Kumasi (Ashanti Region) - Pastor Dr. Daniel Opoku-Boateng, acting vice-president for Academic Administration of Valley View University, has called on Christian women to refrain from bleaching their skin and rather use the money they use to buy the bleaching creams to support needy children and the deprived in the society.

He said Christians should not become a reproach to the gospel because when "we accept Christ, we are adopted sons and daughters of Christ and we should therefore live as such". Speaking on the topic, "Hair styles and Christian dressing" at the opening of a three-day intensive leadership training workshop in Kumasi on Saturday,

Dr Opoku-Boateng said Christians should not conform to society but rather try to change the society by their lifestyles. The workshop, organised by the Department of Women's Ministries of the Central Ghana Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) Church for 300 district and local Church leaders, is to enable the participants to re-study some of the basic doctrines which concern women and the gospel.

The workshop is also to point out the dangers of disunity to salvation and begin the promotion of unity among all women in the church and also provide them with leadership skills for them to be more effective and efficient in the development of the Church.

Pastor Opoku-Boateng told the participants to be open to "new light or new truth so as not to block the work of the Holy Spirit teachings in the Church. He urged them to avoid the negative results of pre-conceived sanctity with reference to truth in the scriptures and work hard to help in the development of the church.

Mrs Margaret Anti, director of the Department of Women's Ministries of the church, noted that there was power in leadership and that there was the need for them to work assiduously to mobilise more women for God's work in their areas.

She urged them to live selfless lives, abstain from rumour-mongering, drunkenness and gossiping, asking that God gives them the spirit of humility in all endeavours. Mrs Anti said God needed Christian women of time and mission conscious, women who also willingly learn, love greatness for God, persevere in prayer and rely on God's insurance of power.