<<Print>>

Most Reverend Professor Daniel Yinkah Sarfo, Anglican Primate of the Church of West Africa, has predicted that the forthcoming Bonnke Gospel Crusade slated for November this year will be the �most fantastic crusade ever held in Kumasi.� In a tacit endorsement of the Christ for all Nations (CFAN) ministry founded by German international evangelist, Reinhard Bonnke, Most Rev Yinkah Sarfo said his prediction was based on CFAN�s track record in soul-winning as well as its methodology. �One: we are going after the souls with beautiful invitation cards long before the crusade. Each of the participating churches is pouring its members into the streets of the city and into the surrounding villages to give out the invitations. �Two: CFAN is not competing with the churches for souls. The local churches will reap the souls. �Three: Bonnke�s integrity can be vouched for. Throughout the world, everybody testifies to his heart for the unsaved. More importantly, he has made a name for himself in this city. We all remember when, in 1993, he mounted a mammoth crusade at the stadium that saw thousands declare for Christ and brought revival to the churches in Kumasi. �Four: everybody, even non-Christians, attest to the miraculous signs that accompany the word of God when Bonnke mounts the crusade platform. We know that people will come from Western, Central and Brong-Ahafo Regions. �Last but equally important is that in this crusade, Bonnke is not making any financial demands on the churches in Kumasi. He is financing everything.� Most Rev Yinkah Sarfo was speaking to journalists in the Ashanti Region on the sidelines of a pastors meeting organised by CFAN to solicit the co-operation of the Christian community in the Garden City with regard to the organisation of the crusade. Asked what his own personal motivation was, the Anglican primate, who is also Chairman of the Board overseeing the planning process, replied thus: �If you are a man of God and you understand that the mission of every true Christian organisation is to win souls, you cannot but help Reinhard to do what the churches are supposed to be doing.� He pointed to the rising crime wave in the cities of Ghana, the corruption in high and low places and observed that �all this is happening in a country that boasts of a population of over 60 per cent Christians, in a country where the number of churches is increasing by the day while beautiful and mighty church buildings are the order of the day, with so-called men of God abounding everywhere. What this means is that the gospel has not been preached effectively from the church. �This is my motivation�, he declared, explaining that �when you get a man of God to come to preach nothing but the unadulterated message of salvation, what you get is that at the end of the day, heaven rejoices. When heaven rejoices, the church on earth rejoices and we, mortals reap the benefits because armed robbery and corruption and other crimes would have reduced.� Reverend John Darko, CFAN�s Executive Director in charge of Africa, who was present, told the media that the forthcoming crusade would be different in many respects. First of all, the crusade will start at 4pm and close at 7pm on each of the four days. He explained that their 40 years� experience had taught them that when crusades close too late in the night, the people get home late and are not able to enjoy a good night�s rest. Secondly, he said, no offering or silver collection will be taken at the crusade. People, especially the new converts, will be encouraged to keep their money for all the four nights and take it to a church of their choice on that Sunday. The Board overseeing the planning of the crusade also includes Rev Dr Kwabena Darko, founder of Darko Farms and General Overseer of the Oasis of Love International Church, Very Rev Professor Osei Sarfo Kantanka, Diocesan Bishop of the Kumasi Archdiocese of the Methodist Church of Ghana and Rev Dr Douglas Frimpong, Senior Pastor of Christian Outreach Ministries, who is the crusade planning committee chairman.