Mrs Lordina Mahama, the First Lady, on Friday said many churches are losing the focus on children service and Sunday school as an essential part of Christian education.

She said Christian education areas are required for developing good leaders and building a decent society.

Mrs Mahama said this in a speech read on her behalf at the opening of the four-day Meridian Presbytery second Synod of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, in Accra.

The four-day event is on the theme: “Go, make disciples.”

The Meridian Presbytery second Synod seeks to evaluate and find solutions to the challenges facing the district, congregations and church agents in the presbytery.

It is also to consider youth development programmes and capacity building and new strategic ways of retaining members.

The First Lady said one important segment of the church that served as a strong pivot and foundation for grooming highly disciplined and talented people was the Sunday school.

“It is, therefore, important for churches to consider as a matter of priority to recruit trained pastors or presbyters to handle their children service and the Sunday school with the aim of producing leaders of integrity,” she said.

She said the country at this critical stage of development requires leaders, who must submit and affirm strong allegiance to their religious faith and uphold worthy values of leadership.

Mrs Mahama said the church needs to rise to its spiritual and moral responsibility of curbing the rising indiscipline, lawlessness and moral decay in the society.

She called on various Christian faith umbrella bodies to re-strategise in strengthening their collaboration to nip in the bud activities of charlatans and promote the desired religious discipline and decency in the society.

She said government has firmly given due recognition to the church as a credible faith institution and key actor in the promotion of peace, unity and reconciliation within the Ghanaian society.

Reverend Dr Major Bliss Devine Agbeko, Moderator, Meridian Presbytery of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana called on members to work together to create opportunities that offer spiritual, social and psychological development for everyone in the presbytery.

He urged members to show support and demonstrate their love for God and commitment to the presbyter by faithful service, be at peace with all and maintain human dignity and spearhead soul winning activities.

Rev Agbeko said as part of the synod, participants would discuss viable short to long term investment avenues for the development of the presbytery.

He called on Christians to take the task of discipleship seriously and work to disciple and develop each other with helpful capacities.