Notes Weekly Bible Lessons

Weekly Bible Lessons Notes

Scripture, unless otherwise indicated, is taken from THE HOLY BIBLE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.

All comments, enquiries and suggestions may be directed to: The Head, Educational Resource Development Department Freeman Centre for Missions and Leadership Development, P. O. Box 413, Kumasi, Ghana. Telephone: (051) 23014, 20968 Email: [email protected]

January - June 2010

1 148 The Weekly Bible Lessons is produced biannually by the Educational Resource Development Department of the Freeman Centre for Missions and Leadership Development of The Methodist Church Ghana, under the supervision and over- sight of the Board of Ministries of the Church. This booklet is designed to facilitate and enhance organised group Bible studies, within group (class) meetings Notes and personal devotion. Review Editor

Our Writers The following writers made significant contributions to this edition of Weekly Bible Lessons, January-June 2010.

Right Reverend Professor O. Safo-Kantanka, BSc., MSc., PhD. , Diocesan Bishop, Kumasi Diocese Very Reverend Dr. Paul Kwabena Boafo, BA. , Chaplain, KNUST, Kumasi. Very Reverend G. K. Abeyie Sarpong, BA., Superintendent Minister, Tutuka Circuit, Obuasi Diocese. Very Reverend (Mrs). Comfort Ruth Quartey-Papafio, MTS., ThM., Kasoa Circuit, Winneba Diocese. Very Reverend James K. Walton, BSc., MDiv., Headmaster, Methodist Day Senior High School, Tema. Rev. Daniel Kwasi Tannor, BA., MPhil., Lecturer, Christian Service University College, Kumasi. Rev. Richard E. Amissah, Evangelism Coordinator, Kumasi Diocese. Rev. Kwame Amoah Mensah., B.Ed., Diocesan Youth Organizer, Kumasi Diocese. Rev. Mark S. Aidoo, BD., MTh., Student, Princeton Theological Seminary, USA. Mr. John Ntsiful, BA., MTh., Senior Lecturer, Christian Service University College, Kumasi. Mr. Solomon Acquah, BA., MPhil., Methodist Church, Ahinsan Circuit, Kumasi Diocese. Very Rev. Christopher Andam, BA., MSc., Superintendent Minister, Ayigya Circuit, Kumasi Diocese. Rev. David K. Yalley., BTh., Bohyen Circuit, Kumasi Diocese. Rev. Patrick Kofi Amissah., B.Ed., B.D., M.A., M.Phil. Student, St. Edmund's College, University of Cambridge, UK.

147 2 Our Guest Writers Mr. J. G. K. Owusu., BSc., Immediate Past Lay Chairman, Kumasi Diocese. Notes Mr. Alfred Sakyi, BA., MBA., Head, Consumer Finance, Ecobank Ghana, Accra. Mr. Paul Mantey, B.Comm., MBA., Deputy Head EDC Investments Ltd & Fund Manager iFund Mutual Fund, Ecobank, Accra. Very Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Asare-Kusi., BA., MA., DMin., Director, Methodist Church E.M.R Division, Accra Mrs. Ama Birago Kantanka Gyimah., BSc., M.Sc. Student, KNUST, Kumasi.

Editorial Staff

Editors: Very Reverend James K. Walton, BSc., MDiv., Headmaster, Methodist Day Senior High School, Tema. Reverend Daniel Kwasi Tannor, BA., MPhil., Lecturer, Christian Service University College, Kumasi.

Editorial Assistant: Mr. Richard E. Amissah Jnr., Freeman Centre For Missions and Leadership Development (FCMLD).

Review Editor: Rt. Rev. Prof. Osei Safo-Kantanka, Diocesan Bishop, Kumasi Diocese.

Published by: Freeman Centre For Missions and Leadership Development (FCMLD).

Very Rev. Samuel Kofi Osabutey, Director, Lay Ministries Division & FCMLD.

Rev. Daniel Kwasi Tannor, Head, Educational Resource Development Department.

3 146 A NEW OUTLOOK FOR WEEKLY BIBLE LESSONS BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION We are pleased to present to you the Weekly Bible Lessons (WBL) in a new Apply the lessons of today’s study in your home and share the results with format. The lessons that have been used since the inception of the WBL have been your group taken from the Uniform Series Ministries in Christian Education of the World Council of Churches. Bible Study Leader: Please ensure that all in your group, have set up the

After more than a decade of using these lessons it has become necessary to widen family altar in their homes, except where the head of the home disallows it. the scope of the topics discussed in the WBL. DAILY BIBLE READINGS This is the fifth edition of a new three-year cycle of lessons which cover issues Monday Joshua 24 : 14-18 Joshua’s house and Israel serve the relevant to our own situation. The major themes covered include the following:- Lord Doctrine, Family Life Education, Church and Society, Health and Sanitation, The Tuesday Deuteronomy 4 : 9-10 Teach your children about the Lord Environment, Worship Life, Evangelism and Nominalism, Leadership, Poverty and Wealth Creation, Life and Ministry of Jesus and Character Studies. Wednesday Proverbs 22 : 5-6 Train a child in God’s way Thursday 2 Timothy 3 : 14-17 Timothy exhorted to continue in In each edition, one of the themes would be given the major emphasis. For the scriptures he has known from example, in this edition Poverty and Wealth Creation has been allotted 10 of the infancy 26 weeks. Friday Isaiah 55 : 10-11 The Word will not return empty Saturday Psalm 78 : 5-8 The fear of the Lord to proceed The format for presentation has also been changed. In some cases, we have followed the old format you are familiar with (i.e Background, In Depth, The Word in from generation to generation. Our Lives, Test Yourself, Discussion Questions, etc). In others a write-up on the topic has been presented. As much as possible, the biblical basis of the topic has been given in the write-up. It is expected that the exposition will be well studied to form the basis of the Discussion.

We encourage every literate member of the Church to have their own copy of the WBL and study the exposition at home, so that there can be a meaningful discussion of the topic at the Bible Class Meeting. The writers have researched into the topics and presented you with a wealth of information. Therefore let us make very good use of these materials.

It is our hope that this new approach will help deepen your knowledge of the Bible, especially as it relates to the every day issues that confront us. We welcome any suggestions that will help us improve on this new approach to our Christian Education.

God bless you for using the Weekly Bible Lessons.

Rt. Rev. Prof. Osei Safo-Kantanka Review Editor

Instructions For Use: This volume of Weekly Bible Lessons contains 26 Lessons. The lessons which follow the old format are divided into nine sections: Key Verse, Scripture Lesson,

145 4  Helping to resolve conflict by having conflicting family members say or Background, In Depth, The Word in Our Lives, Test Yourself, Discussion write a few things they like about the other person. This becomes a Questions, Bible Lesson Application and Daily Bible Readings. The goal of these helpful reminder to look at the positive sides of each family member. lessons is to provoke Bible Study group (class) members to think more seriously With conflict comes the need to forgive or be forgiven, a good lesson about their faith. Therefore, it is not necessary to complete all the sections of each on how we can be Christ-like. lesson. Your group should study a different lesson for each week. Each group member should read and study each lesson, whenever possible, before the group meets. D. THE ALTAR OF THE SPOUSES Group Leaders: When preparing your lessons, consult each section for your own Christian couples have a wonderful opportunity to strengthen their personal study. Later, when you are leading your group meeting use only those relationship under God with the constant application of devotional methods. sections that will be best for your group. The least they can do is to pray together on a daily basis. Short periods of Bible study may also be added. This way they learn to share their joys, fears The New Format for the Weekly Bible Lessons: Some of the lessons in this edition have been based on a new format which con- and struggles with each other and with God. sists of the following arrangements:

Mutual trust and support is needed here to sustain this kind of activity. A Key Verse: Wherever appropriate, a Biblical passage which brings out the key breach of confidence occurs when one spouse begins to refer to a problem issues being discussed has been quoted. Members are encouraged to make this the Memory Verse. shared by the other spouse in a derogatory manner or in order to tease him/ her. Regular engagement in spousal devotions can only serve to grow the Scripture Lesson: The selected Bible passages may not deal directly with the relationship that they have with God and with each other. topic under discussion, but they provide information that relates to the issue. They are to be read, but may not necessarily form the basis of the write-up. CONCLUSION Introduction: This gives the reason why the topic needs to be discussed. Christian homes that value obedience to scripture and are concerned about the benefits that this will bring to their family life will do all in their power to Exposition: This constitutes the main body of the write-up. It is expected that establish and continue the family altar. the leader would have read the lesson and lead the class in understanding the exposition just as they would have done with the In-Depth in the Old Format.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS The Word in Our Lives: This section deals with the Christian response to the 1. Discuss the reasons why the family altar should be set up. Add to the list issue under discussion. The leader must ensure that this is made clear to the group if you may. so that they can respond appropriately to the issues. Sometimes The Word In 2. Discuss the stated obstacles to the setting up of the family altar and their Our Lives is incorporated in the Exposition, it being so closely linked to the issues under discussion. responses. Can you think of any other obstacles? What would be your response? Discussion Questions: The questions raised under this section are to promote 3. Share what you consider to be best practices in the conduct of family discussion by the entire group. The leader must avoid lecturing at this point, so devotions that everybody can contribute meaningfully to the discussion. 4. Spouses should share best practices in the conduct of their spousal ble Lesson Application: This is to challenge each member of the group to un- devotions. dertake a practical application of the lesson learnt. 5. How can the pervasive intent of the application of the word of God, presented in Deuteronomy 6: 6-9, be captured in today’s world?

5 144 C. HOW TO ORGANISE FAMILY DEVOTIONS Daily Bible Readings: There is a special reading for each day of the week Family Devotions may be organised in a variety of ways. The basic structure, on the theme for that week. Many people find these daily readings excellent however, should consist of bible reading and prayer. Several devotional for their daily devotions; they throw more light on the theme for the week. guides with or without commentaries are available for use. The DAILY BIBLE READINGS at the end of this and other lessons, for example, can

be used with a short exhortation.

Prayers may be varied in the following and other ways:  Each person prays for one item  Each person prays for the person on his/her left or right  Conversational prayer in which persons utter one-sentence-prayers for a specified item  Prayer may be made for specific things on certain days. For example: Monday Pray for relations, Tuesday: Pray for use of Weekly Bible Lessons ………… Saturday: Thank God for his mercies during the week  Hold hands whilst praying

Involving as many people as possible enhances participation and interest. Family members may conduct the devotions, take turns to read scriptures, pray, ask/answer questions depending on their age and ability.

Christian fathers are the spiritual heads of their homes. The conduct of the family devotions is thus their responsibility. They may however, delegate responsibility to wives or other family members.

Since the Christian faith is to be lived out in the practicalities of daily life, other media different from the above may be used for worship and teaching of spirituality. Christian music on tape or video, Christian films, Christian books and articles, as well as teachable moments (periods when certain principles are most appropriately taught) may all be used for the purpose.

Other activities that may be undertaken by families to foster faith include:  Family Conferences – the family discusses together issues affecting members and the family as a whole, with a Christian perspective.  Celebrations of birthdays and other special family events, with thankfulness to God.  Working together to undertake a project that glorifies the name of God, such as giving sacrificially towards a cause, or helping someone in need.

143 6 Table of Contents

3. The family altar helps to enhance family unity and strengthen Week Topic Scripture Date Page relationships. “The family that prays together stays together” Genesis 1:6-10; Eccle- 1 Save our Water Bodies January 3, 2010 10 4. Families are able to share their joys, fears and struggles together before siastes 1:7 the Lord, enhancing the fact that the Christian faith works in everyday Bushfires: Our Christian 2 Genesis 1:26-31 January 10, 2010 16 life. Responsibility

B. OBSTACLES Town Planning and the Revelations 21:9-12; 3 January 17, 2010 20 1. Busyness of life resulting in low commitment to this and other spiritual Mess in our Cities 22:1-3 activities. Sunday worship or other church activities cannot substitute for family devotions. Family members need to first experience worship 4 The Plastic Waste Menace Deuteronomy 23:9-14 January 24, 2010 26 at home (Dt. 6: 6,7), then it becomes more natural. Busy parents must make time for family devotions as they do for meals and other important Signs of Church Growth: 5 January 31, 2010 32 activities. Family devotions need not take very long. Ten to fifteen Study I minutes can serve the purpose. The practice in some churches in which Signs of Church Growth: February 7, morning devotions are organised everyday may have to be reviewed to 6 35 incorporate the need to have family devotions in homes as well. Study II 2010 Signs of Church Growth: February 14, 7 39 2. Lack of discipline may be overcome if a suitable set time is agreed Study III 2010 upon. One or two of the children can be made the “bell monitor” or Signs of Church Growth: February 21, “organiser, “to ensure that regularity is maintained. Then it becomes a 8 43 Study IV 2010 habit. Many homes organise devotions in the early morning, but other times can be used if the morning is not suitable for all (perhaps due to Challenges of Urban Jonah 1:1-3; 3:1-10; February 28, 9 47 the need to get to school or work early or sleep in a little bit). Missions in Ghana 4:11 2010

Social action as a 3. Fear of starting something new or a spiritual activity can be 10 Isaiah 58:7-10 March 7, 2010 54 Missionary Challenge overcome by setting an initial easy goal of organising devotions only once a week. The number of times can then be increased as time goes The Rural-Urban Link in 11 Acts 13:1-3; 16:6-10 March 14, 2010 58 on. Missions

Missionary Challenges Acts 13:1-6, 13-16; 12 March 21, 2010 63 4. Opposition of one parent: Christian fathers are heads of their homes, Beyond our Borders Romans 15:20-22 so they usually carry through their programmes for the home. When Unemployment—What is March 28, the mother only is a Christian, permission should be sought from the 13 Matthew 20:3-8 69 father for the setting up of the altar. When he opposes it, the Christians the way out? 2010 in the family have a fine opportunity to prove the power of loving Proverbs 3:19-20; 24:1- 14 Creative Survival April 4, 2010 75 prayer, as the father’s authority should be respected. 4 5. The problem of Illiteracy on the part of parents can be overcome by using a literate member of the family or memorising scripture from church and using it as the basis of scriptural teaching. 7 142 Table of Contents devotions (the family altar), when a family meets in worship. Week Topic Scripture Date Page Even though some people argue that organising family devotions is a way of indoctrinating or brain-washing children to take after the Christian 15 The Christian Work Ethic 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 April 11, 2010 81 religion and that they should be given the opportunity to make their own choices, scripture teaches otherwise (Dt. 11:18-20). The reason possibly is The Dangers of the ‘Get- Deuteronomy 7:20-24, 16 April 18, 2010 85 Rich-Quick’ Attitude Proverbs 13:11 that children are very impressionable. Failure to teach them the rudiments of the Christian faith gives other (negative and unhelpful) philosophies the Proverbs 13:11; Gene- Developing the Savings opportunity to impact them away from Christ. Moreover the natural 17 sis 41:33-37; April 25, 2010 92 Culture Proverbs 21:20 tendency of all humans, children included, is to move away from God, the result of our sin nature; hence the need to set up a check. The Simple Lifestyle and Philippians 4:10-13, I 18 May 2, 2010 98 the Christian Timothy 6:6-10 Parents who care about the spiritual and moral conditions of their children The Rural-Urban Drift, will set up the family altar and guard it against all attempts to dismantle it. 19 Ruth 1:1-7 May 9, 2010 102 What is the Solution? The purpose of this study, following from Weekly Bible Lesson Number th “I give you the ability to Deuteronomy 8:10-18; 42: 18 October, 2009 (July – December, 2009 issue), Raising Godly 20 May 16, 2010 106 create wealth” I Corinthians 3:6-9 Offspring, is to focus on the organisation of family devotions/the family altar. “Do not wear yourself out 21 Proverbs 23:4-5 May 23, 2010 111 to become rich” EXPOSITION

What is the Money A. WHY ORGANISE FAMILY DEVOTIONS 22 Matthew 25:14-30 May 30, 2010 118 Market? 1. The directive of scripture is that its teaching and application should How not to Choose a Life encompass every aspect of a family’s life. (Dt. 6: 6-9, 11: 18-20, Ex 13: 23 Partner - Lessons from Judges 14:1-20 June 6, 2010 124 Samson 9-16). Jews took this directive very seriously and began to apply it literally. They wrote scripture texts on strips of parchment and placed them in two small leather boxes which the committed Jew strapped on Genesis 24:1-4, 10-20, 24 Choosing a Wife for Isaac June 13, 2010 128 28, 45-54; 61-67 to his forehead and left arm before morning prayers. The boxes were called phylacteries (cf. Mt 23: 5). Similar metal boxes called mezuzot were tied to their doorframes. I Corinthians 7:12-16; I 25 Witnessing in the Home June 20, 2010 135 Peter 3:1-7 The figurative interpretation for the Christian, however, is quite clear. Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 26 The Family Altar June 27, 2010 140 Scripture should direct thought and action moment by moment. One Malachi 2:13-16 way of enabling this is through the conduct of family devotions.

2. Our children need an early introduction to Christian faith and worship, as has been mentioned above. A living example is set before them through the family altar.

141 8 Week 26 Beginning A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR TO YOU June 27, 2010 THE FAMILY ALTAR The Christian and the Environment We begin the year by revisiting the issue of our Christian responsibility to the environment, a mandate which was given us at creation: “Let them KEY VERSE: These commandments that I give you today are to be upon rule over...all the earth.” (Gen. 1:26) your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get The write-up on Bushfires is repeated the third up. DEUTERONOMY 6: 6, 7 time because the problem is still with us and we need to keep on reminding ourselves.

SCRIPTURE LESSONS: DEUTERONOMY 6: 4-9; MALACHI 2:13-16 The Plastic Waste menace which we highlighted DEUTERONOMY 6: 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. [a] 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with as our Cover Picture in the last edition has also all your strength. been repeated for the same reason.

6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Life will cease without water, so why do we not 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and take good care of our water bodies? Also, why is when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. there so much confusion in the planning of our 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. towns and cities? Who are responsible for these and what is our Christian responsibility?

13 MALACHI 2: Another thing you do: You flood the LORD's altar with tears. These issues will engage our attention for the You weep and wail because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or beginning four weeks of the new year. accepts them with pleasure from your hands.

14 You ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though We pray that through your studies in 2010 you she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. will continue to grow to become a strong Christian. 15 Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. 16 "I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel, "and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with his garment," says the LORD Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.

INTRODUCTION Several scriptures indicate that God will have us organise a micro-church in our homes. Such a church receives its sustenance primarily through family

9 140 Week 1 D. PRAYER. Beginning It hardly needs to be said that prayer should undergird all the above January 3, attitudinal and practical efforts at winning unsaved family members for 2010 SAVE OUR WATER BODIES Christ. Prayer becomes the engine that drives all the efforts at salvation towards good success. Without prayer we fight a losing battle for we do not fight against flesh and blood… (Eph.6:12,13,18).

CONCLUSION KEY VERSE: All the streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the We should not lose sight of the fact that the salvation of family members, place the streams come from, there they return again. ECCLESIASTES 1:7. who do not know the Lord, does not depend on the saved member alone. In as much as God desires for them to be saved, their will is also a factor to be SCRIPTURE LESSON: GENESIS 1:6-10; ECCLESIASTES 1:7 reckoned with. They themselves will have to decide whether they will GENESIS 1:6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters to surrender to Jesus or not. The final decision is theirs, but our prayer is that separate water from water”. 7 our attitudes and actions will help tilt the balance in favour of the Lord. So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS. 8 God called the expanse ‘sky’ And there was evening, and there was morning 1. Discuss the points made under the EXPOSITION section, one by one. – the second day. Identify other principles that may be relevant. Give illustrations as to 9 And God said, “Let the water under the Sky be gathered to one place, and how the different principles work out in today’s world. let dry ground appear” And it was so. 2. Give testimonies as to the success or failure of any effort at witnessing 10 God called the dry ground ‘land’ and the gathered waters he called ‘SEAS’ in a mixed-faith home. And God saw that it was good. BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION ECCLESIASTES 1:7 All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To 1. For members in a mixed-faith home: Determine, in prayer, to apply the place the streams come from, there they return again. the principles of today’s lesson in your home, this and other weeks. INTRODUCTION 2. For members in a home where all are Christians: Identify a mixed- Among the most important resources God gave to humans for their support faith family and make them the subject of your prayer this week. is water. Water is essential to all life; and our water bodies in addition to providing water for drinking, cooking and so on, provide a home to numerous Share with bible study group members the results of the application of this living creatures (Ge 1:20-21; Ps 104:25). We now harness the power of water week’s lesson. to generate electricity. Human beings learned to travel on water years before DAILY BIBLE READINGS they found how to travel in the air. Monday 2 Kings 5: 1-5, 13-18 Witnessing in a home However in our greed, carelessness and thoughtlessness and sometimes Tuesday 1 Peter 2:12-15 Live godly lives among non-Christians because of our insufficient knowledge, we are destroying our water resources, Wednesday Isaiah 3: 18-23 Judgement against outward show just as we are destroying our lands, our forests and even the air around us. If Thursday Ephesians 5: 25-33 Husbands, love your wives the steward who hid his talent and returned it without improving upon it (Mt Friday Ephesians 6: 1-3 Obedience of children 25:26) was called “You Lazy Rascal”, what will God call us who destroy the Saturday 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 Love as brothers resources he gave us because he knew how indispensable they were to our existence?

