Men Have Disappointed Society —Olajide

Elder Akinlayo Olajide is the minister in charge of Seventh-Day Adventist Church Odo Ado Ekiti in Ekiti State. Olajide speaks with VICTOR BASSEY on the role men must play for there to be a better society. Excerpts;

Are you comfortable with the role men play in the society today?
Men are supposed to be the head at the home, in the church and in the society. But unfortunately, the situation has been very bad. Though women have been involved in crimes these days, but the majority of them are men. Even in governance, men have disappointed almost in every sphere of our lives that is why we do not have a better society. If men were alive to their responsibilities and less greedy, I think we would have a better society.
In terms of worship of God , women seem to be more passionate than men. What could be responsible for this?
I think it has to do with the ego, like for instance, you see yourself as a man and you have forgotten that the person who made you to be a man did not do so just for fun. He allowed you to be a man to serve Him and to give direction to others. That is why gradually men are shifting their responsibility to women even in the worship of God and that is why today majority of the things that are supposed to be revealed to men are revealed, to women.
Tell us about your journey into the ministry?
I started from my parents. I come from a very humble background and it has always been the fear of God all through. My parents had always taught me to fear God and serve Him at all times and to God be the glory, I was at a service one day worshiping God. The minister while making altar call said “if you don't know what will happen to you the next moment, why don't you give your life to Jesus”. I experienced it and I asked from the Lord, if the Bible is true, you must talk to me and God has been faithful since then.
When you answered the altar call, did you want to give your life to Christ to become a pastor and preach to others or just to get on with your life?
I just wanted to give my life to Christ. Being a pastor or anything does not give you ticket to heaven. I wanted to follow Christ and have a closer relationship with Him; that is what makes one to go to heaven. I did not give my life to Christ to become a pastor but to be his follower. So that I can be a Bible Christian, so that I can be a true child of God and when somebody looks at me, he will know that truly I am a child of God.
How come you become a pastor?
People saw some good qualities in me and picked me to be a minister of God and I have been ministering to people, preaching the gospel of Christ. I don't always like people to see me as a pastor. I would rather they see me as a child of God and a servant of God.
You said people picked you to be a minister. Does it mean that God did not call you?
God called me to serve in his vineyard in the area where I am serving but the Holy Spirit led people to recognize the gift of God in my life.
How long have you been in the ministry?
I have been in the ministry for the past twelve years.
Has there ever been a time you sat down and wondered why you were a pastor? I am talking about regrets?
From my past experiences, it has always been joy all through. More light has been given to me and the assurance is always certain and because of that, I really bless the name of God especially considering the time before I gave my life to Christ.
Have you had any challenges on this journey?
There are challenges; for instance, there are times when your church members face challenges and you pray for them and it seems the time of waiting is getting longer. You tend to ask God why but when I remember that God says we should praise Him at all times, that everything works out for good to them that love Him, I forge ahead.
Assess the role of Pastors in our society. Are they doing what they are supposed to do?
We are getting to the end of the world and the Bible says false teachers will be coming up. People who don't have jobs now establish churches and deceive so many other people. They give themselves tittles and start saying what God did not tell them. The society today is rotten and it is mainly because of some people who call themselves pastors that cannot really give the right directives. Because the more churches we have, the more righteousness is supposed to increase but unfortunately the more the churches, the more unrighteousness increases. But that should not bother us because it is only pointing to the fact that Jesus Christ will soon come. All we need to do is to hold on to our faith.
From what you have said, it seems some pastors are not even born again?
The other time you asked me whether I got born again in order to become a pastor, I said no. it is not intentional but that is real to me. So many people join churches because they want people to call them pastors and that is why I told you I would like to be addressed as an elder of the church
But you are a pastor?
Yes but I would always like to be associated with men and be addressed as an Elder of the church. The problem with the church today is that majority of the people are after the titles. They see it as an avenue for recognition from the society and that is why we are where we are today in the society.
In the things of God are there supposed to be hierarchy?
The Lord doesn't deal with people by hierarchy. He deals with you according to your relationship with him and the person he wants to use. It has been like this from time immemorial till now and it will continue. You see we are in the world and the system of the world is entering into the church. People want big names so that they can be recognized. You can see that even in the world, people rush for titles and those who have money use it to by chieftaincy titles. All those things have no meaning in the presence of God. What is important in the presence of God is your relationship with him and that is why the bible says by their fruit you shall know them. There is no hierarchy with God. All of us are the same in his sight but he will always use the people he wants to use and those he may want to use may be very junior people. For example David was the youngest among his siblings and as such was not given any  chance of  being king. At a particular time, he will choose those that will lead his congregation. And we have to stay in that calling so that Satan will not mess us up.
You said the system of the world is infiltrating the church. Isn't the church supposed to transform the world? How come the opposite is the case?
The church is supposed to transform the world but according to a prophesy from a woman of God Ellen G. White, she had said that at the end of the day, government will wan to mingle with the church so that they would have both the spiritual and political power and the church on the other hand will think that if they get closer to government, they can get all that they want and because of all that, they gradually forget the ultimate power which is the power of God. That is exactly what is happening today. And you can today that if a church says it needs a land and government says no who are you to insist? That is why so many churches surrender to the power of  the government so that they can get what they want from them. But the solace of the Seventh-Day Adventist has is, “Be in the world but don't join the world”
But the bible says everyone should submit to constituted authorities?
That is why I am saying in obeying authorities, we must not offend God. In the Seventh - Day Adventist, you can never see any body that will preach anything against the government. We will always be praying for them. There was a time the president traveled and the whole south-west Nigeria conference was praying for his good health and recovery.
What is your advice to pastors?
We should go with the word of God and believe everything that is there. We should not deceive people. The Lord says for six days you shall work and on the seventh you must rest. Let the people know this and let them chose to follow it or not. The Lord says we must live in holiness, let the people of the world know so that at the end of the day, we will not be held responsible for their sins.