Don’t let Church’s fire die with leadership changes — Attah Antwi
Outgoing Lay President of the Methodist Church Ghana Conference, Mr Kwasi Attah Antwi, has charged Methodists to ensure that the fire of good works does not die when leadership changes, urging them to remain faithful to their calling and pass the values of the Church on to the next generation.
He said while leadership positions, offices and generations would change, the mission of Christ remained unchanged, and members had a responsibility to sustain the Church’s work through evangelism, holiness, service, compassion, generosity, discipleship and love.
Mr Attah Antwi made the call on Sunday, when he delivered his valedictory sermon at the Wesley Cathedral, Adum, Kumasi, in a service held in his honour, on the theme: ‘Keep the Fire of Good Works Burning.’
Drawing from 2 Timothy 4:5, he urged Christians to remain steadfast, endure hardship, evangelise and fulfil their ministry, saying the fire of faith was sustained not merely by talent but by faithfulness.
He noted that many of the blessings enjoyed by the Church today were the result of sacrifices made by previous generations who built institutions and ministries whose benefits they might never have personally enjoyed.
“They built churches they would never worship in. They sacrificed for ministries whose fruits they would never personally see. They invested in generations they would never meet,” he stated.
Mr Attah Antwi said the responsibility to continue that legacy was now in the hands of the present generation and urged members to remain committed to their Christian calling, regardless of the difficulties they encountered.
He also called on the Church to deliberately invest in young people, warning that the future of the Church depended on its ability to nurture and empower the next generation.
According to him, future bishops, lay presidents, evangelists and other church leaders were among the children and young people in the Church today.
“We must not merely admire our youth. We must empower them, mentor them, trust them and release them into ministry,” he stressed.
Mr Attah Antwi further identified love and forgiveness as essential to keeping the spiritual fire burning, explaining that unresolved conflicts and bitterness could weaken the Church and hinder its mission.
He urged members to forgive those who had wronged them, rebuild broken relationships and restore peace, noting that forgiveness strengthened unity and enabled the Church to flourish.
On active service, he said the Church was not called to produce spectators but servants, stressing that every believer had gifts and talents that could contribute to Church growth and the advancement of God’s Kingdom.
Reflecting on the end of his tenure, Bro. Attah Antwi emphasised that leaving office did not mean an end to Christian service.
He therefore admonished the incoming Lay President, Bro. Alfred Sakyi who would assume office from October 1, to lead courageously, prayerfully, humbly and with love.
Describing the position as a “sacred trust”, he urged him to allow the Word of God to guide his decisions, character and leadership, particularly during difficult moments.
BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG
You can now read the *Ghanaian Times* and *The Spectator* newspapers digitally on [TimesNewsPlus](https://timesnewsplus.com/newspapers).
Follow our WhatsApp Channel now! https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAjG7g3gvWajUAEX12Q
