Methodist Church Ghana must invest in young people to secure its future — Presiding Bishop

The Methodist Church Ghana has been urged to make the development of young people a central priority if it is to secure the future of the church.

The Presiding Bishop of The Methodist Church Ghana, The Most Rev Prof Johnson Asamoah-Gyadu, made the call while delivering the keynote address at the opening of the 10th J. Stanley Owusu Connexional Band Festival at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi.

The festival, organised under the Association of Methodist Brigades Ghana, brought together young members of the Boys and Girls Brigades to showcase their musical talents, discipline and creativity.

But beyond the performances and displays, the Presiding Bishop said the gathering represented something far more significant, an investment in the next generation of Methodists.

He described the festival as a unique Christian celebration of young people who have gathered to demonstrate the talents and abilities with which they believe God has blessed them.

“Not only has God gifted you with talents and abilities, but we are looking at the next generation of Methodists who love the Lord, who love His church, and who walk in God’s word,” he said.

The Presiding Bishop said the church must deliberately strengthen its ministry to young people, warning that failure to do so could threaten its long-term future.

He said the strength of a religious institution should not be judged solely by the number of people attending its services, but by the age composition of its membership.

For him, the presence of a significant number of young people is a key indicator of whether an institution has a sustainable future.

“If we don’t consciously pay attention to the ministry of young people… we will jeopardize our own future,” he cautioned.

He encouraged Methodist leaders to pay greater attention to ministries such as GAMSU, the Girls’ Fellowship, and the Boys and Girls Brigades, describing them as important avenues through which the church can nurture its next generation.

The Presiding Bishop expressed particular pride in the Connexional Band Festival, describing it as an event of a kind he had not encountered elsewhere.

He said the musical performances should not be viewed merely as entertainment or displays of technical ability.

According to the Presiding Bishop, the Bible presents musical gifts as more than personal skills, but as gifts that can be used by God for a greater purpose.

He therefore challenged the young participants not to underestimate what God could accomplish through their talents.

“Do not underestimate what God can use your gifts, your talents, and abilities and potentialities to do,” he told the gathering.

He said those abilities could shape not only the participants’ future careers and vocations, but also their Christian lives and the contribution they would eventually make to society.

The festival, he noted, therefore provides a platform for young people to discover, develop and deploy their talents while remaining rooted in the Christian faith.

A call for stronger Methodist Brigades

The Most Rev Prof Johnson Asamoah-Gyadu also called for the Methodist Boys and Girls Brigades particularly their bands  to become an iconic institution within the Methodist Church Ghana.

He acknowledged that other Christian denominations also operate brigade movements, but said the Methodist version should distinguish itself wherever it operates.

“I want the Methodist Church Ghana brigade to stand out wherever we find ourselves,” he said.

His remarks come as the Connexional Band Festival continues to serve as a major platform for young Methodist brigades to exhibit musical excellence, discipline and Christian fellowship.

The festival also highlights the role of music and the performing arts in attracting and retaining young people within the church.

No child should feel excluded

The Presiding Bishop further raised concerns about children participating in brigade activities without the required uniforms because their families could not afford them.

He said financial circumstances should never make a young person feel excluded from the Methodist family.

He disclosed that the Methodist Church had instructed Methodist Investments and Properties Limited to make the necessary fabrics available so that uniforms could be provided to children and brigade groups that need support.

“We don’t want anybody to be disadvantaged because their parents cannot afford uniforms,” he said.

He said arrangements should be made to support companies or groups that require uniforms but cannot afford them, stressing the importance of ensuring that every child feels a sense of belonging.

More than a festival

The 10th J. Stanley Owusu Connexional Band Festival, therefore, has emerged as more than an occasion for young people to parade, perform and compete.

For the Methodist Church Ghana, it offers a window into the kind of generation that will eventually inherit the leadership and responsibilities of the church.

And for the Presiding Bishop, The Most Rev Prof Johnson Asamoah-Gyadu, the message is clear: the future of the Methodist Church will depend not simply on how many people fill its pews today, but on how intentionally it invests in the young people who will occupy them tomorrow.

The Presiding Bishop thanked the young participants for their commitment to the Methodist Brigades and encouraged them to remain on the path they had chosen.