Reverend Justifier Nii-Noi Ocquaye, President of the 2014 Minister’s Conference of the Ghana Baptist Convention, on Monday blamed the rise in corruption and gross immorality in society on the failure of pastors to lead the way.

He said the current negative societal attitudes depicted a failure in the ability of ministers of God to provide clear leadership, which was an indictment on their credibility. He said the problem was even bigger as the church itself was faced with leadership crisis and, therefore, under great distress.

Rev. Ocquaye, who opened the 26th Annual Refresher Course, Retreat and Business for ministers of the Ghana Baptist Convention, admonished pastors of the conference to focus on soul wining and discipleship. He said the Minister’s Conference was expected to review the performance of the past year, discuss present challenges and strategise on ways of improving it.

He linked the current national crisis to failure of ministers of the gospel to inculcate proper values into people in their societies, giving rise to all manner of vices including dishonesty. “The Great Commission, which ought to be our spiritual mandate and mission as Christians, has become an omission.

“You must see the Great Commission not only as an assignment from God, but also an alignment with God,” Rev. Ocquaye said. He said the time and budget devoted to soul winning and discipleship continued to dwindle from year to year showing how such critical aspects of Christianity were being neglected.

“It is not enough to win souls, but you must also ensure that they are disciples to become perfect Christians who would live at peace with all men,” he said. Rev. Ocquaye said an effective disciple-making church must have a vibrant membership constantly schooled through the Holy Bible in order to imbibe the good qualities of their mentor who is Jesus Christ.

They must constantly plan and help other churches to expand the kingdom business, he said. Rev. Ocquaye also urged pastors to be faithful in their dues to the Ghana Baptist Convention so that they could be able to demand same from their membership in the area of their tithes. “It is immoral for the unjust to demand for justice,” he said.

He said the church must not be complacent in their dealings with politicians but constantly engage them to ensure that they were sincere and open in their dealings with the citizenry, as government policies and programmes also affected the members. Rev. Ocquaye said: “When the economy is in distress and people are told that all is well the people are left in despair,” he said.

He said pastors must not serve one government against others but must ensure that the truth was told as they ought to be told and appealed to those in leadership position in the church and government to intensify their role in prayer and dialogue with decision-makers to reduce the current economic pressure on Ghanaians.