…As Bishop Adelakun urges them not to disappoint God
The newly consecrated Bishops of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in Ekiti State have been charged to dedicate themselves to the service of God, feeding the flock and preaching the gospel without relenting.
The charge was given by the Presiding Bishop of Victory International Church, Rehoboth Cathedral, Ibadan, and National Vice President, Southwest, of the PFN, Bishop Taiwo Adelakun during the consecration programme held at Gospel Proclaiming Mission, Opopboro, Ado-Ekiti.
Bishop Adelakun, who spoke on the theme “Work,” said the consecration was not merely a conferment of title or position but a call to greater kingdom service and responsibility.
He urged the newly consecrated Bishops to ensure that their works matched the positions and titles they had been given, stressing that a title without corresponding work had little value.
According to him, “It is time to work. It is not playtime; it is work time. Our Master told us, ‘Work while it is day; the night is coming when no man can work.’”
Bishop Adelakun said the consecration was fundamentally a call to work and urged the new Bishops to understand that their future in ministry would be determined by the works they carried out.
“Title does not give entitlement to anything. It is your work that gives you entitlement to great positions in life,” he said.
The PFN leader also reminded them of the example of Jesus Christ, who, according to him, demonstrated the importance of works in ministry.
He quoted Jesus as saying, “If you have a problem believing me for what I say or what I do, then believe me for the very work’s sake.”
Bishop Adelakun therefore urged the newly consecrated Bishops to allow their actions and service to speak for them, rather than relying solely on their titles or words.
“Let your words speak for you not just the words of your mouth, but the words of your hands,” he said.
He further reminded them that they were not consecrated to lord it over the people but to serve them, warning them never to forget the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
“You are not consecrated over the people but to serve them. Never forget that it is not your blood that saved them, but the blood of Jesus,” Adelakun said.
The religious leader also charged them not to allow the challenges of ministry to weaken their commitment to evangelism, urging them to seize every opportunity to preach the gospel.
“Never get to the point where you are too weak to preach the gospel. Every opportunity you have, you cannot shy away from preaching the gospel,” he said.
The Bishop called on the new church leaders to expand the kingdom of God by planting more churches, praying for the growth of the Church and mentoring younger ministers.
“Plant more churches, pray and teach the upcoming ones. This is what God wants from you,” he said.
Bushop Adelakun explained that the various elements of the bishops’ consecration attire were symbolic and should serve as reminders of the responsibilities attached to their new offices.
“The various aspects of your clothing are symbolic. They are not spiritual; they are symbolic. You must understand the meaning of each of them and apply it to your life,” he said.
He described the consecration as a call to greater kingdom service and urged the new Bishops to carry out every assignment with purpose and dedication.
The newly consecrated Bishops are Bishop Kolade Kayo-Ajayi, Bishop Rufus Foluso Olajire, Bishop Ademilua Lawrence Abiodun, Bishop Ojo Olukayode Michael, Bishop Joshua Olabisi Oluosola, Bishop Adeyemi Francis Oluremi, Bishop Olu-Oke Abel and Apostle Edward Oluwasuan.
The ceremony attracted church leaders, ministers, family members, traditional rulers and members of the Christian community who gathered to witness the consecration of the new Bishops and their induction into greater responsibilities in the service of God.
