Churches advised not to focus mainly on soul winning

Kumasi, Aug. 14, GNA- Churches have been advised against focusing mainly on winning more souls at the expense of grooming members to enable them to effectively play their respective roles in both the Church and their various communities.

Church fellowships and groupings will yield no dividends if they are only used as meeting grounds for discussion of personal issues. The Reverend Yaw Ofori, Director, Evangelism and Missions Board of the Ghana Baptist Convention (GBC), said these at the opening of the 11th annual national conference of the Ghana Baptist Men's Ministry in Kumasi on Saturday.

The three-day conference under the theme, "Reaching the Unreached", is being attended by over 110 delegates from all branches of the church in the country.

Rev. Ofori said instead of seeking mainly to win more souls, Churches should ensure that "the members become good quality materials who comprehend the gospel and poised to also spread it".

He said Church fellowships and groupings would not be beneficial to the Church and society if they were only used as meeting grounds for the discussion of personal issues.

Rev. Ofori said it was only when such fellowships were used as platform for propagating the gospel and complementing works of the pastors in evangelism that their impact could be felt.

Professor E.K. Wiredu, National President of the Ministry, entreated Church leaders to clearly define the roles of the various ministries, fellowships and groupings in the religious organisation in order to avoid duplication of functions and rivalry.

He noted that since there were still vast parts of the country yet to be evangelised, the men's ministry should as part of its programme identify remote areas and reach out to the people with the gospel.

Rev. Tony Goldlyn Amoakohene, Ashanti Regional Secretary of the Assemblies of God Church, said the only way a Christian could have any reward was by assisting in the spread of the word of God.

Mr Collins Boakye-Yiadom, President, Kumasi North Baptist Association Men's Ministry, expressed worry that the association could not implement its resolutions and entreated members to ensure that all decisions were enforced.