BN Book Excerpt: A Servant’s Heart by Tolulope Oke

The Faithfulness Test
Before I get into this chapter, let me ask you a few question to determine the level of faithfulness you exhibit to the agenda of God you have been called to serve. Are you a faithful servant? Are you able to faithfully serve others day in day out? Can you commit all your time, energy and passion to ensure you fulfil the purpose of God in your life and to your generation? Irrespective of whether or not people grieve you or talk about you, can you stay in the place you have been called to serve? Are you reliable? Are you dependable? Are you punctual? Are you trustworthy?

Serving Someone Else’s Vision
Nowadays it is hard to expect someone to understand a vision when they were not there at its inception. If they have not been through the pain of birthing a vision, and the perseverance to defend and protect the vision, they may not feel the weight to cherish it. However, in God’s economy we will all be called to step into another person’s life to fulfil the plan of God to establish the kingdom. By default of being in a church or ministry for instance, you are automatically a co-labourer in the manifestation of God’s plan for that house. Sometimes, you will be called to take it one step further and join yourself to directly serve someone to help them fulfil their call in Christ. This is most common and many times we will be called to faithfully serve someone else’s vision, long before our own is established. So let me ask you – can you be the ears, eyes or nose to the body of someone else’s vision? Or must you always be the head? Can you also be faithful and loyal to a vision God has given to someone else? The call to serve will always align with someone else’s call to lead, you will have to be the yin to somebody’s yang and serve them well to ensure balance. Allow me to encourage you and tell you that if you are chosen by God to serve someone else’s vision, do it like your life depends on it – because it does! You breakthrough and blessings will depend on your ability to be sold out to serving the vision you have been called to serve whether or not you are the visionary. Proverbs 29:18 tells us that ‘where there is no vision, the people perish’ and interestingly enough it is not the visionary that perishes for they are the ones that have the vision. It is the people! However, the people rely on the fulfilment of a vision to keep them from perishing. In other words, our destinies are very much dependent on other people also fulfilling theirs. Therefore all of us will have the opportunity to make things happen by serving someone else’s vision.

Additionally, if there is one thing I have learnt through the life of people I have worked with in the corporate world, my senior pastor and the leaders that are around me, it is that you will not always be privileged with establishing your own vision at the time that is most convenient for you. Rather God may very well require you to help establish someone else’s first. What I can attest to however, is the fact that in faithfully submitting to helping someone else fulfil their purpose and vision, you will make room for yours. The bible says in Proverbs 22:29 “do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men” and as much as I love that scripture, allow me to point out one thing. The rhetorical question draws our attention to a man who excels in his work, not necessarily his own personal work, but rather the work he has been given to complete. It is then his ability to excel in that work, that will then bring him before kings. Faithful servants focus less on who owns the vision and wholly on excelling in the work of God.

One of the lessons and things that the Holy Spirit taught me in 2016, was that some are anointed to lead whilst others have been positioned to serve. It takes an anointing to lead and in doing so, it is the responsibility of those around to trust that God does not make mistakes with the people He has called to lead. The rest of us have been placed and positioned by God to serve the set man or woman that He has entrusted with the vision. It is not our job to critique and question the vision, but instead we need to labour over it. The visionary on the other hand, is accountable for the completion of the vision, but as servants it is our responsibility to help them fulfil it. Once you grasp this simple yet profound truth, it will make your live a whole lot easier and allow you with serve with grace and freedom. Part of being faithful in service is knowing your role and playing it extremely well.

Luke 16:12 reminds us of the importance and necessity of being faithful over another man’s belongings. In this scripture we are told “and if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?” This truth is so powerful to embrace because it challenges the prevailing ideologies of our time that teaches us to prosper our own ambitions at the expense of others. So I want to ask you a few questions. Can you be the incubator for another person’s ministry, vision, desires? Can you effectively serve even when you will not get the glory? Can you faithfully serve another person’s family if required? Do you faithfully serve in the career or job that has been entrusted to you? When I look at the lives of men and women of God around me, I am in awe because they have modelled this principle. I have seen people’s lives change and their promotion come because of their faithfulness to someone else’s things. I have been surrounded by men of God who like Paul, had been separated from the womb as Apostles (and pastors). Many of us were very much aware of the weight of God’s extraordinary grace upon their lives, yet they faithfully took their place to serve in our church under our senior pastor and leadership. They faithfully protected and nurtured the vision of our set man, without flaring up or thinking of themselves more highly than they ought. They never once promoted segregation or discord but modelled servant leadership through their ability to stay humble before God and serve the set man He had placed over our church and ministry. It was a lesson I learnt from afar and one I was grateful to learn early on. I have seen too many get puffed up in their own pride, absorbed by their own self-importance and subsequently disrespect their leaders. The covering of a spiritual house and spiritual father is not to be played with. By virtue of a house having a roof, it is covered. Come hell or high water, rain or shine, the house is covered. Just like how animals flock together and find safety in a pack, you too can find safety under your spiritual covering. Serving and being faithful to that which God has committed to another man’s will keep you covered. The beautiful thing is that all the people I have witnessed serving faithfully have since been promoted in such a way that it was only their service that did it. Your ability to serve others will dictate the dimensions and heights God will take you to, so ensure you serve well and serve faithfully.

***
About the Author
Coming to Christ whilst studying a History degree at the University of Cambridge, Tolu has since lived a life radically sold out to Jesus. As a blessed communicator, it was no surprise when Tolu received direction from the Holy Spirit that she was called into Christian ministry; a calling that has been confirmed by Apostles and Pastors in the Body of Christ.

As a gifted orator, teacher of the word, servant leader and now author, Tolu is passionate about seeing generations turn to God and live a life sold out to His Kingdom’s cause. With a strong burden to seek and save the lost, Tolu is also a seasoned missionary having served in Peru, Chile, India, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Bali, London and Cambridge. Tolu serves under the leadership of Pastor Michael Olaware, the Senior Pastor of New Wine Church Global Network. At New Wine Church (London), Tolu serves as the Leader of the Missions Team, a Deputy House Fellowship Leader, and an Usher. Tolu is also the founder of Faithful With A Few Ministries, and carries an apostolic grace through which she serves the Body of Christ.

Additionally, Tolu was selected as a UK Top 100 Future Leader in recognition of her contributions to the community and leadership capability. Professionally, Tolu has gathered a wealth of cross-industry experience having worked in the Investment Banking industry; the Charity Sector running social mobility programmes for undergraduates; as a Management Consultant at a FTSE 100 global consultancy; and in the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion space within a large educational institution. To leave a deposit in the lives of the next generation, Tolu has since set up the FWAF Foundation to equip young people with the skills and tools they need to thrive and fulfil their potential by offering talks, workshops and development courses.

You can purchase the book here: Amazon.com and here The FWAF website