By Benjamin A. Commey
Accra, April 5, GNA – Bishop Paul Kofi Fynn, a retired Bishop of the Lutheran Church of Ghana, has urged Christians to focus on discipleship rather than mere church membership, saying Jesus Christ calls for committed followers and not nominal adherents.
Delivering the Easter Sunday sermon to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Bishop Fynn said the essence of the Christian faith was rooted in a personal relationship with Christ and obedience to His teachings, rather than affiliation with a denomination.
“I don’t believe and I don’t think Jesus is impressed with membership,” he said, explaining that Jesus did not tell his followers to go and make members, but rather make disciples of all nations.
He explained that while membership often involved formal registration and participation in church activities, discipleship required a deeper commitment, guided by the Holy Spirit and expressed through a transformed life.
“A disciple is a follower of Christ… not by his power, not by his might, but where the Spirit leads,” Bishop Fynn said.
The retired Bishop noted that many Christians today identified strongly with church membership, sometimes leading to divisions, pride and a lack of forgiveness among believers.
“Membership… you join the church, you get your card, and that’s it. I can do what I want,” he said, cautioning that such attitudes undermined the true message of the Gospel.
Referencing the Great Commission in the Gospel of Matthew, he emphasised that Christ’s command was for his followers to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
He, therefore, encouraged Christians to remain steadfast in fellowship, citing scripture to support regular gathering and communal worship as essential elements of faith.
He also called on believers to emulate biblical figures who demonstrated repentance and commitment, noting that true discipleship involved humility, forgiveness and dedication to God’s word.
Touching on the significance of Easter, Bishop Fynn said the resurrection of Christ formed the foundation of Christian hope and existence, saying: “If Christ has not risen, we won’t be here… But because Christ has risen, we are here.”
The Bishop commended faith-based initiatives such as the Compassion for their impact on lives, noting that many beneficiaries had gone on to become professionals, including doctors and engineers.
He urged the congregation to continue supporting such initiatives, describing them as evidence that “our work was not in vain.”
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe