Monday, August 3, 2009

WITCHCRAFT...Prophet concerned over undue publicity by churches (PAGE 15)

By George Ernest Asare

PROPHET Stephen Adom Kyei-Duah of Believers Worship Centre at Anwomaso in Kumasi, has expressed concern about the confusion being created in society through the promotion of witchcraft by some churches.
“God is not an author of confusion but this is exactly what is taking place in society now.”
“Many pastors went to Bible School to be teachers and preachers of the word of God but now they have turned into prophets, prophesying falsehood and claiming to have the power to cast out principalities, deities and demons from people.”
Confusion
“Such Prophets are creating so much confusion in the society by labelling innocent people as witches and wizards, chaining many in their churches and succeeding in creating divisions among some family members and breaking them apart” He lamented.
Speaking to Graphic Nsempa in an interview in reaction to the spate of labelling of some people as witches and wizards by some Charismatic Churches, Prophet Kyei-Duah noted, “such accusations are not only blasphemous, but are creating confusion by bringing divisions into otherwise caring families.”
He pointed out that, while such false accusations were creating divisions among some family members, others were resorting to divorce to settle personal scores while some have resorted to threats of death, rancour and vengeance to settle scores.
“In the medical arena, there are many medical officers but each of them have different roles to play in bringing medical relief to their patients. While some are well versed in orthopaedic medicine, others are masters in gynaecology, pathology, paediatrics and dentistry among others.”
Examples
“In the teaching field, there are also many teachers but to ensure effective teaching and learning, there are subject teachers in the areas of mathematics, English, science, technical Skills and the social sciences, and that is what is expected in the Church,” he pointed out.
He explained that in First Corinthians 12:27, it was made clear that in the Church, there are apostles, teachers, prophets and leaders among others, who combined to bring the word of God to mankind in many ways “but for reasons very difficult to understand, almost every leader in the Church has become a prophet, claiming to have powers to cast out demons, principalities, deities and wizards; experts in seeking visas for their congregations as well as proficient in contracting marriages and employment opportunities for them”.
Prophet Adom Kyei-Duah further stressed that evangelists, teachers, apostles and other leaders in the Church who should have made the teachings of God their prime concern by preaching the word for their congregation to turn over new leaves, had all become prophets, prophesising falsehood and claiming to be experts in the performance of miracles.
He explained that it was only by preaching the word of God to their congregations and pointing out their wrong doings that those who were committing various sins, would turn away from their sins and accept Christ as their personal Saviour for them to receive salvation that would Glorify God.
Problem
“The problem in the Church is not about who is a witch or wizard and what powers they had to bewitch others, but preaching the word to the congregation for them to turn away from their sins and appreciate the need to live Godly lifestyles, for peace to reign supreme on earth,” he advised.
To the congregation Prophet Adom Kyei Duah advised, “don’t listen to the voice that prophesy falsehood onto you, for they tell you things of their own mind and not the word of God”
He pointed out that “as Christians, problems are bound to occur in our lives in one way or the other but such problems are meant to glorify God, especially if we are able to surmount them.”
“Jesus Christ never accused anyone of being a witch or wizard before healing those who came to Him, so I wonder why those who claim to be miracle performers use the name of Jesus to create confusion by accusing many of possessing demonic spirits when performing their so called miracle healings”.
He explained that after healing the sick, Jesus always admonished them to go and sin no more, “but now it is this or that person who is responsible for your illness, so instead of people repenting from their sins, they rather attribute the causes of their illnesses to innocent people in their homes, workplaces, communities and others areas”.
“It seems to me that in our modern world, anything that afflicts somebody is caused by a third person, and that man no more suffers from his or her own devilish ways.
False prophets
“ The blind are now leading the blind in our world, hence we are bound to fall together,” he lamented, stressing that “many prophets, pastors, apostles, and evangelists are themselves very blind and know next to nothing about salvation, but they claim to know all about man’s salvation and are leading many astray.
All these are modern ways of practising fetish in the church, but very soon, such activities would come to an end, and the glory of God would be revealed to his chosen ones” he assured.
He pointed out that the Church was also drifting from its main objective of saving lives for the Kingdom of God and supporting the poor in society, and rather concentrating on rewarding the well- to-do irrespective of how they acquired their wealth.
Such divergence, he said was not only encouraging massive corruption in the society but had been a contributory factor to encouraging the youth to use every means to acquire wealth so as to be recognised.
Prophet Kyei-Duah noted that “instead of the church rewarding those who were totally committed to the principles of Christianity and the promotion of social values as a way of sustaining good morals, the main focus of the leadership in many Churches now, is for them to recognise the wealthy in society, to the detriment of the life they are expected to save for God’s kingdom”.
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“The Church seems to be focused on the promotion of the affluent in society as well as seeking their selfish interest of amassing wealth, but this is not what Jesus Christ came to die for”.
“Their congregations, especially the poor among them are always overburdened financially with regular Church harvests, offertory, building projects and pastors appreciation support fund among others. And in all these, it is those who are able to meet such demands who are recognised, so why should the youth not indulge in Sakawa and other corrupt businesses so as to be recognised in their Churches and communities as a reward in society as well?” he questioned.
Prophet Kyei Dua disclosed that because those church leaders wanted to be seen as powerful for many people to rush to worship with them in their Churches, the so-called pastors, apostles, evangelists and bishops have now turned to advertisements on radio and television on a daily basis, claiming to be able to get visas for their congregations, have the power to cast out demons and healers of chronic diseases.
He continued that they were deceiving themselves and advised them that if they were really the shepherds, ready to seek the lost sheep of God, then they should join hands to preach the word of God to their congregation.

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