1. THE ANLICAN CHURCH GOVERNMENT
8 PRINCIPLES OF CANONICAL OBEDIENCE
Canon AMBROSE WEDA Esq. MBS
2. INTRODUCTION
• 8 is the number of new beginnings
• THE LESS IS BLESSED BY THE GREATER (Hebrews 7:7)
• NOBODY PROMOTES HIMSELF/NO STUDENT MARKS HIS
PAPER (IT IS MEN WHO APPOINT-SAMWEL AND SOUL-DAVID)
• GOD AND MEN MUST APPROVE YOU IN THIS UNIVERSE
• JESUS WENT TO JOHN THE BAPTIST
3. WHAT IS OBEDIENCE/CANONICAL
OBEDIENCE
• OBEDIENCE: WILFULLY YIELDING AND CARRYING OUT
EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONS/ORDERS FROM A LAWFUL
AUTHORITY
• CANONICAL OBEDIENCE: Submission to the Canons of the Church
and its hierarchy of Leadership
• Purpose of Authority: PROVISION, PROMOTION & PROTECTION
• Ephesians 2: 19-21 “The church is built on foundation of prophets…
4. WHAT TO OBEY
• DIVINE COMMANDMENTS
• PRINCIPLES
• VALUES
• PROCESS
• INSTRUCTIONS
5. 8 PRINCIPLES OF CANONICAL
OBEDIENCE
• PRINCIPLE IS AN INBUILT LAW THAT ENABLES FUNCTION
• HERE ARE LAWS THAT MAKE UP CANONICAL OBEDIENCE
• WHAT YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE AND FULFILL
6. 1: Get GOOD KNOWLEDGE
• WISDOM (Proverbs 4:7)
• GET KNOWLEDGE (Hosea 4:6)
• THE CHURCH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST
• KNOWLEDGE OF PUROPOSE of the Church
• SUFFICIENT KNOWLEDGE of what you are getting into/ what is expected of
you (GOOD LEARNING FOR WORK)
• RELEVANT KNOWLEDGE
• ORDER OF AUTHORITY (Pecking order/ WHO IS INCHARGE)
7. 2: See the VISION
• Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people parish”
• WHERE YOU ARE GOING
• WHERE THE LEADER IS GOING
• Vision of PURPOSE
• Luke 6:39 “Jesus also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind
man? Will they not both fall into a pit?”
8. 3: Willingness to SUBMIT
• MAKE A CONSCIOUS CHOICE/DECISION TO SUBMIT
• IT MUST BE VOLUNTARY IT MUST BE DELIBERATE
• YOU HAVE A DESIRE TO DO SO
• YOU GIVE UP SOME OF YOUR RIGHTS FOR THE SAKE OF ORDER
• ACT OF HUMILITY
• Romans 13:1 “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority
comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by
God”.
9. 4: Give HONOUR
• HONOUR ALL MEN (1Peter 2:17)
• Honour entails RECOGNIZING, CELEBRATING AND UPHOLDING
• Upholding GRACE IN PEOPLE (FORBEARANCE – NO PERFECT PEOPLE)
• THIS IS THE WORLD OF MEN (God gave the Earth to Men)
• WHO HATES YOU DOES NOT MATTER BUT WHO LOVES YOU MATTER (See the
story of ESTHER/RUTH) (CELEBRATE PEOPLE OPENLY AND SINCERELY)
• DESTINY HELPERS
10. 5: Acting SINCERELY
• Sincerity is: communicating and acting in accordance with the entirety of
their feelings, beliefs, thoughts, and desires in a manner that is honest and
genuine
• AUTHENTICITY -INTEGRITY
• GENUINESS
• 2 Corinthians 1:12 “For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience,
that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by
earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.”
11. 6: Work with DILLIGENCE
• DILLIGENCE IS CAREFUL AND PERSISTENT EFFORT AT WORK
• YOU HAVE TO BE FRUITFUL
• Proverbs 12:24 (The hand of the diligent will rule…)
• LAZINESS IS AN ACT OF REBELLION (SIN)
• Galatians 6:9 “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will
reap, if we do not give up.”
• Colossians 3:23-24 (WHATEVER ...WORK AS IF WORKING FOR GOD)
12. 7: Attitude of GRATITUDE
• Gratitude is: the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for
and to return kindness.
• WORK WITH JOY/ appreciate the opportunity to work/be alive
• GOOD WORK ETHIC (LOVE FOR WORK)
• 1Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all
circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
• NO GRUMBLING/CONSPIRACY/GOSSIPS/SKIVING WORK
13. 8: Always SACRIFICE
• Sacrifice is: GIVE UP/OUT SOMETHING GOOD/OF HIGH VALUE
for the purpose of a HIGHER CONSIDERATION
• GIVE YOU TIME (Your time is your life)
• GIVE YOU SKILL, ENERGY (CHEERFULLY GIVE YOUR BEST)
• WORK FOR THE PROMOTION/UPLIFTING OF YOUR LEADERS
• Roman 12:1 “…Give your body as a living sacrifice…”
14. OATHS
• CANONICAL OBEDIENCE
• DECLARATION OF ASSENT
• AN OATH: a solemn promise to act in a specific way on a matter or act, and
invoking the name of God witness and enforcer.
• NO REVERSE GEAR
• IT IS A CHOICE AND A BIG DECISION
