter important to Him and must be so to Peter also and to us today as well.

Peter took it seriously. We can see it here:

1 Peter 5:2
[2] *Feed the flock of God* which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

To show that the instruction was adhered to, he is now instructing younger Pastors under him to pay attention to feeding the flock.

If they could feed themselves why will Peter be wasting time and energy reminding them to feed the flock of God with care.

See Paul saying the same thing to Pastors in Ephesus:

Acts 20:28
[28]Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to *feed the church of God,* which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Paul was fed properly, he is now an effective leader. He is now instructing younger Pastors to feed the flock. Just as he was fed and instructed to feed others.

If they could feed themselves Paul wouldn't be asking their leaders to feed them.

Some folks say since we can read the Bible ourselves we don't need a Pastor and even a local Church. We can just read at home and forget Church meetings.

It's like saying since I can read my medical books I don't need medical school I can just be a surgeon all by myself. It's also like saying I can read so I don't need to go to law school. I can just be a lawyer or judge all by myself.

For you to believe you can just read and become mature in Christ, you'll have to tear all the verses I quoted above and many others not here from the Holy Bible. The believer is never asked to feed himself. The Pastor is commanded all over the scriptures to feed the church of God.

Reading your Holy Bible is good and a must but it's not enough. You need to belong to a local assembly and be nurtured, nursed, instructed and equipped. The place God has chosen for that is a local Church. The person God has called and empowered for that is your Pastor.

Allow your Pastor to feed you with knowledge and understanding of the food of scriptures.

Kevin Ashwe
The School of the Local Church

25/04/2026

Churches that love their methods more than the mission will die. You should be willing to change the method because of the mission - DR JOHN AKPAMI

24/04/2026

What are you doing about the 'faults' you're seeing in your Church? Are you helping to fix it or helping to amplify it?

You're there to help not to destroy.

Psalms 92:13
[13]Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

24/04/2026

Don't let someone push you out of your Church. It's your father's house as much as it is the persons'.

They don't have more right than you do in God's House. God does not have grand children.

Do you change biological family because your child disobeyed you? Or because your elder brother scolded you?

Be planted!

Psalms 92:13
[13]Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

23/04/2026

Why You Need a Pastor - Part 1

The pastoral ministry is vital to the growth and health of all Christians. There's no believer in Christ that can live the Christian life successfully without a Pastor over him or her.

The Lord Himself made it so, none of us can do anything about it but to comply with it. He who created us made us in such a way that we cannot have a fulfilled Christian life without a Pastor over us.

Jeremiah 3:15
[15]And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

God Himself says He will give us Pastors. If we can do without Pastors He won't bother giving them to us. Our maker knows we don't have what it takes to live successfully on earth as Christians without Pastors after God's heart.

See how Jesus described the state of people without a Pastor over them:

Matt 9:36 AMP
[36]When He saw the throngs, He was moved with pity {and} sympathy for them, because they were *bewildered (harassed and distressed and dejected and helpless),* like sheep without a shepherd.

Just look around and you'll see so many Christians today who look exactly like what Jesus saw. Their problem is not the devil. Their problem is "sheep without shepherd".

The devil may have been involved in their pitiful condition but it's because there's no shepherd over them that satan got unfettered, unhinged easy access to torment them.

Jesus said a man without a Pastor is bewildered, harassed, distressed, dejected, helpless. There would have been rich, educated, influential and handsome and pretty young boys and girls there but they're still bewildered, harassed, distressed, dejected and helpless nonetheless.

People like this should be pitied and sympathized for. Don't envy those who say living without a Pastor and even a local Church is good. They're to be pitied according to Jesus Christ.

Some folks in this sorry state don't even know they're in such a condition. They may even argue with you about it. But notwithstanding Jesus knows their situation better than them.

According to Jesus the only way to save yourself from the graphic picture Jesus painted about a sheep without a shepherd is by having a Pastor over you.

Unfortunately, there are some Christians who even attend church but the Pastor or priest God has set over that assembly is not their shepherd yet. Because they have not submitted themselves under his leadership and sit at his feet to learn.

If God says you need a Pastor it means you really need one. He created you, He knows exactly what you need more than you do. So don't debate it, find a local Church and make the shepherd there your Pastor.

If you are a member of a Church, ensure the Pastor the Lord has put over that assembly is deliberately made the shepherd of your soul.

It is not enough to just attend a Church, the Pastor the Lord placed there has to become your shepherd. This is what it means to be a member of a Church. Anyone can attend a Church but members of the Church are those who have received the man of God there as their shepherd.

Until you do this you are susceptible to the wiles of the devil and you're just receiving information from the pulpit and not life and vitality needed for your spiritual health, growth and vitality.

You can't enjoy all the Lord has for you without the pastoral office over you. Your Christian health and growth is tied to the Local Church and the Pastor. The devil knows this, that's why he tries to make men despise the Pastor and thereby cutting themselves off God's help.

God has given you a Pastor, have you received him? Have you been allowing him to feed you with knowledge and understanding?

Kevin Ashwe
The School of the Local Church

23/04/2026

If all your church is known for is programs and activities and not red hot prayer meetings, then your church is full of cold ashes and not blazing fires of revival. - Leonard Ravenhill

22/04/2026

Punctuality in the local Church - Part 9

Lateness is selfishness. The others who were there left other important things to be present on time. It's only right for you to make the same sacrifice.

You're not considering others who have been there, maybe even waiting for you. Except your reason for lateness is genuine, you have not demonstrated selflessness.

If a time has been agreed upon, it's binding on you to keep to it. Make the adjustments you need to make. Make the sacrifices you have to make to be timely always in the house of God.

Philippians 2:3-4
[3]Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
[4]Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

If you don't look for your own things but for the things of others you'll not want to be late. If you esteem others above yourself as we're told to do in the scriptures above you'll not be late.

Punctuality is one way we show forth our humility and honour for others. Don't be consumed by your own self considering that others also have important things to face and are making sacrifices to be early to the meeting.

Kevin Ashwe
The School of the Local Church