The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost and President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), Apostle Professor Opoku Onyinah, has cautioned against the use of manipulations to take money from church members during church services.
According to Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah, the world is using all sorts of foul means to extort money from people. Such practices, he said, must not be allowed into the church, saying, “Though money is important in the work of God if we allow money to be our focus we will miss the mark; we should not put a heavy yoke on the neck of the members.”
The Chairman made these remarks when addressing a meeting of the Finance Board with Area Deacons of the Church at the Pentecost Pensions Guest House at Gbawe, Accra on Friday, March 2, 2018.
He called on Area Heads, Area Deacons, District Pastors and Officers of the Church to strictly adhere to the financial policies which seek to streamline the finances of the Church.
He based his exhortation on Ecclesiastes 5:10; 7:7; 8:12-13 and John 6:8-13, and noted that those who crave for money will never have enough. “You may be wise but if you cheat someone you are acting like a fool,” he stressed.
He indicated that God has so much blessed the Church in all spheres, demonstrating His faithfulness towards the Church. This, he said, clearly confirms the fact that when the Church follows God’s principles and the covenant it has with God, He will also honour His part by blessing it.
He advised the Area Deacons who are responsible for the finances of the Church in the Area, District and Local Levels, not to flout the financial policies of the Church as they manage the Church’s finances.
The Chairman entreated them to maintain their integrity at all times by remaining faithful to the Lord since they will one day account their stewardship to God.
He also asked them to help their Area Heads and District Pastors to better implement the financial policies in their areas of jurisdictions so that no one would flout the policies.
Using the young boy in John 6:8-13 who gave Jesus the five loaves and two fishes to feed the 5,000 people due to proper planning and saving the little he had as a case study, the Chairman charged the Area Deacons to plan well in the execution of projects and spend within their budgets so that their Areas will not be overwhelmed with financial obligations.
“The work of the Area Deacon needs planning; if you don’t plan your Area activities well, you will put your Area under undue financial stress,” he cautioned.
Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah was hopeful that such encounters would help the Area Deacons to know their responsibilities and to stand firm against the unwarranted application of church funds so that the finances of the Church would not suffer.
The Area Deacons eulogized the Chairman for presiding over the Church to achieve higher heights through his unparalleled administrative acumen and prudent management of the Church’s resources.
Present at the meeting was the General Secretary, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, former General Secretary, Apostle Rigwell Ato Addison, and other Finance Board members led by their Chairman, Elder Professor Stephen Owusu Kwankye.
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