Ninety ministers of the Methodist Church Ghana (MCG) have been commissioned and commended to begin pastoral ministry after successfully completing a three – year ministerial formation programme.
The ministers were urged to remain faithful to their calling, uphold the doctrines of the church and allow the life of Christ to be reflected in their actions as they take up pastoral assignments across the country.
The charge was delivered by the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, Most Reverend Professor Johnson Kwabena Asamoah Gyadu, during a commissioning and commendation service held for the newly trained ministers in Accra on Saturday.
Preaching on the theme: ‘Let All My Fruit Be Fruitful,’ based on John 15:4, Most Rev. Prof. Asamoah Gyadu said fruitfulness in ministry could only be achieved through a close and enduring relationship with Christ.
He explained that ministry was first and foremost a call to serve God and His people, urging the newly commissioned ministers not to develop a sense of entitlement but rather embrace lives of sacrifice, humility and service.
According to him, the vows taken by ministers were sacred commitments that should guide their conduct throughout their ministry.
“You have vowed to serve God through the Methodist Church. That should be your priority wherever you are sent,” he stressed.
Most Rev. Prof. Asamoah Gyadu urged the ministers to be fruitful in their personal moral lives, in the exercise of their spiritual gifts, in the use of their time and talents and in their relationships with others.
He encouraged them to preach the gospel faithfully, provide quality pastoral care and become role models whose lives would inspire others to follow Christ.
Drawing from his own experience, the Presiding Bishop recounted that he and his colleagues were commissioned 40 years ago and that many members of his cohort had gone on to occupy key leadership positions within the church.
He therefore advised the newly commissioned ministers not to take the occasion for granted because they could not predict the plans God had for their lives and ministries.
Most Rev. Prof. Asamoah Gyadu further explained that commissioning marked the completion of ministerial training and the beginning of active pastoral service, while commendation signified the church’s acceptance of the candidates as ministers of the gospel.
He said the number of ministers commissioned annually had increased significantly over the years due to the growth of the church and the increasing demand for pastoral leadership.
The Presiding Bishop noted that the Methodist Church continued to expand through its congregations, schools and health institutions across the country, creating the need for more trained ministers to provide leadership and pastoral care.
He explained that newly commissioned ministers would be posted to areas where their services were most needed through the church’s stationing system, which considered the needs of the various dioceses as well as the professional backgrounds of the ministers.
Most Rev. Prof. Asamoah Gyadu urged the ministers to remain disciplined, follow the teachings of the Methodist Church Ghana and strive to leave a lasting impact on the lives of the people they serve.
BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG
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