139 10 Christian life of the closest convert (that is, the converted family member) EXPOSITION shown in a life of love (see above; 1Co. 13:4-8) and of Christlikeness (see below). The converted family member is the best example to the others of I. OUR WATER RESOURCES what it means to live as a Christian. So do not nag and criticise but wait On earth, water is found everywhere: in the air; on, in and beneath the land and patiently for the salvation of the Lord. The Lord will provide opportunities in the sea. The Genesis account of creation (Ge 1:6-10) tells us that God found to share our faith with unconverted family members. He may even lead us it useful to separate the water above (that is, in the clouds and in the air) from to create such opportunities. In all of such instances, the counsel of 1 Peter the water below; and to separate the water below into that found on and in the 3:15 is apt: “…always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks land and that found in the vast stretch of water called the sea. What is you to give a reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness interesting is that he provided a cycle linking the water in the air to the water on and respect.” the land, the water on land to the water in the sea, and the water in the sea to the water in the air. Long before scientists coined the phrase “water cycle” to This is the principle enshrined in Paul’s counsel to brethren whose spouses describe this, the writer of Ecclesiastes had observed that though all rivers run are unbelievers (1 Co 7: 12-16). Note that Paul addresses a situation in into the sea, the sea is never full, because from where the rivers come, there which the couple get married when both are not Christians. Scripture does they go back again. not encourage mixed-faith marriages, that is a Christian marrying a non- Christian (1 Co. 7: 39). Patience on the part of the believing spouse may God has provided this wonderful cycle so that we can forever use water and eventually result in the conversion of the unbelieving spouse. still have water to use. The lesson from this is that our water resources are all the water on the land, in the sea and in the sky, and that they are so inter-linked A pertinent example of patient parental concern for the unconverted child that any damage we do to water in our little community may affect the water is depicted by the mother of St. Augustine, the famous African bishop of resources of communities we may not even know, or cause the water to do the early centuries of the Christian faith. Monica, St. Augustine’s mother, damage to people and their resources far beyond our little community. prayed for several years but died shortly after the conversion of her son. She did not live to see the glory of the converted life of Augustine. Prayers II. HOW WE ADVERSELY AFFECT OUR WATER BODIES for your unconverted family members are never wasted; do not give up on your holy assignment. POLLUTION

C. CONDUCT Water is polluted when substances are introduced that make the water The admonition of Peter to Christian wives (1 Pe. 3:1-7) is appropriate for dangerously impure or unfit for use. every situation in which family members are found to be of mixed faith. Unconverted family members are more likely to be won over by the quality Pollution of the sea of the lives of their Christian converted members than by argumentation.  Polythene is one solid material that is increasingly being eaten by fish and is ‘Actions speak louder than words.’ Wives in this case are exhorted to be killing them just as it is eaten by sheep and cattle on land and kills them. “submissive”, to show “pure and reverent lives” and to radiate the “beauty  The discharge of faecal material (raw sewage or human excreta) from of a gentle and quiet spirit.” Husbands, similarly, “are to be considerate and coastal towns is one of the most serious sources of pollution of the sea. In respectful” to their wives understanding that they are weaker physically. our country many people from coastal communities have developed the Children are to obey parents (Eph. 6:1-3) and to show their new unhygienic and indecent habit of defecating at the beach for the waves to righteousness in a willingness to go the second or third mile in serving their carry off into the sea. parents. Then their witness will begin to carry weight.  Some dangerous chemicals that find their way into the sea are taken up by fish and build up in the fish to levels that are harmful to humans when the fish are eaten. 11 138  Pollution from oil slicks resulting from leakages from oil wells in the sea or ordered to desist from involvement with any Christian activity and also from oil tankers and other ships has not been common in our seas but prevented from attending Christian gatherings. needs to be watched as we develop our off-shore oil wells. Under such circumstances, what does the Christian family member do? To Lagoons practise his/her Christianity in the home, yes he/she must. But how should The Korle Lagoon in Accra is one extreme example of a lagoon that has he/she go about it? become so highly polluted that it is effectively dead: stinking, useless for swimming, useless for fishing. EXPOSITION 1. THE EXAMPLE OF THE JEWISH SLAVE GIRL (2 Kings 5: 1-5) Rivers and other Freshwater Bodies A Jewish girl, who worshipped the true God, found herself as a servant in a  Silting of river bodies leading to flooding: The chief characteristic of home which did not recognise the Lordship of God over their lives. They rivers and streams is that they flow, and pollutants introduced at one point served other gods (2 Ki. 5: 17-18). Even though a slave, who most likely may therefore be carried downstream to affect other communities. Water operated in a kitchen, she shared her knowledge of the God of Israel with flowing over land will carry soil and other debris which will be dropped her captors - her enemies. To be able to do this, she needed to forgive when the water movement slows. Land use practices that encourage the “those who had trespassed against her”. Then she needed to muster the loosening of soil (for example, ploughing), soil exposure (for example, road courage to share her knowledge. The result of the girl’s witness was the construction and clearing of hillsides), and the rapid movement of water healing and conversion of Naaman, the Syrian commander (2 Ki. 5: 15-17). along the surface after rains instead of sinking into the soil, encourage the One may imagine the direction the story would have taken if the Jewish silting of river beds. The chances of the river over flowing its bank and slave girl had kept quiet. The courage to witness is given through the Holy Spirit to all who will ask of it from the Lord. causing floods are increased as the river channel becomes shallower.  Chemical Pollution: Rivers and streams are being polluted from the use 2. THE BASIS OF WITNESSING IN THE HOME. of poisonous chemicals for fishing (which is a criminal offence and Accepting that it is our responsibility to witness in the family situations dangerous) and of chemicals such as mercury in surface mining. Too much described above, we ask, ‘What should undergird our actions?’ chemical fertilizer getting into a water body from agricultural lands may result in excessive growth of water weeds and algae (small green plants) A. LOVE that reduce the oxygen (lean air) in the water on which fishes and other Witnessing in the home should be characterised by the basic motive of love animals in the water depend. for family members and a passion for the salvation of their souls. Indeed  Spread of Diseases: Guinea worm and bilharzia are two important this should be the basic motive for any evangelistic activity. Such love (first diseases that are spread through the contamination of water bodies by exhibited by God towards us in his son Jesus Christ, see Jn. 3:16; Rom 5:8) infected persons. When a person with guinea worm enters a water body, should move the converted family member to go to any length spiritually to the exposed worms get the chance to lay their eggs into the water to be ensure the salvation of his/her loved ones. The motive should never be the taken in by the person who drinks that water. Bilharzia is spread when a desire to bring them to the same socio-Christian level as one because person with blood in the urine urinates or defecates into the water body. church colleagues/brethren keep asking about them. Activities that slow the flow of rivers and streams favour the growth of the water snails in which the bilharzia worm needs to spend part of its life. B. PATIENCE Love, however, is always patient (1 Co. 13:4); so the converted family THE DRYING UP OF WATER BODIES member should be willing to walk the same path as God did in our own Rivers and Streams: Formerly, in most communities the sources of streams salvation. God never forces any persons into his kingdom, even though he and rivers were kept as sacred groves or traditionally protected areas that creates conditions for us to choose for him. Such conditions include the

137 12 7Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, people were not allowed to farm. The highlands from which all the major rivers and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of in the country originate were put under forest reserves but even these are the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. increasingly being illegally logged or farmed. These activities have led to the drying up of many streams and river bodies. INTRODUCTION Wetlands: We tend to look upon wetlands or swampy areas as waste lands or From time to time, situations arise in a home when one partner in a useless lands. In fact they are so useful that many countries, including Ghana, marital relationship decides to commit his/her life to the Lord. That have signed an International Agreement to preserve and manage some of these partner becomes a true Christian, a proper child of God (Jn. 1:12, 13), and wetlands declared to be of “International Importance”. They are of ecological so is immediately lifted up to a higher spiritual level, whereas the other importance so we should not rush into draining or, more commonly in Ghana, partner cannot claim the same inheritance. Again situations arise in which filling up such areas in our towns and cities for building purposes. a couple get married without considerations of the religious position of the partner. One partner, often the woman, may be positively oriented III. OUR RESPONSIBILITIES towards the faith and so becomes active in church activities whereas the We cannot in this study look at all the ways we can deal with all that we are other exhibits a lukewarm attitude towards the faith. doing wrong with our water resources. A few general rules may help us.

A similar situation arises when one or more children in a home become Responsible Stewardship: We all know that none of us have created the truly Christian, as described above, and hence build up a close relationship water in the sky, sea, rivers or soil. It should not therefore be difficult for us to with God whereas the others remain cut off from such a standing. accept that these water resources have been entrusted to us to use in our lifetime and pass on to future generations. Do we, as Christians, seriously As often happens, the (newly) converted believer begins to sense a call to believe that the Creator who entrusted them to us does not care whether we mission in his or her family. They begin to feel a responsibility towards pollute or deplete them? the unconverted spouse, children, parents or siblings. The responsibility is towards witnessing to them about their (new found) faith and relationship Sustainability: We do not need to be told or convinced that managing our with the Lord Jesus Christ and helping them, if possible, to the same water resources without destroying them is for our own good. spiritual level. Again, they begin to increase their level of involvement with spiritual/Christian activities. They begin to study the Bible, attend worship Thoughtfulness and the Precautionary Principle: “What is everybody’s services more regularly, spend (more) time praying at home and in prayer business is nobody’s business”. No one would urinate into the well he has dug meetings, etc. in his house; but we would urinate into the river when we are swimming in it – because the river seemingly has no owner and, in any case, our urine will be The reaction to this evangelistic effort in the home is varied. It ranges carried “elsewhere”. from a quick acceptance of the faith (seeing the changes in the life of the converted) to a resistance to the efforts at mission. The resistance may Dealing with The Irresponsible by Avoiding Misplaced Emotions: We are sometimes take the form of active opposition to the (new) spiritual stance too sympathetic with those who cause environmental wrongs. We can clearly of the converted. Spouses may refuse to have anything to do with the see the damage the “galamsey” people are doing to our stream; but “they must Christian faith, even though at first they gave a mental assent to it and eat”, we would argue, or “they are bringing money into the community”. The occasionally attended church. Some wives may be prevented from building in the watercourse has reached lintel level: “How can you pull down a attending some or all Christian gatherings such as worship services, building on which the owner has spent so much money?”, we would fellowship meetings and prayer meetings. Children, similarly, may be sympathize. Yet the same people would beat to death someone who steals a cheap mobile phone! 13 136

IV. PUTTING THINGS RIGHT: INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE Week 25 RESPONSIBILITY Beginning WITNESSING IN THE HOME - There are always individual as well as collective responsibilities for avoiding June 2, damage and for putting things right. As an individual I must refrain from 2010 HUSBAND/WIFE/CHILDREN building in a water course or farming to the edge of the river. I must be willing to make a report to the proper authorities when I see someone beginning to build in a water course. As a community we must see that our District Assembly has passed appropriate bye – laws and put pressure on our public KEY VERSE: 1Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so authorities to do their duty. that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2when they see the purity and Have you heard that through the Korle Lagoon Ecological Restoration reverence of your lives.1 PETER 3:1, 2 Project the government is trying to bring the dead Korle Lagoon in Accra back to life? Restoring what has been destroyed is never cheap or easy. A SCRIPTURE LESSONS: 1 CORINTHIANS 7:12-16, 1 PETER 3:1-7 better alternative is protection. 1 CORINTHIANS 7:12 To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must DISCUSSION QUESTIONS not divorce her. 1. Think about the water body closest to your community or a water body 13And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to you all know and can talk about. How is it being misused or mismanaged? live with her, she must not divorce him. Who is or are responsible for this misuse? How could the misuse be 14For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the stopped? What can be done about the damage already done? unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. 2. “When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your GOD for Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. the good land he has given you” (Dt. 8:10). In view of the definition of a 15But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is “good land” given in Deuteronomy 8:7-9, has God given Ghana a good not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. land? How often do you thank God for water just as you thank him for 16How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do food (and for the discovery of oil)? With regards to our water resources, you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? do we honour God only with our lips? 3. In Ps 104 the writer looks at how everything in nature fits together and 1 PETER 3:1Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, exclaims: “How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words them all” (Ps 104:24). Have a member of your discussion group describe by the behavior of their wives, 2when they see the purity and reverence of again the water cycle, perhaps starting with what happens to the water you your lives. use in bathing or the water running along the road after it rains, so that 3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided you can all appreciate how wonderful the works of God are. hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. Report back to those who prepare the Weekly Bible Lessons any practical 5For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God action you, your Discussion Group, Church or Community take or takes over used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own protecting water resources as a result of studying this lesson. husbands, 6like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. 135 14 To what extent should prayer from part of our preparation for 5. DAILY BIBLE READINGS marriage? Monday Deuteronomy 8:7-10 A good Land 6. How may the period between courtship and marriage be unduly Tuesday Psalm 104:1-24 The wonder of God’s wares extended? Wednesday Ezekiel 47:1-12 The river from the temple supports life Thursday John 4:10-14 The source of Living Water BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION Friday Genesis1:6-10;20-21 God creates water bodies and its 1. Does your church have a marriage counseling group? Find out creatures which of the above guidelines are incorporated in their outfit. Saturday Job 38:8-11 The limits of the water bodies are set 2. Unmarried members: Determine, through prayer, to incorporate up. the lessons of the study in your quest for marriage. 3. Other Members: This week, pray for unmarried members to be enabled to use the lessons of the study in their preparations for marriage.

DAILY BIBLE READINGS Monday Genesis 28:1-7 A charge to keep Tuesday Deuteronomy 7:1-6 A chosen people Wednesday Joshua 23:12-16 Contamination results in destruction Thursday Ezra 9:1-4 Marriage is sacred Friday Nehemiah 13:23-27 Stay away from “foreign women” Saturday 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Unequal yoke

15 134 Man. (Mat 24:37-39) Week 2 Beginning BUSHFIRES: OUR CHRISTIAN There is no doubt that these words of Jesus Christ are being fulfilled. January 10, Human life has continued as normal but the need to live one’s life in 2010 RESPONSIBILITY conformity with the Word of God cannot be overemphasized since the end of the world and the Day of Judgement will definitely come to pass unannounced. Meanwhile, human sexuality has never been more active than it is today. Sexual immorality is on the increase – unwed pregnancies, KEY VERSE: The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of unmarried partners living together, and even homosexuals coming out Eden to work and take care of it. GENESIS 2:15 openly for recognition.

SCRIPTURE LESSON: GENESIS 1:26-31 In the church, marriages are on the increase. But even in the church, GENESIS 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, divorce rates are high and one wonders whether would-be marriage and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the couples really get to understand what they are getting into before livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the contracting their marriages. The marital home of Isaac and Rebekah was ground." 27 not trouble free but the marriage had a more solid basis than the two So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; marriages of Samson which we studied last week. Isaac’s marriage male and female he created them. survived the storms while Samson destroyed himself as a result of his 28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill marriage. the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." If young people are entering into marriage without a proper 29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the understanding, that raises the issue of the role of parents and the church whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for in counselling these young ones. Even though we are not asking parents food. and the Church to play a matching game, that is choosing wives and 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the husbands for young adults, we need to pay very significant roles in creatures that move on the ground--everything that has the breath of life in it- directing them to make the right choices. Ministers must not just ask -I give every green plant for food." And it was so. Marriage Counselling teams in their churches to counsel would-be 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, partners, but must first satisfy themselves that the young ones have made and there was morning--the sixth day. the right choices.

INTRODUCTION DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: In the beginning four weeks of the present segment, we are discussing the 1. Discuss the “LESSONS FROM THE PASSAGE” (see EXPOSITION) need to take good care of the environment. It is our God-given responsibility point by point. Which of the issues are most relevant in your to control and even prevent destructive activities against the environment community? This week our area of attention is bushfires. 2. What are the basic values to look for in a partner? 3. Why do some would-be partners avoid their parents input in their BUSHFIRE: What is it? preparation for marriage? A bushfire is a wildfire that occurs in the bush, grassland, woodland or forest. 4. Discuss the traditional items required for marriage in your Bushfires are common in Ghana, especially in the northern regions during the community. Which of them should be eliminated? And why?

133 16 mission, the father of Rebekah discerning the Lord’s leading in the dry season (the period from December to February) and also in drought years, practicalities of Rebekah’s behavior replied , "This is from the Lord; we which are known to occur every twenty years. can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah, take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as the LORD The problem of bushfires is attaining crisis proportions. The problem is both has directed" (verses 50-51). Prayer was offered but they also sought the environmental and ecological. The problem is environmental because the knowledge of God’s will through the life experiences relating to the environment exists for the survival of humans. The problem is also ecological issue. in the sense that it concerns interrelationship among all forms of life with which humans share a common earthly home. Courtship must not be unnecessarily prolonged: The Servant of

Abraham, having identified the right woman for Isaac did not want to stay A bushfire then is a hazard of environmental destruction that affects both for long. After the marriage had been contracted, the Servant said to humans and non-humans. Such a situation calls for the creation of serious them "Do not detain me, now that the Lord has granted success to my awareness about the dangers posed by bushfires to the welfare of the journey. Send me on my way so I may go to my master" (verse 56). This environment. was when Rebekah’s family was requesting for a 10-day stay.

To be able to do this effectively, the problem must be understood in its social, Christian couples are obliged to stay away from sex until the knot is tied, economic, ecological and political contexts, to ensure that appropriate priorities but there is real temptation when the period is extended beyond limit. In for prevention, preparedness, responses and recovery strategies are established. fact, there is a lot to learn from the steps Abraham’s Servant took when negotiating for the wife for Isaac. How many of our members take due EXPOSITION diligence when contracting a marriage? Causes of Bushfires.

Bushfires are caused both by natural and human agencies. The natural causes Rebekah’s consent was sought for: The woman was not left out in are often associated with lightning strikes that set fire to grass and trees. the transaction. The relations who conducted the marriage consulted with their sister. While law and custom gave them authority to marry for The human caused bushfires come under the following three main categories; their daughter, the woman's wishes were taken into account. So they said, (i). Malicious acts, which include arson or fires deliberately set in the bush "Let's call the girl and ask her about it." So they called Rebekah and asked by people. her, "Will you go with this man?". "I will go", she said. So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham's (ii) Careless acts such as dropping live cigarette ends or leaving uncontrolled, Servant and his men. (Ge. 24:57-59). The woman’s consent is necessary sparks and fires that escape from camp fires. Fires lit on the ground for in all transactions. It is necessary to always ensure that the parties have cooking on an individual’s farm and emptying of the residue of live agreed to live together. coals from coal-pots in a careless way can also cause bushfires.

THE WORD IN OUR LIVES (iii) Accidental acts such as fires caused by motor vehicles after road “37As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of accidents, industrial accidents and agricultural burns Man. 38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39and Unfortunately, bushfires become destructive whichever way they are started they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and because many people display apathy or become unconcerned when they see the took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of bush burning.

17 132 DAMAGE CAUSED BY BUSHFIRES to marry as you sit in your room and just concentrate on praying. A Bushfires often leave in their trail untold hardships. Often fauna (wildlife) is young person’s participation in church activities, especially those killed or injured by fire and smoke. Flora (vegetation, flowers, etc) is not involving other youths exposes him/her to other potential life partners. spared either. Habitats of birds and animals are also destroyed. With the Abraham’s servant knew this and so he went to the well at a time when destruction of trees, deforestation sets in resulting in the drying of streams, women go there to draw water. Where to go and when to go there are rivers and ponds. important issues.

People are killed or injured by bushfires. And also destroyed are dwelling 4. Criteria for choosing: Abraham's servants had a clear criteria based on places (houses, huts, hamlets, etc), power lines, bridges and other items of clearly-defined values (Ge.24:12-14). The Servant knew that public property. There is also the attendant air pollution caused by the smoke. hospitality required giving water to a thirsty stranger but not to Air pollution brings about health hazards. animals. A woman who would do that would be unusually kind and was prepared to serve beyond the call of duty.

BUSHFIRES: OUR CHRISTIAN RESPONSE A single camel could hold about twenty-five (25) gallons and assuming It is our collective responsibility to curb the incidence of bushfires especially that Rebekah served all the ten (10), it would be a herculean task. Her in areas that experience perennial dry weather conditions, as is often the case ability to do that was an indication of her willingness for hard work. in Northern Ghana, in the Savanna Zone. Quite often, in our attempts to tie the matrimonial knot some basic Our scripture reading for this week points us to God’s involvement with things like hard work, modesty and punctuality are overlooked. nature and how he expects us to maintain it as good stewards. His Sometimes the value is placed on education, the public image the one involvement with nature makes it sacred, a fact that is supported by our holds and whether the one has travelled abroad or not. Abraham’s traditional beliefs, but which unfortunately is often overlooked or ignored, servant looked beyond mere beauty. instead of being recognised and affirmed. 5. Material Preparation For Marriage (verses 10, 22, 53). The The problem must also be seen in its biblical/theological context. It is sinful Servant who contracted the marriage made sure they had adequate to cause bushfires, whether for food, (for example, bush meat) or for any finances for the transaction. He took with him ten (10) camels and all other purpose. It is equally sinful to be apathetic when God’s property kinds of good things; he also took gold bracelets, silver jewels and articles of (nature) is in danger and humans and non-humans are threatened with clothing. The point here is not affluence but that the Servant made disasters. We must be part of the solution to the problem. Indeed we need to adequate material preparation for the assignment given to him. While act responsibly towards the environment for us to derive its full benefits. relatives, friends and loved ones might be prepared to give support to a marriage, it is dangerous to bank our hopes on charity. The would- In areas which are prone to bush fires, fuel reduction (i.e safe burning of parts be couple must take into account shelter, clothing and regular income, of forests) must be taught and practised. This means that when bushfires and secure jobs which will adequately sustain the marriage. There have start, there will be less fuel to burn. The strategy has the added advantage of been instances in which a couple banked their hopes on donors only allowing forest animals to move to already burnt-up places and also providing to be disappointed by the expected income that was not realized. space for fire-fighting vehicles to move freely in the forests. Combine Spiritual and Physical Elements in taking the Final Decision: As a way of curbing fires caused by lightning strikes it has been said that God’s guidance should be confirmed with common sense. It is not only for individuals in some lightning prone areas in Liberia have resorted to growing somebody to prophecy, 'Thus says the Lord". Any such prophecy should be cactus plants around their houses to ward off the lightning strikes and that the confirmed by common sense. After the Servant gave the statement of their

131 18 In this study, we intend to use the steps taken by Abraham and his servant in strategy is working. The scientific basis of the practice is beyond the discussion choosing a wife for Isaac as a guide. The study will afford us definite of this lesson. guidelines which will help us to choose the right marriage partner.

EXPOSITION There is the need to train more fire-fighting professionals as well as volunteers. LESSONS FROM THE PASSAGE We, as Christians, must all constitute ourselves into volunteer fire-fighters and 1. Parental Concern for the Marriage of our Children (verses 6-9) support the government’s efforts to control bushfires. Every responsible parent is concerned about whom their child marries, and Abraham was no exception. Abraham knew the danger of choosing a wife DISCUSSION QUESTIONS for Isaac from among the Canaanites, where he dwelt. The possibility of 1. Why is it our God-given responsibility to control bushfires? Isaac being contaminated with idol worship was high. To reinforce his 2. What do you consider to be the responsibility of the church in your desire of seeking the best for his son, he made the Servant put his community in preventing bushfires? hand under his thigh and swear to him, a customary practice indicating 3. What roles do the National Disaster Management Organization how serious the undertaking was. (NADMO) and Fire Volunteers in your locality play in preventing bushfires? Why do they deserve the support and involvement of It is important for Christians to choose marriage partners among Christians? Christians. We are told in 2 Corinthians 6:14-16, not to be yoked 4. What must be done to reduce the incidence of bushfires, especially in together with unbelievers. Christians are not to be bound together with Northern Ghana? non-Christians in any relationship that would be detrimental to the 5. In the dry season what can be done to prevent the burning of cocoa and Christian testimony. Many men of God have wrecked their married life other plantation crops? as a result of making a wrong choice. BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION 2. The Place of Prayer: Both Abraham and the Servant knew the Create in your mind’s eye the scenery of a bushfire that has attacked a village importance of praying to God for the right choice to be made. Abraham and its inhabitants. Think about the control mechanisms you can apply and prayed, “The Lord, the God of heaven who brought me out of my relief aid you can offer the victims. Make that your project, in readiness to father’s land…. will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife attend to any bushfire outbreak you hear of or read about. Let that also prepare for my son from there”(verses 7-8) you for the prevention of fire out-breaks in your own environment. Share your

When the Servant reached his destination he also prayed, “O Lord, God ideas with the class. of my master Abraham, give me success today…” Before he had finished DAILY BIBLE READINGS praying Rebekah came out …(verses 12, 15) Monday Psalm 24:1-2 The earth belongs to the Lord Our genuine prayer for Divine guidance in the choice of a partner is an Tuesday Judges 15:1-5 Do not cause Arson I affirmation of Proverbs 19:14 which says, “Houses and wealth are Wednesday Judges 15:6-8 Do not cause Arson II inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.” Thursday Matthew 18:10-14 God cares for his creatures Friday Genesis 9:8-17 God’s desire to preserve nature 3. Going to the right place: (verse 11): The Servant went to the well Saturday Deuteronomy 33:15-16 Make the environment blessed for your outside the village where Rebekah and her parents lived “towards own sake evening, the time the women go out to draw water.”

It is impractical to expect that God would bring a woman or man to you

19 130 Week 3 Beginning TOWN PLANNING AND THE drew enough for all his camels. January 17, MESS IN OUR CITIES - WHO IS 28 2010 GENESIS 24: The girl ran and told her mother's household about these things. TO BLAME? Genesis 24: 45 "Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with KEY VERSE: 10And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven said to her, 'Please give me a drink.' 46 "She quickly lowered her jar from her from God. 11It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of shoulder and said, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too.' So I drank, and she 47 a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. REVELATIONS 21:10,11 watered the camels also. "I asked her, 'Whose daughter are you?' "She said, 'The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.'"Then I SCRIPTURE READINGS: REVELATIONS 21:9-12; 22:1-3 put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms, 48 and I bowed down REVELATIONS 21: 9One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of and worshiped the LORD. I praised the LORD, the God of my master the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride, Abraham, who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my the wife of the Lamb." master's brother for his son. 49 Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness 10And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. turn." 50 Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is from the LORD; we can say 11It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very nothing to you one way or the other. 51 Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. let her become the wife of your master's son, as the LORD has directed." 52 12It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the When Abraham's servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. before the LORD. 53 Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her REVELATIONS 22: 1Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as brother and to her mother. 54 Then he and the men who were with him ate clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb and drank and spent the night there. When they got up the next morning, he 2down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river said, "Send me on my way to my master." stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. GENESIS 24:66 Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. 67 Isaac brought 3No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became be in the city, and his servants will serve him. his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.

INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION Our scripture lesson gives us a picture of the most ideal city we could ever The liturgy for our wedding ceremonies introduces marriage in the imagine - the “new Jerusalem”. This city specially built by God, we are told, following words: “Marriage is an institution ordained by God. It is a life- radiates and possesses the Glory of God. This city demonstrates a sense of long union of body, mind and spirit of one man and one woman. It is to orderliness and serenity none can compare. be entered into with due diligence, thought and the fear of God”.

We are told of a river of life, bright as crystal, which is unpolluted and Last week, we looked at how Samson threw caution to the wind, and just wonderful trees with variety of fruits which yield each month giving an depended on his feelings in choosing a wife. He ruined his life that way.

129 20 indication of high environmental sanity and making the tress highly productive. In this city we are told that nothing can be accursed. Week 24 Beginning What then can we say of our cities and towns here in Ghana? Can the same June 13, CHOOSING A WIFE FOR ISAAC story be told of us? What are we doing wrong and how can we arrest this 2010 situation?

