Use pulpit to preach against vices — Prof Adei
The former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Prof. Stephen Adei, has urged Christian leaders to use their pulpits to preach the gospel and educate the people on the vices in the society.
Advertisement
He said Christian leaders had a prophetic ministry to preach what was right and wrong to transform the lives of the people.
“As ministers, you have a responsibility to educate your members not to vote for corrupt politicians; you must educate them to reject politicians who offer matches containing GH¢50 just to vote for them,” he stated.
Speaking at the second Anim Memorial Lectures in Accra on Saturday, Prof. Adei said: “As men of God, you must be the salt and light of the world with a responsibility to preach the gospel and discipline people to change.”
The lecture, which was on the theme: “The impact of Christianity in Ghana’s development with special reference to the role of Pentecostalism,” was organised by the Christ Apostolic Church International.
Apostle Peter Anim
Apostle Peter Anim is widely acknowledged as the father of Pentecostalism in Ghana and the one who promoted the spread of the gospel in the Gold Coast.
At age 27, he established the CAC International with its headquarters at Asamankese in the Eastern Region and set up branches in other parts of the country.
‘Determine direction of nation’
Prof. Adei said politicians always desired to limit Christianity to the preaching of the gospel for the people to change but not to talk about them.
“They want the church to separate the pulpit from politics and that comes from the devil; the reason why they want separation of the two is because 70 per cent of Ghanaians identify with Christianity,” he stated.
Prof. Adei stated that it was time the churches in Ghana used their influence to determine the “direction of the nation and who rules us.”
“Often times, I hear that Christians are responsible for the rot plaguing the nation and this is used by the enemy to ensure that the Christian leadership is silent’’, he said.
According to him, Christianity had become the prophetic voice of the nation in guiding, encouraging and helping the people, particularly politicians, to walk in the path of righteousness.
He said there were many people who called themselves Christians but they had not experienced the transformation power of Christ.
“It is only when a person has not experienced the power of the Holy Spirit that he can selfishly squander the resources of the nation mindlessly,’’ Prof. Adai said.
Apostle Anim’s contribution
In his welcome address, the Chairman of CAC International, Apostle Dr Stephen K. Amoani, said the world and Africa, particularly Ghana, needed leaders who were God-fearing and were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.
“We can have leaders who are incorruptible when they are filled with the power of God; we need the power of God to solve the crisis we are going through,’’Apostle Amoani stressed.
He reminded the youth that Apostle Anim was 27 years when he began spreading the gospel and urged the them to show a keen interest in taking the mantle of leadership in the spread of the word of God.
“You must refrain from being self-seeking and strive to be leaders who can bring transformation to the nation,” he added.
The former General Secretary of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Dr Alfred Koduah, said Apostle Anim showed respect for the Bible and was faithful to the end.