Religion

The Moderator of General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, The Right Reverend Francis Amenu, leaves Accra on Sunday at the head of a two-man delegation of the church to attend the 189th Bremen Mission General Assembly Conference in Germany.

The delegation, whose other member is the Clerk of the General Assembly, the Reverend Godwin Osiakwa, would also be special guests to other partner churches in the United Kingdom, including the United Reform Church, the Church of Scotland and the UK branch of the E.P Church, a statement from the church said.

It said the annual General Assembly Conference involved key churches worldwide including the Bremen Evangelical Church, Lutheran Church of Oldenburg and the Evangelical Reformed Church in Leer.

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana and Eglispe Evangelique Presbyterienne du Togo are among African products of the Bremen Mission founded on April 9, 1836.

The statement said the delegation will return home on June 9.



Source: GNA

An Islamic teacher said the perception by some Muslims that people of other religions are enemies of Islam is a misconception and contrary to the teachings of the Koran.

Brother Baba Adam, also founder of Islamic Centre for Computerization of Dawah, at Wa in the Upper West Region, advised Muslims with such view to change their minds sets since every body was a potential Muslim.

He was speaking at a symposium to mark the 10th anniversary celebration of the Sunyani Polytechnic branch of Ghana Muslim Students Association (GMSA), under the theme: “The importance of seeking knowledge in the modern world”, in Sunyani at the weekend.

Brother Adam said the false impression among some Muslims was partly due to the inappropriate approach to the dissemination of the message in the Koran.

He said: “The negative stereotyping of Islam is caused by some Muslims themselves and not the teaching itself because the Islamic teaching is totally different from how outsiders see it.”

The Islamic teacher said that the right approach to the propagation of Islam was to accommodate the views of everyone and create congenial atmosphere for non-Muslims to listen to the message.

Brother Adam advised other Islamic teachers to have thorough understanding of the teachings of Islam from authentic sources to be able to deliver the right messages.

He urged them to be abreast with information communication technology (ICT), to enable them to propagate the message of Islam effectively.

Sheikh Ahmed Nazir, lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Languages in Kumasi, urged Muslims to pursue education to acquire knowledge to enable them to play fitting roles in development.

Sheikh Ismail Sa-eed Adam, Deputy Chief Imam of Ahlil Sunna Wal Jamah, in Ashanti region, spoke on the topic:” Discipline in Islamic Perspective - the Role of Muslim Students”.

He explained that Islam was not about fundamentalism, dogmatism and extremism but a conscious effort to champion a cause for the benefit of humankind to the glory of God.

Sheikh Adam advised the students to consider themselves as ambassadors of Islam and act as agents of change to transform the lives of people in their communities.

Professor Kwasi Nsiah-Gyabaah, Rector of Sunyani Polytechnic, in a message delivered on his behalf, asked the students to be guided by knowledge contained in the Koran.



Source: GNA

The Rev. Thomas Quaicoe of the Brotherhood Church in Kumasi has stated that due to its addictive tendencies and the destructive consequences, liquor intake as a lifestyle should be discouraged among Christians.

He said one of the ultimate objectives of Christianity was to set up a holy and righteous kingdom without blemish and the criteria for citizenship precluded drunkenness.

Rev. Quaicoe made these remarks at an ‘All Pastors’ seminar organized by the Church in Kumasi.

It was attended by 200 laities including delegates from Togo.

Rev. Quaicoe said alcoholism destroys brain cells, the liver and cardio-vascular system and temporarily impairs vision, speech and coordination.

Primate Seth Adofo, Spiritual Head of the Church, said the seminar dealt with the moral and spiritual discipline to enhance the growth of the Church.



Source: GNA

Pastor Tony Asamoah-Boateng, Leader and Founder of the Great Light Worship Centre (GLWC), has underscored the need for religious leaders to renew their faith in God.

“As men of God, we should put our trust in God and rely solely on Him, because in times of troubles and temptations, He (God) will not let us down.”

Pastor Asamoah-Boateng made the call at a thanks-giving service held at the Church’s headquarters at Weija in Accra on Sunday.

