Methodist Presiding Bishop urges Christians to live holy lives

Most Reverend Dr. Paul Kwabena Boafo, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, has charged members of the church to make the church attractive for the world by living holy lives.

He noted that "It is not just the hymns of Charles Wesley that brought people in their numbers to join the church but they were touched by the holy lives of the people called Methodist".

The Presiding Bishop said this during the opening of the annual Methodist Festival (METHOFEST) at the Rev. Gaddiel Acquaah Cathedral in Tarkwa.

The annual festival, enables church members to take stock of the tangible and intangible rich religious socio-cultural heritage materials, which the church has realised throughout her history.

This year's celebration was on the theme: "Intensifying our teaching for disciple-making: the Methodist Church Ghana's heritage in perspective".

He emphasized that as a church with this heritage, the world would not only judge them by their theology and literature but their behaviour as well.

The validity of the scripture in the world’s view was determined by how it affected them as Methodist, he said.

The Presiding Bishop stated that "If unbelievers see that our lives are truly transformed and we separate and distant from the world they might conclude that scripture is true and powerful and they will see the Bible as life-changing if they stick to holiness"

He said the credibility of the Christian gospel was linked to the integrity of the lives of those who proclaim it, adding, “that is why it is so devastating when well-known evangelists and people who claim to be pastors are found in some gross sin".



"So, Methodist people must not discard this heritage and instead revisit that identity of living pure so that people will follow Jesus Christ and win more souls for His kingdom", the presiding bishop said.

He pointed out that "we need that identity to be part of us, it should not only be in our singing, the edifice we have as our chapels, clothes as organisational attire, the pendants that we hang in our vehicles driving around but are attitude, lifestyle, how we talk and dress and how we approach things will draw people to Christ" he explained.

The Presiding Bishop admonished members of the Methodist Church to hold on to their faith and ensure that they made the church relevant from their past.