clcgh.org Building The Capacity Of Christian Leaders, Equipping The Saints For The Work Of Ministry, Redirecting Straying Christians To The Sound Knowledge Of Christ
Dr Emmanuel Twumasi-Ankrah
Daniel McKorley, Ghanaian entrepreneur and businessman, has reportedly questioned churches in Ghana for using working time for Jericho hour (time set aside by some Christians for prayers).
A recent Oyerepa Radio post on Facebook quotes the businessman as stating that “the churches are slowing the growth of Ghanaians.”
Dr Emmanuel Twumasi-Ankrah, a lecturer at the Theology Department of the Christian Service University (CSU), after reading the post spontaneously reacted to it. Below are his words:
“I respectfully differ. Some so-called “churches” may be guilty. Why the church?
Time is like an ever-rolling stream available for all. People are at liberty to use their time for what is essential to them.
Some people use the said “working time” to go to the stadium to watch football, engage in political activities, pray 5 times a day, for betting, smoking, drinking, face booking, gossiping, etc.
When you employ a Muslim who sneaks out 5 times a day and 150 times a month to perform Salah, it does not slow down productivity but when a Christian spends some 2 hours once a week to fellowship, it suddenly becomes the reason why Ghana is not productive. How?
Moreover, when some indisciplined workers use working hours for lotto forecasting, betting, arguing on football matches, politics etc., their actions are not considered retrogressive to national development. Why?
Why do we want to blame the church for everything bad in the country? What about the great contributions the church has made and is making towards the development of this nation?
Had it not been the church, there would have been too many thieves, including me to contend with, too many cases of suicide, murder, corruption, divorce, fornication, adultery etc., in this country.
It is only the church which is concerned with the moral and ethical temperature of the nation.
Has there ever been any recent political manifesto that outlines steps and strategies to nurture ethically educated Ghanaians? None!
All that we are concerned with is economy, economy, money, money, forgetting that it is only “Righteousness that exalts a nation;” (Prov. 14:34); but not economics.
The philosopher affirms, “Through the blessing [of the influence] of the upright the city is exalted, But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down” (Prov. 11:11).
Yes, the right people in the church are a blessing for our nation. The church is part of the economy of Ghana. We should not wish her to fail. Our socio-cultural and historical context is such that no one can do away with the influence of the church.
The church is a force to reckon with in Africa. Let’s not castigate her unnecessarily.
I do not endorse the misbehaviour and excesses of some so-called church leaders but we need not have to lump everything and everybody in the church together in condemnation. We need to appreciate the enormous role of the church in the building of our nation.
In Ghana, the church has contributed more than any group regarding integrity, patriotism, education, health care, agriculture, employment, physical infrastructure, and many others.”
#I AM A CHRISTIAN & I AM PROUD TO BE ONE#
