Bible Week unites Ghana’s Christians

GHANA — “God’s Word inspires spiritual, moral and social transformation and growth,” declared the Rev Kofi Owusu, General Secretary of the Bible Society of Ghana, at the launch ceremony for this year’s Bible Week. As well as presenting the country’s Christians with an opportunity to celebrate “the essence and value of the Bible,” the various Bible Week events played an important role in fostering closer links between the Churches.

Integrity

In a clear demonstration of ecumenism, Bible Week was launched at Calvary Methodist Church in Accra by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Accra, the Most Rev Gabriel Charles Palmer-Buckle, who in January had paid a personal visit to Bible House (see Latest News #336). His address was based on the theme chosen by the Bible Society for Bible Week: Integrity: National Life and God’s Word. He told the congregation that “God is seeking men and women of integrity and uprightness of heart to help transform the world into a better place to live in.” He also reminded worshippers that putting God’s Word into practice involves every aspect of a Christian’s life: “Before God, integrity and uprightness must reflect not only in one’s personal life, but also in one’s public or national life.”

The ‘exchange of pulpits’ for Bible Week continued with a Bible Sunday thanksgiving service at Ascension Presbyterian Church in Koforidua at which Pastor Dr Andrews Ewoo of the Seventh- day Adventist Church gave an address. Again taking the Bible Week theme, he urged Christians to “demonstrate a sense of integrity as a way of sensitizing the nation to the importance of doing what is right.” At the same service, the Rev Charles Ahwireng, Chair of the Akuapem Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, called for Bible Society clubs to be set up in all churches to help raise funds for Bible work. “With a monthly contribution of 10,000 Cedis [around US$1] per member, the Bible Society could raise enough funds to support its Bible translation, publishing and distribution work,” he said.

Awareness

Bible Week culminated in a series of rallies across the country. As well as these local events, the Seventh-day Adventist Church organised a national rally at Asokore Seventh-day Adventist Teacher Training College near Koforidua, where Methodist Diocesan Bishop the Right Rev Emmanuel Twum-Baah called on all Ghanaians to commend the Bible Society for “choosing relevant themes for Bible Week every year that speak volumes and also create awareness among the people.

Fear God

“Let us not conform to the pattern of this world but fear God and allow integrity and uprightness to be our guide,” he concluded.