Accra: Reverend Prof. Clement Owusu Sarpong, President of the Independent Non-Denominational Council - Ghana, has called on Christians to diligently learn Hebrew and Greek, the original languages of the Bible, to truly understand God's message. He emphasized the importance of this endeavor to prevent relying on potentially flawed translations that might not accurately convey the biblical texts.
According to Ghana News Agency, Rev. Prof. Sarpong made these remarks at the 2025 New Year School, an annual event organized by the Independent Non-Denominational Council - Ghana, alongside Word Alive Bible College and the Lucas Seminary. The event aimed to address challenges within Christianity and explore solutions, with this year's theme focusing on the misreading of the Bible as a significant issue for the Church. Rev. Prof. Sarpong, who also serves as Head Pastor of Word Alive Revival Church, highlighted how misinterpretation can arise from textual communication, which lacks the nuances of spoken language.
Rev. Prof. Sarpong cited the baptismal formula as an example of the consequences of not understanding Hebrew, noting that early baptisms were conducted in the name of Jesus Christ, as per the Acts of the Apostles, but later changed by the Catholic Church due to misinterpretation. He stressed the importance of scriptural authority and encouraged church members to study the original biblical languages to gain deeper insights into the scriptures.
He appealed to churches to invest in their congregants by sponsoring language studies at Word Alive Bible College, arguing that while languages evolve, God's Word remains constant. The event's chairman, Apostle Dr. Atta Frimpong Blessing, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the role of religious education in national development and the responsibilities of Christians in this endeavor.
