The Head Pastor of Divine Builders Bible Church, Apostle James Kofi Abbrey has said the COVID -19 Pandemic will refine the Church to develop Christians in the country.
According to him, Christians leaders never knew the ban imposed on churches by the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, was for them to stay at home more than one month for them not to receive the usual tithes and offerings.
Speaking in an interview with GPCC News Team, Apostle Abbrey who is a member of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) indicated that, churches have placed measures to mitigate the effects of the pandemic in the Country, and these should be sustained.
Online Services
Touching on the approach of the churches to deal with the crisis, he indicated that, this situation has made churches have their services online to reach members in their various homes.
This, he pointed out, has redefined the church for Christians to understand the universal church which cut across the religious and doctrinal boundaries.
“This makes us understand the Church is Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone so where ever you are, no matter your religious name, the church is one. When the local church cannot meet the universal church can meet. We are rediscovering the importance of family, which will strengthen the role fathers and mothers play when they meet in their various homes and unite the families together but over the years the Church’s concern has been about the family coming to church every Sunday,” he said.
Rather, he emphasised that, the church should have allowed the family church to sometimes meet in their various homes to have services to promote oneness and unity.
Acknowledging the fact that so many churches are having services online, Apostle Abbrey noted that, having church in the various homes would bring the best of revival and strengthen the family.
Alternative Incomes
Apostle Abbrey who is also a Professional Counsellor questioned that, “now that Christian leaders are not receiving the tithes and offerings again, are they going to stand aloof without any measures to support their members and themselves since their members fall within all the socio-economic class” .
“This is the time to show our members we care in times of crisis; we thank God most churches have put measures in place to support their members while others are implementing it so if your church has not started implementing it, see to it,” Apostle advised.
Commenting on social intervention programmes, the clergyman mentioned that the church has realised that, when Christian leaders are taking offerings and tithes from their members it should not only be for projects and programmes but save some so they could use it in times of crisis.
“if you are used to hand to mouth where getting the offerings and tithes for church projects, now the church has realised that there is a need to save some of the monies so that in case of any crisis, they can rely on it,” Apostle advised Church leaders.
Christians leaders, he pointed out, have come to realise they would not need to rely on tithes and offerings before they eat.
Rather, Apostle Abbrey indicated they should allow their wives to work to support them so that in times that those tithes and offering are not forth coming they can survive.
He encouraged Christian leaders to use their skills and knowledge to work aside their pastoral duties so that monies acquired could be used as alternative sources of income.
SOURCE: GPCC NEWS
