Kumasi, May 17, GNA - Churches have been strongly advised never to compromise spiritual or righteousness for the changing trends taking place in the society today.

Apostle Alfred Kodua, General Secretary of the Church of Pentecost, observed that if the church has to succumb to all the changes presently sweeping through society, it risked losing its traditional identity and mission.

He was speaking at the dedication of a 750 million-cedi auditorium built by the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) in Kumasi on Sunday.

Apostle Kodua stressed, "even though the church as an institution cannot forever remain conservative but has to gradually change, it must be very careful not to relegate tenets and the unique values of the church to the background"

The General Secretary was not happy that already some churches in their quest to over modernise and keep pace with all manners of societal changes, have lost their traditional identity and have ceased being relevant to society.

Apostle Kodua commended members of the PIWC for their initiative at constructing the auditorium but made it clear that the building will be meaningless if efforts were not made to ensure its regular maintenance. "Maintenance will not only help sustain its original design and beauty but will also prolong its life span", he added.

Apostle Dr M. Kwabena Ntumy, Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, who dedicated the auditorium to the glory of God, entreated members of the church to use the building as a place of offering genuine prayers to God and not as an avenue for mere convergence and fun.

He said it is only in winning more converts and souls to the Christian ministry that the colossal sums of monies injected into construction of the auditorium could be justified.

Nana Akosah Yiadom, Amakomhene later cut the tape for the official opening of the auditorium, which has a large worship hall and a guest room.