Religion of Monday, 1 September 2008

Source: THE SUN

Pastors warned against vanity

Prophet Jonas Ahiakwa deputy National head prophet of the True Faith Church of Ghana (FCG) has warned Ghanaian pastors to desist from worldly amusements, and rather seek the spiritual development of the flock entrusted to them since worldly gains are not requirements to heaven.

According to him, many pastors have stopped preaching the truth and righteousness to their flock because of the fear of losing worldly gains, even though gain is not the key to catapult the flock to heaven, he told THE SUN in an exclusive interview at Ofankor a suburb of Accra last Saturday.

Expressing his concern about what he called as an unfortunate development, prophet Ahiakwa said it would rather be good for people to stay away from the Church, than to claim that they were devoted Christians only to turn round to commit grave sins that need not be mentioned in the house of God.

“Some pastors and Christians are making a mockery of the Lord because of their life-styles and the almost criminal dressing we are all witness in the streets which go without any checks,” he complained.

He said if pastors and Christians would brood over accountability on Judgment day, people would stop misbehaving and live a decent life for peace to prevail in society.

Prophet Ahiakwa said, he was alarmed about the attitude of some Christians who go to church alright on Sundays, and on Monday rush to clinics to commit abortions or defraud fellow humans.

He said some people have rushed into the work of God for personal gains without taking into account the responsibilities that God expects from them.

“What is expected from a steward is that he remains accountable and dedicated. However that great expectation is seriously missing in many pastors’ lives today,” prophet Ahiakwa told THE SUN.

Prophet Ahiakwa appealed to politicians to desist from reckless pronouncements that have the tendency to inflame passions and chaos in the country. “If Ghana is set ablaze because of somebody’s careless political pronouncements it would result in chaos of immeasurable proportions of national magnitude”, he added. He warned politicians who want to use tribal politics to grab power to refrain from such ways. “Since God has already chosen a man of his own heart to lead this country, no amount of ethnic and reckless statements can help one to change the plan of God,” he pointed out.

Claudia Davies, a nurse at Grady Memorial Hospital in Georgia, USA who visited the church lauded it for maintaining sound teachings that could uplift the spiritual development of the flock. She promised to help push the development agenda of the church so as to benefit a wider section of society. The True Faith of Church Ghana is the first spiritual church in Ghana and was established in 1914. However due to its rural placement, it seems much has not been heard of its activities in the country. -