Be measured in prophetic declarations - Church leaders admonished

The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, Most Rev. Professor Johnson Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, has admonished church leaders to be measured in the prophetic declarations they make during the 31st December Watch Night services.

He said sometimes, prophecies that were churned out tended to come from human imaginations, such as wishing death on people and making claims God had not revealed to them.

"If you do that, the name the Bible gives you is a false prophet. Even if the prophecy may be true, it must be guided by wisdom.

“So, if your message is for a particular individual, you make sure that the individual is told, so that people are not publicly humiliated by prophecies that reveal personal details of their lives," Most Rev. Asamoah-Gyadu added.

The Presiding Bishop said God revealed for the purpose of redemption and "so as we go through our watch night services, and as we make our resolutions, we would like to admonish pastors and prophets to refrain from instilling fear into people and exploiting their fears and insecurities".

He gave the admonition at the church’s end-of-year Christmas message at a press briefing in Accra yesterday.

Elections

Most Rev. Asamoah-Gyadu also described the December 7 general election as generally successful despite some pockets of disturbances.

"From my point of view and the point of view of the Methodist Church, we think the Electoral Commission needs our congratulations and support in seeing us through this election at a very difficult period.

“Our prayer is that those who have won will be gracious in their triumph, and those who have lost will also be sober," he said.

Most Rev. Asamoah-Gyadu, however, described the acts of violence and destruction that were recorded as unwarranted and expressed the hope that the security agencies would bring perpetrators to book, irrespective of their political party affiliations.

"I was very impressed that long before the official results were declared, the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who is also the Vice-President, conceded very quickly.

"I think that is what it should be. When you accept to participate in a democratic process, you must also accept the fact that you can either win or lose.

"What citizens are looking for is food on their tables, shelter over their heads and decent living that affirms their humanity. Whether we are in government or we are outside it, the church expects that we work together for the common flourishing of our people," he said.

Challenges

On illegal mining activities in the country, Most Rev. Asamoah-Gyadu said the practice was destroying the environment, including water bodies and expressed hope that the new government would tackle the problem head-on.

He also spoke about streetism, saying “It is heartbreaking to find children who otherwise must be in school peddling all kinds of goods at traffic signals, putting not just their future in danger but also their lives.”

The Presiding Bishop said God had given the citizens a good nation, and we must use "the talents, gifts, grace and abilities that He had given us to build this nation for ourselves and also for the future”.

He charged the people to put their efforts together and make sure that in whatever capacity they were called to serve – civil and public sectors, parliament and church, among other sectors-- they gave their best to enable the country to move forward.

Church activities

Most Rev. Asamoah-Gyadu further announced that the Methodist Church of Ghana would be 190 years old next year.

He said as part of the celebration, the church would be rolling out a series of activities.

The Presiding Bishop said the church would be praying for the new government and the nation.

He prayed that the year 2025 would bring more blessings and prosperity to all citizens, as the country navigates the way to accelerated growth.