Use pulpits to preach peace, unity - Moderator urges religious leaders

The Moderator of the Global Evangelical Church (GEC), Rt Rev. Prosper Samuel Dzomeku, has urged religious leaders to use their pulpits to preach peace and unity to their members to help ensure that the December election is devoid of violence. 

He encouraged Christian leaders, in particular, to make use of the Bible to admonish their members to speak the language of peace, which represented the character of Jesus Christ, the founder of the Christian faith.

“I entreat all religious leaders and all pastors, to speak the language of peace from the pulpits and various meetings and engagements. I encourage all religious leaders and all who in diverse ways use the Bible, to train people towards peace and unity.

“This year being an election year, we believe that the teachings in the Bible are enough to direct Ghanaians to make wise decisions, particularly in pursuit of peace,” he said. The Moderator of GEC was speaking at the ninth graduation ceremony and the launch of the Global Theological Seminary as an accredited tertiary education institution in Accra last Saturday.

It was on the theme: “Africa in the Global Church: Implication for Theological Education on the Continent”. In all, 340 students graduated from the Global Theological Seminary (GTS), with 41 pastors being awarded Master of Arts in Global Leadership; 21 receiving diplomas accredited by the Association for Christian Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA), and the rest receiving certificates in Christian Service for Pastors’ wives.

The GTS, which began in 1991 under the auspices of GEC and offers only certificate programmes, is expected to receive a Presidential Charter in August, this year to fully run a tertiary university under the new Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023).

Among the dignitaries present at the ceremony were the Chairman of the Governing Council of GTS, Professor Sampson Kwaku Agodzo; the Rector of GTS, Rev. Dr K. A. Hiagbe; the President of Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, Prof. Scott Sunquist; John Anderson and Liz Anderson, guests from the United State of America.  

Training

Rt Rev. Dzomeku called on Christians who intend to be preachers to seek theological education as every discipline requires training to sharpen the talent to become better people who interpret the Bible God's way for people to understand and be led in God’s ways.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Rector of GTS said the Seminary had offered the best training to Christian leaders who took various courses that would shape their experiences as Christians and their role as church leaders or elders.

“We believe that the training they had here has prepared them, first and foremost, to know themselves and to know their environment. We have given them the tools that can help them to face the challenges of their environment and also to mitigate these challenges and help transform themselves, first and foremost, and our societies,” Rev. Dr Hiagbe said.

He appealed to the graduates to be good ambassadors of the seminary, exhibit the Christian values expected of them and not shy away from the truth which is the basis for the scripture.

Rev. Dr Hiagbe urged them to continue to seek training to upgrade themselves regularly and not become comfortable with where they had reached.