[ 2014-12-28 ]

Council of World Bishops slams Obinim; asks him to apologize to Rawlings
The Council of World Bishops and International
Council for Clergy, have condemned Bishop Daniel
Obinim of International God's Way Church for his
verbal attack against former President Jerry John
Rawlings.

A statement issued by Archbishop Dr George Slezer
Ofori-Atta, Presiding Archbishop, Council of World
Bishops and International Council for Clergy, in
Accra at the weekend, and copied to Ghana News
Agency said members were not enthused about the
way Bishop Obinim responded to former President
Rawlings.

“As a minister of God, one is obliged, enjoined,
and commanded by the Bible ‘to let our words be
seasoned with salt’. The Bible also strikes a
fine balance between the aged and the minister of
God Saying ‘rebuke not an elder publicly’.

“Furthermore, our culture as Ghanaians frowns on
rebuking and insulting an elder.”

The statement said however provocative the former
leader’s view of Bishop Obinim were, he should
have exercised restraint.

“We therefore call on Bishop Daniel Obinim to
humbly and sincerely render an unqualified apology
to former President Rawlings publicly fulfilling
scriptural mandate thus: ‘If it be possible, as
much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all
men’."

It also questioned whether Bishop Obinim was
directed by the spirit of God to administer
deliverance and healing by stomping on the abdomen
of a pregnant woman?

“Was he instructed by God to undertake this work
in this manner publicly?” The statement asked.

“The Council of World Bishops and International
Council for Clergy do hereby condemn this mode of
deliverance ministration in no uncertain
terms.”

The statement asked ministers of God to attach
professionalism to their work, since they are
carriers of good things “and if vulgar words
emanate from us and particularly when on the
pulpit, we desecrate our holy, heavenly and high
calling and thereby bring unnecessary reproach on
ourselves”.

“May we therefore attend to our work
professionally embodying the ethics of the
ministry.

It said another mind-boggling fad is the act of
the clergy taking consulting fees before attending
to members in counselling sessions.

“All these attitudes being exemplified by some
ministers of the gospel are casting a snare on the
image of the clergy particularly outside the
country.

“How can anyone giving pastoral care to his or
her flock take money as consulting fee and term it
as ‘sacrifice’.

“This is extortion and let pastors who are
involved in this act abandon it,” the statement
said.

Source - GNA

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