Pastor Ninghei Knew the Secret

FOR  many  years  Pastor  Luikham Ninghei was a leader in our work in the Naga  Hills,  Assam,  India.  He  was  a completely  committed  Christian  who had given up all to  follow  his Master.

I  shall  never  forget  the  first  time  I met  him.  We  had  some  difficulty  in communicating—with  my  zero  knowledge  of  his  language  and  his  limited knowledge  of mine."

I  do  not  know  English,"  he  smiled sincerely  during  our  initial  "conversation," "but I know Jesus."

I  have  never  forgotten  those  words. They  burned  their  way  into  my thinking,  and  now,  more  than twenty  years later,  they  compel  my  attention.  Here is  the  secret  of  becoming  a  spiritual leader knowing  Jesus  the  Ninghei way.  It  is  not  our  education,  our  mastery  of  many tongues,  our great talent, that  make  us  spiritual  leaders.  It  is knowing  Jesus.  It  is  the  experience  of John  the  Baptist:  "He  must  grow greater and greater and  I less  and less" (John  3:30,  Phillips).*

"Personal  contact with Christ," Ellen White declares, "to  sit down in companionship  with Him this is  our  need."  —Education,  p.  261.  This  contact,  this companionship,  maintained  through the  power  of  the  indwelling  Christ, through  the  prayerful  study  of  His Word, will make us  spiritual leaders.

A leader does  not become spiritual by being  elected  to  an office  in the church. Usually  what  he  was  before,  he  continues  to  be  after  his  election.  Neither does  he  become  spiritual  by  birth,  by education,  by  circumstances,  or  rank. Spirituality  is  not  conferred  by  promotion, nor gained by seeking great things. Spiritual  leaders  are  not  made  by men; they are not ordained to spirituality.  A  church  board  or  a  conference committee cannot vote spirituality upon a  leader.  Only  God,  through  His  Holy Spirit,  can  make  a  man  spiritual.  As Paul  declares,  "He has appointed workers  of  spiritual  power"  (1  Cor.  12:12, Phillips).

But the  individual must be  a willing cooperator  and recipient.  "The  spiritual man is  concerned with the things of the spirit"  (Rom.  8:5,  Phillips).  Unless  a leader is  reaching  out  for the  things of the  Spirit  he  will  not  receive  the  endowment  of  the  Spirit.  Pastor  Ninghei knew  Jesus  because  he  willingly  permitted the Holy  Spirit to  lead  him to  a close  acquaintance  with  his  Saviour through  the  study  of  His  Word  and earnest prayer.

Spirituality  becomes  part  of  a  leader's  life  when  he  feeds  the  spiritual man.  He  has  two  potential  natures —the  spiritual  nature  and the  carnal  nature.  The  one  that  is  fed  will  flourish. The  one that is  starved will  soon die.If  we  starve the  spiritual  nature and feed the carnal nature with this world's garbage cheap, degrading "literature," TV  programs  of  questionable  nature  the  worldly  nature  will  grow  and nourish.

If  we  want  to  become  spiritual leaders  we  must  feed  our  spiritual  nature with the nourishing food  of the Spirit  "whatsoever  things  are  true,  whatsoever  things  are  honest,  whatsoever things  are  just,  whatsoever  things  are pure,  whatsoever  things  are  lovely, whatsoever  things  are  of  good  report" (Phil.  4:8).

Spirituality adorns a man and woman only  when they have  sought  and found the  peace  of  Christ  through  heart  sorrow  for  sin,  through  earnest  heart searching,  confession  of  sin,  and  the humbling  of  self  before  God.  Self-surrender,  the  sacrifice  of  every  idol,  and boldly  and  uncompromisingly  embracing the cross of Jesus, bring spirituality. Only  by  continually looking unto Jesus can we  maintain that spirituality.

This  is  the  exacting  price  that must be  paid if  we  are to be truly God's men for  God's  hour!  It makes  the  difference between  a  nominal  leader  and  a  truly Spirit-filled  and  power-filled  leader after God's  own heart.

Pastor Ninghei  knew  the  secret. You and  I  may  know  it—indeed,  we  must know  it.  "Let  us  be  Christ's  men  from head  to  foot"  (Rom.  13:14,  Phillips). Then those with whom we  come  in con tact  will  take  knowledge  that we  have been with Jesus  (see  Acts  4:13).