Why we need to attack less and pray more for Nigerian pastors

Attacking is becoming a thing in the religious world.

A Christian leader says something and everyone immediately starts to criticise.

This may not look like a bad thing until you consider what really happens after the attack? Does the person change, do his/her followers change? No, they don’t.

They do not change, at least not positively, because we are wired to react negatively to criticism. Once someone attacks us, you are almost guaranteed to get defensive (emotional) and respond in the same manner.

What happens next is people going back and forth with no concrete result or change.

Why Criticism is not the best approach

According to Psychology Today, “Criticism is an utter failure at getting positive behaviour change. Criticism fails because:

It calls for submission, and we hate to submit.

It devalues, and we hate to feel devalued.”

See why we need to change our approach in order to get the change that we want to see in our churches.

A different approach

For years, we have been criticising and attacking pastors but what good has this done?

These Men are still preaching prosperity gospels, stealing money, sleeping with church members, all the things we have been attacking them for.

Clearly, this approach is not working which is why we need to change tactics and try praying instead.

Why Prayer?

Praying invites God into the situation, no matter how terrible, scary it is. It reminds us that God is in control, not us.

Being a pastor is not easy, I imagine. No one but them and God know all the challenges they face, which is why we need to go to the other person that knows what is really going on.

ALSO READ: Here is how to pray effectively

Pastors really need our prayers more than anything else because of the spiritual nature of their work.

I know this may seem crazy to some but trust me when I say prayer is way more effective than yelling insults.

It takes nothing to attack and call people names, anyone can do that but it takes more, real faith in God, and a real test of character, to pray for someone.

Let's practice more praying and less criticism if we really want to see to a change in our pastors and churches.