Obedience Before Inspiration

During Sunday Service on 25 August, Pastor Joshua expounded on the core value ‘Obedience before Inspiration’:

“Many people, even pastors have misinterpreted this core value, thinking that as authority, they may decide everything as long as people under them obey them first. This is not true as the bible says in Ephesians 5:21-22, 25, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord…..Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” It is a relationship of mutual submission underpinned by love.

For instance, if a female cell member stated that she was inspired to date someone but her immaturity had led to many emotional setbacks previously. Worried that she would be hurt again, should she jump into a new relationship too soon, cell leader disagreed with her. In this case, even if the cell member might not fully appreciate the heart of her cell leader, she could choose to live out “Obedience before Inspiration”. But it is not for the cell leader to force her cell member to submit, saying that this is the core value. “Obedience before Inspiration” is for people under authority to respond toward the authority. If the cell leader has already explained the pros and cons to the cell member in love and encouragement, but the cell member does not listen, insisting on following her inspiration, the cell leader shall go along with her desire and fulfill her.

As a person in authority, one should not only treat his followers with “Fulfilling before Inspiration”, but also “Shouldering Responsibility before Inspiration”. Even though the lives of cell members suffer losses due to disobedience, cell leader should continue to embrace them but not to scold them, walk with them and stand up for them. By doing so, cell leaders are shouldering cell members, discipling them in love and acting as a role model so that cell members find true covering from cell leader.” •