Methodist Church Ghana Tema Diocese holds 22nd Synod

The Tema Diocese of the Methodist Church Ghana has held its 22nd Synod with a call on Christians to make disciples of all people to continue the work of Christ which has transformed the world.

The Synod, which is on the theme, “Disciple Making, the key to Qualitative and Quantitative Growth of the Church,” admonishes the Methodist Church to consolidate its existence and the work of God by concentrating on developing the spiritual and physical growth of the church.

Addressing the 22nd Synod of the Tema Diocese on Thursday at the Bethel Methodist Church, Community Eight, the Diocesan Bishop of the Tema Diocese, The Right Reverend Thomas Brown Fortson, observed that “discipleship is not just an option for believers. Discipleship is the mission and purpose of the church.”

He said the Church of God was to equip and grow disciples who in turn would go to equip and disciple others, but “unfortunately, many churches today have neglected this mandate.”

The Right Rev. Forson, who was reading his last address to the Synod as Diocesan Bishop of the Tema Diocese, indicated that the sole mission of the church was to disciple people who would, in turn, do same and that all other things were “ancillary pursuits.”

The cleric explained that discipleship was a process not an event and that it required vision, commitment and proper understanding of scripture that was supported by godly lifestyle.

He informed that the heart of discipleship was to proclaim Christ and much of his name, revealing that Christ was Lord over all creation and that he was our redeemer.

“We must make sure that inwardly, our motive is to make much of him, rather than to make much of ourselves,” he said.

The Right Rev. Forson outlined other temptations that faced believers during discipleship by warning them not to allow the need to please people make them avoid hard conversations which had the ability to cure the soul, and also prevent excessive conversations which would defeat the purpose of love as enshrined in scriptures.

He asked believers to check against making those they discipled to depend on them, by saying, “Don’t be Jesus to them, point them to Jesus.”

He informed that discipleship meant hard work and therefore if one became too comfortable in discipling, it could be an indication that one was faltering somewhere.

He warned against those who depended so much on their energy and “had become less aware of our need for the Lord in our spiritual leadership. The truth is that we never start needing him less. It is not our knowledge or skill that will develop disciples, but the power of God working within us.”

The Right Reverend Forson used the occasion to announce the creation of the Volta Diocese which would be carved out of the Tema Diocese by 2020.

The Synod Secretary and Diocesan Bishop-elect of the Tema Diocese, Rev. Samuel Ofori Akyea, informed that the purpose of the Synod was to account to Diocesan members their stewardship and outline plans for the future.

Rev. Akyea observed that the church was growing in numbers and that the Tema Diocese was working hard to meet the ten per cent growth of the church as was determined by the Methodist Church Ghana.

The 22nd Synod of the Tema Diocese of the Methodist Church Ghana had delegates representing the 17 Circuits of the Tema Diocese attending in a colourful and harmonious ceremony.