Some pastors are not fulfilling their responsibilities, according to the Rev. Iliesa Koroi, secretary of the Methodist Church in Fiji’s evangelism department. He noted that many ministers have become less effective in performing their roles during his time of service.
“I’m not ashamed to say this, but the ministers are not doing their job,” he stated. He reflected on the past, mentioning that when the first missionaries arrived, there were just two of them, yet they succeeded in spiritually guiding the people. “In a time of cannibalism, with great wars and idol worship, they were able to make a significant impact. Now, with over 100 ministers, social issues are still rising because we are not conveying the right message and not fulfilling our duties properly.”
Koroi also expressed support for the church’s stance on restricting yaqona and cigarette smoking. He encourages ministers to abstain from excessive kava consumption and to concentrate on revitalizing their spiritual health, as well as that of their families and church communities.
“In the past, every afternoon, we would hear hymns from every household. That effort is hardly seen today,” he lamented. He emphasized the importance of the church’s role in delivering testimonies to guide lost souls.
“I have encountered individuals who have shared how vital it is to preach the right message,” he said. “We have people who were on the brink of suicide, who have left drug dealing behind, and recovering alcoholics—those are the breakthroughs we want to hear more often. The reason I was saved was to help save them.”
Koroi concluded that the church overly concentrates on the message of reaching heaven while neglecting to address social problems.