'Juju' Controversy Rocks Top Church

* Senior pastor expelled over 'juju' accusations
* Branch breaks away from mother church
* Case moves to High court

By Raymond Archer

THE BRANCHES are breaking away, at the last count - one top pastor had been fired by the headquarters over 'juju' accusations, the children of God are scattered, and the men of God/gods are fighting in court, all on the quiet.

For several months now, the secret tug of war between the national executive of the Assemblies of God Church-Ghana and one of their leading pastors has been a closely guarded piece of information after the latter was stripped of his ministerial credentials and expelled from the mother Church for acts alleged to be akin to 'juju' practice'.

Rev. James Obeng, the ex-head pastor of the Adabraka branch of the Assemblies of God church was expelled the national executives of the mother church on three counts of - walking to church service barefooted, using a broom as a symbol of cleansing and drawing a line with chalk on the floor in the church, as his kind of ritual preaching.

The alleged act was met by massive condemnation from Executive Presbytery (EP) who described it in internal documents as distasteful and unacceptable and is in contravention of the doctrine of the Church.

Chronicle investigations indicate that the Adabraka branch of the Assemblies of God Ghana church which used to be Evangel Assemblies of God Church-Ghana has broken away from the mother church and has been re-named as Evangel Church following a bizarre controversy which has scattered the church members.

Reacting to the hullabaloo about his so-called "juju" conduct, Rev. James Obeng, a quiet looking man who said he has been with the church since its inception, admitted that he walked to church service without his shoes on but insisted that he was in a pair of socks and not barefooted as is being alleged.

He also admitted that that he drew a line in the church but explained that he rather asked those who were on the Lord's side to cross the line. "I did not say those who were on my side," he added.

The head pastor who trained as a Communicator in the US told the Chronicle that his walking to church in socks was a "prophetic action and that like every all prophetic action, it happened only once. Before that day, I hadn't walked to church without shoes and since that day, I haven't walked to church without shoes. " He also quoted biblical scriptures to back his "prophetic action".

Following the expulsion of Rev. Obeng from the church, the Executive Presbytery appointed an associate pastor, one Rev. Samuel Bunnah to head the church until a lasting solution was reached by the EP on the matter.

One account has it that Rev. Obeng, acting in concert with an unauthorized Interim Management Committee (IMC) forcibly took over the church and expelled Rev. Bunnah and the other pastors appointed to the head the church.

This account has it that after the dismissal of the pastor who was appointed by the EP the new IMC recalled Rev. James Obeng to come back and take over the church.

Another account also has it that four months after Rev. Obeng was suspended, almost half of the congregation stopped attending church service because of his expulsion, a situation that is said to have affected the finances of the church.

"I was in the house, when the IMC invited me to come back and head the church because my absence had affected the church. I came back… so it is not as if I formed an IMC to dismiss the pastor. This IMC was formed when I was on suspension." Rev Obeng said.

He continued that by a special resolution, the entire church acting through the Board of Deacons took a bold decision to break away from the mother church because of the manner in which the EP was handling the case.

A visit to the church premises by the Chronicle confirmed that the signboard on the church premises had been changed. The name of the church, which was Evangel Assemblies of God Church-Ghana, had become shorter by some few words. It now reads, 'Evangel Church'. Simple, short and separate from Assemblies of God Church-Ghana.

BATTLING IN COURT
Chronicle can also report that the expelled pastor flanked by the new IMC have been dragged to the High Court by the Executive Presbytery, led by Dr. Rev. Asore, former member of Council of State. This happened shortly before he left office as General Superintendent of the church.

The EP, according to the church's constitution has oversight responsibilities for the running of all the branches of Assemblies of God churches in Ghana.

The EP in their statement of claim stated that Rev. Obeng and ten others who have been joined in a suit were dissatisfied and aggrieved by their decision and so on July 21, 2002, they forcibly and violently took over the church and prevented the acting senior pastor of the local church and other pastors from ministering to the congregation.

"Indeed the 2nd defendant (Tony Akye) announced to the local church that the defendants have taken over the church including all moveable and immovable assets and have appointed an Interim Management Committee constituting the 3rd Defendant (Samuel Turkson as chairman and leaders of the youth and women's ministry as members," the EP said.

According to the national body, the actions of the defendants are in breach of the constitution of the mother church.

"They have also declared that they will change the name of the local church and have locked up the church with the view of causing mayhem. The defendants have evinced a clear intention and manifested a conduct of lawlessness to the effect that they are not willing to abide by the church constitution, which sanctions their membership of the mother church. "

The EP stated in their claim that Rev. James Obeng is in breach of his ministerial contract with the mother church and that the act of the 11 defendants are in contravention of the constitution of Assemblies of God Church Ghana and unless restrained by the court, the defendants will cause violence, lawlessness and illegally take over of the local church.

The Executive Presbytery made up of the former member of Council of State, Dr. Ben Asore, are praying the High Court for an order of interlocutory injunction restraining Rev. James Obeng and his followers, their agents, assigns and hirelings from interfering with the property of Evangel Assemblies of God, Ghana, Adabraka for the peaceful running of the said church, pending a final determination by the court.

Investigations at the premises however revealed that the name of the church has been changed. Initially the church was called Evangel Assemblies of God, Adabraka but now it has been changed to Evangel Church.

THE CONTRADICTIONS
Eyewitnesses interviewed by the Chronicle narrated vividly what transpired in the church on that fateful day. The witnesses include deacons of the church and church members who requested anonymity.

"On that day, I was in church, he came in the company of his new Nigerian friend, one Mr. Emeka. He was barefooted, he used the chalk to draw a line and then asked all those who were on his side to cross the line.

"I was there when he and Emeka began reciting some strange words and incantations. They then called on a thunder god to strike an unnamed pastor whom they said had offended Rev. James Obeng. I was shocked to my bones, I couldn't believe what I was seeing in church that day," a deacon said.

According to him, this incident happened on the first Sunday after Rev. James Obeng and his Nigerian friend returned from a trip to Nigeria. Reacting to this particular allegation, Rev. Obeng said that he and Mr. Emeka attended a pastors' conference at Port Harcourt, adding, "Emeka is not a stranger to Assemblies of God Church.

He was one of the speakers at the conference. He did not call on any thunder god; what he rather said was that one of the pastors had stopped somebody from attending deliverance and that that pastor should own up."

On the report of the committee of enquiry set up by the EP, Rev. Obeng noted that he has not seen a copy of the report and that their accusers were not brought before them for cross-examination. He, however, admitted that the committee interrogated him.

When Chronicle contacted the head office of the Assemblies of God church at Avenor in Accra, the executives confirmed the story but refused to comment on the issues because it was before court.

They could also not give a copy of the report of the Committee of Enquiry because they said it was an internal document.

When Chronicle asked why the EP would want to dismiss him if he had not committed any offence, Rev. Obeng said he did not know but added that that this was the second attempt at trying to snatch the church away from him.

The last time the two parties went to court was on the October 14, 2002. Even though the EP told Chronicle that the case was adjourned, Chronicle has gathered that the new EP, which consists of, a new set of executives are arranging for out-of-court settlement.