General News of Sunday, 15 June 2003

Source: gna

Gov't urged to come out with policy on one-man churches

An appeal has been made to the government to come out with a policy that will check churches established and manned mainly by one person.

Immediate past President of the Youth In Action, a network of youth groups in the Kumasi Metropolis, Kwaku Appiah, said the practice if not checked, could undermine government's efforts of salvaging Ghanaians from poverty and under-development.

Mr. Appiah was speaking on: "Obey the laws of the land" at the close of a three-day prayer and fasting session organised by the Kwadaso Christian Youth Fellowship in Kumasi over the weekend. He said instead of focusing on winning more souls and salvaging mankind from evil ways, the one-man churches rather concentrate on how to amass wealth.

"What is more worrying is that monies collected from members of the church go only to enrich the founder of the church and his family with nothing being used to either assist the needy congregation", he said.

Mr Appiah explained that because there was no policy and guidelines for establishment of churches, many untrained individuals in Theology with dubious intentions have taken advantage to get rich quick.

Pastor Charles Mensah, leader of the Fellowship, called on the government to embark on an exercise to identify "quack Bible Schools and close them down".