From Holy workers to profiteers in Luke 20:9-16: the waning values of Christian leadership in Nigeria

Abstract

The paper examines the biblical underpinnings of virtues that should characterised Christian leadership as stewards. The gradual disappearance of these qualities is evidenced in the cheap exchange of the cherished tradition on the altar of mammon. This phenomenon has had its toll on some religious leaders, who unknowingly have goofed from being holy workers to profiteers in God’s vineyard. The paper adopts expository approach and critical interpretation of the texts. It discovers that while some leaders have remained faithful as God’s servants, others have indulge in the habit of making merchandise of the gospel; bearing ulterior motive as holy profiteers looking for every opportunity to maximise personal gains with caution thrown to the wind. This attitude has not only brought shame and disrespect but disrepute to their persons. Consequently, we have leaders who are depraved indulging in all kinds of vices with unworthy behaviours, such as commercialisation of the gospel, half-baked doctrines and falsification geared towards self-enrichment and woeful threefold manifestation of lust towards wine, women and wealth. The paper therefore concludes by calling on religious leaders to borrow leaf from the life of Prophet Amos who adopted a total denunciation of social evil, rebuking those in political offices sternly without compromise as well as Apostle Paul who set aside all other benefits for the sake of knowing Him, who laboured diligently and earned fame with self-contentment. To shun all forms of undue entanglement with worldly affairs, to seek the face of God and play the prophetic and intercessory roles on behalf of the people which is the primary assignment of holy workers thereby restoring the dignity of leadership and the beauty of the vocation.

Keywords: Holyworker, profiteer, mammon, contentment, virtues