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Religion of Wednesday, 2 May 2007

Source: GNA

Presbytery chairman lashes at charlatans

...parading as men of God.
Koforidua, May 02, GNA- The Akuapem Presbytery Chairman of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), the Rev. Dr J.O.Y. Mante, has spoken against a new brand of gospel which thrives on the theme of accumulating wealth and power saying that kind of message contradicts the very essence of the word of God.

He said when people professing to be men of God turns God's word into a money making and power seeking venture, they contradict the gospel because by such attitudes, such preachers defeat God's purpose for mankind. Preaching at a thanking service to round-off the Presbytery's 80th conference at Koforidua on Sunday, Dr Mante told the packed congregation that the only way of living as a Christian, is by way of sacrifice and not aggressive yearning for material wealth.

Unfortunately, he said, the issue of sacrifice, a cardinal aspect of the teaching of Christ has no meaning in the dictionary of many of the men parading to be men of God adding that, Christians only succeed when they have learnt to do the will of Christ because "the mind of a Christian is a life of sacrifice".

The Presbytery Chairman questioned the moral force of such pastors to discipline others, when they themselves are not worthy ambassadors of Christ.

Rev. Dr Mante charged the clergy of the PCG to be men who can live by their preaching and do all they can to ensure holistic development, comprising the physical and spiritual lives of their congregation. Dr Mante later presented bicycles worth nine million cedis to five districts within the presbytery for the propagation of the gospel.