In this study we are going to look at our Ghanaian situation to ascertain whether our towns are being planned properly or if development of towns precedes planning and what role we can play as Christians to avert the situation. KEY VERSE: "Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as the LORD has directed" GENESIS 24:51 For the purpose of this study, Biblical Times are going to be compared with our Ghanaian situation and under the Ghanaian situation we will be looking at SCRIPTURE LESSON: GENESIS 24:1-20; 24:28; 45-54; 66-67 the pre-colonial era, colonial era and the modern/post colonial era.

GENESIS 24: 1 Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the EXPOSITION LORD had blessed him in every way. 2 He said to the chief [a] servant in his EXAMPLE OF TOWN PLANNING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT household, the one in charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh. 3 I want you to swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, 1. DURING THE TIME OF MOSES: Decisions on how towns and cities that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, should be planned were directed by the priest with instructions from God. 4 Some of the factors considered were the following: among whom I am living, but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac." i. Access to the Tabernacle: The tent (Tabernacle) was the centre of the GENESIS 24:10 Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and left, taking construction of the camps during Mosaic times because religion was with him all kinds of good things from his master. He set out for Aram extremely important to the people. They camped around the tabernacle for Naharaim [c] and made his way to the town of Nahor. 11 He had the camels easy access to the centre of worship. The tribes were also arranged around kneel down near the well outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the the tabernacle while in the wilderness. Moses, Aaron, sons of Aaron and the women go out to draw water. 12 Then he prayed, "O LORD, God of my sons of Levi were the closest to the tabernacle, followed by the twelve master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master tribes of Israel. Numbers chapter 2 gives the arrangement in detail. Abraham. 13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14 May it be that when I say to a THE ARRANGEMENT OF TRIBES AROUND THE TABERNACLE WHILES IN THE WILDERNESS girl, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too'-let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master." 15 Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor. 16 The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever lain with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again. 17 The servant hurried to meet her and said, "Please give me a little water from your jar." 18 "Drink, my lord," she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink. 19 After she had given him a drink, she said, "I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking." 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and Source: Life Application Bible – New King James Version (NKV)

21 128 The Levites were put very close to the tabernacle in order that they could serve the priest Aaron. (Nu 3:5-8). THE WORD IN OUR LIVES According to Hebrews 11: 32-33, Samson was a man of faith, but he ii. Safety: Cities of refuge were to be half-day walk from any location so that certainly was not a faithful man. He was not faithful to his parent’s the people could easily assemble there in times of trouble. In the Bible times, teaching, his Nazarite vow or the laws of the Lord. In today’s world many there were about 35 of such cities. These cities were almost always situated on marriages end on the rocks because people do not follow the direction of hill tops with valleys which served as their source of protection and defence, God when selecting a mate. The following steps must be considered when an example being Jericho which was built on a hill making it very difficult to choosing a wife or husband the Christian way: access in times of war. They were set up for people who committed crime 1. People should not select their mate on the basis of beauty and physical accidentally to flee to until their trial (Nu 35:9-15). Some of such cities were attraction only. This is what Samson did. Hebron, Bezer, Ramoth, Golan, Kedesh and Shechem. 2. Christians should not disregard the prompting of parents, ministers, leaders and the elderly (Ex. 20:12. Pr. 6:20 Eph. 6:1). iii. Protection of sites / Preservation of nature: King Nebuchadnezzar was 3. The true Christian must not select a mate who is not a Christian (1Co. a great developer. He was known as a city builder who did not neglect nature 6:14. Jdg 14:3). in his efforts to develop. He said this of Babylon “ Is not this the great 4. One should not leave God out in the search for a future partner. (Pr Babylon, I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the 3:6). Christians should select their mates by seeking the direction of glory of my majesty?” (Dan 4:30). Jerusalem also is an example of a city built God in his Word. with regards to nature, beautiful to view. Psalm 122 gives a description of 5. The Christian must make a right choice when considering marriage beautiful Jerusalem. because God hates divorce (Mal. 2:16).

2. THE GHANAIAN SITUATION: DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Planning of the built environment in Ghana will be examined from three 1. Identify what Christians should avoid when choosing a partner for angles: the pre-colonial, colonial and the post colonial eras. marriage. PRE-COLONIAL ERA: In this era, there were no town and country planners; 2. Discuss the role of parents in choosing a life partner however towns had a plan. 3. Should we always marry from our society, class or ethnic tribe only? i. Security: This was the basic factor considered in building towns in Why? the pre-colonial era. Settlements were clustered together so that residents will serve as a source of security for one another. 4. Discuss the criteria Sampson used to choose a life partner and its effect ii. Protection of sites / preservation of nature: Sometimes trees and on him. grasses were planted to serve as embankment, during the raining 5. What can the church do to discourage wrong choices in mate selection? season, against erosion and flooding. Some trees were also built to serve as source of shade for the people in the community to relax under. DAILY BIBLE READINGS Monday Genesis 2:18-25 Marriage instituted by God. COLONIAL ERA: In this era, professional planning or the Town and Country Tuesday Exodus 34:15-16 Marriage with unbelievers forbidden Planning Department had been established by the colonial rulers and the unit Wednesday Matthew 19:5-9 Permanency of Marriage led in the planning of our cities and towns. Thursday Hosea 2:16-20 Commitment to the Lord as Marriage Friday Proverbs 31:30 Beauty is deceptive i. PLANNING OF TOWNS BY THE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING Saturday 1 Kings 11:1-6 Wrong choices and its effects

127 22 choices eventually destroyed his life. DEPARTMENT: Towns were planned with respect to all the necessary facilities and amenities needed for comfortable and satisfactory life by the people in the IN DEPTH community. The facilities and amenities provided for in the planning of towns JUDGES 14:1-2. Samson selected his wife based on first appearance. The exact were: means of transportation, education, protection / security, commercial location of Timnah is unknown, but it was on the Judah-Dan border (Jos 15:10, centers or markets, recreational centers, hospitals or health centers, water and 19:43); At this time it was in Philistine hands. Initial attraction to a man or sanitation and electricity. Ash Town and Adum, which are suburbs in the woman begins a relationship. Things which attract people in mate selection central area of the Kumasi Metropolis in the Ashanti region, are examples of include, beauty, skill, riches, social standing, education, etc. Samson was such model towns which were created in the colonial era. Adum, for instance, attracted to the Philistine woman upon setting his eyes on her. There are many was set up as a commercial town, hence adequate allocation was made for the people in the congregation who select their mate on the basis of beauty and location of shops and stores as compared to the other land uses. It is also physical attraction only. Samson did not consider character, and the “Christian” characterized by the proper layout of roads with streets and lanes. standing of the woman. He was controlled by “the lust of the eyes” (1Jn 2:16). He failed to realise that “charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a POST – COLONIAL / POST INDEPENDENCE ERA: One major feature of this woman who fears the Lord is to be praised” (Pr. 31:30) era was the planned development of towns and cities during the First Republic. VERSE 3: Parental, Pastor or elder guidance is significant in selecting a mate. The best example is Tema, built as an industrial town, and the building of Samson did not consider whether the lady was a “Christian” or not. Christians estates and flats around the country. For example, Kwadaso Estate, Dechemso must select only people who are in the Lord. Samson’s parents did well to Estate, Ahinsan Estate, all in Kumasi and Kaneshie Estate in Accra. In dissuade him from yoking himself thus unequally with an unbeliever. (Deut. Koforidua and Dansoman. In Accra local estates were also built under Gen. 7:3). Children should listen to their parents, pastors and other trusted Christians Kutu Acheampong, former Head of State in Ghana. Other estates and flats during mate selection. Honour your father and your mother so that you may live... (Ex. have been built in other parts of the country. The problem with the building of 20:12).Samson was not pleasing the Lord nor his parents but himself (2Co 5:14- these estates and flats was that they did not suit the family system operating 15). here in Ghana (that is, the extended family system). The flats were made up of VERSE 16: The power of women to use sex, flattery, and other things to two bedrooms which could not support residents since Ghanaians practice and influence men is shown in this passage. Delilah, another Philistine woman, did also enjoy having large families. Again population increase has contributed in the same thing to Samson; hence he broke his Nazarite vow to God (Jdg 16:15- putting pressure on the facilities built in this era. 17; Nu. 6:5). Many great men of God have fallen due to the influence of women. “And a wayward wife is a narrow well” (Pr. 23:27b). “For the lips of an MODERN ERA: In this era, Town planning is still handled by the Town and adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is Country Planning Department. This then raises a number of questions about bitter as gall...” (Pr 5:34). Men of God should stick to God in spite of pressures the mess in our cities. The following are evidence of the mess we find in our they face in the ministry. Samson forgot himself and broke his vow to God cities: with dire consequences. i. Buildings, including churches, which are constructed in water ways are a VERSES 19-20: In relationships how does your would be spouse react to events? common phenomenon in this era, which results in flooding. Samson departed to his father’s house due to anger and by this reaction his Consequently, resources and human life are lost. fiancée was given to his friend. “In your anger do not sin” (Eph 4:26a, 4:31). ii. Facilities and amenities are provided with little attention to the rapidly Anger can ruin a relationship in marriage, courtship, etc. “Refrain from anger growing population. The resultant effects are intense pressure on these and turn from wrath; do not fret - it leads only to evil.” (Ps. 37:8, Pr 29:22; facilities and deep seated filth which have been very difficult to address 27:4) by various governments. iii. Again rapidly growing population has resulted in congestion in cities and towns leading to haphazard development of structures in unauthorized 23 126 12 "Let me tell you a riddle," Samson said to them. "If you can give me the areas and slums. This has resulted in the current congestion – answer within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments decongestion cycles. and thirty sets of clothes. iv. Poorly planned road networks and poor traffic regulatory systems 13 If you can't tell me the answer, you must give me thirty linen garments and have also contributed to traffic jams and its related economic loss. thirty sets of clothes." "Tell us your riddle," they said. "Let's hear it." Again the lack of access roads has made it extremely difficult to link 14 He replied, "Out of the eater, something to eat; out of the strong, up communities. In emergency situations such as the outbreak of something sweet." For three days they could not give the answer. fire, it is hardly possible for fire personnel to intervene. 15 On the fourth day, they said to Samson's wife, "Coax your husband into WHY THE MESS explaining the riddle for us, or we will burn you and your father's household The above situation (mess) has come about as a result of certain basic to death. Did you invite us here to rob us?" problems with the systems of operation as outlined below. 16 Then Samson's wife threw herself on him, sobbing, "You hate me! You don't really love me. You've given my people a riddle, but you haven't told me i. The effectiveness of the Town and Country Planning the answer." "I haven't even explained it to my father or mother," he replied, Department: The population of Ghana has almost quadrupled "so why should I explain it to you?" since independence leading to population pressure on the facilities 17 She cried the whole seven days of the feast. So on the seventh day he finally that have been created. In some situations, this has led to the told her, because she continued to press him. She in turn explained the riddle creation of “slums” (building without provision of basic facilities) to her people. such as “Sodom and Gomorrah”. This brings to question the 18 Before sunset on the seventh day the men of the town said to him, "What effectiveness of the Town and Country Planning Departments and is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?" Samson said to them, their ability to manage development. After 50 years of "If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle." independence, not much has changed and what used to exist has 19 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon him in power. He went down to deteriorated. The Town and Country Planning Department seems Ashkelon, struck down thirty of their men, stripped them of their belongings to have lost its effectiveness and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. Burning with ii. Rezoning: This term refers to the change of original land use to anger, he went up to his father's house. other land uses. The most affected land use in this regard are 20 And Samson's wife was given to the friend who had attended him at his recreational areas and sometimes educational sites. With population wedding. increase, these land uses are mostly converted to residential land use and sometimes commercial land use. BACKGROUND iii. The role of traditional rulers: The problem of increased From the beginning marriage was God’s idea. Marriage was planned by God population coupled with the desire of people to build has resulted to meet human need for companionship, love, mutual encouragement, in the double sale of land by our traditional rulers. This is a practice practical help and sexual satisfaction (Ge 2:18, 1Co. 7:2-3). The miracle by which is causing a lot of problems in our towns and cities today. Jesus at the wedding in Cana recorded in John 2:1-11 suggests that God wants

THE CHRISTIAN RESPONSE people to enjoy marriage to the full. The fullness of Christian marriage can be achieved if the right choice is made, but the right choice can only be made by • As Christians, our desire to build should not override the following godly principles. importance of doing the right thing. We should ensure that we are following the building regulations and that our lands for Wrong choices and disregard to God’s law towards selecting partners can development are properly acquired hinder us from achieving God’s purpose for our lives. A lot can be learnt • Christian workers who are found in the town planning sector from Samson’s life on how not to choose a life partner. Sadly for Samson his (Planners, Architects, Building Technologists, Surveyors, etc) 125 24 should ensure that they help their clients to do the right thing with Week 23 respect to town planning. They should work as unto God and not man. Beginning HOW NOT TO CHOOSE A LIFE • Christians should serve as “watch dog” members of society, that is, if they see someone doing the wrong thing they should correct them or June 6, PARTNER: LESSONS 2010 report to the authorities; for someone building in a waterway today FROM SAMSON will lead to flooding in their homes or someone else’s home tomorrow. • We must aspire to a high degree of sanitation, for it is said “cleanliness KEY VERSE: His father and mother replied, "Isn't there an acceptable woman is next to godliness”. among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?" But Samson said to his father, "Get CONCLUSION her for me. She's the right one for me." JUDGES 14:3 In Revelations 21 and 22, we are told of a New Jerusalem which we are going to inherit. In the New Jerusalem – God’s own city, we identify intense SCRIPTURE LESSON: JUDGES 14:1-20 planning with great aesthetics. There are rivers clear as crystal and trees with 1 Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman. fruits and leaves for the healing of the people. As Christians therefore, we 2 When he returned, he said to his father and mother, "I have seen a Philistine have to ensure in our own small ways to replicate this ideal here on earth so woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife." that we can easily fit into the New Jerusalem.

3 His father and mother replied, "Isn't there an acceptable woman among your DISCUSSION QUESTIONS relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines 1. Is God really concerned about proper town planning in our cities? Give to get a wife?" But Samson said to his father, "Get her for me. She's the right a reason for your answer. one for me." 2. How can the challenges of town planning be solved in Ghana? 4 (His parents did not know that this was from the LORD, who was seeking an 3. Who do you think is to be blamed for the mess in our cities and why? occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel.) 4. In your view, what should be the Christian reaction to the mess we find 5 in our cities? Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION toward him. ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ groups should not only be concerned about security but also about 6 The Spirit of the LORD came upon him in power so that he tore the lion other issues that affect their communities. Based on this week’s lesson what can you apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told and your neighbours do to ensure proper planning and a healthy environment neither his father nor his mother what he had done. 7 Then he went down and in your community? Share your reflections with your group talked with the woman, and he liked her. 8 Some time later, when he went back to marry her, he turned aside to look at DAILY BIBLE READINGS the lion's carcass. In it was a swarm of bees and some honey, Monday Jeremiah 29:4-7 God is interested in good Planning 9 which he scooped out with his hands and ate as he went along. When he Tuesday Ezra 7:25-26 Obey the Laws of the Land rejoined his parents, he gave them some, and they too ate it. But he did not tell Wednesday Psalm 122:1-5 Jerusalem is beautifully built them that he had taken the honey from the lion's carcass. Thursday Isaiah 22:1-4 Unplanned Town, Full of Commotion 10 Now his father went down to see the woman. And Samson made a feast Friday Isaiah 22: 10-14 Consult Town and Country Planning there, as was customary for bridegrooms. Department before Building. 11 When he appeared, he was given thirty companions. Saturday Psalm 122:5-9 Seek the Prosperity of your Town

25 124 Week 4 Beginning January 24, THE PLASTIC WASTE FAMILY LIFE 2010 MENACE Every Christian family begins with the marriage of a man and a woman.

KEY VERSE: For the LORD your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that he will not see among As in every part of our lives, the choice of you anything indecent and turn away from you. DEUTERONOMY 23:14 our spouse has to be according to God’s will. SCRIPTURE LESSON: DEUTERONOMY 23:9-14 DEUTERONOMY 23: 9 When you are encamped against your enemies, keep away from everything impure. In this section we have two contrasting 10 If one of your men is unclean because of a nocturnal emission, he is to go outside the approaches to choosing our life partners. camp and stay there. One approach leads to chaos and confusion 11 But as evening approaches he is to wash himself, and at sunset he may return to the while the other leads to a properly camp. established and stable home. 12 Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. 13 As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement. We have to glorify God by what we do in our 14 For the LORD your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver families. Two lessons therefore on your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that he will not see among you practicising the presence of God in our anything indecent and turn away from you. homes end the studies for this first half of 2010. REVIEW OF PREVIOUS STUDIES In the Health and Sanitation Section of the Jan-June 2008 issue of the Weekly Bible Lessons, we discussed topics that are closely related to this week’s topic.

We would like to repeat some sections of the June 8, 2008 study entitled ‘Cleanliness and Godliness’ for emphasis, because we believe these are very important issues that affect our daily lifes.

BACKGROUND The need to keep our environment clean has become a major topic for discussion in the media. Many communities undertake clean-up campaigns now and then and the television sometimes highlights these events to serve as an example for others to emulate.

In spite of these efforts, our streets are littered with plastic waste and our gutters are choked with garbage, some of the containers of which contain human excreta. The situation in our cities and towns is so desperate that an observer suggested that the country's quest to become a middle-income nation may not be achieved if good

123 26 at a price of ¢65 per share, making a huge capital gain of ¢3.2 million, environmental practices are not adopted. God abhors dirt and he may turn away from which was then equivalent to $10,000. ‘That was the money I used for my unhealthy surroundings. It is therefore our responsibility to keep our environment clean. first import of one container of spare parts in 1992’, Mr. Mintah said.

From a small share acquisition on the stock market, today he is worth THE WORD IN OUR LIVES over *¢15 billion on the stock market and has shares in almost all the Today’s passage shows that clear instructions on cleanliness were to apply even when equities listed on the GSE.” (*equivalent to GH¢1.5million) the Israelites were out of their homes and camped in war. This means that we cannot have any excuses such as poverty or lack of resources for keeping our environment DISCUSSION QUESTIONS unclean and unhealthy. But what do we see? 1. Who should be interested in the operations of the financial market?  The refuse container is sited near the lorry station; the residents pile up whatever Kindly justify your answer waste they have, including faecal material in polythene bags. The bags burst and 2. Do you believe that Christians in general have interest in the the stench that comes from the waste is unbearable to the residents, for the operations of the financial market? Kindly justify your answer. container is not emptied for a while.  Auntie Ama sells roasted plantain at a spot near the public toilet. Her food is 3. In the Parable of the Talents, what did Jesus teach about the financial patronized by pupils whose compound is also near the toilet. market?  A person dies of an infectious disease. The doctor asks the relatives to bury him 4. How can Christians benefit from the operations of the financial immediately; the relatives disobey the rule and lay him in state for people to file market? past before burial. 5. What should Christians avoid in the operations of the stock market?  A person goes out and shakes hands with friends at a funeral, some of whom 6. What lessons can you learn from the story of Mr. Oduro Mintah? have smeared their hands with a pleasant odour. He goes back home and instead of washing his hands thoroughly, dips it in water and eats. BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION  Ama sweeps the compound and dumps the rubbish into a nearby gutter. What have been your experiences with the money market? How has it  Drivers at a lorry station go behind a vehicle and urinate at a spot. The vehicle helped you? Ask your bankers to explain to you how you can be involved moves away and the sun shines on the urine; the stench that emanates from the in the money market and act now! Share your experiences with your heat is offensive and unbearable. members. BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION In applying the lesson, we asked that you, “Formulate a plan of action for keeping DAILY BIBLE READINGS: your community clean” and put it into practice. What did you do about it? Monday Proverbs 14:23 Working with what we have discussed rather than merely talking about it. The Plastic Waste Menace Tuesday Ecclesiastes 5:19-20 God provides wealth. Over the years, plastic sheets and bags have replaced leaves, paper, baskets, etc., as Wednesday Ecclesiastes 9:13-16 Wisdom is important but the poor efficient means of packaging and carrying various items. man’s wisdom is despised. Thursday Proverbs 22:7 The rich rule over the poor. There are also the sachets and bottles for water and plates, cups and spoons all made Friday 1 Timothy 6:17-18 Riches and humility of plastic which are convenient to use and can be easily disposed of. Saturday Proverbs 24:33-34 Hard work Indeed, plastic bags and containers have really come to help in many aspects of our domestic and social lives.

Plastics are not bio-degradable In the past when we used paper and leaves as wrappers, they could be dropped

27 122 anywhere or swept and sent to the rubbish dump and they would rot and turn into Proverbs 13:11, Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers organic soil, which could be used to fertilize crops. This is because these materials can money little by little makes it grow. be broken down by micro-organisms. Proverbs 20:17: Food gained by fraud tastes sweet to a man, but he ends up with a mouth full of gravel. Plastics are not like that. They cannot be broken down by micro-organisms. It is reported Proverbs 21:6: A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a that plastic products take 50 to 80 years to decompose when left in the environment. This is an important fact which we must remember whenever we indiscriminately drop plastics. deadly snare. Jeremiah 17:11 Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay is the man It is estimated that in Ghana, about 270 tonnes of plastic waste is generated in a day who gains riches by unjust means. When his life is half gone, they will desert and only 2% is recycled. So where does the rest go, if not to pollute the environment. him, and in the end he will prove to be a fool

SOCIO-ECONOMIC EFFECTS Honesty, truthfulness, and straight dealing are extremely important for The effects of indiscriminate disposal of plastic waste are many and include the Christians who deal on the money market. following:- 1. When these plastics end up in the streets and water ways, the streets are THE WORD IN OUR LIVES: littered, gutters and sewage are choked, creating huge environmental and Below is an excerpt from the Daily Graphic newspaper edition of sanitation problems. Tuesday, August 24, 2004 titled “The Man, Oduro Mintah and Stock 2. Livestock take in these plastic bags and are choked and killed. Exchange” 3. When they end up in the sea and other water bodies, birds and aquatic animals are choked and killed. The Man, Oduro Mintah and Stock Exchange 4. They remain undecomposed in the soil and negatively affect the texture and “‘From a tabletop trader in machine tools, to a spare parts dealer and now to finance’, fertility of the soil. this is how Mr. Oduro Mintah, the second largest individual investor on the country’s stock market describes himself. When Mr. Mintah, 45, a middle It takes a lot of money to go back and collect all these plastics for proper disposal. For school leaver and an auto mechanic by profession, decided to take the risk to example, when on July 22, 2004 Ghana declared a war on plastic waste in Accra, it was going to cost US$1.5m for recycling and the bulk was to pay for those who would invest in shares, (something he knew little about) in 1991, he never collect the plastics. anticipated that today, he could be linked to finance and investment in shares. A native of Kwahu Mpraeso in the Eastern Region, Mr. Mintah said OUR CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY he started selling machine tools at Tudu in the heart of Accra, after 1. Anytime you drink sachet-water and drop the plastic, you must remember completing a two-year auto mechanic course in Accra in 1979. He moved to that you are causing a menace which will outlive you! Abossey Okai in 1981 to trade in spare parts until 1993. He had his first 2. Whenever you throw a plastic container or wrapper anywhere, remember that experience with the stock exchange upon the advice given to him by his you are causing huge economic loss to the country. banker to buy the initial public offer of Fan Milk Limited, at ¢10 per share in 3. When someone throws plastics away indiscriminately and you do not point 1991. He bought 2,000 shares. After a few weeks Mr. Mintah went to his out to him/her the error in his/her action, you have become a partner in crime banker and asked what had become of the ¢20,000 investment he made in against the country and humanity. Fan Milk, and was directed to the offices of ECOBANK to seek investment 4. We must ensure that in our churches, District Assemblies, institutions, work advice. Upon the advice he got from ECOBANK, his knowledge in places, markets, etc., there are garbage bins in which people can drop their investment improved. So he bought additional shares making it a total of plastic and other wastes. 50,000 shares. Three months down the lane, he sold his entire 50,000 shares

OUR CHRISTIAN RESPONSIBILITY There are few areas where there is such an urgent need for what we believe in to agree 121 28 The financial market is the term used to describe the market in which with what we do than in the destruction of the environment with plastic products. funds/monies are transferred from lenders/suppliers to borrowers/users of funds. Intermediaries such as banks, stockbrokers, loan companies, credit Christians believe in a Creator God who has given us the responsibility to take care of unions and others facilitate this transfer of funds. Therefore, financial markets his creation. “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let include a wide range of individuals, organizations and institutions. Financial them rule over… God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it…” (Ge. 1:26-28). regulatory bodies are established to provide integrity within financial markets – to protect consumers, to protect the national interest and to protect the You cannot be a Bible-believing Christian and not be concerned about the destruction integrity of the economy. of the environment. You need to answer a few questions: 1. Are you concerned about bush-fires which destroy the environment? Securities are financial instruments or legal documents signifying either an 2. Are you concerned about the indiscriminate felling of trees and the depletion ownership position in a company (that is, shares) or a creditor relationship of the forests? with a company, or government or an entity (that is, bonds). 3. Are you concerned about the destruction of the environment by mining companies, galamsey miners, sandwinners, etc? CLASSIFICATION OF FINANCIAL MARKETS 4. Are you concerned about the depletion of the ozone layer and its Usually, the financial market is separated into the Money Market and Capital consequences?

