Archbishop Emeritus Calls for National Transformation in Ghana

Most Rev. Professor Daniel Yinkah, Archbishop Emeritus, has passionately appealed for national transformation in Ghana, citing widespread moral decadence, indiscipline, corruption, and economic challenges. He expressed these sentiments at the Transformation Conference, organized by St. Georgina Health Care and Consultancy in partnership with The Truth Revival Ministry in Kumasi.

Rev. Yinkah highlighted several factors necessitating transformation, including:

– Moral decadence and indiscipline
– Corruption and bribery
– Illegal mining destroying vegetation and water bodies
– Lack of national patriotism
– Economic dependence on other countries
– Youth unemployment

“These challenges make us angry enough for national transformation,” Rev. Yinkah emphasized. “We desire processes leading to Ghana’s positive transformation and further development.”

*The 72% Factor: Salt and Light of Society*

Rev. Yinkah referenced Ghana’s 2020 census, which showed 72% of the population identifying as Christians. He emphasized the church’s potential impact on society, drawing from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount:

– “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world…” (Matt 5:13-14, 16)

According to John Stott’s book, “New Issues Facing Christians Today,” Jesus’ words imply:

1. Christians are fundamentally different from non-Christians.
2. Christians must permeate non-Christian society.
3. Christians can influence non-Christian society.

*Revitalizing the Church’s Role*

Rev. Yinkah urged the church to:

– Wake up and fulfill its prophetic and advocacy roles
– Speak truth to authority and advocate for the vulnerable
– Intensify preaching and teaching of the Gospel
– Sanction wayward leaders and denominations
– Provide sound theological teachings for pastors and evangelists

“The church must position itself for Ghana’s transformation,” Rev. Yinkah stressed. “We have contributed significantly to education, healthcare, and development, but there’s more to be done.”

Rev. Yinkah’s passionate call to action emphasizes the need for national transformation, leveraging the church’s influence as salt and light in society. By revitalizing its role, the church can catalyze rapid transformation and propel Ghana toward a brighter future.

The Transformation Conference aimed to inspire collective action toward national renewal, recognizing the church’s pivotal role in shaping Ghana’s destiny.

Read below the full speech!

TRANSFORMATION CONFERENCE 2024

MAIN THEME: *The 72% Factor and National Transformation.*

SUB-TOPIC: *ARE WE ANGRY ENOUGH FOR NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION? – THE 72% FACTOR AS SALT AND LIGHT OF SOCIETY*

INTRODUCTION
My dear people of God and country men and women, I will attempt
To Provoke why we are angry enough for National Transformation.
Discuss the 72% factor as salt and light of society; and
Conclude

Why we are angry enough for National Transformation?
Yes, we are angry enough for National Transformation in the country, Ghana. We anxiously desire process which will lead to the positive transformation of Ghana for further development.

*We live in an era of moral decadence; indiscipline, laziness, bribery and corruption; illegal mining destroying our vegetation and water bodies; people desire quick money without working for it. National Patriotism is at the lowest ebb. We are democratically independent but not economically independent. We are indebted to many countries for the huge loans we have contracted. We export raw materials instead of more value added products.*

We are under the conditionalities of International Monetary Fund. Unemployment of the youth is a huge challenge. These and many challenge make us angry enough for National Transformation.

Discussion of the 72% factor as salt and light of society.
The last census of Ghana (2020) indicated that 72% of the population of Ghana are Christians. If that is true one would have expected the church to have impacted society hugely for positive transformation. But that is not the case, there is much more for the Church to do, for the needed transformation.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus referred to the disciples as the salt and the Light of the world. “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its saltness, how can it be made salty again? (Matt 5:13).

“You are the light of the world…. Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt 5:14, 16)

By Jesus referring to his disciples as salt and light of the world, John Stott in his book, New Issues Facing Christians Today-The Revised Page 74 make three main deductions:

*Firstly, Christians are fundamentally different from non-Christians. God is calling out from the world a people for himself, and the vocation of this people is to be ‘holy’ or different. ‘Be holy’. He says to them again and again, because ‘I am holy’.*

Secondly, Christians must permeate non-Christian society. Although Christians are (or should be) morally and spiritually distinct from non-Christians, they are not to be socially segregated. Their light is to shine into the darkness, and their salt is to soak into their decaying meat.

*Christians are not to remain a loof from society, where they cannot affect it, but are to become immersed in its life. They are to let their light shine, so that their good deeds are seen.*

Thirdly, Christian can influence non-Christian society.
Before the days of refrigeration, salt was the best known preservative. Either it was rubbed into the fish and meat, or they were left to soak in it. In this way bacterial decay was retarded. Christians can hinder social decay and dispel the darkness of evil.

*It seems the church is asleep and suffering from Nominalism.* *The Church must wake up for its call to be the proper salt and light of Ghana.*
The Church has prophetic and advocacy roles to perform. The Church must speak truth to authority and speak for the voiceless, the vulnerable.*

*The Church is seen divided and fighting among themselves.* *The so called prophets in Ghana are divided as to who would win the 2024 Election*. Although the Church has done a lot in contributing to the development of society in terms of Education, Health Care Delivery (Hospitals and Clinic), Rehabilitation, Agriculture, Road Construction, human power development and so on, however, there is more to be done. The Church must intensify the preaching and teaching of the unadulterated Gospel-Christ and Him crucified, dead, buried resurrected and ascended.

Church Authorities like Christian Council of Ghana, Pentecostal Council, Ghana Charismatic Council and the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religion must sanction way ward leaders and denominations. The Registrar General must have power to register and revoke the registration of Churches.

Sound Theological Teachings must be brought to the doorsteps of churches for the re-training of their pastors and evangelists.

CONCLUSION
We are angry enough for National Transformation due to the state of affairs in the country. We desire the processes which will lead to the positive transformation of Ghana for further development.

The latest census of Ghana indicates that 72% of the population of Ghana are Christians and for that matter the church has the added advantage to position herself for the transformation of Ghana. Jesus referring to His disciples as the salt of the earth and the light of the world implies three things according John Stott:

First, Christians are fundamentally different from non-Christians.
Secondly, Christian must permeate non-Christian society.
Thirdly, Christians can influence non-Christian society.
By so doing the church can act as catalyst for the rapid transformation of society.
PREPARED BY:

THE MOST REV’D PROF. DANIEL YINKAH SARFO
(ARCHBISHOP EMERITUS)