Christians told to protect church against commercialism
Mr Kofi Attor, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communication (GIFEC) on Sunday urged Christians to bequeath to their children a church that reflects the sanctity of God.
Speaking at the launch of the centenary celebration of the Hoviefe branch of the Evangelical Presbyterian (EP) Church, Mr Attor said the church in Ghana risks becoming a commercial and tourism enterprise like in Europe, unless young people are brought up religiously to uphold the sanctity of Christianity.
He said in most of the Western world Christian religious activities like baptism and the Lord’s Supper are commercialised with churches becoming tourism destinations rather than places of worship.
Mr Attor said young people in Europe had little to do with the church.
He said the spiritual and material benefits that came to Ghana with the Christian faith were possible because successive generations of Christians since the first missionaries committed themselves to preserving its values.
He therefore urged Christians to pray unceasingly and focus on “the table which has been laid before us rather than making Satan the problem”.
Mr Attor called for unity among the people of Hoviefe as they prepare to celebrate the centenary in October.
He urged chiefs and opinion leaders to educate their people from 18 years and above to register when the biometric registration exercise begins in March, to be eligible to vote in the general election in December.
Preaching, Reverend Frank Anku, former Clerk of the General Assembly of the E.P. Church exhorted the Hoviefe community to demonstrate that their lives have been touched and transformed by the presence of the church in the community.
“Let others know and see the salvation that has come to you 100 years ago”, he exhorted.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Togbe Agbi III, Chief of Hoviefe said 100 years of the E.P Church in the community had helped the traditional authorities to give up certain practices which did not promote development.
He said as leaders, he and his elders derived inspiration from the biblical King David and King Solomon who because they pleased God, attracted God’s blessings to themselves and Israel.
Togbe Agbi said the church and the traditional leaders have co-operated to their mutual benefit.
He paid tribute to Mr Traugott Afari, Seth Adu of Ho-Hliha and Togbe Agbo also called Dzah Kosi for bringing the church to the community.
He expressed the hope that the centenary celebration would attract God’s blessings and presence in the community.
Source: GNA