I am one of the many privileged to have a Dad who leads from the front and exhibit so may signs of servant leadership. Needless to say, my Dad has become my personal role model.

Despite so many accomplishments attached to his ministry and life, my Dad has not lost his sincerity and dedication to his call. He has stayed true and on the course allowing not only myself but so many of us who look up to him to emulate the pace he has set and target even bigger accomplishments for the Kingdom at large.

I could write a book about the life principles I have learnt from my Dad but in this article I will only list five and I hope many will also be blessed and learn from this veteran general of Faith who has become one of the major Kingdom voices around the world and a mentor, teacher, coach, role model and spiritual Father to many. The list is not in order of importance but meant to minister to many at various levels in life and spiritual walk.

1. GENERATIONAL THINKING: One of the life principles I have learnt from my Dad is to be able to think beyond myself. As I started off in my youth, I was always tempted to believe all life revolved around me. I would, therefore, take myself too seriously to the point of losing balance.

Through my father's teaching though, I learnt that life is more than me. I learnt to look at the bigger picture each time I was faced with key life decision making moments. Where my mind would usually revolve around my personal world, I now saw value in considering my children, born and unborn. I now could consider those around me. I learnt that my decisions whether sound or unsound had a direct or indirect influence on the people I lead including generations unborn to time.

With this generational thinkers life perspective, I also learnt that responsible life leaders build for generations unborn to time, they save wealth for their children and grandchildren (Proverbs 13 vs. 22).

It is also so apparent that all key Bible characters were worried about successors in their lives and how their hard-earned names would be maintained and carried on after their departure to be with the Lord. Talk of Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, Abraham and his sons, Israel and his sons, Paul and Timothy and also Christ and His disciples, the list is endless. The question of effective succession was always key to all these bible characters and more.

I learnt from my Dad, Bishop Tudor Bismark that I had to take seriously how I start and how I run because it affects the way I will pass on the button. With that lesson, I had to begin to think generationally knowing that whether in ministry, in life or in anything that I am doing, there are some people watching and someone will naturally learn from my actions and carry over my legacy with or without my permission and whether my actions were good or bad. Whatever I do in this generation will multiply itself in the next generation and even more in generations unborn to time. That implies I have to be diligent in how I execute my duties and how I live daily.

Should there be no one intentionally observing me as I live my life, Bishop Tudor Bismark taught me that I have to intentionally create generations of learners around me, with it applying the principle of 3D leadership, a minimum of two more people that can duplicate what I do and are readily available to take over should I get promoted or I move over for various reasons. A generational thinker does not build a whole empire around themselves.

Generational thinkers always consider the world around them and the people behind them. Generational thinkers always live for impact and are team players. I could go on and on stating the things I learnt from my Dad in this regard.

I encourage all to choose to transform the world and saturate it with generational thinkers, more so to choose to become one. Are you one?

Bishop Tudor Bismark Preaches At New Life Covenant Church

2. INTEGRITY: The other principle I learnt from my Dad is the principle of INTEGRITY. Integrity is defined as a firm adherence to a code of moral values which is incorruptibility, an unimpaired condition, which is soundness and the quality of being undivided which is completeness. Integrity encompasses an admirable character, decency, goodness, honesty, rectitude and virtuousness. 

Integrity means one is presented without spot or wrinkle as asserted in Ephesians 5 vs. 27. My Dad taught me that in life one needs to sow seeds of being fair and honest in all their dealings. One has to avoid at all costs criminal or unethical behaviour. Integrity also encompasses abiding by one's country and church laws. Integrity means settling debts, paying bills, fulfilling obligations and respecting time.

Integrity means also being trustworthy with resources, roles, duties and even life. It means accountability, truthfulness, openness and faithfulness. Also serving without guile or ulterior motives.

3. FULFIL YOUR VOWS: The other thing I also learnt from my Dad is the importance of fulfilling VOWS. A vow is a serious promise to do something or behave in a certain way. It is a solemn promise or assertion that binds a person to act, service or condition. (Genesis 28 vs. 20). Vows vary from marriage vows, business vows and the list can go on. 

Other scriptures that refer to vows in the word of God include Ecclesiastes 5 vs. 4, Deuteronomy 23 vs. 23, Job 22 vs. 27 and the list can go on. The summary of it though is that once one gives a word, God expects one to keep that word and full fill it. When one gives their word, they are obligated to full fill it.(Matthew 12:36). Not paying one's vows unleashes difficulties, misfortunes and calamities that would be avoided if one would have fulfilled their promises (Ecclesiastes 5:6). The blessing of God, peace and restoration comes as one fulfils their vows.

4. SPIRIT OF HONOR: The other thing I learnt from my Dad is the SPIRIT OF HONOR. My Dad says that The greatest seed that can be down is the seed of Honor. Romans 13 vs. 1 - 61, Matthew 13 vs. 54. - 58). 

Honour involves a showing of merited respect and recognition to seniors. One can show honour by substance or using words. Honour is seen in preferring one another. The honour comes to those who work good and Honor can lengthen one's days according to the Bible.

There are several levels of Honor that we could give, and they include Honoring God (1 Samuel 2:30, Dan 11:38), Honoring parents (Exodus 20:12), Honoring the Prophet or our pastors or spiritual covering(Mark 6:4), Honoring the elderly (Leviticus 19:32), Honoring one's gift and anointing (Psalm 8:4-6) and the list can go on.

5. OBSERVING BOUNDARIES: Then I also learnt from my Dad the principle of OBSERVING BOUNDARIES. These are parameters in life or ministry that should be respected. It also refers to social etiquette and protocols that must be followed to maintain Order and Structure. 

