Sunyani, Oct. 10, GNA - Reverend Dr Richard Owusu Akyeaw, General Overseer of the Living Grace Ministries in Sunyani, has condemned activities of self-styled pastors, who dupe unsuspecting publics under the pretext of securing them visas and or performing miracles. Speaking with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Sunyani last Tuesday after he and other pastors were conferred with doctorate degrees (PHD) by International Gospel Deliverance Centre of USA in conjunction with Shepherd Christian University.

Rev. Dr. Akyeaw said: "It is a disgrace to the pastor's profession and to God's Kingdom to read and hear from the media nowadays about charlatan pastors, who deceive the public and collect huge sums of monies from them with the promise to assist them to travel abroad". He advised the public to watch out for such "so-called" pastors and exposed them for bringing Christianity into disrepute. "I do not regard such pastors as people called by God but see them as frustrated people, who have nothing doing in life, and think that by establishing a church or becoming a pastor, is the easiest way of acquiring wealth", he added.

Rev. Dr. Akyeaw explained that any one called by God must be responsible to propagate the gospel and pray for the peace and spiritual well-being of the nation and the world in general. The biggest challenge to the pastoral work now, he said, is lack of training. He said some pastors had never had any theological education or leadership training to equip them with the ability to understand the basis and interpretation of the Christian religion. Rev. Dr Akyeaw urged the selfless and well-meaning ministers of God not to compromise their standards with any thing that went contrary with the Word of God.

Rev. Dr Victor Nwambu, President of the Shepherd Christian University, urged ministers of God to constantly upgrade themselves in the knowledge and wisdom of the God they serve. "Christian education brings to men truth about God and reveals to them high destiny to commit their ways to God in truth, justice and freedom", he added.