Market. One can invest on the money market (for the short term) and on the DISCUSSION QUESTIONS/WHAT DO DO capital market (for the long term). The problem we face is real, what we need are solutions. Therefore your group must spend part of its time discussing SOLUTIONS to the problem. Money Market It is a market for trading in securities with a maturity period of one year or 1. What can your group/congregation do? less. Instruments traded on the money market are called money market 2. What can your community do? instruments. It provides a means for borrowers/users and lenders/suppliers Draw your ACTION PLANS including the following:- to quickly adjust their cash positions. Examples of Money Market Instruments a. Education – Creating awareness of the menace are Treasury Bills b. Practical steps to removing the menace  Let this be on the Agenda for the Leader’s Meeting. Draw a Composite Plan. Capital Market Send us a copy. We will publish and publicise some of the best plans The capital market is a market for trading in securities with maturity periods  Execute your Plan. of more than one year. It is the means by which investors invest money in the long-term. Examples of capital market instruments are shares and (corporate BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION or government) bonds. “Shares” simply mean part ownership in a company. Resolve today that you will actively help to stop this menace, and that you will no Bonds are long-term debt instruments with maturity periods of more than one longer drop plastics indiscriminately. God bless you and your group as you do so!

-year. DAILY BIBLE READINGS Monday Deuteronomy 23:9-14 Proper disposal of human excreta The Parable of the Talents (emphasis on Matthew 25:27) is a typical example Tuesday Leviticus 13:47-59 Dispose off unclean materials of Jesus Christ teaching us about the importance of the financial market. Wednesday Leviticus 13:38-46 Quarantine those with infectious diseases Thursday Leviticus 14:33-53 Action over dangerous and WHAT MUST BE AVOIDED? contaminated structures Christians must avoid cheating and taking advantage of others on the money Friday Genesis 3:17-19 Nature is cursed market. Remember the following scriptures: Saturday Romans 8:18-25 Nature awaits its redemption

29 120 SIGNS OF CHURCH GROWTH what belongs to you.' 26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you INTRODUCTORY NOTES knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? In our previous edition we examined Church Growth from the perspective 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, of the Early Church. We examined how the growth of the Church was so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. effected through the power of the Holy Spirit. We also examined the four (emphasis ours) pillars of church Growth: Conceptual, Organic, Incarnational and Numerical 28" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. Growth. We continue by studying the signs of growth of a church. By signs of 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. growth we refer to evidence or proof of growth in the church. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will In strategic planning, there has to be indicators by which the vision bearer be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' would know whether the vision is being achieved. Without these indicators, there could be a lot of activity, but no results achieved. The ten signs or INTRODUCTION indicators to be discussed in this edition have been accepted by Church A rich man once said “If you took all the money in the world and divided it Growth experts as useful for evaluating churches, that is, Societies in The equally among everybody, it would soon be back in the same pockets it was Methodist Church Ghana context. before” (Seven Strategies for Wealth and Happiness - Jim Rohn). This statement shows the importance of acting on what we learn, especially with respect to How to Apply the Signs money. Act on what you learn from this lesson on money.

A. THE PASTOR: To benefit adequately from the use of these signs in EXPOSITION assessing your society/societies, the pastor (and caretaker) must take charge Why is it necessary for Christians to be knowledgeable about the money of the exercise, by doing the following: market? i. Bible class leaders must be instructed on the use of the scoring system. One of the challenges with Christians is the fact that some Christians see the ii. At the end of every week, the pastor must take the scores from every financial market as a market for unbelievers. In today’s world Christians must class and average them to know the church’s stand on the particular be knowledgeable about the money market. Money is everybody’s business. In indicators. today’s world you can cannot live your life without being affected by the activities of the Central Bank, Commercial Banks, Stock Exchanges among B. THE SCORING SYSTEM others. Today’s Christian should have the broad-based knowledge, skills and i. Each sign has 3 questions. Discuss each question thoroughly as it the ability to read, understand as well as undertake basic financial activities such applies to your church. as money management and investment in treasury bills, bonds, shares, mutual ii. After the discussion, the class must agree to a score to be assigned to funds and other instruments on the financial markets. the question. iii. There are 4 scores designated as follows:- Your knowledge about the money market will determine how you think and 1. Very Poor – Your church is very weak in this area how you think determines how you behave. Again, how you behave determines 2. Fair – There is some activity but not adequate to make any impact what you become. Appropriate information will help you change how you 3. Good – The activity is yielding some results, but there is room for think, and this new thinking will determine how you will handle money. How improvement you will handle money can make you either rich or poor. 4. Very Good – There is planned activity in this area and it is yielding the

119 30 Week 22 desired results. Beginning iv. For each sign, the minimum total score will be 3 and the maximum can May 30, WHAT IS THE MONEY be 12. 2010 MARKET? v. Which sign received the minimum score after averaging all the scores from the different classes? vi. The signs with the minimum marks must receive the attention of the Leaders Meeting for Church Growth to occur. KEY VERSE: “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6a) C. At the end of the 4-week exercise, the pastor must collate all the scores "Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so and have a picture of the church’s position on the indicators. that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. MATTHEW D. The leaders meeting or the relevant committee must then identify the 25:27 sign/s in which the society is weakest. E. Bible Classes should discuss possible solutions/interventions to improve SCRIPTURE LESSONS: MATTHEW 25:14-30 upon the weak areas of the church’s life. The Class Leader should MATTHEW 25:14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his record these for onward submission to the Leaders’ Meeting/relevant servants and entrusted his property to them. Church Committee that deals with the issue. 15To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another F. You may want to conduct a Society meeting on “Church Growth”, to one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ascertain the Church’s view on the identified weakest point/s in the 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money Church. to work and gained five more. G. It is now the responsibility of the Leader’s Meeting to find solutions to 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. the problems identified. This will become a major agenda at its 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the meetings. ground and hid his master's money. 19"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts NB: Without the Pastor’s (or Caretaker’s) preparedness to take leadership in with them. ensuring that the weaknesses of the Church are identified and solutions found, 20 ”The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' this will be an unprofitable exercise. he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' 21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' 22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' 23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' 24"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is

31 118 Week 5 DAILY BIBLE READINGS Beginning SIGNS OF CHURCH Monday 1 Timothy 6:1-10 The power of wealth is subtle January 31, Tuesday Matthew 6:24-27 The source of wealth is secure 2010 GROWTH - STUDY I Wednesday James 4:1-3 The temptation of wealth is spending Thursday Matthew 24-27 The strategy of wealth is saving Friday Acts 20:32-35 The purpose of wealth is sharing This week we shall consider the following two signs. Saturday Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the Lord brings wealth i. Constant Prayer ii. Eventful Worship

CONSTANT PRAYER INTRODUCTION: A church may be described as constantly praying if:  It has well-attended prayer meetings, either in homes or at the church, every week.  It teaches and encourages individual and personal prayer and gives out Trinity Sunday this year falls regular prayer topics to the membership on Sunday 30th May 2010  It teaches and encourages prayer covering a wide spectrum of topics. Members are encouraged to pray not for their personal needs alone but for their community and world needs.

EXPLANATION/ DISCUSSION Discuss the following questions/issues before giving a Score a. (i) In a growing church, corporate prayer is very important. The apostles prayed constantly. Note that, we arae not talking about the liturgical prayers during Sunday Worship Services nor the MPRP prayer alone. (ii) How is the total Church mobilized for prayer – for example midweek Prayer Services, All-Night Prayer Vigils, etc.? (iii). What is the attendance both of the leadership and the ordinary members at these prayer meetings? b. Is there any arrangement for individuals to make their prayer needs known. Is there a Prayer Coordinator who follows up on these to ensure that individual needs are prayed for and answered prayers are acknowledged in Church? c. When there is a crisis in the community, how does your church respond in prayer for Divine intervention?

117 32 pulls down a fish net; CONSTANT PRAYER – YOUR SCORE  It becomes a root cause of many other kinds of evil that will cause a No The Questions/Issues Score (Tick one) person to wander from a pure faith in Christ; .  It becomes a source of great grief to the person. 1 Our church has well-attended prayer meetings, 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ 4❏ either in homes or at the church, every week. Paul never condemns those who are wealthy, for he knows God loves to 2 Individual and personal prayer is encouraged 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ 4❏ provide abundantly for his children’s needs (1 Ti. 4:3, 4; Ecc. 5:19, 20). and topics for prayer are regularly given to Instead, he is concerned that they do not arrogantly make riches an idol in church members. which they trust for security. Further, he wants them to share with those in 3 Prayer for our community and world needs 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ 4❏ need and thereby lay up eternal rewards for themselves (I Ti 6:17-19). features prominently in the life of our church. II. EVENTFUL WORSHIP TEST YOURSELF INTRODUCTION 1. In today’s lesson, what living thing is wealth likened to? (Pr. 23:5) Eventful worship implies that the worshippers present themselves before God 2. Quote Proverbs 23:4 in a way and manner acceptable and pleasing to him. 3. Fill in the spaces: The ……of the LORD brings….., and he adds no God is Spirit and those who worship him must do so in spirit and in truth. ……to it (Pr 10:22) Such eventful worship results in; 4. True or False? The Lord builds the house, so the labourers should  Services that are always helpful and uplifting. watch over the city (Pr. 27:1)  Services in which members sing, (dance) and give enthusiastically 5. Complete: In vain you rise………………… (Ps. 127:2)  Services in which visitors attending for the first time participate with joy and understanding. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1 a. In what ways are people greedily pursuing wealth in the Ghanaian EXPLANATION/DISCUSSIONS – Discuss these issues before giving society? your scores b. What are some of the dangers associated with such a life? a. (i) Do you go to church every Sunday, because you must go or because, 2. In what ways are people wearing themselves out to get rich? How would the previous weeks’ services was so eventful that you want to be back? you help such people? (ii) Was it the preaching, the felt presence of the Lord, some testimonies, 3. What kind of life is Paul describing when he speaks of godly etc., which draws your back? contentment? (iii). How eventful are worship services in your Church, or is it mere 4. In what ways can wealth become a blessing or a curse? routine, week after week? 5. The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. The love of money can drive a person b. (i) The participation in worship – is it largely some individuals or groups into all types of evil. Greediness may cause a believer even to stray from the faith. performing or everybody participates in the singing? Discuss. (ii) How do the choir and other bodies minister to the church? c. (i) What is the nature of the ushering service in your Church? LESSON APPLICATION (ii) How are visitors made welcome in your church and what is the nature Reflect on your life. In what ways have you been driven to overwork of participation of visitors in your Church? yourself in pursuit of wealth to the detriment of your faith, family and your d. To what extent can you say that the Bible is made central to the issues that health? Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to do the right thing. confront Christians every day in your church?

EVENTFUL WORSHIP – YOUR SCORE 33 116 No. The Questions/Issues Score (Tick one) complete ruin – of reputation, of virtue, of happiness, and of the soul. In their ceaseless pursuit after gold, they neglect their never-dying souls. Many 1 Our worship services are al- 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ families have thus been destroyed. ways helpful and uplifting 4❏ times But riches are not long-lasting; they are very uncertain things. The more we set our eyes upon them the more likely they are to fly away from us. Either 2 Everybody sings enthusiasti- 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ they must be taken from us or we must be taken from them. Wealth is said cally and appears joyful dur- 4❏ ing our worship to flow away as a flood (Job 20:28), or fly away as a bird.

3 Someone who had never 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ We must endeavour to live comfortably, and provide for our children and been to church before would 4❏ families, according to our ability but we must not seek great things just for understand what to do and their sake. Some people think that their happiness depends on being rich. what was being sung or said They fail to realize that “a man's life does not consist in the abundance of in our worship his possessions” (Lk. 12:15)

What kind of life then is Paul describing when he speaks of godly COMPILATION OF SCORES contentment (I Ti 6:6-8)? For Paul, it is having a firm understanding of the All class leaders must give the scores of their classes to the minister or passing nature of life. The things of this world are here when we arrive and are left coordinator. He/She should then collate the scores of all the classes. If behind when we leave. Neither godliness nor contentment can be found in the score from a particular class is too different from the others, it may accumulating them. Things beyond God’s provision of our basic needs be discussed, or they can be asked to review their scores, since such (“food and clothing,” I Ti 6:8) can be enjoyed without them becoming a scores can distort the overall picture. necessity. Paul understood that if “godliness” (our desire to see God’s character reproduced in us) and “contentment” (our acceptance of God’s DAILY BIBLE READINGS will in our lives) depend on our environment or circumstances, both will Monday Psalm 8 Adoration from the heart always be unstable. Tuesday Mark 7:7-11 Ask, Seek and Knock Wednesday Matthew 26:36-46 Watch and pray Elsewhere, Paul indicates that godly contentment must be a learned Thursday Luke 18:1-8 Pray and do not give up response (see Php. 4:11–13). Developing godly contentment lies well Friday Psalm 100 Worship the Lord with gladness beyond our abilities. That is why, along with Paul, we must have this Saturday John 4:21-24 Worship in spirit and in truth attitude which says, “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me” (Php. 4:13). Paul warns against the greedy pursuit of riches, and he cites several results of such greed:  It makes a person vulnerable to yield consistently to temptation;  It creates a snare for the person;  This sin gives birth to other evil desires;  This sin can pull a person to the depths of depravity as a lead weight

115 34 world, and we can take nothing out of it) reminds us of the first and the last. We Week 6 come into the world empty-handed, and that is the way we leave it. This is Beginning the reason why a child of God ought not to be senselessly running after February 7, SIGNS OF CHURCH money as if that is all there is to life. 2010 GROWTH - STUDY II

There is nothing wrong in being rich, and there is nothing wrong in working to be rich. However, we should not make that the goal in life. There is nothing wrong in a person becoming wealthy. The wrong comes We continue our study of the signs of Church Growth this week. You may refer when there is the presumptuous desire of the heart for money. That is to the INTRODUCTORY NOTES (last week’s study) to refresh your mind on greediness. Wealth should not be the very object of our hearts. how to go about the study. This week we shall consider the following three signs: Money is not evil in itself. Notice that it is the love of money that is a I. Effective Leadership (rather than the) root of all evil (I Ti 6:10). In the quest for wealth, we are II. Respect for Biblical Authority encouraged to remember that the first priority in life is not work. This is not speaking against industriousness and hard work but rather warning III. Openess to Change against overwork for the sake of accumulating riches. Several examples exist of people who leave home at dawn while the children are yet to wake up from 1. EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP sleep and return late in the night when the children have already gone to Introduction: One of the major blocks to church growth is the attitude of the bed all in the pursuit of wealth. Such people occupy themselves with leadership. If the leadership is not concerned about evangelism and the other business more than they can grasp, so that their life is both drudgery and a things that bring people into saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, then the church continuous hurry. They fill their heads with projects more than they can will not grow. handle, so that their life is a constant toss of care and fear. EXPLANATION/DISCUSSION Desiring to be rich leads such people into temptation (I Ti 6:9). In order to a. (i) This is the opportunity for you to assess the leadership of your achieve their goal, they are enticed to use dishonest and often violent minister/caretaker methods. Such methods include gambling, theft, fraud (such as “sakawa”), (ii) What do you consider to be your minister’s major concerns – how do speculation, perjury, and even murder. Such people also fall into a trap. his/her concerns promote church growth? The desire becomes so strong that they cannot deliver themselves from it. b. How do you assess the effectiveness of members of the Leaders’ Meeting? Perhaps they promise themselves that when they reach a certain figure in How much caring does your leader show and what about other leaders? the bank account they will stop. But they cannot. When they reach that c. (i) To what extent does your church leadership inspire your church for goal, they have the desire for more. The desire for money also brings with growth? it cares and fears, which entangle the soul. In their desire to maintain a certain (ii) Has your church been growing, stagnating or declining in terms of social status in the community, they are often driven to sacrifice some of the really spiritual growth and to what extent is the leadership to blame? worthwhile values in life. (iii) To what extent does your church leadership make their visions known, mobilize the people and get things done? Their greed for wealth causes them to endanger their health and put their souls in danger. Indeed, that is the end toward which they are drifting. They become so occupied with material things that they become drowned in

35 114 EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP – YOUR SCORE this was done, they would be still altogether dependent on God. Mere early No The Questions/Issues Score (Tick one) rising, without his blessing, would not secure what they hoped to accomplish, . for everything is still in the hand of God. Health, strength, clearness of mind 1 Our minister/pastor/priest is a person with 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ and success, are all under his control; and though early rising may tend to vision for growth and always reminds us of 4❏ the need to reach out to others produce all these - as it does in fact - yet still people are not the less dependent on God for success. 2 The leaders in our church are caring and 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ and stay up late that you may labor or study. As in the former case the psalmist loving and are helpful in times of trouble 4❏ does not express any opinion about the propriety or impropriety of early rising. 3 Our leaders know where they are going and 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ He merely says that if it is done, this, of itself, will not accomplish the object; get things done. 4❏ people are still dependent on God for success though they do it. toiling for food to eat There may be an allusion here to the original sentence

pronounced on man (Ge 3:17). The meaning is that it is in vain that you labour 2. RESPECT FOR BIBLICAL AUTHORITY hard, that you exhaust your strength, in order to get bread to eat, unless God Introduction: The central place of the Bible in the life of a Christian and the shall bless you. After all your toil the result is with him. Church are exemplified in the following passages For he grants sleep to those he loves The meaning evidently is, that God bestows “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, a. "sleep" upon his people in some sense in which it is not bestowed on others, or correcting and training in righteousness”. (2 Ti. 3:16) that there is, in regard to their case, something in which they differ from those b. “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came who are so anxious and troubled - who rise so early for the sake of gain - who 21 about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its toil so late - who eat the bread of care. The idea seems to be that there would origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried be calmness, repose and freedom from anxiety or concern. God makes the along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Pe 1:20-21) mind of his people - his beloved - calm and peaceful, while the world around is . “ c Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may filled with anxiety and restlessness - busy, bustling, worried. As a consequence 3 grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is of this calmness of mind, and of their confidence in him, they enjoy good.” (1 Pe 2:2, 3) undisturbed repose at night. It is only by the favor of God, and by their recognizing their dependence on him, that they find repose, success, and EXPLANATION/DISCUSSION freedom from care. Discuss the following questions/issues before giving a score a. (i) To what extent does the Bible and the Constitution of the Methodist For the Student Church guide your society in taking decisions? THE WORD IN OUR LIVES (ii) When it comes to discipline in your church, to what extent does your The story is told of a millionaire who was dying, with his doctor and lawyer by church respect what the Bible and the Methodist Constitution teach? his bedside while members of his family waited outside his room. When the (iii) To what extent does your church leadership and members adhere to doctor and lawyer finally came out, the family members eagerly asked, “How the Bible and the Constitution in the giving and use of money in your much did he leave?” The lawyer said, “He left everything. He didn’t take church? anything with him.” Also, before Alexander the Great died, he said: “When I b. (i) How relevant to life do you find the preaching in your church? am dead, carry me forth on my bier, with my hands not wrapped in cloth, but (ii) Do you hear messages based on Biblical exposition from the pulpit or laid outside, so that all may see that they are empty.” do you think the messages are not Biblically based? c. (i) What is the attitude of your Church members towards Bible Class There are three periods in life when we have empty hands—at birth, at the time meetings? we come to Jesus, and at death. 1 Timothy 6:7 (For we brought nothing into the 113 36 upon its pursuits (cf. 1 Ti. 6:6–10, 17, 18). A wise person realizes that wealth is (ii). Do you find attendance to these meetings rewarding or it has temporary and unstable; it can fly away like an eagle soars to the heavens. become a mere routine? These verses, therefore, call for moderation in work. Although the Book of (iii). How does your Church compare to the Berean Church? ( Ac Proverbs discourages laziness (see Pr. 22:13), it also discourages any overwork 17:10-12) whose purpose is greater wealth.

RESPECT FOR BIBLICAL AUTHORITY – YOUR SCORE PROVERBS 10:22 Whatever we receive in the way of providence, has God's blessing in it, and will do us good. Cares, troubles, and difficulties come with No. The Questions/Issues Score (Tick one) all property not acquired in this way; but God's blessing gives simple 1 When questions arise in our church about 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ enjoyment, and imposes no strain upon the comfort. Christian life or our Church activities we turn 4❏ to the Bible for guidance. PSALM 127:1 The word house may refer either to an ordinary dwelling, to the 2 The preaching and teaching in our church are 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ temple, as a place of worship or to a family, with reference to its success and based on the Bible and related to life today. 4❏ prosperity. 3 The Bible constantly challenges our church 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ Unless the Lord builds the house The statement is universal, and is designed to about the way we behave and what we be- 4❏ lieve. indicate a universal dependence on God in human undertakings, though it is not improbable that there may have been an allusion, when the psalm was composed, to some building which was contemplated or commenced. If the 3. OPENESS TO CHANGE psalm was a composition of David or Solomon, the allusion may have been to Introduction: An example of the need for change in the early Church is the temple about to be erected. The language, however, is so general as to be recorded in Acts of the Apostles’ chapters 10 and 11. Peter was compelled by a applicable to any enterprise of that kind. vision from God to accept the Cornelius household and by implication the Its builders labour in vain The idea is, that they are entirely dependent on God. Gentiles in general as beneficiaries of the Grace of God. On explaining his No matter what their skill, their strength, their industry may be, all will be in action to the apostles as well as the brothers they accepted the change, but vain unless God shall assist them. They are dependent on him for life, for many continued to resist that change especially in Paul’s ministry to the health, for strength, for practical wisdom, for a disposition to continue their Gentiles. Before long the centre of church activity had moved from Jerusalem work, and for success in it. Their work might be destroyed by fire, by a to the city of Antioch. Resistance to accepting non-Jews was broken and the tempest, by an earthquake, or by an irruption of enemies; and for the result, church later took a decisive decision on a policy towards non-Jews coming into therefore, they are entirely dependent on God. the faith. Unless the Lord watches over the city The same idea of dependence is here repeated in another form. The preservation of a city depends wholly on God, Openness to change is facilitated by the two preceding signs, that is, Respect whatever care or precaution may be used. The allusion is to the watch or for Biblical Authority and Effective Leadership. When members have respect guard appointed to keep a city, and the idea is, that whatever may be the for biblical authority, effective leaders can help them to accept change, This will diligence, the care, the fidelity of one thus appointed to guard a city, its safe- result in a transformation of individual lives. keeping must depend on God alone. It is universally true that, after all the care for their own preservation which people can employ, their safety depends EXPLANATION/DISCUSSION – Discuss these issues before giving your wholly on God. scores. VERSE 2 The psalmist does not here say that it is improper to rise early; or a. (i) Do you see lives being changed in your Church or do you see evil that there could be no advantage in it; or that people would be more likely to increasing in your church? be successful in their undertakings if they did not rise early; but that, although (ii) To what extent are messages from the pulpit challenging lives and how

37 112 are members responding? Week 21 b. (i) How has your church reacted in the past to ministers who have Beginning brought changes that will ensure church growth? May 23, DO NO WEAR YOURSELF OUT (ii) Is your church leadership working with your minister to bring about 2010 TO BECOME RICH change that leads to growth, or they are often divided and opposing the minister? c. (i) “We have always done it this way and we don’t want any change”. Is this the general attitude you find in your church? KEY VERSE: 4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to (ii) How do you assess change in your church? show restraint. PROVERBS 23:4