The service was to express gratitude to God for vindicating the pastor on an allegation made against him seven years ago that he raped a former member of the church.

He said since every misfortunate was a blessing that unfortunate incident in 2002 had even helped him renewed his faith in God.

He, therefore, urged religious leaders to have absolute trust in the Lord, who had called them into His vineyard because God, a faithful and merciful Father, would never forsake them whenever they faced temptations.

Pastor Asamoah-Boateng recalled the story in the Old Testament of Daniel, who because of his faith in God, was delivered from the lion’s den, and assured colleague men of God that God was ever prepared to deliver them in times of difficulties and troubles.

He said as a man of God, he surely knew the truth was one day going to come out and therefore remained resolute in his Lord.

The Head Pastor said just as the cork of a bottle would never be submerged in water no matter how long it would takes, the truth in any incident or matter would also ultimately emerge for the public to draw or make their conclusions.

He said he was very grateful to God, who in His infinite mercy had vindicated him through the lady’s voluntary confession, many years after tarnishing his hard won reputation.

Pastor Asamoah-Boateng, therefore asked Christians, especially men of God, to always stand by the truth and defend it even if that would result in sacrificing their lives for others to live.

Asked whether he harboured any ill feeling against the lady, the Founder of GLWC indicated that he found consolation in the lessons taught by the Lord’s Prayer, and for that matter said since the lady had confessed her sins, “I whole-heartedly forgive her, as the Lord forgives me my sins against Him.”

Last month, Mrs Joyce Delali Darko, the 25-year old former member of the church, who accused the Head Pastor about raping her, voluntarily came out that the accusation was only meant to malign the man of God.

Mrs Darko, who made the confession in an interview with newsmen at the “Abrantie Spot,” said she was influenced by the pastor’s intimate friend to just frame the pastor up, tarnish his image and make him unpopular.

She said a friend of Pastor Asamoah-Boateng, who was also a member of the church made her believe that some kind of relationship existed between his (the friend) fiancée and the pastor.

Mrs Darko, now a mother of two kids, told newsmen that she was never induced to hatch the plot and that the pastor’s friend never gave her any money.

She said the unfortunate aspect of the story was that she never set her eyes on the pastor’s friend after the incident.

Mrs Darko said ever since she defamed the pastor, she had never known peace which explained why she decided to come out to confess in order to be forgiven by the man of God.



Source: GNA

The Rev. Nii Teiko Dagadu, Chairperson for the Dangbe Tongu Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana has called on Ghanaians to eschew all behaviours that could retard the development of the country.

He said it was by so doing that the country would move from its current position of developing to the middle income status.

Rev. Dagadu made the call in his sermon to launch the 150th anniversary celebration of the Zimmermann congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana at Odumase Krobo in the Manya Krobo District.

He said God had blessed the country with all the resources, both human and natural and if care was not taken, attitudes of some Ghanaians would not help this country to move in the right direction.

Rev. Dagadu said what the nation needed at the moment was peace and unity which were most important ingredients of national development.

“It is our responsibility as people of God to ensure that this country moves forward for economic prosperity for the current generation and the unborn,” he maintained

He urged Ghanaians to see themselves as one people with a common destiny and love each other in fullness.

Rev. Dagadu urged Christians to exhibit the lifestyle of Jesus Christ who is the foundation stone of the Church in order to bring peace to the country in particular and the world at large.

He said it was unfortunate that many years after the introduction of Christianity into the country the devil continued to have influence on many people, hence the high crime rate in all parts of the country and urged Christians to live according to the principles of Jesus Christ.

Rev. Dagadu commended the church for its contribution to the area, ranging from education, community development and agriculture since its establishment.

He called for total collaboration between the church and the state since the two were inseparable when it comes to development.

Rev Sam Odjelua, minister in-charge, on his part said the church would soon undertake a number of rehabilitation works to put up a face-lift to some dilapidated school blocks and also assist the needy but brilliant children to have better education.



Source: GNA