What crime has the Church of Pentecost committed?

The leadership of the Church of Pentecost has come under severe criticism ever since it announced the relaxation of rules regulating the dress code of the church. The criticisms have centered on the fear that if the policy is implemented, it would open the floodgates for the youth to indulge in indecent dressing.

The latest to add his voice to this condemnation is a Kumasi-based pastor, Akwasi Agyemang Pambour.

In a statement he issued in Kumasi, he argued that allowing young ladies to worship the Almighty God at the holy place in “worldly fashion” was not the best way of magnetising the youth to the church.

He quoted 1 John 2:15-17, which states: “Love not the world, neither the things in the world; if any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the father, but of the world,” to support his argument he strongly argued with numerous Bible quotations, that allowing the youth to attend and worship the omnipotent God in the Church with provocative dresses, would attract the wrath of God, hence the Pentecost Church should take a second look at the decree, since it was not the best way of drawing the youth to the church.

Even though every democratic institution must always welcome constructive criticisms, The Chronicle thinks the Church of Pentecost has been misunderstood. One of the cardinal issues raised by the Church was the wearing of headgear and trousers to church by the women, which they think was discouraging the people, especially the youth from joining the church.

The church then decided that women can attend church services without wearing headgear, and could also wear trousers.

The Chronicle does not believe that allowing women to wear trousers to church would mean the leadership of the church would sit down unconcerned for the youth to wear provocative dresses like 'apuskeleke'.

To us at The Chronicle, the 1 John 2:15-17 quoted by Pastor Pambuor does not arise in this case.

Indeed if such a quotation is to be equated with the discussion at stake, then no American or European woman would go to Heaven, because they wear trousers most of the time, and do not wear headgear to church.

The Chronicle thinks that the wearing of trousers to church in Ghana borders more on cultural values, than infringing upon the above quotation from the Holy Bible.

Unless, Pastor Pambuor can convince Ghanaians that women in his church, who do not plait their hair as other religious denominations have been preaching, will not go to heaven, then The Chronicle would find it difficult to accept his criticism of the Church of Pentecost.

If we accept as a fact that most of the orthodox and charismatic churches in Ghana do not force their women congregants to wear headgear, then what crime has the Church of Pentecost committed for relaxing such a rule?

Currently, there is a Hip life song with gospel lyrics being shown on our television screens.

The composer of the song advises the youth to stay away from armed robbery and other social vices, however, if he had used the ordinary gospel rhythms, The Chronicle is sure he would not be able to reach most of his target audience, who must be won for Christ.

The Chronicle believes that it is the same strategy that the Church of Pentecost is trying to adopt to reach out to the youth.

If the youth are drifting away from the church because of headgear and wearing of trousers, how many people would be left for the church to pastor in the next twenty years?

It is our contention that those who are attacking the Pentecost Church must sit back and critically analyse the situation.

The Chronicle wishes to reiterate that it does not condone indecent dressing to church, and this is not what the Church of Pentecost is proposing.

Credit: Chronicle/Ghana