OPENNESS TO CHANGE – YOUR SCORE SCRIPTURE LESSONS: PROVERBS 23:4-5; 10:22; 127:1-2; No. The Questions/Issues Score (Tick one) 4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. 5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings 1 There are many testimonies to changed 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ 4❏ lives in our church. and fly off to the sky like an eagle. 2 We have seen many changes in our 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ 4❏ church in the past few years and they PROVERBS 10:22 The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no have been accepted without bad feel- trouble to it. ings and divisions 3 Our church is willing to change the way 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ 4❏ PSALM 127:1 Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. we do things if it will help outsiders Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. come to know Jesus Christ. 2 In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat — for he grants

sleep to those he loves. COMPILATION OF SCORES The minister or coordinator must compile the scores from all the class leaders BACKGROUND as it was done last week. Many in our society live out their lives in the fear that they will not have

DAILY BIBLE READINGS enough to provide for their needs to the end of life. This fear is not entirely Monday Acts 10:1-8 Divine direction unfounded. There are many who do seem to miss out on the benefits of Tuesday Acts 10:9-23 Peter directed by vision. society, and who live and die with not quite enough of this world’s possessions. Wednesday Acts 10:24-47 Peter obeys divine direction Perhaps there is reason to be concerned about how we are to live out our days. Thursday Acts 11:1-4, 17-18 The church accepts divine direction. Yet the scriptures suggest that being in need is not the greatest danger we face. Friday Acts 15:1-11 Gods Grace transcends ethnicity There is something that is much more powerful and much more destructive than being in need, and that is striving to have an abundance of this world’s Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent falls on 17th wealth (believing they belong to us and not to God). What then should be the February, 2010. Do decide to be part of this year’s Lent, the right attitude towards the accumulation of wealth? 40-day period of waiting on the Lord before Easter. You will draw closer to the Lord if you participated IN DEPTH actively. PROVERBS 23:4-5 The admonition of this verse is to avoid making the acquisition of wealth the chief aim of one’s life by concentrating all energies

111 38 Let us pray to God for the ability to create wealth and leave the dependency Week 7 syndrome and it will be well with us as individuals and as a nation, and Beginning SIGNS OF CHURCH thereby God will be glorified. February 14, 2010 GROWTH - STUDY III

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1a. What is your view on this: ‘All one needs to prosper is diligence, planning and proper management. This week we shall examine the following three signs. Again you may consult b. In which ways have we left God out of our efforts at material Study 5 (Introductory Notes) to refresh your mind on how to go about the prosperity and success? study. 2a. To what extent is the average Ghanaian’s quest for wealth more of 1. MOBILISED MEMBERSHIP superstition than the ability to create wealth? 2. CONTINOUS EVANGELISM b. Does the so-called “Prosperity Gospel” inform your answer to (a) ? 3. RELEASED RESOURCES 3. What are some of the principles God has given for wealth creation? How can we make use of these principles? 1. MOBILISED MEMBERSHIP Introduction: No leader can achieve much if he fails to move his followers to BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION go along with his/her vision. This is because the leader cannot do all the work Throughout the week, alone. Nehemiah was successful because he was able to mobilize the Jews. The (a) reflect on your desire for wealth and your attitude towards your Great Commission can never be achieved if the membership is not mobilized. possessions. Find ways that you can completely rely on God as you work for wealth. EXPLANATION/DISCUSSIONS - Discuss these issues before giving your (b) Take decisions to improve on your efforts at wealth creation. scores. a. (i) Have some members of your church become ‘contractors’ being DAILY BIBLE READINGS involved in every activity while others have become spectators? Monday Deuteronomy 8:10-18 Remember the Lord who gives you (ii) What proportion of your church members are not members of any power to create wealth organization or group that contributes to the life of the Church? Tuesday Proverbs 31:10-29 Diligence honours God (iii) Do your church members accept that they have differing gifts and Wednesday 1 Timothy 6: 3-16 The love of money talents and are not envious of each other? Thursday 2 Corinthians 9:8-11 God prospers us to increase our standard of giving b. (i) Are the Spiritual gifts exercised in your church? Friday Luke 12:13-21 Failure to acknowledge God is fatal (ii) Will it be considered strange in your church, if someone gave a word of Saturday Psalm 127 Building and watching without God prophecy or spoke in tongues, etc? is vain. (iii) Do your church members go to the various “spiritual houses” to have their problems solved or they look for supernatural interventions in Pentecost Sunday this year falls on 23rd May 2010 your church? c. Do your church members look down on supernatural gifts?

39 110 MOBILIZED MEMBERSHIP – YOUR SCORE God Warns Against Pride No. The Questions/Issues Score (Tick one) Since it is ability that leads to wealth creation, there is always the temptation when we become wealthy, to think that we have made it by our own effort. 1 Every member of our church is encour- 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ 4❏ aged to discover and use their gifts and We forget the source of the ability and fail to acknowledge what he has done talents. for us. 2 Our church recognizes the great variety 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ 4❏ of spiritual gifts, some extraordinary Deuteronomy 8:14-18 warns against this attitude. Wealthy people and and others not, and we are willing to nations always need to be reminded that they are mere stewards of God’s recognize and accept each other’s gifts resources and that he is the source of our ability to create the wealth we 3 We accept the truth that all members 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ 4❏ have something to contribute to build possess. up the body of Christ and are trying to put it into practice. God reminded the Israelites of how he took care of them in the wilderness

journey where they were completely incapable of taking care of themselves. CONTINOUS EVANGELISM The wealthy always need to remember where they have come from so that Introduction: For many churches today, evangelism has become an occasional they can be grateful to God and humble themselves before him, and their program. Although many church members today desire the infilling of the Holy children need to be educated as well. Spirit, it is for purposes other than that for which the Lord gives his gift. Acts 1:8 expressly states that “… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes THE WORD IN OUR LIVES on you, and you will be my witnesses” Thus whenever the Acts of the Apostles When the Israelites were leaving Egypt, they carried with them a lot of gold, recorded the infilling of the Holy Spirit, the recipients rushed out to share the silver and clothing which they had taken from the Egyptians. “The Lord had Gospel. The early church, like the Lord himself, took every opportunity, made the Egyptians favourably disposed toward the people, and they gave especially where there was a gathering, to preach Christ crucified and them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians” (Ex. 12:36). resurrected. No wonder the charge brought against them when arrested was How was this money which they got without any toil used? Some of the that “you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make articles of gold and silver were misused in the desert. They gave these riches us guilty of this man’s blood.” (Ac 5:28). The early church was not content with to Aaron who melted them into the golden calf and presented it to the making converts alone. They discipled the new converts till they also became people saying, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of soul winners and disciples. No wonder Acts 2:47 records, “And the Lord added Egypt (Ex. 32:1-6). to their number daily those who were being saved.” Continuous evangelism must include visitation, mission, welcoming of new Some of the wealth taken out of Egypt, therefore, was wasted. When comers and Christian instruction in special classes or groups such as new individuals, people groups and nations largely depend on hand-outs, so- converts’, youth, widows’, etc., classes. called foreign aid from others, progress becomes difficult and poverty becomes endemic. When Israel got to the Promised Land and began to EXPLANATION/DISCUSSIONS - Discuss these issues before giving your cultivate the land, God stopped the hand-outs. “The manna stopped the day scores. after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the a. (i) How many people have joined your church in the past as a result of Israelites” (Jos 5: 12). witnessing by members of your church? (ii) Is person-to-person evangelism a reality in the growth of your church? b. (i) End of month “revivals” are common in many of our churches; to what

109 40 profitable. If God gives us the ability to create wealth, then we must go extent do these revivals lead to increased membership in your church? to him to direct us to make investments that can be profitable. (ii) The Camp Meeting used to be a means of winning souls for Christ. (b) Your silver and gold increase When investments become profitable, To what extent is this still true of your Society or Circuit? then our monies increase. In the past, and even today, wealthy people c. (i) How are new members handled in your church? have their stocks or savings in gold and silver or other precious metals. (ii) Do you have a “New Comers” class in your church? Therefore one cannot talk about real wealth without having savings and (iii) How do you assess the preparations that are made for adult baptism other stocks that translate into money. and confirmation? Are they adequate for one to come into saving (c). All you have is multiplied. There is something strange and interesting knowledge of Christ? about money. It is said to have wings; it can fly away from you in CONTINOUS EVANGELISM - YOUR SCORE which case you lose it, or it can fly higher with you, in which case you RELEASED RESOURCES continue to get richer. When money or wealth is properly managed, it Introduction: A church with released resources is one whose membership leads to increases, and multiplies. In the Parable of the Talents, Jesus No The Questions/Issues Score (Tick one) made this clear, when he concluded; “For everyone who has will be . given more and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, 1 Most of our church members love Jesus Christ so 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ even what he has will be taken from him” (Mt. 25:29) much they cannot help talking about him to their 4❏ relatives It is ability not superstition 2 Our Church has an all year round evangelistic pro- 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ We need to realize that God spoke to the Israelites and gave them the gramme of visitation, missions, guest services, etc. 4❏ assurance when they were about to enter the Promised Land. God did not 3 New converts are regularly welcomed into our 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ promise them wealth on a silver platter. They were not going to receive wealth Church and receive basic Christian instruction in 4❏ in the same way that they had received manna in the wilderness. They were special classes or groups. rather going to be given ability. We will be missing the target, if we pray to God for money to fall into our laps instead of the ability to create wealth. generously give their time, money and any other resources needed for its growth. Acts 2:45 records, “selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as What is meant by ability. he had need.” 1. Ability has to do with being in good health. EXPLANATION/DISCUSSIONS 2. Ability has to do with being creative or innovative about the problems a. Lack of money for the payment of assessment and other financial obligations is a that confront us. common headache for Methodist Church ministers. 3. Ability means planning for effective use of the resources that God has b. Is your church’s giving “inward looking”? that is, do you show made available for us. preparedness to give to support your church’s projects but not willing to 4. Ability means throwing away the “dependency syndrome” support projects that will help other Societies, Circuits or Dioceses? 5. Ability means taking God’s numerous promises in the Bible as your own c. How has the worsening economic situation affected giving in your and acting on them. For example, we are told, “Trust in the Lord with all church? your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.” (Pr. 3:5, 6)

Let us then not sit there and expect that there will be improvement in our lives simply because some pastor prayed for us. That will be superstition. RELEASED RESOURCES - YOUR SCORE

41 108 No. The Questions/Issues Score (Tick one) INTRODUCTION In our part of the world, poverty is real. The basic human needs of food, 1 People in our Church generously give their 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ shelter and clothing are not easily available to some of our people. Some go to time as well as their money for God’s work. 4❏ bed on empty stomachs, and there are many who cannot afford three square 2 At least 10% of our church’s income is giv- 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ meals a day. The housing needs of our people are enormous and our en to missions at home and overseas. 4❏ governments do not seem to have scratched the surface in this area. For us, the 3 The financial giving in our church has more 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ clothing industry is dominated by the sale of used clothing. That is what brings than kept pace with inflation 4❏ relief to a large section of our population. Hardly can some of our people afford to pay for their health needs, children’s education and other

expenditures which people in other parts of the world take for granted. COMPILATION OF SCORES

The minister or coordinator must compile the scores from all the class leaders It is therefore heart-warming to learn from the Bible that it is God who gives us as was done last week. the ability to create wealth or enjoy well-being. But how does this work out?

This is the subject for our discussion this week. DAILY BIBLE READINGS

Monday Acts 8:4-8 Mobilised memberships spread the EXPOSITION gospel The word wealth comes from the Old English words “weal” which means Tuesday I Corinthians 12:4-11 Gifts given for the mobilization of the “well-being” suffixed with “th” which means “condition.” So wealth simply church means “the condition of well-being.” Wednesday Acts 2:1-4 Enabled for Evangelism Thus real wealth is not just about financial possessions but also well-being. Thursday Acts 6:1-7 Responsibilities delegated True wealth is made up of the things that make life worthwhile. Friday Acts 11:19-30 Released Resources

Saturday Acts 19:8-20 Results of Continuous Evangelism The passage in the Book of Deuteronomy, under consideration, also affirms the above definition of wealth. The wealth that God promised his people was defined as follows: 1. VERSE 10: When you have eaten and are satisfied. To be wealthy means to have enough to eat and not worry about where the next meal is going to come from. 2. VERSE 12: You build fine houses and settle down. As mentioned in the introduction, one of the basic human needs is housing. Sometimes people live in houses and other types of accommodation that dehumanize them. There are those who live in the streets and have no where to lay their heads. The passage speaks about “fine houses” which may be interpreted as decent accommodation. What proportion of our population live in accommodation that may be described as decent? 3. VERSE 13: (a) your herds and flocks grow large. In Biblical times the economy was mainly agrarian (based on agriculture). Therefore to talk about large flocks of livestock meant that the people made investments which were

107 42 Week 20 Week 8 Beginning Beginning May 16, 2010 I GIVE YOU ABILITY TO February 21, SIGNS OF CHURCH CREATE WEALTH 2010 GROWTH - STUDY IV

KEY VERSE: But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you This week we shall examine the final two signs of a growing church. Consult Study the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to 5 (Introductory Notes) to refresh your mind on how to go about the study. your forefathers, as it is today. DEUTERONOMY 8:18 I. COMMUNITY LIFE II. COMPASIONATE SERVICE

SCRIPTURE LESSONS: DEUTERONOMY 8:10-18; I CORINTHIANS 3:6- COMMUNITY LIFE 9 Introduction: The Lord Jesus Christ whose example the church seeks to follow DEUTERONOMY 8:10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD led a community life himself . The membership of the Church constitutes a your God for the good land he has given you. community and the relationship among members, the fellowship, etc., constitute 11 Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his an important aspect of the life of the Church. commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and EXPLANATION/DISCUSSION - Discuss these issues before giving your settle down, scores. 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase This section has to do with the fellowship and welfare issues in your church. and all you have is multiplied, I. How friendly is your church? 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, II. How comfortable will a newcomer find him/herself? who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. III. What special arrangements are made in your church to make newcomers 15 He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, feel welcome? with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. IV. How does your welfare system operate? Is it strictly on “No contribution 16 He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never no chop” (NCNC) basis or on the basis of needs? known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you. V. Do church members willingly and enthusiastically rejoice with those who 17 You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have rejoice (for example, weddings) and mourn with those who mourn ( for produced this wealth for me." example, funerals)? 18 But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your 1. COMMUNITY LIFE – YOUR SCORE forefathers, as it is today.

1 CORINTHIANS 3:6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.

43 106 No. The Questions/Issues Score (Tick one) 10) we discussed the role of the Church as the voice of the voiceless. This is an important role that the Church in the city must not take 1 Our Church is known for its warm, friendly and 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ lightly at all. caring fellowship 4❏ iv. Guidance and Counseling: In the parable of the prodigal son, he got 2 People easily feel ‘at home’ in our church 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ to a point where he came back to his senses and then decided to go 4❏ back to the father. It is the responsibility of the Church to pray for and 3 Church members mix freely and regularly get to- 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ counsel the youth to seek for God who alone can make them succeed gether on occasions other than Sunday services. 4❏ in the city.

2. COMPASIONATE SERVICE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Introduction: The church has always been challenged to provide 1. In which ways can the story of Elimelech’s family be likened to a rural- compassionate service especially to those outside the Church. urban drift? Jesus declared this in his mission statement as follows; 2. What problems do internal migration pose to the recipient communities “ To preach good news to the poor… to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of and environment? sight for the blind, to release the oppressed”(Lk. 4: 18) 3. The hopes of rural urban drifters are sometimes shattered. What hopes These constitute the church’s social action and social service. bring them to the urban centers and how are these hopes shattered.

Give examples from your community. EXPLANATION/DISCUSSIONS 4. (a) What challenges do migrants pose to the mission of the church? This section deals with how the community or village, where your church is, (b) What opportunities do migrants present to the mission of the sees you, that is, the corporate image of your church. church? I. What kind of services does your church provide to your community? 5. What can the church do to offer rural people the opportunity to live II. Do you visit hospitals, children’s homes, prisons, the sick in their homes, meaningful lives? etc., and pray with them and give gifts to them on a regular basis?

III. To what extent does your church initiate or get involved in communal BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION labour or social services? This week, reflect on what (a) you can personally do (b) your group/church IV. How many people have lately joined your church because of some can do to make the rural-urban drift a less major economic and social compassionate service shown during a bereavement or other mishaps problem. Share your conclusions with your class members, and act on them. such as flooding, fire, etc., in the community?

DAILY BIBLE READINGS COMPASSIONATE SERVICE – YOUR SCORE Monday Judges 17:6-12 Lack of leadership brings hardship No. The Questions/Issues Score (Tick one) Tuesday Judges 21:20-25 Lack of leadership brings lawlessness 1 We are always looking for practical ways to 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ Wednesday Ruth 1:1-5 Elimelech and his family seek greener show God’s life in our community 4❏ pastures Thursday Ruth 1:6-8 Naomi returns to Bethlehem 2 A number of people now come to our church 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ empty-handed because of the practical help and care we 4❏ showed them in the past Friday 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10 He who does not work must not eat 3 We have a number of caring and helpful activ- 1❏ 2❏ 3❏ Saturday Luke 4:15-19 Holistic ministry ities on our premises that are open to all and 4❏ in which church members are active.

105 44 husband and two sons. She changed her name Naomi which means, pleasant COMPILATION OF RESULTS to Mara which means bitter. Travelling to the city or a foreign country can The minister or coordinator must compile the scores as in previous weeks. lead to bitter experiences. ANALYSIS OF RESULTS AND WAY FORWARD Fulfilling our dreams in the City Carry out the instructions given in Sections C to F in the Introductory Notes. 1. Preparations for the city (Study 5) The call on people, especially the youth, not to travel to the cities or foreign countries for greener pastures have not always been heeded, because the DAILY READINGS cities will continue to be attractive. We can however help them to be better Monday Exodus 2:1-10 Pharaoh’s daughter shows compassion prepared to face the challenges of the city through the following: Tuesday 2 Chronicles 28: 1-15 Israel ordered to show compassion a. Invite those who have returned from the cities or foreign countries to Wednesday Acts 16:1-14 Remembering the poor share their experiences with the youth in our churches Thursday Acts 16:25-34 The Jailor shown kindness and honour b. Make the youth aware of the dangers of illegal travel arrangements; Friday Acts 28:1-10 Paul shown kindness and honour some can share their experiences in this area. It includes loss of money, Saturday I Corinthians 16:15-18 A family which showed compassion and danger to life itself. c. Underline the importance of having a skill before entering the city or a foreign country. This is a crucial area, and parents and the church should discourage our unskilled young men and women from following others into the city. d. It is important to showcase those who have been successful and lived stable lives in the villages and rural areas as models for the youth. e. Young people in our churches who migrate to the cities must be encouraged to join the churches in the urban centres and be active in these urban churches. The church must be a family to them.

2. The Church’s mission in the city i. The church as a family: Our urban churches must open their eyes to the needs of the jobless youth and even adults among us. A close look at our urban churches will reveal that people from certain parts of the country who migrate join particular congregations. This is because they want to find family away from home. The church stands in the place of the parents of these young ones and we must not fail them. ii. Job Creation: In the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Mt. 20:1- 16), Jesus shows how one man went out to seek for the unemployed and gave them jobs to do. The Bible enjoins us to “do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Gal. 6:10) It is therefore important that those among us who have the ability to create jobs do so and favour the unemployed among us. iii. Advocacy: In one of the early lessons of this edition of WBL, (Week 45 104 EXPOSITION The city has always acted as a magnet to attract people. All manner of people flock into the cities. They range from the professionals whose skills are needed to keep the city running to the unskilled whose hope is that the city will afford them a living. There are even the beggars who hope to earn a living by obtaining alms from the millions in the city. Compared to the rural area, it MISSIONS may simply be said that the city runs a “money economy”. The level of

Demographic experts predicted that by the year commercial activity is high in the city and therefore the unemployed in the 2000, 80% of the world’s population would be rural areas have high hopes of succeeding financially in the city. The following living in the cities. The urban centres therefore exposition deals with the different images of the city. present special missionary challenges. How is the church prepared to meet these challenges? The Challenges of the City 1. Success and Confusion - The Tower of Babel (Ge. 11:1-9) The “privileged” city church also has a This story reveals the potential as well as the confusion that take place in responsibility towards the “under-privileged” rural church. How are we responding to this the city. The desire of the people is stated as follows, “Come, let us build need? ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves…” (verse 4). The buildings, transport, There is a clear call on our church to extend the commerce, social amenities, educational facilities etc., represent the success Gospel beyond our borders, especially in the or the “tower” of the city. On the contrary we hear the following message West Africa sub-region. How are we responding? which represents the other side of the city; “Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” (verse 7). These issues will engage our attention in the next Confusion is the other reality of the life of the city and many are they who four weeks. get lost in this confusion. The social checks and balances which are often present in the closely knit communities in the villages or rural areas are lost in the urban areas, because not many understand each other.

2. Shattered Hopes in the City a. The Prodigal Son (Lk 15:11-32): The parable of the prodigal son as told by Jesus shows how one’s hope for success in the city can be dashed. Jesus said, “…the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living”. For this young man, probably a Jew, to have “longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating…” could be described as the worst thing that could happen to a Jew. But even that could not be made available to him. His hopes for successful living had been dashed in the city. b. The Story of Naomi and her family (Ru 1:1-7): Naomi’s family travelled from Bethlehem, “to live for a while in the country of Moab.” They ran away from the famine in Judah, hoping for a more prosperous life in a foreign country. Their hopes were dashed, when Naomi lost her

103 46 Week 19 Week 9 Beginning THE RURAL-URBAN DRIFT Beginning May 9, February 28, CHALLENGES OF URBAN 2010 - WHAT IS THE SOLUTION? 2010 MISSIONS IN GHANA

KEY VERSE: In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the KEY VERSE: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because land, and a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, its wickedness has come up before me." JONAH 1:2 went to live for a while in the country of Moab. RUTH 1:1 SCRIPTURE LESSON: JONAH 1:1-3; 3:1-10; 4:11 SCRIPTURE LESSON: RUTH 1:1-7 JONAH 1: 1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 "Go to the RUTH 1:1 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up and a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went before me." to live for a while in the country of Moab. 3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down 2 The man's name was Elimelech, his wife's name Naomi, and the names of his to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there. 3 Now Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. JONAH 3: 1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 4 They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After 2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you." they had lived there about ten years, 3 Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was 5 both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons a very important city—a visit required three days. and her husband. 4 On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days 6 When she heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of his people and Nineveh will be overturned." by providing food for them, Naomi and her daughters-in-law prepared to 5 The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the return home from there. greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. 7 With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living 6 When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah. his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7 Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: "By the decree of the king and his INTRODUCTION nobles: Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let Six weeks ago, we looked at the problem of unemployment and how it was them eat or drink. affecting a relatively high proportion of our employable young men and women 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on including graduates. For some people, the solution to this problem is migration, God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. which can be “internal”, that is, within the country or “external”, that is, 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce outside the country. In the passage above, Naomi and her family undertook anger so that we will not perish." “external” migration. The consequences have much to teach us. This week we 10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he examine how those types of migration are affecting us and what solutions can had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened. be found. JONAH 4:11 But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people 47 102 who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. plunge men into ruin and destruction. (I Ti. 6:9) Should I not be concerned about that great city?" (b) Paul knew what it was to have plenty and what it was to be in need. (Php 4:12) INTRODUCTION 3. Complete: For we brought nothing into ……………. (1 Ti. 6:8) In recent times many nations including Ghana have been faced with a serious 4. Quote 1 Timothy 6:10. drift of the youth from the rural areas to the city centres in search of non- existent greener pastures. The consequences are the congestion on our streets DISCUSSION QUESTIONS and the springing up of slums in the cities. These consequences pose a risk to 1. Read Philippians 4:19- How does this verse support the fact that God has national security because the youth who live in these slums engage in all kinds promised to give us the ability to acquire all our basic needs? of vices. The solution to such threats does not only depend on the 2. How can our ability to distinguish between our needs and wants lead to a government but is also a major challenge to the Church of God - to leave contended life and how can that lead to a simple lifestyle? their comfort zones and do something. This week we will discuss the special 3. Give examples of ways in which Ghanaians including Christians fail to place of these people in the agenda of God and find some practical measures practice the simple lifestyle. to address this issue. 4. Discuss how leading a simple life style can lead a person to use his/her money to glorify God. IN DEPTH 5. Does living a simple lifestyle mean you should not work hard and acquire JONAH 1:2 Nineveh is described as a great city. In every country including more money? Give reasons for your answer. What does John Wesley Ghana, cities are developing very fast and places which a few years ago were have to day about this? uninhabited farm lands have become parts of cities. But cities grow up with attendant problems and Nineveh was no exception. The wickedness of the BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION city results from lack of jobs, decent accommodation and other facilities for This week, take time off and list or examine the items that you have the too many people who flock to the cities. In order to survive, a lot of them purchased over the last few months or year. Which of them did you really resort to many vices such as stealing, prostitution and drug addiction; some need and how could you have saved the money for other worthy causes? even become hardened criminals. Determine in prayer to live a simple lifestyle. VERSE 3: But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. Like Jonah, everybody seems to move away from the problems of the city. Municipal DAILY BIBLE READINGS authorities use the military and the police to drive away street hawkers who re- Monday John 1:12-13 The child of God gather and come back to the streets in no time. Slums like “Sodom and Tuesday Philippians 2:5-11 Imitate Christ Gomorrah” in Accra are demolished with caterpillars only for new ones to Wednesday Philippians 4:11-13 Allow Christ to mould you emerge. Individuals improve their level of security to protect themselves from Thursday I Timothy 6:6-8 Be content and trust God the wickedness of the city. The Church also runs away from the problems of Friday Philippians. 4:11-12 Fit into all situations. the city. Their nicely built and decorated chapels and decently dressed church Saturday I Timothy. 6:10-17 Seek God not money. members set them apart from the problems of the inner city. You may ask yourself; “How many churches are located where the slums are?” Who goes there to preach? It may be said that Jonah ran away from Nineveh because he wanted to preserve himself from the wickedness of the city (and avoid being the channel of its blessing (4:2)), and the church acts no differently in many places. JONAH 3:1: Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: God is still calling

