Gospel Singers Must Not Focus On Entertainment

The Most Reverend Professor Emmanuel Kwaku
Asante, Outgoing Presiding Bishop of Methodist
Church, Ghana, has said Church Choirs and
gospel musicians should win souls for Christ
with their songs instead of providing mere
entertainment.
“There is the need for you to realize that your
primary duty in singing is not for entertainment
so let what you sing expose your listeners to the
wide range of biblical image and story, backed
by the power that spirit imparts for the holistic
redemption of our faith communities, ”he said.
He was speaking at the official opening of the
15th Biennial National Delegates Conference of
the Association of Methodist Church Choirs,
Ghana (GHAMECC) at Cape Coast, Most Rev.
Asante also challenged hymn and song
composers to write songs that built faith and
trust in God.
Most Rev. Asante said singing, like preaching,
was a powerful tool, which imparted the word of
God to Christians and non-believers for effective
Christian formation and growth.
The five-day conference, which also marks the
40th Anniversary of the Association, is on the
theme, “Witnessing to Christ; singing for
effective Christian formation”. It is being
attended by more than 2,000 delegates from
Methodist Churches nationwide.
The formation of Methodist Church choirs began
many years before 1974, but it was in April of
the year that the Association was established by
a group of dedicated choristers.
The objective was to bring all Methodist Choirs
on a common platform for the discussion and
prosecution of issues of common interest. It was
also to bring uniformity, correctness in singing,
among others.
Most Rev. Asante said the early Methodists, led
by John and Charles Wesley, were identified as
people of God through singing, consequently,
the lyrical heritage of Methodism was partly
grounded on the recognition of congregational
singing as a potent means of teaching faith.
He said Methodist choristers were at the
forefront of the Church’s discipleship process,
teaching and nurturing of faith through the
medium of music and, therefore, urged them to
intentionally prepare themselves as a fitting
instrument.
The Central Regional Minster, Mr. Aquinas
Tawiah, said the failure of choristers to
propagate the gospel had dire consequences
and urged them to work hard to eschew
negative tendencies.
Mr Quansah commended the Methodist Church
for its contribution towards the development of
education, health, and other areas.
Prof. Yaw Sekyi-Baidoo, National Chairman of
GHAMECC, paid glowing tributes to the founding
members and all those who had contributed to
the welfare of the association since its
establishment.
He said challenges facing the association
included the unavailability of musicians,
especially organists, to help choirs in rural areas,
lack of budgetary support for implementation of
commendable suggestions and the depletion of
members due to old age.
He, therefore, and appealed for support to solve
the problems.
Prof. Sekyi-Baidoo announced that the
association planned to publish a new hymnbook
of Ghanaian composers to meet the Ghanaian
local taste and also step up dialogues on the
placement, formation, training and management
of junior choirs to replenish the senior choir.