'We'll incur God's wrath if we fail to fight for preservation of our natural resources' - Christians told

The Human Resource Manager of St. Georgina Health Care and Consultancy Mrs. Justina Darko Andoh has prompted Christians in Ghana on the need to fight for the preservation of our natural resources.

Reflecting on the magnitude of damage done to water bodies in the country by illegal mining (galamsey) and how fertile lands have been rendered useless, she has asserted that Christians who hold majority of Ghana's population must take their rightful position as agents of positive transformation to put the society in a holistic growth and development-oriented direction.

Read her full speech here:

The Ashanti Regional Minister, the honourable MP for Asokwa, the honourable MCE for Asokwa, distinguished Archbishops and bishops, Nananom, honourable ministers of the Lord, members of the Press, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, good morning.

It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the first day of the Transformation Conference 2024. I am honoured and humbled by your presence. Thank you.

God has laid a burden on the heart of His Servant Dr. Godfred Andoh to lead a crusade for transformation in our beloved country through the Church. Since the inauguration of this program four years ago, it has had a tremendous impact on the lives of many individuals, churches, and the country.

According to the Bible, the Church is a transformation agent of the world because the Church is the pillar of truth. The Church is a light in the darkness and the salt of the Earth. All of these metaphors describe us as transformation agents. We cannot hide under the bushel; we have to be right on the table where the world can see the light.

Our salt must be able to mix into society and impact, purify, sweeten, and prevent it from decay. We are the hope of society, and you can imagine when we have lost our light and saltiness. It is a calamity of monumental proportions. Unfortunately, that’s what we seem to be seeing now, and there could be more to come if care is not taken. But no matter what is happening in the Church today, the Church must be ready to take its place in society.

The Church, as a religious and social organization driven by moral and social principles as contained in the fundamental teachings and doctrine of the Christian faith, is expected to play an important role towards social change and the improvement of society's value system. This should lead to the transformation of social life and put society in a holistic growth- and development-oriented direction.

However, given the present scenario of underdevelopment in Ghana coupled with the depreciation of moral values, insolence, corruption, and prevailing religious bigotry, it becomes expedient to review the place of Christianity (which incidentally is the foremost in terms of spread and influence, having over 72% of the population) in sustainable national development in Ghana.

Unfortunately, the modern-day Church seems to have almost completely forgotten about its role and responsibility in national transformation. Significantly, people are losing faith in the Church, her leaders, and by extension, the Christian faith.

The Church has become engrossed in the materialistic cares of the world system; thus, she seems to have lost her light. Darkness naturally takes centre stage whenever light recedes, as is the case of Ghana in contemporary times. The moral conscience for which we were known has become strange to the succeeding generations.

To whom much is given, much is expected. If Christianity gave the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and other Western nations of the world a head start in sustainable socio-economic and political development over other nations of the world, Ghana may also leverage the Christian faith for her development, which has been more of a mirage for succeeding governments. All depends on the moral courage and readiness of the Church to carve a niche for herself in the sands of time.

A lot has been said concerning the place of Ghana in God’s end-time program. It will take only a revived, transformed, purposeful, and united Church to make the Word of God a reality for Ghana. Christians must begin to showcase Christ for others to see and come to the light of Christ. The glorious light of the gospel must begin to shine all over for the present darkness to be wiped out.

Didn’t the Bible say we are the light of the world? Is light not given to dissipate darkness? If the secular world is the darkness and the believer is the light, then God has provided a solution to the problem of darkness. That solution is the Church and believers.

According to the biblical view of human life, transformation is the change from a condition of human existence contrary to God’s purpose to one in which people are able to enjoy the fullness of life in harmony with God. This transformation can only take place through the obedience of individuals and communities to moral laws and to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, whose power changes the lives of men and women by releasing them from the guilt, power, and consequences of sin, enabling them to respond with love towards God and towards others. It is the responsibility of the Church to spread this reality to the world.

The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it. The land is His. All human beings are God’s creatures. As made in His image, we are His representatives, given the responsibility of caring wisely for His creation. We have to confess, however, that we have been slow to recognize the full implication of our responsibility. As His stewards, we do not own the land, but we manage and enhance it in anticipation of Christ’s return. Too often, however, we have assumed a right to use His natural resources indiscriminately.

Today, our water bodies have been destroyed and many lands made useless as a result of galamsey in a country that boasts of over 72% of the inhabitants being Christians. We have frequently been indifferent, or even hostile, to those committed to the conservation of non-renewable sources.

The earth is God’s gift to all generations. An African proverb says that parents have borrowed the present from their children. Both our present life and our children’s future depend upon our wise and peaceful treatment of the whole earth. The Church must stand tall in the fight against the destruction of our environment.

This year being an election year, the Church, as a non-partisan institution, must take maximum advantage of her dominance and use that platform to intercede for and seek the peace and prosperity of the nation because when there is peace and prosperity in the land, the inhabitants will also enjoy peace and prosperity.

The Church must pray against all forms of attacks, fear, anxiety, and demonic rituals that normally precede general elections in this country. We need peace before, during, and after the elections, and the Church has a role to play in this.

It is time for the Church to align with God’s purpose and timing for the nation, to build capacity as nation-builders, and to create strategic structures and alliances. Moreover, it is time for the body of Christ to come together, to reconcile our differences, to heal as a body, to become united in purpose, with every joint supplying its unique strengths, as we rise up as one body, to take orders from our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, to build a great nation on the foundations of righteousness and justice, faithfulness and truth; a great nation where peace, prosperity, and unity prevail, where no one will be oppressed, where corruption and all forms of immorality will be a thing of the past, and love for our country and for one another will be our way of life.

For this reason, this conference has been organised to draw the church's attention to her God-given role as salt and light and enlighten her to be more proactive.

With our carefully selected speakers, I believe you will receive great illumination during these three days.

Once again thank you for coming and please enjoy the programme!