101 48 Funerals the church to show concern for the problems of the inner city. The fact that a What do we see during funeral celebrations? The bereaved family organizes the church in the city was broken into by thieves is a second call to the Church that funeral in a way that shows that they are rich? In many cases what we do at after the experience in “the belly of the fish”, we still have to go back and funerals may have nothing to do with how the dead person lived. He/she may confront the inner city with the word of God. have been a very poor person, yet on his/her death, expensive funerals are JONAH 3:5-9: The response of the Ninevites to the preaching of Jonah should organized. For some people, funerals and other social events give them shame the modern-day church, which continues to run away from the problems occasion to demonstrate their wealth. Such waste of monies could be given to of the inner city. We have always given the excuse that those involved in more productive causes. prostitution, stealing and other crimes, living it roughly on the streets, with their peculiar dress codes will never respond to the word of God. The Ninevites Purchase of Cars and Other Gadgets proved Jonah wrong. These places also constitute fertile soil for the spread of Young graduates are often tempted to take loans and get into expensive the word of God. lifestyles which leads them to all kinds of vices. For example, many would JONAH 4:11 Should I not be concerned about that great city. The great city of Nineveh quickly jump at the opportunity to take loans to purchase posh cars and did not only have a large population, but also a lot of commercial activity and virtually use all their salaries to service these loans. As a result, they may be ongoing investments. It was no different from any modern day city which forced to adopt corrupt lifestyles, unnecessarily delay their time of marriage or generates a lot of economic activity everyday. Do you sometimes think that ruin their families if they are married. God is only concerned with what goes on in the Chapel – singing, praying, preaching, fellowshipping, etc. - and is not concerned with what goes on in the John Wesley’s teachings streets and shops and offices in Accra, Kumasi and other cities from Monday As Methodists, we are taught by our founder, Rev. John Wesely, how we to Saturday? Is God not aware that some of the young people in the slums of should use our money. We are to use our money to glorify God not to acquire our cities are innocent victims of circumstances regarding where they were born power or recognition. John Wesely taught us three principles about money: and raised or that nobody took responsibility for their education, proper “earn all you can, save all you can and give all you can”. In earning all you can, upbringing, etc. God is concerned about the problems of the city and the he taught us to work hard and earn our money through genuine and legitimate church and individual Christians must also be concerned. means. In saving all you can, he taught us, to use what we need on ourselves but warned us to live modestly, not expensively, so that we can save some. In THE WORD IN OUR LIVES giving all you can, he taught us to give or spend the remainder of our money on Rehabilitation and Mentoring Centres the poor and the needy. It is when we do this that we fulfill our duty as Some of the Church’s building projects must be directed to the welfare of the Christians and at the same time glorify our God and maker. poor who live in the slums and on the streets. The provision of special homes and rehabilitation centres by the Church for those who find themselves in the TEST YOURSELF cities without jobs and proper accommodation will be a positive measure to 1. Fill in the blanks: address the challenge. In such homes the rescued can be taken through (a). I am not saying this because I am ……………………, for I have counselling and then linked to the Social Welfare Department for further learned to be ………………. whatever the circumstances. (Php. 4:11) support. The challenge of inner city mission is seen in this area. Apart from (b). I can do ……………………………….. through him who gives me providing them with the basic needs of life they are also led through the strength.(Php. 4:13) message of salvation. Some of these people have found themselves there (c) But if we have …………………………., we will be content with that. through no fault of theirs but in the quest for survival. Once they are part of (1Ti. 6:8) God’s salvation plan, the Church cannot look on unconcerned (see La 1:11-12) 2. Indicate True or False: (a) People who do not want to get rich fall into The late Mother Teresa found comfort in working among the destitute in the temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that slums of India. The Church can do more to compliment the efforts of the state 49 100 in this area. IN DEPTH PHILIPPIANS 4:10 The church had sent one of their leaders Epaphroditus to These rehabilitation centres could have a mentoring section where the youth bring various gifts to Paul who was on his missionary journeys and he writes meet mentors to guide them through life. Mentoring is a voluntary, one-to- to acknowledge the support given. He also thanks them for their previous one relationship which connects suitable adults to young people. The support or partnership with him in the ministry. relationship focuses on specific needs of the young person, for example, VERSES 11-12: Paul reveals his attitude to material well-being in this letter. As building confidence, developing social skills, with the Mentor offering honest a missionary, he was not in a position to cater for all his materials needs. As a and positive support. Mentors will recognise not only the young person’s human, he definitely had some needs, but he had learnt to live with the needs but also value their dreams and aspirations. Society is changing rapidly minimum that was available. We have to distinguish between our needs and today and many young people no longer have the support of an extended our wants. The desires of the flesh and the world system is always pressurising family unit. Some have no supportive adult in their lives whom they can trust us to seek for more, often beyond what we need. This is where luxurious and who will encourage them to believe in themselves. They need that special living sets in; and we worry unnecessarily. It is important that we like Paul someone who will listen, recognise their achievements and can see their learn to distinquish between our needs and wants and be content with the unique qualities and potential. supply of our needs. VERSE 13: The source of Paul’s ability to live a contented life in the midst of Advocacy Role plenty and of want is Christ. He will give us the same strength and attitude of The Church’s role could be in other forms such as pressure groups and mind if we ask him. Note that contentment is an “acceptance of God’s will advocacy groups. The church can play the role of championing the cause of for our lives”. the people who suffer in the cities. The annual Synods and Conferences must discuss and issue communiqués to address these issues. 1 TIMOTHY 6:6-7. In this passage, Paul reveals to us the secret of the simple lifestyle: godliness and contentment. In a previous lesson, we established that Practical Measures every human being has some needs – food, clothing and shelter, etc. God has Some of the practical steps, on the part of the Church, in combating the rural- promised to give us the ability to create wealth to supply these basic needs and urban drift are the provision of soup kitchens, night schools and scholarships sometimes beyond that. But whether we have just the basic needs or more, for needy but brilliant youth. The Church must see the need to strengthen the the secret of our happiness is the attitude of being content with what we have. capacity of poor and single parents to take care of their wards as most of these Coupled with this is godliness, “the desire to see God’s character reproduced people give away their children because they cannot support them. The in us.” church must come out with income generating training programmes for these VERSES 9-10: Paul sounds the danger of leading life in pursuit of money. parents and the youth so that they can acquire a trade to make some income. There is nothing evil about money, but a discontented life can lead to many Realising that inner cities have a special place in the agenda of God, the dangers. churches in the cities must come out with strategies to organise special church services for people without worship centres, at their own convenience. THE WORD IN OUR LIVES In our previous lessons, we have learnt the need to cultivate a savings culture. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS How can this be done? One of the ways to achieve this is to lead a simple life 1. Discuss the various ways in which the Church has run away from the style. This life style is enabled in what John Wesley taught us in his teaching problems of the city. on money, that is, save all you can. In his teaching, he urges Christians to stay 2. What practical measures can the Church adopt to alleviate the challenges away from expensive lifestyles and to live a simple life, thereby spending our of the youth who move into the cities in search of greener pastures? money only on what we need and saving the rest. The following are examples 3. In what practical ways can the Church, especially yours, move into the of how many Ghanaians, including Christians, lead ostentatious lives:

99 50 Week 18 Beginning slums to evangelise the people who live there? May 2, THE SIMPLE LIFESTYLE 2010 AND THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION a. Is your Church in the city? (i) If yes, discuss and draw up plans for outreach to the slums in your city. (ii) If not, discuss and draw up plans on how you would encourage the youth to develop their skills instead of rushing into the city to live KEY VERSE: Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all in the slums. kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his b. Leaders’ Meetings should discuss the implementation of the practical possessions. LUKE 12:15 measures suggested in the study.

HILIPPIANS IMOTHY SCRIPTURE LESSONS: P 4:10-13, I T 6:6-10 DAILY BIBLE READINGS 4:10 PHILIPPIANS I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your Monday Jonah 1:1-17 Evangelize the city concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity Tuesday Acts 19:23-29 Opposition from opinion Leaders to show it. Wednesday Acts 19:32-40 The gods of our cities 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content Thursday Acts 18:7-11 The cities are Ripe for Harvest whatever the circumstances. Friday Acts 23:9-11 The Lord stands near His Prophets in the 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have city learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed Saturday Acts 23:12-22 The Lord will rescue His Prophets in or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. the city 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

I TIMOTHY 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs

BACKGROUND In last week’s lesson, we saw the need to develop the saving culture, if we are to overcome poverty. One important issue that was pointed out was the need to move away from the “consumer society” attitude to a lifestyle that focuses on what we need, not what we want. This week we will take an in-depth look at the simple lifestyle as a means to wealth creation and overcoming poverty.

51 98 THE CHALLENGES OF THE CITY AND THE ROLE giving. With a plan in place - a budget - we can reverse the order by OF THE CHURCH joyfully giving first and allowing our lifestyle to follow. As Christian stewards, we need to establish our budget around our giving, not our lifestyle.” It is therefore helpful to consciously follow the 80-10-10 The greater number of the people, especially the youth, who move financial principle of apportioning one’s income. This principle teaches into the cities in search of jobs have no access to proper housing and that we pay 10% of our income as tithe to the Lord; we save 10%; and accommodation. Since they have no jobs waiting for them in the city we use the remaining 80% for taking care of other necessities. they cannot afford to rent proper accommodation and so resort to sleeping it rough on the streets. There are many who sleep in front of CONCLUSION shops at night and in shelters made of cardboards. For such people, Savings can greatly improve our lot. However, while undertaking the when it rains at night the situation becomes worse. Some of them various activities to generate income for savings, investment and wealth crowd themselves into small space accommodations. It has been creation we should be mindful of the negative impact of their production observed that eventually majority of these people move into makeshift activities on the environment to ensure sustainable creation of wealth. buildings thus creating slums in the city. Apart from creating the slums, they also take to the streets to ply any trade from the sale of DISCUSSION QUESTIONS chewing gums to dog chains. It is now common sight that whenever 1. What, in your opinion, is/are the main reason(s) why the average there are traffic jams these street hawkers create a market for drivers Ghanaian does not save? and passengers locked up in traffic. 2. How helpful have the financial institutions, such as the banks, been in motivating the average person to save? The dangers involved in such situations are many for the individuals 3. Discuss some of the common methods of saving practiced locally. and the nation. Where these young people find themselves in a How can such methods be improved so that they can become more group, the tendency is to learn all kinds of tricks and graduate into appealing to people to motivate them to develop the habit of saving? criminals. The slums where they live then become a den and a hide 4. In what ways can the church encourage more members to save? How out generating drug abuse and peddling, armed robbery, prostitution effective has the Credit Union system been in your Society, Circuit and other evils. and Diocese?

The most disheartening sight is the plight of the innocent children who BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION are born unto the streets and ghettos. They have no homes and If you are not already doing it, find a box or a convenient container and future yet they and their parents are part of God’s salvation plan. The start saving coins. Put in a coin each day for six months or more. (The people who engage in trading on the streets cause congestion in the amount will depend on your income). This needs discipline. Share with city. They also face a life risk in these trading activities as they stand your group, if possible, the amount realized at the end. in the heat of the sun throughout the day, running after vehicles to sell DAILY BIBLE READINGS their wares. Sometimes they are knocked down by the vehicles and end up maimed. Monday Proverbs 24:3-4 Wisdom’s guidance Tuesday 1Timothy 6:6-8 A life of contentment The situation is very alarming when we look at it from the national Wednesday Proverbs 6:6-8 Go to the ant! point of view. In addition to the slums becoming the home of Thursday 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 Sowing generously hardened criminals and other vices, they also pose an environmental Friday Proverbs 21:20-21 Wise spending and health danger. In these slums the outbreak of any disease can Saturday Proverbs 13:7, 11 Growing money

97 52 That emotional appeal is tempting. We have to remind ourselves that become a national disaster. great gain does not necessarily come from having more things.

Contentment involves learning to love the will of God, regardless of the The rural-urban drift affects the rural churches such that many of circumstances. The believer who is not surrounded with the latest of the people who would have made some impact are in the cities. A everything should not be frustrated by comparing himself/herself to major setback to the church is that most often these young boys others. Contentment does not come from material things. As George and girls who were members of the church in their hometowns Fooshee rightly puts it in his book, You Can Beat the Money Squeeze, miss out in the cities. They see themselves as mis-fits in the city “People buy things they do not need with money they do not have to Church and so attend Church only when they go back to the village to attend funerals and other functions. impress people they do not even like.” Recognize the enemy. The devil’s mission is to divert us from serving Christ, and that may mean planting The state has constitutional, social and moral obligations to make seeds of discontent. life worth living for all citizens. Article 36, Clause 1 of the DEVELOP A BUDGET Constitution of Ghana says that ‘the state shall take all necessary The mention of the word “Budget” often conjures up thoughts of action to ensure that the national economy is managed in such a financial pressure, but a budget is actually a spending plan which manner as to maximise the rate of economic development and to provides a foundation for other types of planning in our lives. secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every person in Ghana and to provide adequate means of livelihood and Proverbs 24:3 states that, by wisdom a house is built, and through understanding suitable employment and public assistance to the needy.’ it is established. You therefore need to prayerfully submit your spending decisions to the Lord. Everything we possess is owned by God, and we This is a tall list which cannot be fulfilled by the state without the should spend to please him and not for a selfish purpose. Whatever your active collaboration of the citizenry. It is in this context that the income may be in a year, a budget or spending plan helps you make mission of the Church in the cities must be repackaged to assist in better financial decisions. It enables you to keep an eye on your values the achievement of the desired goals. The Church must partner and priorities. the state to address the issues so that the task of nation building is enhanced. The Church must go beyond just promoting the Though giving is so ‘right’ and produces such joy and blessing and spiritual well-being of their members by getting involved in the saving is so wise and produces a sense of well-being, the average person provision of physical infrastructure and social services to improve has such trouble doing it? To overcome this one needs to get into the the lives of these people who have come to live in the cities. habit of keeping records. You will know exactly what everything costs; you will know what your basic living expenses are; you will know what those additional lifestyle luxuries cost. This will help you develop a realistic plan or budget. You do not have to be educated to be able to keep records of spending. Once this habit of keeping records is developed, you will find freedom which comes from knowing you are living within your means. Many times the inability to save or increase giving is due to overspending caused by not knowing where your money is going.

According to the Barnabas Foundation, “Most of us approach the four things we can do with money in this order — lifestyle, debt, savings,

53 96 Week 10 accounts—one for emergencies that is easy to access and does not have Beginning SOCIAL ACTION AS A any penalties for withdrawal, and one for savings for other goals that is March 7, harder to access (and therefore less tempting to withdraw the money). 2010 MISSIONARY CHALLENGE Keeping some savings "out of reach" is important. Good savings IN THE CITY behavior requires discipline; discipline is learned through practice. 11. Find savings products that match your savings goals. 12. Remember, the most effective way to save is to start early and be consistent. KEY VERSE: The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the SETTING FINANCIAL GOALS prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to Goals can vary—from meeting basic needs, to getting out of debt, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour. LUKE. 4:18-19 educating children, to building a house. Some are short-term to be accomplished quickly, others are long-term. Once you decide on your priority SCRIPTURE LESSON: ISAIAH 58:7-10 goals, figure out the cost of each and set a time frame for achieving it. ISAIAH 58: 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to Next, estimate how much you must allocate to savings every month to achieve turn away from your own flesh and blood? each goal. If this amount is more than you think you can afford, make 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly adjustments—extend the time you need to save the desired amount, reduce appear; the cost or change the goal. then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. When saving, we must also keep balance in mind. If we concentrate solely on 9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he saving, our focus on and affection for the Lord will diminish there. We must will say: Here am I. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the be careful to balance our saving and investing by giving generously to the pointing finger and malicious talk, Lord. When we receive income, we should remember to give to the Lord first, 10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of and then put money aside for our savings. John Wesley's admonition to earn all you can, save all you can, and give all you can is appropriate here. the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the SECRET OF CONTENTMENT noonday. One of our most pervasive and destructive mental tendencies is that of focusing on “what we want” instead of “what we have”. People, who think INTRODUCTION they will be happier with more, find that once they have more, it does not In our discussion on the missionary challenges of the city, last week, we pointed satisfy. Wanting what we do not have produces an endless cycle of undue out that there were many who have nobody to speak on their behalf. In Luke stress in our lives. 4:18-19, Jesus declared that he was going to be an advocate for the powerless, the oppressed and the abandoned. This is referred to as advocacy. This week we In 1Timothy 6:6-8, the Apostle Paul exhorts, “But godliness with contentment is examine how we can walk in the steps of Jesus in this area. great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” How do we achieve EXPOSITION contentment when our culture and everything around us tends to focus on What is Social Action? immediate fulfillment? For example, advertisers usually stress the importance When Jesus was asked the question: “Who is my neighbour?”, he gave an of how good you will feel rather than the function of the product or service.

95 54 FINANCIAL SERVICES ORGANIZATION answer which can help us understand the distinction between social service and social action (Lk. 10:27-37). In that story, we see how the levites and priests When deciding where to save, you should consider the following: were more concerned about the worship in the Church than in providing for 1. How safe your money will be. the needs of those outside their religious formalism. 2. Deposit requirements for the savings account 3. Terms of use The Samaritan, on the other hand, identified with the needs of the stranger and 4. How much it is going to cost the saver to save at that place had compassion on him. There was no logical reason why he should have 5. Access/Ease of use rearranged his plans and spent his money just to help a stranger in need, but 6. How much interest, if it is with a bank or other financial institution. mercy does not need reason. He was performing his social responsibility by responding to the need of his fellow human being, and this is what we term GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPING A SAVINGS CULTURE social service. This the church does by establishing hospitals and schools, Decisions to save or consume depend very much on one's level of income, providing relief items (food and clothing) to victims of war and orphanages etc. access to loans, access to appropriate savings products and personal discipline. Nevertheless, there are a number of guidelines that one can use regarding However, we ask the question: If travelers on the Jerusalem-Jericho road were habitually decisions about savings and consumption: beaten up and habitually cared for by Good Samaritans, would that measure in itself solve the problem of armed robbery and banditry on that stretch of road? Obviously not! The road 1. Save as much as you can as soon as you can. The more you save, the better from Jerusalem down to Jericho was indeed a dangerous one. Since the temple off you'll be. Save as you earn. workers used it so much, one would have thought the Jews or Romans would 2. Calculate how your money can grow over time if you save regularly in an have taken concrete steps to make it safe, for example, by making soldiers account that earns interest. patrol the road to prevent such acts but this was not done. What we do to 3. Try to save 10% of your income even if you don't have a specific purchase remove the root causes of human need is social action. It may involve political or investment for which you are saving. or economic activity, the transformation of unproductive and unprogressive 4. Put 10% of your earnings aside for savings before you do anything else. If societal structures as well as a quest for social justice. you can't afford 10% right away, start with less, but save something. 5. Don't carry a lot of cash—avoid the temptation to spend it! 6. Spend carefully. If you purchase big items, consider how much you could Social Action & Evangelism resell them for. We must make a distinction between Christians undertaking social action as a 7. Look for opportunities to save money by bulk buying of non-perishables. response to their duty to God and fellow human beings and so-called 8. Pay off your debts. Some people recommend paying down your debt humanists and human rights advocates who undertake social action simply before you start to save: others recommend saving even while paying down because of their belief in the human being. Many of such people do not even debt because it is important to begin building assets as soon as possible. believe that God exists. Their voices are heard loudest, because Christians have This choice will depend on individual priorities, situation and means. Total kept silent in the face of the many advocacy issues that arise in their household debt should not exceed 36% of household income. communities. 9. Save money regularly for emergencies so you do not always have to borrow. Remember the ant – it saves in the dry season against the rainy Social action/advocacy is imperative for Christians and the church, because we season (Pr. 6:6-8). Also, remember the story of Joseph (Ge. 41:33-37). It is believe that human beings have been created in the image of God. And even important to save the equivalent of two to three months’ salary, in case you though we have sinned and fallen short of the image of God, he still loves us are unable to work due to illness or injury. and wants to restore us and bring us to himself. 10. Keep emergency funds in a separate account. Open two savings 55 94 The message of the Good Samaritan, and what the Old Testament prophets you make.” Regular saving makes provision for tomorrow. It builds a financial spoke about, an example of which is contained in today’s passage, clearly safety cushion for emergencies. More significantly it provides the basis for shows that God is not just interested in our religious rituals, but also in what wealth creation. we do for others outside our religious communities. EXPOSITION THE WORD IN OUR LIVES DEFINITION OF SAVINGS When Pope John Paul II died in 2005, Rev. Prof. Safo-Kantanka wrote a Savings are money put aside by an individual or household for use in the booklet to commemorate his passing away. The sub-title of the book was very future. revealing about the role this man of God played as a Christian leader. The full title was: “Pope John Paul – the man who filled the world’s leadership IMPORTANCE OF SAVING vacuum.” Savings are important to the individual saver in the following ways:

He was a Christian leader who spoke clearly on the world scene on issues of 1. The saver could accumulate enough money that could be used as start up morality, fairness, justice, etc. He became the voice of the voiceless. capital for a small-scale business or for future use. 2. Income is generated in the form of interest accrued by the savings. In our recent political transition, the Coalition of Religious Bodies played a 3. The money saved, if it is with a bank, could be used as a guarantee or major role in ensuring that the December, 2008 elections did not lead the security for a loan instead of using a property. nation into a blood bath as had happened in some African countries. 4. It improves a sense of ownership in member-owned financial institutions. 5. In cases of emergencies the saver could fall on the money saved. The Christian Council of Ghana, the Catholic Secretariat and the Council of 6. Saving habits encourage the development of long-term planning ability Charismatic and Pentecostal Churches are also bodies through which the and gaining control over one’s funds. Christian voice on issues can be heard. These bodies deal with global and national issues. WAYS TO SAVE Managing money well begins with hanging on to what one has. This means At the local scene, the position of the Local Council of Churches is crucial. avoiding unnecessary expenditure and then finding a safe place to store But this is the area where they often fail. What goes on in our schools, whatever money is left over. There are three ways to save, namely: formal, especially in the rural areas – if teachers are not attending classes, if school semi-formal and informal ways leavers are leaving in large numbers to live in the urban centres, etc. - is not Formal savings Semi-Formal Informal savings often their concern.. savings

How does the Council react to District Assemblies that collect taxes but fail to Banks Credit Unions Saving cash at home – Keep- provide the necessary amenities. Many areas can be mentioned, and it is ing a money box for saving important that we use these fora as a means of pointing out what is wrong in coins our societies. By working through these bodies, one is protected, since one Savings and Loans Insti- Susu Saving in kind (gold, stocks, does not stand alone as an individual, who may be persecuted. tutions land, etc)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. What is Social Action? How is it different from Social Service? 2. Discuss the following statements: IMPORTANT FACTORS FOR CAREFUL SELECTION OF A

93 56 a. If travellers on the Jerusalem-Jericho road were habitually beaten up, and habitually Week 17 cared for by Good Samaritans, the need for better laws to eliminate armed robbery Beginning DEVELOPING THE SAVINGS might well be overlooked. April 25, b. It is always good to feed the hungry; but it is better, if possible to eradicate the causes 2010 CULTURE of hunger. So if we truly love our neighbours, and want to serve them, our service may oblige us to solicit political action on their behalf. 3. Identify some issues in the city (or community in which your church is situated) for discussion. What can your church/group do?. For example, KEY VERSE: …he who gathers money little by little makes it grow. PROVERBS i. Health issues (e.g.: sanitation, bad drinking water, etc.) 13:11B. ii. Human Right issues (e.g.: unlawful detention, Police brutalities, miscarriage of justice, etc.) SCRIPTURE LESSONS: PROVERBS 13:11, GENESIS 41:33-37, PROVERBS iii. Child Abuse (e.g.: child labour, child trafficking, child neglect, etc.,) 21:20 4. Select one of the issues above and undertake the following exercise. PROVERBS 13:11 Dishonest money dwindles away,but he who gathers money little  Find the causes by little makes it grow.  What kind of social action is needed in each case (that is, mobilization or

awareness creation, etc.)? GENESIS 41:33 "And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.  What is the role of the individual Christian, the local church, Local 34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest Council of Churches, local authorities (that is, District Assembly of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. members, M.P, District Chief Executive, and Chiefs)? 35 They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION 36 This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined was a stranger and you invited me in. I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and by the famine." you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me (NET Bible, Mt. 25:35-36). 37 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. Select any one of the issues raised in this verse and develop a social action plan 38 So Pharaoh asked them, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the on it using the process described above (Q. 4). spirit of God?" DAILY BIBLE READINGS Proverbs 21:20 In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a Monday: Psalm 146:1-10 The Just and Compassionate God foolish man devours all he has. Tuesday Amos 1:1-15 God Hates Injustice and Oppression Wednesday Amos 5:7-24 The Call for Social Justice INTRODUCTION Thursday Matthew 25:31-46 A Call to the Church’s Social Responsibility The average person in our country has little or no money saved, no regular or Friday Jeremiah 29:1-7 Seek and Pray for the Welfare of your fixed incomes to support a relatively “high” lifestyle, significant financial Nation (Community) obligations and a total dependence on the next month’s salary or income to Saturday Amos 2:6-7 Judgement on Israel for social sins survive. The major reason most people are poor savers is that we live in a culture that does not practice self-denial. When we want something, we want it now! However, Scripture encourages us to save. “The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets.” (Pr 21:20 LB) By contrast, society says, “Spend all 57 92 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Week 11 1. How can the youth and others be helped to wait on the Lord’s Beginning THE RURAL-URBAN blessing to get money? March 14, 2. In what ways can the Church respond to the ‘Sakawa’ problem? 2010 3. How has society contributed to this craze to get rich quickly? LINK IN MISSIONS 4. In your opinion, how can the wrong interpretation of scripture lead people into the get-rich-quick attitude? For example: Dt. 28:1-13 5. Discuss and add to the list of ways people use to try to get money KEY VERSE: Come over to Macedonia and help us. ACTS 16:9 quickly.

