Tema, March 14, GNA - The President of the Ghana Baptist Convention, Reverend Kojo Osei-Wusu, has urged churches to provide the socio-economic needs of its members as well as people in the community. He urged churches not to limit their ministry to the provision of spiritual needs of the people only.

"We have been called to care for the total needs of our communities both spiritual and physical," he said adding that with the country's current economic situation, the church would be shirking its responsibility if it fails to organise the community for economic ventures to help members become self reliant.

Rev Osei-Wusu said this at Tema at the weekend when he visited the South Eastern Sector churches of the Convention.

He said churches must be at the forefront of national issues such as the National Health Insurance Scheme and the HIV/AIDS campaign by educating their members and the community on benefits of such programmes.

The church being non-partisan has a role to ensure that its members become active participants in the country's democratic process by educating them on the voter's registration and voting exercises, he added.

He advised churches to help promote peace by constantly exhorting their members, especially the youth, against activities that tend to breach the peace in the community.