Religion
TEACHERS in the Teaching Ministry, Catholic Charismatic Renewal in Nigeria, Abeokuta Diocese, have been urged to remain faithful to their God-given assignments and discharge their responsibilities with conviction, diligence and spiritual authority, as faithfulness remains the hallmark of effective Christian service.
The charge was given by Bro. Favour Mbamaluikem during the Annual Retreat of the Teaching Ministry of the Abeokuta Diocese on Saturday, July 18, 2026.
His message is titled “Be at Your Duty Post and Preach with Authority.”
Mbamaluikem said God does not merely expect believers to belong to ministries but desires them to faithfully occupy and effectively discharge the specific assignments entrusted to them.
According to him, many Christians are present in ministry but absent from their actual duty posts, stressing that being registered in a ministry is entirely different from being committed to one’s specific responsibility.
He explained that a ministry is simply a platform or department of Christian service, while a duty post is the distinct assignment given to an individual within that ministry.
Using the analogy of a workplace, he said belonging to an organisation does not automatically define one’s responsibility, noting that every employee is assigned a specific role expected to be carried out diligently.
“In the same way, the teaching ministry is our place of service, but every member has a specific assignment. Your duty post is the responsibility God and the Church have entrusted to you,” he said.
To further illustrate his point, Okeke cited biblical examples of Moses, Joshua and Nehemiah.
He explained that Moses’ duty post was to deliver the Israelites from Egypt, Joshua’s assignment was to lead them into the Promised Land, while Nehemiah was commissioned to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls.
According to him, each remained focused on the divine responsibility committed into his hands.
The preacher said the message challenged believers to become dependable, accountable and diligent servants capable of fulfilling God’s purpose in their respective ministries.
He explained that ministry identifies where believers serve, whereas duty post defines what they are expected to do.
While ministry speaks of membership and affiliation, duty post demands commitment, accountability and faithful execution of assigned responsibilities, he added.
Using practical church examples, he said members of the choir may belong to the same ministry yet perform different assignments such as arranging songs, playing musical instruments or leading worship.
Similarly, he noted that members of the teaching ministry could be assigned to teach newcomers, coordinate classes or handle other specialised responsibilities.
Mbamaluikem emphasised that every assignment is significant because each contributes to the overall effectiveness of the body of Christ.
He identified obedience to God as the foremost reason believers must remain at their duty posts.
Quoting John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my commandments,” he said faithful service demonstrates love, obedience and reverence for God.
He also stressed that God rewards faithfulness, noting that divine blessings are released where believers faithfully labour rather than outside their assigned responsibilities.
Drawing from the parable of the talents, he said faithful servants received greater responsibilities because they diligently managed the assignments entrusted to them.
“It is at your duty post that God examines your work, blesses your labour and rewards your faithfulness,” he said.
According to him, every believer occupies a unique place in the body of Christ, making every assignment indispensable.
Using the human body as an illustration, he said when one member abandons a duty post, the entire body suffers because every part performs a unique function.
“If the leg refuses to function, the body begins to limp. Every member matters, and every assignment is important,” he said.
He warned that abandoning one’s responsibility creates gaps within the Church and weakens the effectiveness of other members serving alongside.
He added that souls depend on the faithfulness of believers, explaining that neglecting one’s assignment may hinder what God intends to accomplish through that individual.
Although God can raise another person to fulfil His purpose, he said opportunities uniquely prepared for an individual may be permanently lost through disobedience.
“There are things God specifically wants to accomplish through you. If you abandon your assignment, you lose those opportunities,” he said.
Quoting Matthew 5:16, he urged believers to let their light shine through faithful service.
He reminded participants that every Christian would ultimately stand before God to account for how faithfully they discharged their responsibilities.
Referring to Romans 14, he said believers would answer not only for the duties they performed but also for those they neglected.
Mbamaluikem said remaining faithful at one’s duty post develops patience, humility, discipline and spiritual maturity.
He cited Luke 16, noting that faithfulness in little responsibilities prepares believers for greater assignments in God’s kingdom.
He also explained that active service prevents spiritual laziness and complacency while keeping believers spiritually alert and productive.
Describing every duty post as a divine appointment, he warned that abandoning one’s assignment without God’s direction could result in missed opportunities and unrealised destinies.
