Be wary of “miracle” pastors - Second Lady

Mrs Maltilda Amissah-Arthur, the Second Lady, has called on Christians to be careful in chasing after “miracle” pastors who in the long run would compound their problems.

She said people who have problems and need pastoral counselling must go to the right people equipped to handle such matters.

Mrs Amissiah-Arthur made the call when she launched a book entitled: “For Freedom or Bondage” written by Dr. Esther E. Acolatse of Duke University in Accra.

The book is a critique of African pastoral practices which over the years have been veneered as the practice of the true Christian faith.

Mrs Amissah-Arthur, outlining some aspects of the book said it took her three days to read the more than 200- page book and recommended it to the public who want to understand the true Christian religious principles and not attribute all their problems to the devil and demons.

She noted that most of the people who attend some of the deliverance sessions are women who have problems and wanted solutions.

She said, however, these pastors are experts in giving the person a plethora of things that are the cause of their problems, the a-z of all the demons attacking them.

She said these disturbed people who went in search of solutions for their challenges rather become more worried and suicidal.

Mrs Amissiah-Arthur noted that the book does not only give the theory and descriptions to Christian principles, but the solution to counteract problems.

She said as Ghanaians, “we are ready to talk about all the causes but never come out with any solutions."

Mrs Amissah- Arthur said the book, however provides the needed answers.

She observed that the God factor in the book is so powerful to help Christians overcome their problems rather than looking for miracles and deliverance.

Dr. Acolatse said when she returned to Ghana from the US in 1997, she got to know that the country’s relationship concept within the society tends to favour men more than women and, as a result, she came up with a paper titled “unravelling the relational myth."

She said what she saw disturbed her because people she had high regard for in terms of their Christian faith were caught up in African traditional religion with a veneer of Christianity.

She said Christian life has become like seeking cures for all ailments rather than about discipleship, life to God and enjoyment of fellowship.

Dr. Acolatse said today's Christianity is about looking for things and if nothing is coming you find people moving from one place to another and that every ailment is being addressed as if its source can only come from demons and witchcraft.

She said God has not left his children alone and that He has anticipated their security and protection and made provision for them.