OH MY GOD! TWO PROMINENT CHRISTIAN MINISTERS FIGHTING IN GHANA?

What on earth would be the reason for two prominent Christian men of God to feud? Where is this taken place and how is this affecting the congregation, city, the region and the country? Isn't it ironic this story is emerging a week after a woman minister from Senya Breku called on Ghanaians to do self-examination before seeking spiritual intervention from pastors and other religious leaders?

The wise always say “A nation that does not learn from its history is bound to repeat it” As Ghanaians residing abroad, we have the right to be informed on what is going on in our home countries, for us to have an up to date feed on news and other stories coming out of our dear nation.

Our immigrant status and our efforts to create nationalistic faith based communities abroad that cater for our local needs requires that we become very informed since we face a lot of challenges abroad. With so many charismatic churches springing up abroad and many online radio pastors, milking many innocent but vulnerable people seeking miracles in their lives; and the works of fake pastors in the news almost daily in Ghana, such news and articles are as important to us as the taxes we pay abroad. Our goal in writing this article is to provoke a healthy positive debate about the case at stake and to solicit Ghanaian Diaspora opinion on how to prevent similar incidents happening in any country where Ghanaians have established churches.

Kumasi is not only the traditional capital of the Asante Kingdom of Ghana but the political and administrative capital for the Ashanti region. It is called the garden city for its many cultural and tourist attractions. It is also home to the most popular soccer teams in Ghana, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, King Faisal, Kessben and Kumasi Cornerstone. Kumasi is also home to a number of private community radio stations with interesting names such as Nkosuo (Progress) FM; Ash FM, OPEC FM; Love FM; Angel FM; Solid FM now YFM; Capital Radio; New Mercury FM; Hello FM; Kesseben FM; Kesewa FM; and Nhyira FM.

These community radio stations are playing important roles in educating, informing and entertaining the listening communities with quality programmes and music presentations. Infact it is at these radio stations that some of the newly established churches commonly known as charismatic ones have taken advantage to preach daily morning and evening sermons about Christianity. The evangelistic work of some of the churches has reached a level that it has generated some fierce competition among some of the top new churches.

One of the competition nearly resulted on a fight which was broadcasted live on air at Nhyira FM recently. The story which we have a recorded copy at our office was about two Christian ministers who got into trading insults at each other because they all had paid for and arrived simultaneously to be on air at a certain time which was a peak one. The altercation which nearly resulted in a physical assault was so nasty and embarrassing that the radio station management had to intervene by talking the two men of God to leave their premises and to call off their programmes.

In trading insults, they accused each other of using “juju” and black magic to deceive their innocent congregations looking for miracles. One of the pastors bragged that had he not been a man of God, he would have slapped the other to show him that he had training in Chinese karate defense fighting. Are we safe as followers when the leaders are fighting and are experts in Bruce Lee techniques?

The feud which we are writing about is taking place in Kumasi and is ongoing. According to Angel FM 's programme for 09/06/09,the feud is so intense that it is said each of the men of God travels under security escorts and military protection. The names of the ministers are being withheld as classified because the police is handling the case and we do not want to jeopardize its investigations. Isn't it very sad that our own men of God should be engaged in feuding instead of winning souls for God?

In our research to find out why there is competition in the church, we have another story below that challenges us to think and respond.

A charismatic church in a suburb in Accra was preparing for its 10 days Evangelistic Crusade at a popular lorry station. Well two days into their first service, the banners that they have around the city, advertising the church, started missing.... some actually got bent and broken and others got stolen.... The thing about these banners is that they have been placed since the first day of the month.... why do they start disappearing on Sunday.... well, they did not know but a few members mentioned that it was a local church taking them down.

Why? Do they (other church) think we are competing with them.... the head pastor asked his congregation. The pastor continued “Why is it that we think we are our own team.... Jesus came to save the world.... the local church is where the hope... not events or outreach... it is the local church.... then if we are all in the same team... then why are we competing against each other....

To all you readers, we have to note that the competition in the Christendom is not the church next door or the other denomination.... our competition is the community parks, the mall, free summer parks, it is anything that makes someone do something different than coming to church. That is the competition. Then why is it that many do not get it... the same reason it took us a while... pride.... a sin!

What do you think?

To be Continued: