EP Church inducts new Moderator

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana (EPCG) has inducted into office, Rt. Rev. Dr. Lt. Col. Bliss Divine Agbeko (Rtd) as the third Moderator of the General Assembly since the adoption of the General Assembly policy structure in 2008 and thus the fourteenth Moderator of the defunct synod system of the Church leadership.

Past Leadership Stewardship and Education:

Prior to his election in August 2020 as the Moderator of the General Assembly, Rt. Rev. Dr. Lt. Col. Agbeko (Rtd) served in some leadership positions within the ranks of EPCG, the Ghana Armed Forces and some other ecumenical organizations. He served as the EPCG Synod Moderator for Meridian Presbytery and Acting Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church when the substantive Moderator, the late Rt. Rev. Dr. Seth Agidi was receiving medical treatment abroad. He was also the immediate past District Pastor of EPCG Bethel, Accra Newtown.

Rt. Rev. Dr. Lt. Col. Agbeko (Rtd) served in the Ghana Armed Forces as Head of Administration at the Directorate of Religious Affairs as well as Chaplain in charge of Teshie Camp Methodist Presbyterian Church, Military Academy and Training Schools, 37 Military Hospital and Methodist/Presbyterian Church and 6 Garrison Kamina Barracks, Airborne Force and Airforce, Tamale.

He holds a Doctorate Degree from Erskine Theological Seminary, Due West, SC, USA. He is a product of the University Ghana, Legon, Trinity Theological Seminary, US Army Chaplaincy School at Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina, USA and Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).

Recommendations:

Speaking at the induction service, Rev. Emmanuel Elisha Attu who also served as the EPCG Acting General Assembly and the substantive Synod Moderator for Brong Ahafo entreated members of the Church to rededicate themselves towards its revival and to reposition it as a reputable Christian faith institution.

He urged the newly inducted Moderator to introduce vigorous reforms within the Church to forestall indiscipline, mistrust and mismanagement of the Church’s resources aimed effective restoration drive.
He also admonished Rt. Rev. Dr. Lt. Col. Agbeko not to succumb to acts of malice, vilification, humiliation and various forms of conspiracies that could be adopted by church members, particularly his colleagues in leadership seeking to subvert his administration.

Acclamation of EP Church role in development:

The Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Letsa acknowledged the contribution of the Church and some other faith organizations to Ghana’s socio-economic development. “The Church has not only been the source of spiritual and moral development of many Ghanaians, but also a source of development projects in the areas of health, education, peace and security among others,” he remarked.

He commended the E.P Church for its continuous outstanding role towards complementing the government’s efforts through the establishment and management of educational institutions that have been producing capable men and women contributing meaningfully to Ghana’s economy.

The Volta Regional Minister also lauded the E.P Church for vociferously denouncing the unwarranted activities of the Western Togoland Separatist Group in the Region. “The Church has indeed shown leadership and proved that government can continue to rely on her to promote peace, security and development of the country,” he acclaimed.

Acceptance Speech and Stewardship Initiatives:

In his acceptance speech, Rt. Rev. Dr. Lt. Col. Bliss Divine Agbeko (Rtd.) express worry about the fizzling out of the government’s support and partnership to the Church’s institutions engaged in education and health care provision.

“It my prayer that such government supports shall continue unabated and widen in scope to cover other sectors such as agriculture, in the coming years,” he demanded.

As part of reforms, Rt. Rev. Dr. Agbeko pledged to pursue financial liberation by investing in viable economic opportunities to boost the Church’s financial resources as well as embark on capacity training for church agents and members to enhance human capital development.