Religion of Wednesday, 9 May 2007

Source: GNA

"Man of God" prays for water to fill Akosombo dam

Accra, May 9, GNA- Apostle Schambach Amaniampong, Overseer of the Christian Redemption International Ministry, on Wednesday started three days of fasting and prayers to open the heavens to fill the Akosombo Hydro Electricity dam with water.

Apostle Amaniampong, who is being supported by a group of prophets for the three- day spiritual exercise, told the Ghana News Agency that God was about to do something exceptional to lead the country from the power crises that had created a lot of inconvenience to Ghanaians, especially entrepreneurs.

He said God was about to free the sky to fill the dam to brim, help farmers to increase their yield and improve on the lot of businessmen. Speaking at the ordination and graduation of 35 prophets and 17 reverend ministers at the Schambach Theological College in Accra, Archbishop Dr George Slezer Ofori-Atta, Presiding Archbishop of the International Council for the Clergy, also appealed to Christians to pray and fast for water to fill the Akosombo dam.

Archbishop Ofori-Atta, who is also the Chancellor of the Dome- based Christian Theological College and Seminary in Accra, lauded traditional African values that hold dear the distaste of the Bible towards gay marriages and other practices that are at variant with Christianity. He said contrary to public notion that the Western way of life was far advance and constituted the standards for modern civilisation, the strong moral values in Africa that respect the sanctity of life had proven to stand the test of time.

"I hold a doctorate degree in Theology and there is no where in the Bible that supports unnatural sex, which is also abhorred in Africa." Archbishop Ofori- Atta said contrary to the teachings of God, which have crowned man with glory and honour and to have dominion over all things, some people die and bequeath their property to animals. He said God had given man dominion over all things, "and so if in other parts of the world, human beings are loving dogs more than their fellow human beings then there is something wrong with their so-called civilisation".

Archbishop Ofori-Atta asked the graduates of the school to strive for knowledge, stressing: "Ministers of God without knowledge are very dangerous."

He also tasked them to shun materialism noting that, worldly success fades away.

The School of Theology, which was formed four years ago, had so far trained 110 prophets and 50 reverend ministers.

The graduates were exposed to three months of training in courses like: "Practical Ministry," "Ministerial Ethics," "Marriage And Family Life," "Counselling," "Doctrine Of The Bible," "Doctrine Of The Church," " Spiritual Authority," and "Discovering Your Field Of Specialisation."

Rev. Joseph Amevor, Principal of the School condemned members of the Clergy who were bringing shame to missionary work through materialism, egocentrism and other morally deviant lifestyles. He said such charlatans were forcing people to take the words of God with a pinch of salt.

Mr Gordon Adjei, a media consultant, who chaired the function, said Africa was beset with a number of problems such as arm robbery, prostitution, unemployment and poverty that called for prophets to intervene.

He said since the prophets of old provided guidance to their people, when they were in crisis, Africa needed a new breed of the men of God that were filled with the spirit of excellence to lead the Continent.

Mr Adjei criticised some members of the clergy who exploit their congregation to make money, adding: "There are too many liars around leading people to hell."