The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, the Most Reverend Titus Kweku Awotwi-Pratt, has said Churches must not choose their leaders based solely on their benevolence to the Church.

Rather, they should choose leaders who were resolute in their faith and deeply rooted in the word of God, he said in a sermon at the inauguration of the Siwdo Circuit of the Church in Cape Coast.

He explained that the selection of strong believers as leaders would, among others, help prevent the youth, who were now knowledgeable and expected certain Biblical standards from their leaders, from leaving the church.

The Siwdo Circuit, comprising the Ebenezer, Siwdo; Good Shepherd, Nkanfoa; Bethel, Kwaprow, Mount Zion , and Adisadel societies, is one of the three circuits carved out of the Cape Coast Circuit, in 2015.

The Most Rev. Awotwi-Pratt said leaders, especially those in charge of the youth, should not only teach the scriptures but lead exemplary lives, failure of which would deter the youth from attending church services.

He, however, asked Christians to be compassionate and generous instead of mocking the needy and also be prayerful because prayer enabled Christians to know the grace and favour of the Lord upon their lives.

It also taught them to be humble and facilitated obedience to God’s word.

The Right Rev Ebenezer Abakah-Wilson, the Bishop of the Cape Coast Diocese, paid tribute to the Clergy and lay men, who had contributed to the growth of the Church and urged the current generation to continue with the good works.

Members of the Clergy who contributed in diverse ways to the birth of the Circuit were acknowledged, while some laymen were awarded with gifts and citations of honour for their meritorious services in the various societies.