‘Leaders must know mission, be prepared to serve’
A past presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana has stated that the surest way of ensuring rapid institutional changes for effective national growth and development is for leaders at all levels to embrace the purity in the sterling leadership style of the biblical John the Baptist.
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Most Rev. Robert Aboagye Mensah explained that as a leader, John the Baptist had a clear understanding of his mission, prepared himself adequately and executed it with distinction before exiting graciously.
These qualities, he says, are sadly missing at all levels of the country’s leadership structure.
Sermon
Most Rev. Aboagye Mensah was preaching the sermon at the St Paul Methodist Cathedral in Tema after inaugurating a 19-member committee whose mandate is to plan the 20th anniversary celebration of the creation of the Tema District, now a Diocese of the church, slated for next year.
The Diocesan Bishop of Tema, Rt Rev. Thomas Brown Forson, exercises oversight administrative responsibility over the committee.
Most Rev. Aboagye Mensah chastised people who only took delight in the fanfare associated with their appointments to positions and failed to deliver, pointing out that “this is not productive”.
He said as leaders, “you have a responsibility to serve and not to be served” and advised people already in responsible positions or aspiring to become leaders to be guided by the noble work of John the Baptist.
He said John the Baptist was full of joy after accomplishing his mission of preparing the way for Jesus Christ to the extent that he declared: “God in heaven appoints each person’s work.... I am filled with joy at the successes of Jesus Christ. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less,” John 3:27-30.
“The secret in leadership is to know exactly what you have been called or appointed to do; accomplish it with distinction and exit graciously while on top,” he admonished.
He asked the committee to let its work manifest itself for the congregation and the people within and outside the diocese to be living witnesses to such an accomplishment.
Commendation
Earlier, Bishop Forson had commended the congregation for their support and said it was justifiable and appropriate to celebrate the achievements of the diocese, which currently boasts 15 circuits, including the Volta Region. He pointed out that, “God’s work done in God’s way will not lack support.”
He said the Tema Diocese had planned to raise over GH¢1 million to finance two major projects to mark the anniversary - the construction of a diocesan secretariat complex and a modest chapel in a deprived or needy society within the diocese.
He commended the late Rt Rev. Yedu Bannerman and the Most Rev. Aboagye Mensah for their pioneering role in the establishment of the diocese and urged the committee to prove equal to the task.