The newly consecrated Archbishop of the Chosen Evangelical Revival Church (CER), Robert Ocan Tubamoi, has been urged to base his leadership on obedience to God as he takes charge of the church. The call was made by the Archbishop of the National Fellowship of Born-Again Pentecostal Churches (NFBPC), Dr Moses Odongo, who consecrated Tubamoi during a ceremony held on Tuesday at the CER headquarters in Go Down Cell, Pandwong Division, Kitgum Municipality.
Preaching during the consecration, Archbishop Odongo said obedience to God should guide Tubamoi regardless of his position, age, or responsibilities. Drawing from 1 Samuel 15:19, where Prophet Samuel confronts King Saul over his failure to obey God’s command, Odongo said religious leaders should not only preach about God but demonstrate their faith through their actions.
“It is better to obey God,” he said, urging Tubamoi to make obedience a guiding principle throughout his leadership. “Archbishop, you must know in your leadership that as God will lead you to lead this church, you need to know that it is better to obey God,” Odongo said. He also cited Luke 6:46, where Jesus asks why people call him “Lord” but do not do what he says, saying Christians must ensure that their actions correspond with their declarations of faith.
Odongo warned that positions of authority, control over resources, and public or religious offices can cause people to forget that God remains the ultimate authority. “The Lord God is Lord of all. He owns even the owners of whatever they own,” he said. He challenged Tubamoi, CER leaders, and board members to regularly examine their conduct and determine whether it reflects obedience to God’s word.
“Bishop, are you obeying? Are you obeying?” he asked, extending the challenge to reverends and members of the CER board. Odongo said obedience should not be limited to church leaders but should also guide people serving in government, cultural institutions and other sectors of society.
Citing Isaiah 1:18-20, he said the Bible links obedience to enjoying the goodness of the land, while rebellion and refusal to obey God carry consequences. “If you will obey, you will eat the goodness of the land. If you refuse and rebel, you’ll be devoured by the sword,” he said. Odongo also cautioned Christians against preaching values such as integrity and condemning corruption in public while engaging in similar practices privately.
He urged believers to move beyond simply speaking about God and demonstrate their faith through their conduct, including loving one another and performing their responsibilities diligently. The NFBPC Archbishop urged Tubamoi to keep the message of obedience at the centre of his tenure as he guides CER, while encouraging the new church leader and congregation to continually examine their lives and ask whether they are genuinely following God’s word.
Tubamoi’s consecration marks a major leadership transition for CER as he assumes the position of Archbishop of the church. The ceremony was held under the theme, “It Is Better to Obey God,” drawn from the biblical account of King Saul’s disobedience and the teachings of Jesus on obedience-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
