Inculcate character building in training for clergy
The Moderator of the Global Evangelical Church (GEC), Rev Edem K .Tettey, has bemoaned the rate at which corruption and social vices have beleaguered the country’s economy.
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He attributed the problem to the church’s failure to instil discipline in their members and largely laid the blame at the feet of the institutions which trained the ministers of the gospel.
Speaking at the inauguration of the governing council of the Global Theological Seminary (GTS) in Accra, Rev Tettey underscored the need for theological institutions and seminaries to revise their approach to training ministers, and lay more emphasis on character building rather than skill impartation.
According to Rev. Tettey, the problems confronting the country’s economy could not be solved by politicians, adding that: “ it is a pity that after over 50 years as a nation, we do not have a common vision and common developmental agenda”.
“What we need to move on as a nation are a people with the right attitude towards the environment, work, time and values that build the society. And the people’s attitude cannot be formed or healed in hospitals; but rather in church where they are confronted with the life-changing word of God,” he said.
GTS board
The 14-member council was tasked to transform the GTS into an institution of international reputation to train quality graduates who would be able to solve economic issues.
Chaired by Rev. Tettey, the board was also charged to manage the administration of GTS by drawing up effective programmes aimed at transforming the growth of the church and the country’s economy at large.
Members of the board were asked by the President of Trinity Theological Seminary (TTS), Rev. Joseph Mante, to make sure that the institution was adequately resourced with the right calibre of staff and facilities to deliver on its mandate.
Rev. Mante said any church that did not take theological education seriously did not believe in the importance and seriousness of the gospel and the christian faith.
“A time was when some people believed that theological education was not necessary...But now, given all the strange things that are happening in the Christendom in Ghana, I don’t think that any serious-minded Christian should or would ever make a statement like that anymore,” he said.
