Angry church members singing war songs in front of the Assemblies of God, PBC Church at Moshie Zongo in Kumasi on Sunday
There was drama at the Assemblies of God, People of the Book Centre (PBC) Church in Moshie Zongo in Kumasi last week when angry members of the church locked the premises with 18 padlocks, thereby disrupting the day’s church service.
The church members took the action because they claimed the church’s leadership was trying to impose a certain Rev. Ampongsah from the Agona Assemblies of God Church on them as their head pastor.
According to the angry members, the PBC Church is currently in financial crisis therefore their associate pastor, one Rev. Kwabena Malik, should rather be made to lead the church, until the PBC church became financially sound.
The church members, DAILY GUIDE learnt, would not have any issues when Rev. Ampongsah is appointed in future to lead the PBC Church, by which time they hoped the church would be in the position to cater for him and his family.
According to them, the church members have been financing all church activities, including catering for the pastors and they think they don’t have the resources to cater for about three pastors and their families at the same time now.
Cause of Brouhaha
The current Assemblies of God PBC Church, Moshie Zongo, Head Pastor, Rev. Opoku Ware, reportedly, was due for retirement and so the church leadership in the Ashanti Region appointed Rev. Amponsah of the Agona Assemblies of God Church to replace Rev. Ware, but the decision was objected by the members.
The PBC Church members said appointing Rev. Ampongsah would mean the church members had to cater for the retiring Rev. Opoku Ware, associate Rev. Malik as well as the incoming Rev. Ampongsah, which they said would be expensive.
According to reports, the deacons and elders of the PBC Church had on six occasions appealed to the leadership of the church to consider their suggestion by allowing Rev. Kwabena Malik to lead the church for now, but their requests were rejected.
Sunday’s Drama
On Sunday the church members gathered that Rev. Ampongsah was to be officially introduced to them by the church leadership and they therefore decided to demonstrate against the decision.
The angry church members then locked the main entrance and other exit points with 18 huge padlocks, which prevented the day’s planned church service from taking place in the church’s auditorium.
Rev. Ampongsah and the rest of the church leadership, who were on their way to the church, reportedly, returned upon hearing that the church members, including women and children, were agitating.
Church Deacon
A Deacon of the Assemblies of God, PBC Church, Kennedy Mintah, when contacted by the DAILY GUIDE, confirmed that indeed the angry church members locked all the entrances to the church auditorium with big padlocks.
According to him, all efforts to get the church members to soften their stance fell on deaf ears.
The paper learnt that Rev. Ababio, acting District Pastor, Ashanti North Assemblies of God and Rev. Owusu Ansah, District Treasurer, Ashanti North Assemblies of God, both rushed to the church premises to plead with the members to soften their stance but to no avail.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi