Investigate church members who offer huge tithes, offerings – GPCC Gen. Secretary
The General Secretary of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), Rev. Emmanuel Teimah Barrigah, has urged Christian leaders to conduct background checks on church members who pay huge tithes and offerings as a way to fight corruption in the country.
According to him, Christians make up 70 per cent of the country’s population so if there is an epidemic of corruption in the country, then some Christians must be involved in the practice which retards national development.
Ask Questions
In an interview with Zylofon FM, the General Secretary said it is time for Christian leaders to know the kind of jobs their members do and ask questions so that church members could spend within their means.
“Most especially when you see the job the person does, does not tally with the tithe and offering the person gives,” he said.
Rev Barrigah said even though the church needs the money of members to undertake important church projects, leaders should be careful of the money they take and be sure they take the right money.
Stressing on the commitment of Christian leaders to fight corruption, he said they should stand for the truth and act on it no matter the circumstances.
According to him, corruption is very real and it goes beyond perception because it has become a norm that whatever service you need from someone you need to tip the person after the service has been rendered.
“There is corruption in the system and no one can deny that fact we are in a country where you do not get services being offered to you without giving out money, which is very bad,” he said.
This attitude he said would not help in national development which leaves some Ghanaians suffering in the rural areas due to non-existence of proper development.
Social Development
Disclosing how the GPCC has contributed to socio-economic development in her own way, Rev. Barrigah mentioned that, GPCC has constructed bore holes for some deprived communities providing them with potable drinking water.
Talking about the responsibilities of Christian Leaders to help curb corruption, Rev. Barrigah noted that ministers of God in their various churches should give members the right teaching and message so that members would understand that, whatever services they render to customers at their various workplaces, they do not have to take money in return.
Christians, he said should understand that whatever service they render on earth, they render unto God which “we will be rewarded one day as we face judgement.”