The state regulating the church is a panacea for disaster - Apostle Amoako Atta

The Founder and Leader of Parliament Chapel International, Apostle Francis Amoako Atta said the idea of regulating churches is a laudable one but the responsibility to do so must rest on the Church, which is the Body of Christ itself.

He believes that the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG), Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), and the National Association of Charismatic and Christian Churches must be allowed to take up the responsibility of ensuring that the churches, as well as pastors, go by the dictates of the Bible.

Apostle Francis Amoako Atta, a revered Pastor in Ghana and abroad, speaking in an exclusive interview with Prosper Agbenyega, expressed his views on Parliament’s decision to investigate, and prescribe regulations on church activities in Ghana.

He said in as much as it is the responsibility of the State to protect the citizenry from such charlatans, it is also the responsibility of the Church to do special analysis of itself to see where they fall short; hence the State must tread with caution in dealing with the issue so as not to attack the church, and destroy the Kingdom as a result. Because If that happens, Ghana will see a great fall and will never rise to its feet again.

He continued by saying, the idea of regulating the Church is long overdue and it is about time “we put a stop to what is happening in the Church” but the State taking over that responsibility is a panacea for disaster.

Giving historical background to the formation of the church, He said: “We already know that in Church History, North Africa - Lybia was a country where Synagogue was first built by Simeon of Cyrene, and then North Africa became populated with Christianity until people rose up against the Church. They confused the people, Christianity was terminated, and Islam was embraced and eventually took over North Africa.

Explaining further, Apostle Amoako Atta said: "It is because people were brain-washed against Christianity, they stood up against the religion and that virtually led to the collapse of Christianity in North Africa.

Apostle added that we must not forget that Ghana is the only country where Christianity has more impact so we must be cautious of what we do to the church all in the name of regulation.”

According to him, allowing the State’s interference in church work is one of the strategies the enemy wants to use, “if there is anything against Christianity, then we are doomed".

He suggested that Parliament sets up a committee to investigate the churches and any of such pastors who are found to be exploiting their members must be penalized and church close down when necessary just as in the case of Bank of Ghana shutting down some banks and microfinances who flouted its rules....”

He said the activities of a few so-called men of God have become a canker in the church and the time has come for the Minister for Culture and Religious Affairs to ensure that sanity prevails in the church.

Apostle Amoako incited that this incident repeated, in the 60s and 70s during the PNDC time where Pentecostal churches were referred as mushroom churches and It took the intervention of the Roman Catholic to save the church. "I believe that if we focus on the few people who are causing this evil in the Christiandom, we can stop them without necessarily making too much fuss about it,” he said.

Additionally, He averred that the move is also to sway the focus off the building of the Cathedral. According to him “If there is no church, then there will be no need for the Cathedral.”

Making reference to the Bible, Luke 9: 49 – 50, Apostle Amoako Atta said even during the times of Jesus Christ, John came to Jesus telling him of somebody who was casting out devils in His name and wanted to stop the person but Jesus said “leave him alone”.

He urged Parliament to reconsider its position and be cautious in the way it deals with the matter so as not to attack the church, and destroy the Kingdom in the end.

Meanwhile, Apostle Amoako Atta advised people to desist from chasing miracles. This he said “in the school of life, there are things you can choose for yourself and things that God chooses for you; You can choose your partner but God chooses who to parent you and who to shepherd you with reference to Jeremiah 3: 15 "God said I will give you a shepherd “a Pastor” after my heart "so people should stop following rubbish. When God directs you to a specific good church stops following miracles.”

He said it is the lack of the knowledge of the Bible that people are being used and exploited by the so-called (fake) men of God.

He urges Ghanaians to desist from chasing after miracles if they don’t want to miss heaven but rather go back to the Bible because miracle is not a guarantee to heaven.

Apostle Amoako Atta also maintained that he believes in miracle and testimonies but what is currently going on in some churches is not Biblical but “false miracle” and if they want to spend their eternity in Heaven then they must stop it.

In view of the ongoing bizarre developments in some churches across the world, especially in Africa, Apostle Amoako Atta said he is bringing to the world a programme dubbed “BACK TO THE BIBLE,” in which he will teach the Bible and bring to peoples’ understanding as to whether the Bible allows any man of God to feed his congregants with Detol, Parazone, Kerosene and other poisonous substance.

The programme “BACK TO THE BIBLE” will be telecast every Saturday 5:30 am to 6 am on Adom Television.