Churches urged to focus on youth

Churches have been urged to focus on training young people to carry on the work of propagating the gospel of Jesus Christ for the salvation of mankind.

Apostle Professor Samuel Asuming-Brempong, Chairman of the Great Commission Church International (GCCI) – Ghana, said in order for Churches to achieve good results, it is critical that pastors and church leaders identify and train leaders/teachers for the children’s Sunday School and teens classes.

“In the next 25 years, the children, junior and senior youth, we see today shall be the pastors and elders in the church.

“We should therefore pay extra attention to the young ones, the children and the junior and senior youth, to prepare them for the task ahead,” said Apostle Prof Asuming-Brempong at Bunso in the Eastern Region at GCCI’s 25th General Council Meeting.

The four-day meeting on the theme; “Celebrating 25 Years of Advancing the Great Commission: That I May Know Him” was held as part of activities marking the yearlong silver jubilee celebration of the GCCI.

It was attended by over 120 pastors and their wives, Broad of Trustees and Presiding Elders of the Church.

Apostle Prof Asuming-Brempong said as a key strategy in pursuing the great commission, Churches must focus more on young people both within and outside the body of Christ.

Citing from the Bible, he said, “train up a child in the way he should go: when he is old, he will not depart from it”.

He said Churches must ensure that children had decent places within the Church premises or nearby for their Sunday School Services.

He advised pastors and Church leaders to preach Christ centred gospel, to do the work of the ministry, to build up a team for God’s work, and to seek the Lord diligently and know Him.

“We give thanks to God for 25 years of our life as a Church. This calls for a great celebration of the goodness and mercies of God unto us as a Church.

“As GCCI celebrates 25 years of advancing the Great Commission, we look into the future with much faith and great hope,” he said.

The GCCI was started in April 1991 on the campus of the University of Ghana, Legon, by seven founding ministers namely Apostles JFK Mensah, Joseph Kwabena Antwi, Prof Asuming-Brempong, Komla Ebenezer Hagan, Samuel Vincent Ansah, Derek Sarpong and Richard Kwami Adanu.

Since GCCI’s inception, Apostle Mensah, who has been the Chairman of the Apostolic Council; was the maiden Chairman of the Executive Council of GCCI – Ghana for 12 years (1991 to 2003).

He was succeeded by Apostle Antwi, who led the GCCI – Ghana for 10 years (2003-2013); with Apostle Prof Asuming-Brempong taking over in 2013 to date.