Kumasi, Jan. 4, GNA – The 2012 National Ministers’ Conference of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) has opened in Kumasi with an admonition to pastors and church leaders to uphold and live by the true Biblical teachings.
The Reverend Dr Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante, President of the Conference, said the expectation was that they would give clear moral and spiritual guidance to their followers devoid of confusion and falsehood.
They should not drag the name of God in the mud through practices, completely alien to Christian doctrines.
“Sometimes it gets very embarrassing when at the passing of each day, one will hear of some Prophet or man of God in the media, who has committed some criminal offence including raping of minors”, he said.
The Rev Dr Mante urged the church “to open its eyes wide” to stop evil practices including occultism from creeping into the church under the guise of Holy Spirit.
He warned of the risk of “going over board to a spirituality that is not focused on Christ and eternal salvation.”
He advised his colleagues to have better understanding of their calling through proper discipleship and a commitment to modesty and humility.
They should reject stubborn pride, arrogance and ostentatious lives.
He lauded what he said were the serious steps by the General Assembly of the PCG to decentralize the church’s administrative structures and bring them down to the Presbytery level.
He said there was the need to fully strengthen the Presbyteries to the point where they would ordain and pay ministers to allow for effective development and growth of the church.
Dr Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister, appealed to religious bodies to pray for incident-free elections this year.
The four-day progamme is on the theme: “Fulfilling your Ministry.”
It is providing a platform for the Clergy to take stock of their activities and plan the way forward.