Spiritual decline in any territory starts with the devil targeting his attack on church leadership represented by the priesthood, followed by their followers in the church and then institutions in the society.

This remark was made by the Founder and Leader of Koinonia, an Abuja-based ministry, Apostle Joshua Selman.

While ministering at the Sound of Revival apostolic conference in Atlanta, Georgia, Selman listed 10 teachings which he considered errors and have resulted in the decline of the Church’s influence both in the U.S. and other parts of the world.

What Real Faith Means

First is limited understanding of the real purpose of Faith. He said: “There has been a gross limitation in the definition of the real assignment of faith,” saying that it has been largely taken to be a vehicle for receiving things from God.

“To the average believer, we have been mentored to believe that faith is only a force that helps us to obtain. That’s a very limiting understanding of faith,” he said.

The minister also emphasized the need for balancing the gospel of comfort and sacrificial Christian living. “The theology that faith only means to receive material things will leave people disappointed.”

For Selman, “faith is to establish a testimonial of trust, beyond things manifesting or not,” explaining that not all the “heroes of faith received promises, but they all received good report.”

He insisted that “The real assignment of faith is to help a man stay on course in birthing the will of God for your life.”

According to him, some people might not have received their promises, but they had a testimonial that they did not deny Jesus, even when they had reason to do so but instead trusted God till death.

Apostle Selman also called out Christians who use the presence of money and material possessions as ultimate proof of spiritual growth and a healthy relationship with God. He described this tendency as dangerous programming for the future of the church.

“Gain is not always godliness. Although godliness can bring gain, gain is not always godliness,” he said. He explained that there is nothing wrong in possessing material things, but that is not an indication of healthy walk with God.

Giving and Receiving Error

Another teaching error he mentioned is “the incomplete and sometimes inaccurate revelation behind the principle of giving and seed sowing.”

For him, the principle itself is correct, but the application is abused when it becomes manipulative. He said it is wrong to teach that it’s only by giving and seed sowing that people can experience financial or material prosperity.

The inaccurate understanding of this principle, he said, produces “irresponsible (church) members, irresponsible fathers; irresponsible pastors”.

While he acknowledged that God gives breakthrough for believers by giving them power to make wealth through wisdom and initiatives, he cautioned that God is not a money doubler, who “gives two dollars for one dollar”.

Abuse of Influence and Growth

The misuse and abuse of influence, that is, the inability to manage greatness, is another teaching error he said is prevalent in the church. He urged Christian leaders to tame excessiveness and do away with the celebrity mentality that makes people turn them into idols to be worshipped.

“There is too much flamboyancy; there is too much marketing of self; there is too much celebrity mentality,” some of which, he said, were shipped from the West to Africa and other parts of the world.

“Loyalty and influence are gifts from God through people to spiritual leaders” but must be handled carefully.

Speaking further, Selman condemned what he termed “pressure for numerical growth of church membership, largely for ego and status”. This, he noted, is different from the Kingdom mandate for expansion and growth through evangelism.

The error is in the desire to increase membership by means not approved by God, through manipulation and watering down of the truth of God’s Word.

Taking God for Granted

He also attributed the downfall of many Christians, especially leaders, to trivialising of the ordinances of consecration and intimacy with God. Quoting from Lev 6:12-13, Selman said taking God for granted could be disastrous for any believers.

He listed consistent prayer life, passion for the Word, time devoted to worship, zeal and passion for the House of God as ordinances that must be kept always. The neglect of all or any of these ordinances results in the fire going out completely.

“When you take God for granted, the result would be rituals and mechanics; when you take God for granted, you would open yourself to attacks,” he said, adding that this has resulted in many character flaws in many churches and pastors.

He further cautioned against careless use of words and irrational expression of opinions over sensitive matters, especially by pastors. He urged ministers who stand before the people to be careful about what comes out of their mouth. He said, “Careless statements could alter destinies” and have other far-reaching implications.

Lay Hold on the Altar

Downplaying the place of spiritual warfare in sustaining personal and corporate victories must be resisted, according to Selman.

“It takes warfare to remain relevant; it takes warfare to stand. Satan would attack your health; he’ll attack your children; he would attack your reputation; he’ll attack your integrity; he’ll blackmail you.

“It is your ability, your responsibility as a man of God to hold on to the horns of the altar and engage in warfare continually,” he said.

Apostle Selman concluded his ministration by cautioning against exalting prophetic and supernatural experiences of ministers above the integrity of the Word of God.

He said believers must anchor their faith on the integrity of Scriptures above spiritual encounters that ministers narrate as their own personal experiences.