By Douglas Akwasi Owusu & Lindy Dede Dickson
The Inter-Africa Clergy Council and Fayaa School of Ministry at the weekend held an ordination service for 31 ministers of the gospel who underwent several months of pastoral training at the school.

The function, attended by several members of the clergy from various religious denominations, was at the premises of the Fire Ministry at Teshie Tse Addo, in Accra.

The graduands, made up of 16 females and 11 males, were conferred with certificates empowering them to become Apostles, Prophets and Prophetesses, Reverends and Evangelists.

In a sermon entitled "God's anointed", Bishop Nicholas Bisjoe Arthur of the Word Learners Ministry International, at Zenu, near Ashaiman entreated the congregants to see their calling as a medium through which others would be saved.

"We are not sufficient to ourselves but because God knows us, He has appointed us to do His work," he said, adding that if God has appointed the congregants out of millions, they should consider themselves blessed and carry the mantle of leadership to the glory of God.

He urged them to have faith to do God's work, "because we have been qualified by God's divine selection to do it."
Bishop Arthur pointed out that the time had come for God to look for people who will respect him and honour him.

"You must do well to overcome temptations in the church, your calling is a high calling and anyone who desires it desires noble work. Let the truth reign in your lives," he advised.
The bishop asked the newly ordained pastors to live above reproach in the way they do all their things stressing.

"Be humble before your superiors and even before your congregations," he stressed, adding, "don't run where you are supposed to walk."
Turning to the congregation, he entreated Christians to support their pastor and urged them to be steadfast in the work of God.

"We should not let men of God to starve otherwise, when the offering bowl is empty pastors tend to give false prophesies that will bring food to the table," he stressed.

He noted that men of God hold blessings which they cannot use themselves, adding "we rear but we don't eat".

One of the graduands, Apostle Dr. Seth Kwame Sallah who spoke exclusively to The National Tribute said the task ahead of the ordained was a huge one since a lot of people would observe their actions and thereby make their decisions about the church and Christianity in general.

He advised other pastors to stick to the word of God and not to veer off since it is their calling to serve humanity and not to seek worldly things.

He called on Ghanaians to help make the December elections peaceful. They should not allow themselves to be used by politicians to foment trouble and bring the nation down to her knees.

Among the large number of clergymen who graced the occasion were Apostle Prince Boateng Safo, a lecturer of the Fayaa School of Ministry, Rev. Dankwa Sofu of the Clergy Council and Mrs Comfort Sallah.