6. How can a Christian improve his lot financially? SCRIPTURE LESSON: ACTS 13:1-3; 16:6-10

1In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; the tetrarch) and Saul. or about your body, what you will wear…your heavenly Father knows that 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set you need them” (Mt 6:25a, 32b). Reflect on this passage and discuss with apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." your group how you understand the Providence of God. 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. DAILY BIBLE READINGS

Monday Psalm 115:9-13 The Blessings of the Lord ACTS 16:6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia Tuesday Psalm 31:19-24 The Goodness of God and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the Wednesday Matthew 6:25-27 Do not Worry province of Asia. Thursday Matthew 6:28-31 God will Clothe you 7When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Friday Matthew 6:32-34 Seek First His Kingdom Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. Saturday 1 Peter 5:6-9 God cares for you 8So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

INTRODUCTION In terms of economic development, there is a vast difference between our rural and urban areas. The money economy is more developed in the urban centres and there are more amenities in the urban centres than in the rural areas. There is also a greater wealth of human resource in terms of skills and abilities in the cities than in the rural areas.

These factors affect the life of the church. The churches in the urban centres

91 58 increased the family size, Manu’s salary and the money his wife made appear more vibrant than those in the rural areas. While the urban centres offer through trading was enough to take them through life. Manu, however, ready opportunities for church growth, the rural appears largely to be strug- was not satisfied with his condition. For him, life would be more gling. meaningful if he built his own house and owned a car. Anytime he saw people driving in posh cars, he began to have pity on himself and The church scene in Ghana also reveals that it is largely the Mainline or Mission wished he was one of those people. He thought his family and society Churches, such as the Roman Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian and Anglican would celebrate him as an achiever if he was able to make more money. churches which have well established congregations in both the urban and rural He began looking for ways to become rich. areas. Many of the newly established denominations are largely concentrated in the urban centres. One evening when he was returning home from work, he met an old friend, Boakye, who was riding in a very posh car. In the ensuing chat In this week’s lesson, we examine the relationship between the urban and rural Boakye promised to help him to “make it” in life. Boakye took Manu to church, focusing on how the urban church can help support the rural church. a jujuman. Manu was made to lie in a coffin for seven days after which he was asked to perform certain rituals. Within a short period, Manu’s EXPOSITION fortunes changed. He bought a beautiful house and a fleet of cars. We shall examine some areas of need in the rural church and how the concept Meanwhile, Manu was asked by the jujuman to make a blood sacrifice of Church Twining can enable the urban church help the rural church for the of a close relative for four consecutive years as a condition to enjoying expansion of the work of God. more wealth. His wife, one of his children and a nephew were the first three victims. 1. AREAS OF NEED IN THE RURAL CHURCH a. PASTORAL CARE: In the Methodist Church, the stationing of ministers and Manu had all the money and material things he needed in life but he did until recently, catechists, by Conference ensures that pastoral care of the not have inner peace. The year was about to end and he would have to rural congregations takes place. This is the major reason why some of the make the fourth and final sacrifice of a close relative. Manu thought if newly established denominations which do not have a central system of that happened people would suspect that his money was obtained placement are not usually found in the rural areas. But even with the Meth- through sakawa, for already people had started to raise eyebrows. He odists and other mainline churches, pastoral care in the rural areas may be therefore decided that committing suicide would be the best option. inadequate as one pastor may be in charge of several congregations spread Early one morning, however, he heard a preacher on a dawn broadcast over a wide area, while the pastor may not have a means of transportation to shouting, Jesus says: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will reach them as often as desirable. give you rest (Mt. 11:28). b. PERSONNEL: In the past, many of the teachers who taught in the rural areas were readily on hand to lead the choir and singing bands and to act as Manu, who could not sleep the whole night, walked to the preacher and Caretakers of societies. It is not easy to obtain such a commitment from the asked that he prayed for him. After the prayer, the preacher led Manu teacher in the rural area these days, as many even choose to commute from to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and personal saviour. He joined a the urban centre to the village instead of staying in the village. In addition, church and was taken through ‘deliverance’. The yoke of sakawa was many of the young adults who completed Junior High School and are lit- broken and Manu became a born again Christian. He now lives in peace erate travel to the urban centres for greener pastures, sometimes getting lost with his new wife and their children. He is a committed Christian. to the church in the process. Sometimes, benevolent townsfolk living outside the village purchase musical instruments for the rural congregation, but nobody is found to play these instruments. Worship in the rural church thus becomes uninteresting and uninspiring, at times. 59 90 c. CHAPELS AND MISSIONS HOUSES: While the residence of the pastor in the urban centre is referred to as ‘manse’, that of the rural area is a are drawn to it because they see it as a means of making cheap money to ‘mission house’. That tells you that the pastor in the rural area is rather a keep body and soul together. During the night, it is said that many of these missionary who is still doing pioneering work. The contrast between the young ladies parade the streets of cities in the country, usually dressed in ‘manse’ in the city and the ‘mission house’ in the rural area is sometimes skimpy and suggestive clothes to attract customers. These young ladies are overwhelming. The same can be said of the chapels in the two locations. ready to sleep with any man who is prepared to pay them what they Sometimes you wonder, what a difference it would be to the rural church, demand. They put themselves and their customers at risk as they can if the urban church gave just 1% of what it spends on decorations to the contract HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis ‘B’, and other Sexually Transmitted rural church. And yet this never happens even in churches in the same Diseases . Male prostitution is also on the increase. Then there are reports circuit and diocese. of people engaging in sexual activities with foreigners which are filmed and d. FINANCES: There are many local preachers from the urban centres who posted on the internet for money.

have found to their surprise that the amount of money they offered when DRUG TRAFFICKING they went to preach in a rural church was more than the amount offered The desire to get -rich –fast has led some people into drug trafficking. The by the rest put together. Even though the payment of assessment is largely United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement based on “ability to pay” and urban churches often pay far more than the Affairs has said that Ghana has become a major trans-shipment point for rural churches, the reality is that the poverty in our rural areas makes the illegal drugs, particularly cocaine from South America and Southwest Asia. rural church poor materially. Therefore our concern for the rural church Europe remains the major destination but some flow to South Africa and should be the empowerment of the individuals so that they can eventually to North America. The statement said that in 2006, South American give to support the church. cocaine trafficking rings increased their foothold in Ghana, establishing well-developed distribution networks run by Nigerian and Ghanaian II. THE CONCEPT OF TWINING criminals. Ghana’s interest in attracting investment provides good cover for We could argue from the passage given us in Acts 16:6-10, that the Antioch foreign drug barons to enter the country under the guise of doing legitimate church twinned with the church in Macedonia. The Macedonia church had the business. These barons have been able to lure many young men and need for personnel and the Antioch church provided the need when Paul and women into the drug business. They will do anything possible to carry on his team were led by the Holy Spirit to help them. their trade. This includes bribing security officers, swallowing the drug in pellets, hiding the drugs in their private parts , hiding them in their wigs, Even though we have often talked about twinning, not many of our churches packing and labeling them as legal goods in order to get to their destination, practice it. Those who practice it, look at it from the monetary perspective etc. alone. It is important that twining involves the entre congregation. It should not just be between the leadership. For example, well-endowed circuits or so- Drugs swallowed as pellets can burst and result in the death of the carriers. cieties can arrange for local preachers to regularly visit their twin churches to Many people have been arrested in the country and abroad for engaging in help them. It is important that urban churches explore various ways in which the drug trade. Some are serving various terms of imprisonment both in the they can link up with rural churches and help them to grow in every aspect of country and abroad. church life. THE WORD IN OUR LIVES THE WORD IN OUR LIVES Mr. Daniel Manu worked as a civil servant for ten years. He had two Connexionalism and the Inward Looking Syndrome children with his wife who was a trader. They lived in a nice rented The type of church governance practiced by the Methodist Church Ghana is apartment. His senior sister who helped him during his university education connexionalism. Unfortunately, many of us fail to appreciate what it means to had also sent two of her children to live with him. Even though that

89 60 from doing business in Ghana. It is even said that the international market has describe our church as a connexion. The word “connexion” is derived from the blacklisted internet business with Ghanaians. Moreover, young people spend word, “connected.” Unlike other denominations in which individual societies or too much time at internet cafes with the hope of befriending foreigners whom congregations or even dioceses are essentially independent of each other, in the they can defraud. In addition, there are stories of people who have gone mad Methodist Church, we are connected to one another – one cannot operate or died because they failed to obey certain directives from their jujumen. The without the other. For example, a diocese cannot on its own elect its bishop belief in sakawa will make people lose faith in the providence of God and without the involvement of the others. Even in the nominations, some candi- direct it to jujumen in order to make money. date(s) must come from outside the diocese. EMBEZZLEMENT For some people, the only quick means to enrich themselves is to steal money In theory, a society cannot spend the money it raises until it has paid it all to the from either public or private funds. There have been cases of officials in both circuit, which gives some back to the society after various payments have been public and private institutions stealing money and depositing it in their deducted. What goes back to the society, therefore, is rightly called “Grant to personal bank accounts. Embezzlement has robbed the state and private the Society.” This is the spirit of Methodism. companies of huge sums of money. Embezzlement is not only limited to public and private places, it is also found in the church. People who are in This spirit is however threatened, and is gradually being replaced by what is charge of church funds sometimes condone and connive to steal money for referred to as the “Inward-Looking Syndrome.” This disease is seen when their personal use. church members are called upon to give to support the church outside their own congregation. If a congregation embarks on a project, church members SPIRITUALITY AS A MEANS OF GETTING RICH give heartily, sometimes without questioning if it helps the entire church to The activities of charlatan pastors and miracle workers have added to this grow or not. That is why the Methodist Development Fund, for example, is problem of get-rich-fast. They promise innocent young men and women suffering many setbacks like its predecessors, the Endowment Fund and the glamorous lives in these hard times. They make them believe that everybody is Methodist Educational Fund. The ordinary church member refuses to see the born to be rich no matter the circumstances. Thus, in order to realize their needs of the church beyond his/her congregation. That is why societies in a God-given “destinies”, some of these young men and women engage in all circuit may be worshipping in a classroom or under a tree and yet sister socie- sorts of “spiritual” activities to get money. A wrong teaching which correlates ties in the same circuit may be enjoying luxuries in decorations, vehicles, etc. riches and blessedness is also pushing some people to use foul means to get money quickly - to prove that they also are spiritual and blessed. The urban church cannot turn a deaf ear to the call of the rural church saying; “Come over to Macedonia and help us”. The call rings out to the urban church, ARMED ROBBERY “Where is your brother” and it must not answer, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The desire to get- rich- fast has driven many young men into armed robbery. Young men of between the ages of 18 and 40 attack people in their homes DISCUSSION QUESTIONS and on the highways with guns and other deadly weapons to rob them of their 1. For the Urban Church money, mobile phones and other expensive personal effects. Sometimes they a. To what extent do you know about the situation in the rural societies in end up killing their victims after they have robbed them. In recent times, your circuit? hardly will a day pass without the mention of armed robbery on the air waves b. Do you think you and your church have any obligation towards the less or in the Newspapers. Now the security personnel are engaging these robbers endowed churches in your circuit/diocese/entire church? in shoot outs resulting in the death of some of them. c. Is your society/circuit in link with another society/circuit? If yes, how has this twining worked out? If you are not doing so, why don’t you PROSTITUTION initiate one now? Some young ladies see prostitution, as a quick means of making money. They

61 88 2. For the Rural Church children for money. a. What are your greatest area(s) of need and how are you planning to fulfill them? In the 1970’s the term ‘Kalabule’ came to the scene. Kalabule referred to b. What material help has your church had for the past 2-5 years from your various means people used to cheat others in order to make money. During circuit/diocese/conference? Do you think more could be done? that period there was scarcity of goods in the country and traders took that c. Are you in a twinning relationship with another society/circuit/diocese? opportunity to sell the few goods at ‘cut throat’ prices. What have been the benefits to you and how do you plan to deepen this relationship. Now, the means to get rich quick is referred to as ‘Sakawa’. ‘Sakawa’ is derived d. If you are not twinned, why not initiate one now? from the Hausa word ‘Sakaawa’ which means deception. ‘Sakawa’ started as 3. What is your understanding of Connexionalism? What are its advantages and cyber fraud on the internet. Those who engaged in it on the internet used credit disadvantages? cards of foreigners to make purchases online. 4. To what extent is “the Inward-Looking Syndrome” operating in your society/circuit and how can this danger be averted? Of late, ‘Sakawa’ has assumed a new image. It is now used in relation to blood money rituals. This phenomenon is not limited to one ritual but there are BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION several of them through which, it is believed, one can get money quickly.

1. “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Carefully reflect on the call of The ‘sakawa’ ritual involves traditional priests, whom, it is believed, demand the Macedonians and see what help you can offer to a fellow Christian in blood from those who go to them for financial assistance. It is said that the need, a sister society or circuit or diocese. Draw concrete plans and act kind of blood the traditional priest demands depends on how fast one wants to on them, and share your decision and actions with your group. get the money and the amount involved. The priest can demand the blood of a 2. Class leaders should report the results of this week’s discussion to the child, boy, girl, woman or a man. This means the client has to kill one of these Leaders’ Meeting for further discussion and action. Class Leaders should people in order to get the blood demanded. report the results back to their groups. It is also said that for those who cannot get human blood, the traditional priest DAILY BIBLE READINGS can ask them to go out naked at dawn for three days. They can only return Monday Genesis 12:1-4 Abraham sent. home if they were seen by somebody. It is believed, the person who saw their Tuesday Exodus 3:1-10 Moses sent. nakedness would go home and die. They are given a secret code which they Wednesday Exodus 31: 1-11 Equipped for a special task. recite anytime they want money; a snake then appears and vomits money. Thursday Acts 14:21-28 Mission in the early church. Friday Acts 11:27-30 Relief from Antioch to Jerusalem Different groups of people including students, businessmen and women and Saturday Acts 19:8-11. Results of missionary work even pastors are said to have joined this ‘sakawa’ business to get rich quickly.

But why would people go to this extent to get money? Greed and avarice may be mentioned. Others go to this extent because that is the quickest means to meeting the expectations of society, friends and family members. For the young, money will give them the praise and respect of society and their peers. They will be celebrated as achievers and not as failures.

People who engage in ‘sakawa’ are wrecking havoc on themselves and the nation. The engagement in cyber fraud on the internet will deter foreigners

87 62 a day to make way for Israel’s occupation. In God’s power, he could certainly have done it but in his wisdom, God knew it would not be for Week 12 Israel’s good. He knew Canaan better than the Israelites and knew that if Beginning Israel should drive away the people there all at once, the wild animals could March 21, MISSIONARY CHALLENGES over-run their newly occupied lands before Israel could settle down. It 2010 BEYOND OUR BORDERS was therefore vital that the conquest should be gradual rather than instant.

2. Proverbs 13:11: Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow. This passage makes some important statements about KEY VERSE: “So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands money: on them and sent them off” ACTS 13: 3 a. One major way of making instant money is through dishonesty. Elisha’s servant, Gehazi became instantly rich when he followed Naaman and took SCRIPTURE LESSONS: ACTS 13: 1-6, 13-16; ROMANS 15: 20-22 from him the silver, clothing and other gifts that his master had refused to ACTS 13: 1In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: take. This instant acquisition of wealth was through deceit and he suffered Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been the consequences (II Ki 5:19-27) brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2While they were worshiping b. Dishonest money has no permanency. Those who do not toil to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul obtain money never learn how to keep such money and make it for the work to which I have called them." grow. The example of lotto and other lottery winners is all around us to 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent learn from. them off. c. When money is gathered carefully, it has the ability to grow. The need 4The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to to develop the savings culture in order to make money grow has been Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. discussed in another write-up in this edition. 5When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper. The “little by little” promise continues to be relevant for us today. Many of us 6They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There would have wished we were rich overnight, then people would know that we they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, have been blessed by the Lord. But that is not how God works. He promises that we shall be blessed, but only by continual dependence upon him. ACTS 13:13From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Unfortunately, however, some people go beyond wishing to actually take Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. negative steps to get rich overnight. 14From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. EXAMPLES OF THE GET-RICH FAST ATTITUDE IN GHANA 15After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent SAKAWA word to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for The desire to get rich quick has always been part of Ghanaian life. Over the the people, please speak." years, this phenomenon has surfaced in the country and been called by 16Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: "Men of Israel and you various names. In the past it was believed a person could only get rich quickly Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! through ‘sikaduro’ (blood money). There were reports of people killing their close relatives for rituals to get money. It was believed some men would give ROMANS 15: 20It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where up their ‘manhood’ or sexual ability for money or would exchange their Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation.

63 86 21Rather, as it is written: "Those who were not told about him will see, Week 16 and those who have not heard will understand."[a] Beginning 22This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you. April 18, THE DANGERS OF THE 2010 ‘GET-RICH-QUICK’ ATTITUDE INTRODUCTION: Missions has been the mission of God since creation. In the Old Testament we read about the Abrahamic Covenant (Ge. 12:1-3) concerning God’s plan to reach out to all the nations of the world. Psalm 96:3 and Habakkuk 2:14 affirm KEY VERSE: Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little the fact that all peoples or nations should share the glory of God. In the New by little makes it grow. PROVERBS 13:11 Testament, the Great Commission passages (Mt. 28:18-20, Mk. 16:16-18, Lk. 24:46-48 and Jn 20:21) all point to God’s concern for the nations. Furthermore, SCRIPTURE LESSON: DEUTERONOMY 7:20-24, PROVERBS 13:11 the mandate of the Church (Ac 1:8) shows clearly the need to make the Gospel DEUTERONOMY 7:20 Moreover, the LORD your God will send the hornet known to the ends of the earth. This study seeks to remind the church to among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished. respond positively to this urgent call and to move to the unreached areas 21 Do not be terrified by them, for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a beyond our borders, especially in West Africa and beyond. great and awesome God. 22 The LORD your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. BRIEF HISTORY OF MODERN MISSIONS You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will Count Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf was a great missionary statesman who multiply around you. launched a worldwide missionary movement, which was a forerunner of the 23 But the LORD your God will deliver them over to you, throwing them into “Great Century-1800’s” of missions. He influenced many protestant Christians great confusion until they are destroyed. by encouraging many lay evangelists to be missionaries. The Moravian 24 He will give their kings into your hand, and you will wipe out their names movement that followed this initiative was instrumental in the conversion and from under heaven. No one will be able to stand up against you; you will destroy ministry of the Wesleys in Europe and others beyond. Great missionaries of them. this era included William Carey who served in India and was given the title, the father of Modern Missions (1793-1820), and David Livingstone and Mary PROVERBS 13: 11 Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money Slessor who served in Africa in the mid 1800’s. little by little makes it grow.

The 1900-1960 era was a period of change in world missions and a great INTRODUCTION diversification in the types of missions and missionaries. While most Poverty is a reality among us. In the previous weeks we have discussed various missionaries had been orthodox evangelical Christians up to this point, this, ways in which we can create wealth and alleviate poverty. There is a caution that changed. America replaced England as the largest missionary sender. Most must be sounded – that it takes time to build wealth. This week we look at the missionaries were now from Bible Institutes and Christian Colleges. And the attitude of trying to get rich overnight and the dangers that go with it. Student Volunteer Movement brought thousands of students onto the mission field during the period. LESSONS FROM THE BIBLE: 1. Deuteronomy 7:20-24: The Conquest of the Land. 1960 to Present time: ‘The Lord your God will drive out the nations little by little’ (verse 22) There has been a revival of the missionary zeal among many groups such as the Israel had arrived in the promised land. The conquest of the land was to be Youth With a Mission, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal movement, Ghana gradual so that the people would not be overtaken by wild animals. It would Evangelism Committee, the Scripture Union and some Churches (for example, have been a marvelous achievement if the Canaanites could be vanquished in 85 64 who follow these false prophets. There are a lot of people who think that Church of Pentecost). Previous mission fields have become sending centers. prayer alone can change their fortunes. That is not the true biblical These include Latin America, Africa and parts of Asia. The practice of short teaching. It takes prayer but also planning and hard work to get out of term missions, power evangelism and prayer net-works have contributed to poverty. the expansion of missions. The partnerships of Evangelicals, Pentecostals and the Charismatic Churches have also enhanced the traditional methods of the DISCUSSION QUESTIONS task of missions for the clergy and laity (1Pe 2: 9). 1. Some people believe in the saying, “Sika dee yenya na yempe” meaning money cannot be obtained through hard work. What is The Early Church and Missions your position on this and how does it influence your life? The early church responded to Holy Spirit instruction as they worshipped the 2. “The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to Lord. They set Paul and Barnabas apart and sent them out for missions, with it” (Pr. 10:22) (NIV). What is your interpretation of this scripture? fasting and prayer. The apostle Paul and team did not stay in their comfort 3. Do you think it is wrong for Christians to spend working hours zone at Antioch but went out preaching the Gospel message in Seleucia and (week days) carrying on prayer meetings and other spiritual activities? Cyprus (Salamis and through the whole island to Paphos) (Acts 13:1-6). They Why or why not? continued further to Perga in Pamphylia where John left them to return to 4. Some people accuse Ghanaians and Africans in general as being lazy. Jerusalem. This did not discourage them but they went further to preach in Do you agree? Why or why not? Pisidian Antioch to both the Jews and Gentiles ( Ac 13: 13-16).

BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION Paul points out in his letter to the Romans that his ambition had always been This week, take time to reflect on your attitude to work. Do you always do to preach the Gospel in new frontiers where Christ Jesus was not known. The the barest minimum that is required of you or do you go the “extra mile.” goal of Paul was to win more people unto conversion, who may be built on How well are you self-motivated? Do you always have to be instructed the foundation of Christ (Ro 15: 20-23) before you attempt anything? Reflect on these and resolve to do better. MISSIONS CHALLENGES FOR THE METHODIST CHURCH DAILY BIBLE READINGS GHANA Monday Proverbs 14:20-24 Hard Work is Rewarding God used Joseph Dunwell, T. B. Freeman and others from Europe to Tuesday Ephesians 6:5-9 Serve Wholeheartedly establish the Methodist Church Ghana with the active involvement of the Wednesday 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 Do not be Idle local Christian leaders of the coast at that time. The Methodist Church Ghana Thursday Deuteronomy 15:7-11 Do Good to the Poor and Needy has in the past undertaken other missionary tasks to Benin, Nigeria, Sierra Friday 1Timothy 5:17-18 The Worker Deserves his Wages Leone, Gambia and Liberia. In recent times the Evangelism, Mission and Saturday Galatians 6:7-10 We will Reap What We Sow Renewal Division has planted five churches in Burkina Faso and the Sunyani Diocese has also planted three churches in La Cote D’Ivoire. However, the Church faces several challenges that must be addressed for effective and productive missions work. These include: 1. The many unreached countries in West Africa dominated by Islam and Traditional Religion. The Christian Population in Burkina Faso is less than 8%; Gambia, Niger, Mali and other countries of West Africa have less than 1%. In addition there are still invitations to assist the “old’ fields of Gambia, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

65 84 but fooling around” and not accomplishing anything. Tactfully, Paul speaks of 2. The Church still lacks committed, trained and motivated personnel who the layabouts by commanding and urging them in the name of Christ Jesus to can meet these urgent calls from our borders. get to work. 3. A serious constraint is the inadequate financial and moral support for the VERSES 13-15: It is often thought that only Christians who get caught up in few who have volunteered to be in missions in these areas. The many such sins as immorality, drunkenness, etc., should be disciplined by the appeals for “stronger” Churches to assist in these tasks have not received church. But Paul shows that idleness is as equally unacceptable among positive response from many. Christians as these other vices and those involved must be equally disciplined. 4. Inadequate prayer mobilization and support for missionaries and their Paul suggests the following disciplinary measures against the idlers and families has always been a big challenge for the Church. The negative busybodies : “spiritual forces” in these areas cannot be ignored if great results are to be  Warn them that they are wrong (1Th. 5:14) achieved.  Keep away from those who are idle, but do not 5. The overseas branches of the Methodist Church Ghana, especially in consider them as enemies. Europe and the USA, have not extended their chaplaincy work to real missions. The great potential in these churches is yet to be harnessed for THE WORD IN OUR LIVES further and greater missionary work in West Africa and beyond. An Akan proverb says; “S[ wo nk]] obi afuom a, wose woy[ ]kuafo]”, literally 6. The political, social and economic conditions and the many ethnic conflicts meaning, “it is only when you compare yourself to others that you can know if beyond our borders are hindering effective follow up for the Church’s you are a successful farmer.” missions work. When you compare the work ethics of the average Ghanaian or African to THE WORD IN OUR LIVES that of the average worker in the Western world, or China or Japan or Korea, We are all the product of missions and missionary work. Christian workers you come to the conclusion that we do not stretch ourselves as much as they from Europe left their homes where many were still not converted to preach do, or that our systems are more laxed, which lead to less productivity. the Gospel to us in Ghana. The Methodist people in Ghana benefited from the sacrifices of Joseph Dunwell and others in responding to their efforts through Our brothers and sisters who have lived abroad will attest to the fact that the help of the Holy Spirit. We must continue same in our day as commanded lateness to work - with our multitude of excuses, long extended lunch hours, by our Lord Jesus Christ and to the glory of God. long telephone and other conversations when there is work to be done are not tolerated in those systems. Our productivity is low, and many people want to Some of us will have to seriously consider the call to serve God in missionary be paid more for doing very little. work – beyond our borders. For those of us who are not called, the challenge of prayer for those involved in mission work, as well as regular giving exercises In the rural areas, where much of the work is menial, you see too many people for the work, cannot be over-emphasized. For this to be effective a constant doing very little and yet expecting to receive more. It is to be accepted that flow of information from the mission field is necessary. much of menial work is drudgery, but if we do not work hard to literally break our backs, we can never get out of our poverty. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. a. (i) What was the ethnic backgrounds of the people in the Church at Related to our poor work ethics is the issue of superstition. When we do not Antioch? To what extent does the Church benefit from such diversity? work hard and it leads to poverty, we attribute our failure to witches and (Ac 13: 1) demonic forces. Unfortunately, there are now a large number of so-called (ii) What task was entrusted to Paul and Barnabas? How did they prepare “men of God” who specialize in giving people false hopes that they can get before setting off? (Ac 13: 2-3) out of their poverty without planning and hard work. Sadly, there are many

83 66 In previous editions also, we have dealt with topics on work ethics such as “Productivity and Spirituality” and “Lessons from the Ant”. The b. How did they go about their missionary journey? Did they have question is: Have people heeded the various lessons that were presented? specific plans? (Ac 13: 4-6) We therefore find the need to revisit the issue of idleness because it has a 2. What happened to the team on the missions trip? Do we face such link with poverty, which is endemic in our part of the world. This week, we challenges today? (Ac 13:13-16) focus on work attitudes that must be cultivated, if we are to get out of 3. What was Paul’s primary ambition in preaching the Gospel? Does it poverty. matter where and to whom we preach the Gospel message? (Ro 15: 20 -21) IN-DEPTH 4. What action must your Diocese, Circuit and Society take to reach 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Some members of the church had misinterpreted Paul’s arears beyond your home borders. teaching about the return of Christ, left their jobs and were living on the 5. Discuss the hindrances to and possible solutions in our outreach generosity of the church. They were idle while others were working. Yet programs beyond our borders today.(see text above) they expected the church to support them. Idleness is dangerous for at least three reasons: BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION  The lives of people who are idle are characterised by lack of purpose i. Identify an unreached area; this month; pray for them (and plan if  Idleness leads to a life of dependency - other believers felt obligated to possible to reach out to them). provide for the idle Christians, severely draining the church’s resources. ii. Mobilize human and financial resources from your church to  Idle Christians give a wrong image of Christianity - that those who are support some missions work this year for the expansion of the most spiritual focus only on the return of Christ. Meanwhile, their Kingdom of God. neglect of practical matters undermine the church’s credibility and witness. DAILY BIBLE READINGS VERSES 7-10: Paul insisted on the need for the Thessalonian Christians to Monday Genesis 12: 1- 9 Abraham, a missionary of God imitate him. How had he led his life with respect to spiritual matters and Tuesday Psalm 22: 21-27 All the ends of the earth will turn to God menial work? As an apostle he had the right to expect financial support Wednesday Psalm 96:1-7 Declare God’s glory among the nations from those who benefitted from his teachings, but he gave up this right that Thursday Mark 16: 15-20 Go into all the world and preach the he might not be a burden to anybody. He self-supported himself with tent Good News making (Ac 18:3). Paul was probably following a rabbinic practice which Friday Acts 26: 17-23 Sent to open the eyes of those in darkness insisted that ‘ even a scholar must learn a trade, and not live by his shady of Saturday Revelation 14: 6-14 The Eternal Gospel to every nation, tribe the law.’ Paul’s practice led to what the modern church refers to as ‘tent and people ministry’, that is, a minister who works to support him/herself and not dependent on the church. Paul’s practice is also a challenge to the numerous church members who have become financial burdens to the church and want to be remunerated for the least service rendered to the church Paul teaches us from his life example that it is wrong to use spirituality as a cover up for laziness. Christians, must eschew laziness and make the most of their time to provide for themselves and their dependents. VERSES 11-12 A “busybody” is a gossip. An idle person who does not work ends up filling his or her time up with less than helpful activities. The Greek word for ‘busybody’ literally means “to be working around”; that is “busy

67 82 Week 15 Beginning April 11, THE CHRISTIAN WORK 2010 ETHIC POVERTY AND WEALTH CREATION

This is the major theme of this edi- KEY VERSE: “Lazy hands make a man poor, but the diligent hands bring wealth.” PROVERBS 10:4 tion and so there are ten (topics) lessons which range from the reality SCRIPTURE LESSON: 2 THESSALONIANS 3:6-15 of poverty among our people to the 6In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away Biblical principles for getting out of from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching[a] you poverty. received from us. 7For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, The underlying principle is that it is 8nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked God who gives us the ability to cre- night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of ate wealth. you. 9We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. So follow these principles, avoid the 10For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, dangers that have been highlighted he shall not eat." and you will get out (and remain out) 11We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. of poverty, to the glory of God. 12Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. 13And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right. 14If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. 15Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

INTRODUCTION Paul, in his first letter to the Thessalonians, urged them to shun idleness: “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody” (1Thessalonians 4:11, 12). Apparently, they did not adhere to his admonition. So Paul devoted some part of his second letter to this problem.

81 68 anything original we can do to generate an income and then start putting our thoughts together, with God’s help, for its realization. Week 13 Beginning DISCUSSION QUESTIONS March 28, 1. Discuss the EXPOSITION section by section, giving examples, if 2010

possible, to illustrate the points being made. 2. a) Explain the adage, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” b) Let one member give a testimony on how this worked in his/her life or someone else’s life. KEY VERSE: 3"About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in 3. How can poverty lead to crime, ill health, hopelessness and death and the marketplace doing nothing. 4He told them, 'You also go and work in my how can we get out of this? vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' MATTHEW 20:3,4 4. Why is it dangerous to wait for somebody, including the Government, to solve your unemployment problems for you? SCRIPTURE LESSON: MATTHEW 20: 3 – 8 5. How can the celebration of Easter be used as a spring board to MATTHEW 20: 3"About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in fashion out new ways of creative survival? the marketplace doing nothing. 4He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION whatever is right.' Use this week to reflect on today’s discussion and identify new areas you 5So they went. "He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour can explore to enhance your finances. Pray and do something about it. and did the same thing. 6About the eleventh hour he went out and found still Share the results with your Bible Class members. others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?' DAILY BIBLE READINGS 7" 'Because no one has hired us,' they answered. "He said to them, 'You also Monday Titus 3:12-14 Do not Live an Unproductive life go and work in my vineyard.' Tuesday 2 Thessalonians 3:5-15 Warning Against Idleness 8"When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call Wednesday 1 Kings 3:16-28 Creativity Goes with Wisdom the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and Thursday Genesis 37:1-11 What is your Dream? going on to the first.' Friday Genesis 41:25-39 Plan for the Fulfillment of your Dream INTRODUCTION Saturday Proverbs 10:1-5 Diligence is rewarding The International Labour Organisation (ILO) defines the unemployed as “the number of the economically active population who are without work but available for and seeking work, including people who have lost their jobs and those who have voluntarily left work”. The prevalence of unemployment is usually measured using the unemployment rate, which is defined as the CHRIST IS RISEN! percentage of the population who are employable but are without jobs.

HALLELUJAH! In recent years, the overwhelming realities of unemployment have affected the lives of many in our country. Ghana’s unemployment rate currently stands at 20% (2008 World Factbook). The figure, according to the Factbook, was

69 80 11% in 2000. It shows how serious the unemployment situation in the country • Making fruit juice for sale has become. Note that the 20% represents millions of people. There is no single day that we do not hear one complaining about unemployment. What • Establishing a grocery shop has added to the problem is graduate unemployment, a situation where • Soya bean khebab production university graduates do not get jobs to do after going through the academic These are not capital intensive. At the same time it is easy to get a market ladder successfully. for such products.

EXPOSITION THE WORD IN OUR LIVES Types of Unemployment Kwesi Bediako, an unemployed graduate, found himself in Accra looking These are voluntary and involuntary unemployment. Voluntary unemployment for a job. The applications he wrote to various organizations yielded no is attributed to the individual's decision, for example, when for any reason one positive result. Consequently life became miserable for Bediako to the decides not to work. Involuntary unemployment exists because of the socio- extent that affording a meal a day was a problem. But he did not allow his economic environment. Involuntary unemployment describes the condition situation to weigh him down. He refused to be like the many people who where there are fewer job vacancies than unemployed workers, so that even if sit around and say: “Everything treats me bad. I guess I am useless, life has all vacancies were to be filled, there would still be people who are capable of not treated me well.” working and want jobs but cannot find them. As a marketing scholar, he challenged himself to establish his own Causes of Unemployment economic consultancy to render some kind of advisory services to the Unemployment, in our contemporary era, has a variety of causes: many people in the private sector. He started by deciding on the kind of advice to offer his clients, the fee to charge and how he will go about the 1. A weak national economy: When the national economy is weak, the project. His target customers were petty traders, grocery shop owners, hair labour market is unable to absorb additional workers. The following, among dressers, seamstresses and tailors. To publicize his new venture he moved others may also cause unemployment: when governments embark on from one shop to another and explained his new vision to his target group. programmes such as closure of industries, redeployment exercises and complete Fortunately he had 10 people to respond. Within 3 months his clients were ‘lay-off’ of workers. able to improve upon their businesses. They shared their secret with their colleagues and as a result most of them called on Bediako for similar help. 2. Lack of the pre-requisite skills for available jobs: This is where there is a mismatch between people’s skills and the requirements of the new job Now Bediako no more goes out seeking for customers. He has his own opportunities. In this case there could be job vacancies and yet job seekers may office with two workers under him. He attends to an average of 150 clients lack the skills to fill such vacancies. Even if they are employed, they soon a week. He is also married with two children and rides in his own car. exhibit poor job performance, which may eventually lead to their lay-offs. Kwesi believed that he had the ability to make something of his life, so he set to work and achieved it.

3. Rapid population growth: This creates the situation where there are fewer This story is to tell you that all is not over when we are confronted with jobs than the number of employable people in the system, especially as we add challenges in life. You can only overcome these challenges through to the number of students who come out of school every year to seek for perseverance, hard work and creativity. Buy the idea of creative survival employment in the corporate world. and you will be on top. Bediako’s story is a model for those of us who are unemployed to emulate. We are to study our communities to see if there is 4. Graduate unemployment: The universities and other tertiary institutions prepare most of their students to meet the nation’s manpower needs but the 79 70 job market is not able to absorb additional workers. Some corporate • Teaching kids at home organizations also complain that some of the products from the tertiary • Starting a school institutions fail to meet the criteria their human resource department have set • Establishing a crèche for themselves. • Literacy classes for the illiterate 4. Imperfect information on the labour market: If the jobless are unaware • Writing and Sale of books of the available employment opportunities, then they continue to remain

unemployed. Another suggested area is the cultivation of crops and keeping of animals.

These areas are conducive for people located in the villages and smaller towns 5. Dislike for locally made goods: Many young people learn various kinds because there will be the need for land which may not be available in the urban of trade but realize that goods that they produce are not in any high demand. areas. People interested in such areas are encouraged to be proactive to look Ghanaians’ dislike for locally made goods adds to the unemployment situation for market for their products in the cities. Below are some suggestions: in our nation. Local industries collapse because their products are not  Livestock (sheep , goat) and poultry keeping patronized.  Keeping snails and grasscutters  Mushroom farming 6. Ill-health. When one becomes ill for a very long time, that person may lose  Commercial farming (staples, fruits like pineapples, papayas, mangoes his/her job. and other exotic fruits).  Floriculture - This offers a lot of opportunities as Ghana’s climate, soils Consequences of Unemployment and other natural characteristics make it conducive location for the 1. Family/Relative Dependency: Job layoffs and terminations often hold cultivation of a myriad of exotic flowers. a stigma that cause people to withdraw from the very communities where they once thrived. It can be a source of anxiety within family life. Where The young and energetic people in the urban centers can offer the services there is no commitment to work owing to unemployment, people turn to below for their livelihood. The demand for such services is very high and depend on family/relatives. therefore whoever adopts any of them stands to win. It is easy to enter because 2. Negative Effect on Family Life: It can be a cause of conflict in family it does not demand any huge capital. The suggestions are listed below: life, especially when there is lack of money to pay for rent and other • Cleaning carpets and furniture utility bills. Financial obligations are also shirked. Infact, personal • Producing tooth picks responsibility and self-respect are undermined. • Mobile laundry services 3. Illnesses/Mental Stress: Unemployment increases susceptibility to mental stress, and loss of self-esteem, leading to depression. Research has • Taking family portraits shown that being unemployed can also reduce the life expectancy of • Barbering services workers by about 7 years. Illnesses, malnutrition and other related health • Driving issues can also result from unemployment.

People who have knowledge in food processing, especially vocational school The Bible and Unemployment leavers, are also encouraged to go into the following: God has a very positive view of work. God is a worker and work is important • Baking and selling of pastries in offices in our lives as human beings. Work is part of God's good creation. We are • Cooking for social occasions such as weddings, funerals, etc. created as workers and instructed by God to work. After the ‘Fall’, work became difficult and toilsome, but it still remains part of what we are to do in

71 78 ideas or ways of doing things. The main stimulants to creativity are this world. Voluntary unemployment is not acceptable. It is wrong to be idle positive thinking and optimism. and lazy. Infact it is sinful to be unwilling to work. We have to take responsibility to provide for ourselves and others, as Paul admonishes us in 2. You can Start with Nothing or Something Little: Some people are of the view 2Thessalonians 3:6-12. If you are not willing to work, you should not eat. Lazy that starting an enterprise or creating one’s own livelihood demands a people should not be allowed to feed on others. As Christians we need to try substantial amount of money. But it is not always the case. For hard to get out of unemployment. example an unemployed graduate teaching kids at home does not

demand capital since the parents of the children will provide the needed What support can the church give to the unemployed? facilities. Use these projects as stepping stones for the achievement of Here are ways that congregations can uphold and support those who are your higher expectations. unemployed or are in the midst of job transition.

• Formation of Credit Unions to help with soft loans for those who need 3. You Must be an Initiator: Anyone who wants to break his poverty yoke funds to start their small scale businesses in order to get out of like the ant needs no one to tell or instruct him on what to do (Pr 6:6- unemployment. 8). He must be very enterprising, a self starter, bold to take risks and • Being mindful that some causes for unemployment are health-related, willing to try out new ways of doing things. In initiative is creativity – the church must be prepared to reach out with love and appropriate the ability to challenge oneself to do something original to meet a need support. for livelihood. This has to do with the positive use of the brain God • In preaching and teaching, refer to unemployment and job transitions, has given us. along with the many other challenges in life, as vulnerable realities of human existence and offer the necessary encouragement to ginger 4. You Must be a Hard worker: Creativity cannot be complete without hard people to search for work. work. The question then is: what is involved in hard work? It involves • Offer formal prayers for those who are seeking employment and stretching every part of your body to achieve a certain goal. experiencing the realities of job transition and unemployment. Furthermore, it involves constantly challenging yourself about what new approach or method you can use to achieve a better output. It has Solving the Problem of Unemployment to do with ‘doing your best.’ This reminds us of that nursery rhyme: “Good, better best, May I never rest, until my good is better, and my Individual Contributions better best!” Hard work has the ability to break the yoke of poverty Individuals who have been blessed with financial resources can also help solve from your back. They say in Twi; “Mm]denb] bu musuo abasu mu” the problem of unemployment. Such individuals can open both small and big translated as; “Hard work breaks the arm of evil”. scale industries to create more jobs. The Bible warns us in many places that without hard work, we cannot Christian employers must not make profits the only criteria for keeping achieve anything. It instructs us to work hard, as if we worked directly workers. They must continue to operate even if they make very minimal profit for the Lord (Col 3:23 -25). In Proverbs 10:4, we are admonished to knowing that their operations are serving as a source of livelihood for their work hard because “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands employees and their families. bring wealth.”

Develop Job Hunting Skills: SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR THE CREATIVE SURVIVOR The unemployed must consider the following: chasing up work, going to The unemployed tertiary institution graduate and the Senior High School relevant agencies, knocking at the doors of employers, writing application graduate with their academic background can do the following to survive:

77 72 ability to think constructively and to create, determines the degree of your letters, making calls, etc. Remember to prepare your Curriculum Vitae (CV). success in life. Let us try to understand the words applied to God in his Be willing to attend interviews. God is in control and will provide for our creation – knowledge, understanding, wisdom - and see how best we can be needs. Be patient and be prayerful. creative enough to fight poverty: Be Humble To Accept Less Desirable Jobs • Knowledge: understanding of or information about a subject which has Again, the unemployed must be realistic about their job prospects. Though been obtained by experience or study, and which is either in a person’s it takes time to find a job it must be noted that a number of jobs always exist mind or possessed by people generally. in less ‘fashionable’ sectors. If only the unemployed, including graduates • Understanding: knowledge about a subject, a situation or how something would be willing to take them they would be available for their taking. For works. example, the country’s interior is still in crying need of teachers. People can • Wisdom: the ability to make use of good knowledge and experience to respond to it to solve their problem of unemployment. Also, most jobs in make good decisions and judgments. agriculture do not require too much capital and other inputs to start off.

From these definitions we can conclude that creative survival has to do with the Add Value To Your Self: following: In Daniel 1:4, we are given an example of the qualifications needed to serve in a high place. One ought to be well informed, have aptitude for all levels of learning, quick to understand, etc. In our day the unemployed can go • The ability to sense or identify a need and think through to supply a through a short period of re-training to acquire skills that will meet the need solution. of potential employers. Unemployed graduates for instance may increase • Using your already acquired knowledge, experiences or know how to their employability by acquiring further skills through such short training. solve a problem in order to improve upon a situation. Although job opportunities are sometimes sparse in Ghana, with a little • Making good decisions and judgment based on the knowledge and assertiveness and forward planning, one can set himself/herself free from experience acquired, to ensure that something is created for a livelihood. the unemployment trap. Support your efforts of looking for a job with It has been said that knowledge is power, but this is true only when it is prayer. applied. The fact is that knowledge that is applied or utilized to bring a benefit that someone will pay for is very powerful in today’s economy. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. What are some of the signs that indicate that unemployment is on the The Characteristics of a Creative Survivor increase? 1. You must be positive and creative: There are a lot of people in society as well 2. To what extent has unemployment affected family life? as in our churches confronted with various forms of hardships. Such 3. How can we prepare ourselves for self-employment? hardships are necessary evils because they move us from our comfort 4. What can the individual do to secure jobs? Discuss and add to the list zones into action - to fight poverty. provided. 5. Do churches, corporate bodies and individuals who have already made it One of the means by which we can fight poverty and for that reason in life have any contribution to make towards solving the problem of unemployment is creativity, the ability to use our imagination to produce unemployment? Discuss and add to the list provided new ideas or things. The more we fish out for creative ways to deal with 6. Identify available jobs in agriculture which the unemployed can easily our hardship with regards to work, finance and problems, the more take up without too many starting inputs. successful we will be. Thus a creative person is good at thinking of new 7. How can the celebration of Good Friday (the death of Christ)

73 76 strengthen your faith in God? Week 14 Beginning DAILY BIBLE READINGS April 04, Monday II Thessalonians 3:8-11 Eat from your own labour 2010 CREATIVE SURVIVAL Tuesday Philippians 4:11-13 All things are possible with Christ Wednesday John 9:4 Work while it is day Thursday Matthew 25:24-27 Christ hates neglect of duty Friday Genesis 2:15 Work to maintain yourself KEY VERSE: “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is Saturday Joshua 18:3 Sluggishness, an ungodly attitude to established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful work treasures” PROVERBS 24:3 - 4

SCRIPTURE LESSON: PROVERBS 3:19-20, 24:1-4 PROVERBS 3:19 By wisdom the LORD laid the earth's foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; 20 by his knowledge the deeps were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew.

PROVERBS 24:1 Do not envy wicked men, do not desire their company; 2 for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble. 3 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; 4 through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. Have a Blessed INTRODUCTION Passion Week Celebration Last week we dealt with unemployment, one of the serious problems confronting Third World countries like Ghana. Some solve this problem by migrating with its attendant ill effects. Lack of skills contributes to unemployment. This week our focus is on how to apply the adage “necessity is the mother of invention” to our lives. Our discussion will be centered on how to avoid giving excuses and be creative or innovative in the face of the hardship, poverty and other related problems that confront us.

EXPOSITION The creative ability of God is expressed in the Bible as follows: “By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; by his knowledge the deeps were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew” (Proverbs 3:19-20). God has put this creative ability in man as expressed in the following passage: “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures” (Pr 24:3-4). So your mind has all the powers you need to get you anything you really want to accomplish in life. Thus your

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