Clergyman Urges Politicians to Maintain Respectful Dialogue.

Accra: The Most Reverend Professor Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church-Ghana, has called upon politicians to avoid using disparaging language against each other and to adopt respectful and constructive dialogue to promote peace and tolerance. Prof. Asamoah Gyadu emphasized that seeking leadership roles should not involve resorting to insults but rather require demonstrating influence and integrity by presenting one's vision and capabilities to the citizens and allowing them to make informed decisions.According to Ghana News Agency, the Presiding Bishop made these remarks during an interaction with the media at Ghana's celebration of the Lausanne Movement's 50th anniversary, held in Accra. The event was organized under the theme, 'Let the Church in Ghana declare and display Christ together,' and also aimed to honor Rev. Gottfried Osei-Mensah, the first Executive Secretary of the Lausanne Movement, for his service to national and global mission movements. Additionally, the cele bration marked the launch of a Ghana missions collaborative action plan for the next decade.Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu highlighted that politics is fundamentally about governance, which involves presenting oneself as a candidate to serve the public. He noted the concerning tendency among some politicians to undermine their opponents through negative tactics, such as insults and harsh language, stressing that such approaches are unconstructive and detract from healthy and respectful political discourse.Participating in a democratic process, according to the Presiding Bishop, requires a commitment to govern responsibly if elected and to accept election outcomes gracefully if not. He emphasized that democracy encompasses both victories and setbacks, urging politicians to embrace this understanding.The Presiding Bishop also reflected on the core mission of the Lausanne Movement, which was established to advance world evangelization. He stressed that their aim is to present Christ to the world, focusing on the tran sformative power of His message and the salvation of humanity. Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu reiterated that evangelization involves proclaiming the message that 'Christ is Savior, Transformer, and Lord,' and that such transformation should be evident in people's lives.He pointed out the persistent challenges in the nation, such as corruption and environmental degradation, questioning why these issues continue despite the prevalence of churches. He underscored the responsibility of ensuring that the gospel is conveyed in a manner that influences behavior, making the proclaimed word evident in individuals' actions.In support of this message, Apostle Jude Hama, Chairman of the National Association of Evangelicals in Ghana, recalled Ghana's participation in the inception of the Lausanne Movement fifty years ago, noting the presence of Ghanaian delegates at the first congress on World Evangelization in Lausanne in 1974. He highlighted the impactful initiatives of the 1977 GHACOE Women's Ministry and the Ghana Evangelis m Committee's 'New Life for All' Programme, which equipped churches for their Christ-given mandate and promoted collaboration among them.Looking ahead, Apostle Hama expressed confidence that the two essential missiological documents from the Lausanne 4th Congress in Korea, the 'Seoul Statement' and 'The State of Great Commission Report,' would elevate the Church in Ghana to effectively declare and display Christ together.