Fruitful Living
10 reasons we should attend church
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” – Hebrews 10:25
INTRODUCTION
Church is not a place to go, rather it is a living body where God wants you to become a part––for your good and His glory.
Let’s look at only 10 of many reasons to go to church––even when we don’t feel like it.
1. TO HEAR THE PREACHING OF THE WORD
If the word of God is quick, powerful and sharper than a sword (Hebrews 4:12), then hearing the preaching of Scripture is vital to our spiritual well-being.
If we are physically unable to attend church, watching it on television or online is a wonderful resource. This allows us to stay in communion with our church family, learning what they are learning, and growing as they grow.
The Word of God:
- Penetrates hearts and transforms lives.
- Calls sinners to repentance.
- Encourages the downtrodden.
- Inspires the Lord’s servants to love and serve Christ Lights the way God would have you go
2. TO PARTICIPATE IN CORPORATE WORSHIP
Worshiping God alone is wonderful, but nothing can replace the beauty of coming together corporately to worship Him with others who also have His Spirit in them through the redeeming work of salvation.
Worshiping God comes as a response to our humble gratitude for His love for us. Knowing God and His character as revealed in Scripture will stir in His children a heart of thankfulness that is expressed in worship that brings Him glory––rather than a self-serving emotional experience. The Spirit causes true worshipers to long to come together with other believers to honour Christ.
3. BECAUSE IRON SHARPENS IRON – Proverbs 27:17
Meeting regularly with other believers is a source of encouragement and strength. But know this: when iron rubs against iron, not only does it become sharper, it causes also parks!
God uses our interactions with others to show us the areas He would have us repent and turn to reflect more the image of His Son. Working alongside Christians in a church fellowship is a wonderful way to grow our love for God and for others. And it is also God’s way of showing us areas He wants to mature our walk with Christ.
4. TO EXERCISE OUR GIFT
From preaching to encouraging, hospitality to administration, God equips His children with gifts to serve Christ. When a church body is healthy, its members realise they are part of the congregation not only to receive but also to be a blessing.
5. TO ENCOURAGE OUR PASTOR
“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now… And it is right for me to feel this way about you all for I hold you in my heart” – Philippians 1:3-7. Can’t we just hear Paul’s affection for these precious people who partnered with him in spreading the glorious gospel of grace?
In the same way, when we become a partner in ministry with our pastor we bring joy to his heart, grow his love for us and cause him to joyfully thank God for our faithful service to Christ.
6. TO FIND GODLY MENTORS
In church we discover many people who have walked the road ahead of us. Their wisdom, insights, and even vulnerability to teach us from their mistakes is one way God provides to help us grow. Titus chapter 2 is a great place to learn how much God values mentorship. It is His plan for the older men and women to come alongside of the younger to train them in godliness, and guide them toward building a life of no regrets.
7. TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN TO LOVE THE CHURCH
If we want to teach our children to love God, they need to see that we love God too. And if we want them to learn to love God’s people, they have to observe us loving God’s people. Luke 6:40 says the student will become like his teacher. Notice Jesus didn’t say the student will become as the teacher teaches him to be, rather he will be like his teacher.
8. TO BE A LIGHT TO OUR COMMUNITY
When we commit to loving God and loving others, the light shining from our Christ-honouring love is what the Spirit can use to draw others to know Jesus.
When God’s people commit to fiercely love one another by covering sins with love and readily forgiving one another, their love will be a light that shines brightly in a crooked and perverse generation. Let it begin with us.
9. TO BEAR EACH OTHER’S BURDENS
Galatians 6:2 teaches us to bear each other’s burdens to fulfill the law of Christ. In a moment everything can change. Just when things are going great, a phone call, diagnosis, or a host of other mishaps can leave you feeling afraid and alone. But to those who are a part of a church family never feel alone. When life is going great, they have the affirmation of others. And when life throws a curve, they’re blessed by loving concern, support, and prayer.
10. BECAUSE GOD SAYS TO
Hebrews 10:25 says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” I don’t think the writer of Hebrews could make any more clear God’s desire to have us regularly assemble together with His people. Realise that God wanting us to regularly attend church is for our good. He wants us, and His people, to exhort one another especially as the days grow darker and the time of Christ’s return approaches.