I learnt that people that are senior in rank to me in church or in life are not my friends and I should not reduce and convert them to become my friends even if they create a free atmosphere and bring themselves down to reach out to me. Maintaining the boundary of respect will put me in the best position to benefit from their anointing and grace upon their lives. 

Unnecessary joking and jesting have to be avoided despite how open and humble a leader above us is.

He and his wife, Pastor Chichi Bismark, serve as the senior pastors of New Life Covenant Church in Harare, Zimbabwe, the headquarters church for Jabula – New Life Ministries International. Bishop Bismark also serves as the Chairman of the Council of African Apostles, a wholly African initiative to bring the apostolic voices of the African church to bear on uniquely African issues.

Bishop Bismark has a passion to see people empowered and awakened to their God-ordained destiny and has purposed to help facilitate networks of Kingdom-minded believers raised in his lifetime. Bishop Bismark’s message is simply the empowerment of believers and the advancement of the Kingdom of God in the earth as a tangible reality.

Bishop Bismark is a well sought after speaker and leadership expert, and truly carries the mantle of an Apostolic father who carries a current and relevant word of concerning God and His Kingdom.

I wasn't an exception when I met her. I was at the bottom of my life trying to figure out my way forward. Nothing around me promised the change that I was so much yearning for.

So much had happened to me when I met her that made me lose my confidence. I had just become one of the youngest widows without having stayed with a husband at all. Had tried to get married the year before I met her, had a grand wedding but never got a chance to stay with the man I had married.

He was admitted into the hospital just after our wedding and the doctors had said he was suffering from a leaking heart valve which had been the case for about seven years before the time they were now discovering it. Apparently, it was too late to solve the problem and he passed on 12 days after our wedding. Never got a chance to stay with him and I still entered the widow's world.

Needless to say, I was so confused and desperate when I first met my Mum Pastor Chichi Bismark.

I and the late were in ministry already when all this happened I being a lay preacher still coming up then and him being a Pastor already. Now I had too many questions no one could answer. Couldn't believe in myself and didn't trust anyone that said they believed in me. Didn't know if what I had gone through was part of God's plan, spiritual warfare or if I was actually going through a curse. Was trying to find my way back into ministry but was failing to fit in because no one really had a similar story.

Such was my state when I first met my mum Pastor Chichi Bismark. With full knowledge of my background, she never treated me from the word go as a widow. I was very young so she made sure she pulled me back into the "girls" world at a point I couldn't fit anywhere. Couldn't fit into the real widow's world because I had never stayed with a husband yet lost one and I had no child from the marriage so I was not a single mother as well and yet again I had experienced too much to fit into the girls' world. In short, my story couldn't fit anywhere.

So I was confused and naturally made myself an outcast.

That is what my mum picked as soon as she met me. A few years after I met her, I started working for our church office and got even closer to her. Then she began entrusting me with duties that no other could. She never at one time gave me a chance to develop self-pity.

She would keep my brain busy and occupied with accomplishing one task or another for the Kingdom. Up until that point, even though I could preach to some extent, no one really had ever believed that I could sing. My mum would call me to sing in her most important ladies meetings and sometimes before thousands in church when she would lead the entire church in spiritual warfare.

Pastor Chichi Bismark helped me rediscover myself and start my life with more confidence once again. She would comment on most hairstyles I would put on, even my dressing. Before then, no one had really cared. She would get so excited if she thought I was wearing a beautiful hairstyle or dress. Before I knew it, I had her in mind when I would go shopping for something to wear or when I would have my hairdo. I knew she was expecting excellence.

So before I could do it for myself, I did it to make my Mum happy first. Pastor Chichi had so much impact and influence into what I then became in life and ministry and gave me energy and a reason to carry on.

5 Lessons I Have Learned From My Mum Pastor Chichi Bismark.

Amongst the many things I learnt from Mum though, it is the consistency and fervency of her prayer life. Her prayer life has impacted my life. Spiritual warfare and intercession took another dimension after I met her especially her most impactful teachings on prayer.

I will share just a few in this article.

5 Lessons I Have Learned From My Mum Pastor Chichi Bismark.

1. In Prayer, your whole self has to be involved (1 Corinthians 14:15). You pray in the Spirit and with the understanding also, you sing in the Spirit and with the understanding also. The sum total of a person must be involved in prayer. When you are in agony as you pray, your spirit opens, and the soul through an act of will breaks, your tears are a sign of depth and engagement. All these actions release God's compassion and care.

2. Battles in prayer are won or lost at the gates. To destroy anything successfully one has to deal and uproot its foundations first. Taking over Kingdoms requires taking over the gates (Isaiah 28:5-6, Genesis 22:17).

3. Before you engage in Spiritual warfare know and locate your enemy, understand his source of strength, understand the altars, gates, covenants or devices that empower your enemy.

4. Position your self right from the word go as you pray, your strength does not come from this world. You are empowered by an omnipotent God. Go in with confidence and take territory.
5. Get an understanding of the gates in the physical realm (Esther 2:21, Ruth 4:1, Esther 5:1), gates of the earth (Psalm 148:7-13) and societal gates that you have to deal with in prayer.

Thank you Mum in Pastor Chichi Bismark for being a great mother!

Her sincere heart for people and her desire for the manifestation of the power of the Word of God in the earth has positioned her as a credible minister in her own right.

Pastor ChiChi is an intercessor, a prophet, a teacher and an encourager to the body of Christ globally. Anointed in the areas of sound biblical teaching, healing and kingdom finance, she along with Bishop Bismark have grown their assembly in Harare into a force of faith and power for the Kingdom of God.

Pastor ChiChi and Bishop Tudor have been married for over twenty-five years and have been blessed with four sons. As an avid reader, information seeker and a possessor of revelation knowledge, Pastor ChiChi will minister to your present need, challenge your boundaries and encourage your faith.