Among the dangers of leaving one’s duty post, he listed creating gaps in God’s work, hindering evangelisation, weakening the body of Christ, causing spiritual decline and eroding trust and credibility.
He likened faithful workers to bridges that enable others to cross safely, warning that removing the bridge exposes others to failure.
“When you leave your duty post, you create a vacuum. Those depending on your service may stumble because the bridge is no longer there,” he said.
The preacher cautioned believers against becoming stumbling blocks through poor conduct, stressing that Christian leaders must live lives that draw people to Christ rather than drive them away.
He also warned that persistent neglect of God’s assignment could attract divine discipline.
Turning to the second part of his message, Mbamaluikem explained that spiritual authority is God’s delegated right and responsibility given to believers to represent Him, proclaim His truth and exercise His power according to His will.
He stressed that spiritual authority originates from God, flows through Jesus Christ and is exercised by believers rooted in Scripture, empowered by the Holy Spirit and committed to obedient living.
According to him, genuine authority is never determined by titles, positions, education or personality.
Instead, he said, authority grows through submission to God, faithfulness to His Word, dependence on the Holy Spirit and Christlike character.
“The more you submit to God, the greater the authority He entrusts to you,” he said.
Using Moses as an example, he said the prophet’s remarkable authority came not from his position but from his humility, obedience and intimate relationship with God.
Mbamaluikem challenged believers to seek God’s guidance in every decision rather than relying solely on human wisdom or modern technology.
While acknowledging the usefulness of research tools, including Artificial Intelligence, he said they should never replace prayerful dependence on God.
“Research is good, but after gathering information, return to God and ask whether it aligns with His will,” he advised.
He also corrected the misconception that prolonged fasting automatically confers spiritual authority.
According to him, fasting merely prepares believers to become more receptive to God’s voice, while genuine authority comes through obedience, submission and alignment with God’s purpose.
The preacher said authoritative teaching persuades listeners, convicts hearts and transforms lives.
He reminded teachers that Jesus taught with authority because His life perfectly reflected the message He proclaimed.
“Our assignment is to make Christ known, not ourselves,” he said.
He warned ministers against seeking personal recognition instead of God’s glory, stressing that genuine authority is demonstrated through humble service rather than domination.
Mbamaluikem urged Christian teachers to know and rightly divide the Scriptures while also understanding the teachings and traditions of the Church.
He recalled an incident where a young man abandoned the Church after receiving no satisfactory answer to a sincere question, describing it as evidence of the need for sound biblical and doctrinal knowledge.
He identified several hindrances to teaching with authority, including fear of criticism, lack of preparation, persistent sin, prayerlessness, ignorance of Scripture, spiritual laziness and the desire for human approval.
According to him, ministers should overcome these obstacles through consistent study, prayerful preparation, regular self-examination, sincere repentance, continuous learning and dependence on the Holy Spirit.
He rejected the notion that Christians cannot live above sin, insisting that while believers may occasionally fall, they must never make sin a lifestyle.
“There is a difference between falling into sin and living in sin,” he said.
The preacher also challenged believers to demonstrate Christ in their homes, workplaces and businesses, saying genuine Christianity must be visible in everyday conduct.
“If the Church cannot be seen in my workplace, then my presence there has become unnecessary,” he said.
He urged teachers to cultivate integrity until it becomes their distinguishing mark, saying a godly reputation often speaks louder than sermons.
Concluding the presentation, Mbamaluikem encouraged participants to depend entirely on the Holy Spirit, practise what they teach and embrace lifelong learning.
Quoting Proverbs 1:5, he said wise people continually increase in knowledge.
“The day you stop learning is the day you begin to decline. Learners become leaders, and leaders remain learners,” he said.
He called on participants to undertake personal spiritual evaluation by asking whether they remained faithful at their duty posts, actively contributed to ministry, taught from Scripture rather than opinion, lived lives consistent with their messages and positively influenced others.
Mbamaluikem prayed that God would grant believers greater understanding, strengthen them to remain faithful to their assignments and empower them to preach His Word with genuine spiritual authority.
F.O
Tags: Abeokuta Diocese Annual Teaching Ministry Retreat Be on your duty post Catholic Charismatic Renewal in Nigeria