CONCLUSION
I remember one man from China explaining how they had to sing hymns no louder than a whisper for fear they would be discovered. Discovery would mean physical abuse, their children and possessions seized, and imprisonment––yet still they met together. Their story should stir our hearts to see the value and incredible privilege we have to meet openly together to worship God and hear the preaching of the Word.
I pray the Holy Spirit stirs in us a zeal and commitment to meet together with God’s people to praise Him, love others, and shine brightly the hope of Christ to a generation who is desperate to believe that what we say we believe is true––is in fact true.
Stay blessed!
For further inquiries please contact us on Tel Nos. 0302-772013 or 0268130615
Email: saltnlightministries@gmail.com
Website: saltandlightministriesgh.org
The internationally accepted definition (from the UN Palermo Protocol, 2000) identifies three elements:
ACT (What is done), which includes:
• Recruitment, transportation, transfer harbouring, or receipt of persons. How it is Applied:
In Ghana, traffickers recruit children from rural areas under false promises of education or employment.
MEANS (How it is done), which includes:
• Threats
• Coercion
• Deception
• Abuse of vulnerability
How it is applied:
Parents may be deceived into releasing children, or victims may be threatened into silence.
PURPOSE (Why it is done), which includes:
• Sexual exploitation
• Forced labour
• Slavery
• Organ harvesting
Key Insight:
Even if a victim appears to “consent,” such consent is legally irrelevant if coercion or deception is involved.
Islamic legal principles align with this framework by prohibiting exploitation (ẓulm) and unjust enrichment, rendering trafficking morally and legally impermissible (Bawono & Huda, 2025).
Forms and impacts of human trafficking
Human trafficking manifests in several forms:
• Child trafficking → educational deprivation, psychological trauma
• Forced labour → economic exploitation, health risks
• Sexual exploitation → severe physical and emotional harm
• Organ trafficking → life-threatening and ethically egregious
Human trafficking manifests in diverse and interconnected forms. Child trafficking leads to loss of education, long-term psychological trauma, and entrenched poverty.
Forced labour subjects victims to severe economic exploitation and hazardous working conditions, often resulting in deteriorating health. Sexual exploitation inflicts profound physical abuse and emotional damage, alongside social stigma.
Organ trafficking poses life-threatening risks and represents a grave ethical violation. Collectively, these practices undermine human capital, weaken social structures, and hinder sustainable development. These forms collectively erode human capital and social stability.
Legal and Institutional Frameworks
International Legal Instruments
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, 1948)
The UDHR provides the normative foundation for global human rights law:
• Article 1: Affirms equality and freedom of all humans
• Article 4: Explicitly prohibits slavery and servitude
• Article 5: Prohibits torture and degrading treatment
Analytical Insight:
Human trafficking violates all three provisions simultaneously. Victims are deprived of freedom (Article 1), subjected to forced labour (Article 4), and exposed to degrading conditions (Article 5).
These align closely with Islamic prohibitions against oppression and injustice.
Palermo Protocol (2000)
This is the primary international legal instrument addressing trafficking:
• Provides the AMP definition (Act–Means–Purpose)
• Emphasises the 3Ps framework: Prevention, protection, prosecution
• Recognises victim rights and state obligations
Analytical insight:
The Protocol’s emphasis on protection and dignity parallels Islamic legal objectives, particularly the preservation of life and honour. Comparative studies show strong convergence between Islamic law and international anti-trafficking norms (Jamal, 2025).
Regional framework
African charter on human and peoples’ rights
• Article 5: Protects human dignity and prohibits exploitation
• Article 15: Guarantees equitable working conditions
Analytical insight:
The Charter contextualises human rights within African socio-cultural realities, reinforcing communal responsibility an idea that resonates with Islamic communal ethics (ummah).
National framework: Ghana 1992 Constitution of Ghana
• Article 15: Guarantees the dignity of all persons and prohibits torture or degrading treatment
• Article 16: Explicitly prohibits slavery, servitude, and forced labour
• Article 21: Guarantees fundamental human rights and freedoms, including personal liberty, freedom of movement, and constitutional safeguard against human trafficking. In particular, Article 21 affirms the right of individuals to move freely, make autonomous decisions, and live without coercion.
Human trafficking directly contravenes these rights by restricting victims’ movement, subjecting them to confinement, and denying their personal liberty through deception and force. Victims are often transported against their will and held in exploitative conditions, thereby violating their constitutional freedoms.
Consequently, trafficking not only breaches specific prohibitions under Articles 15 and 16 but also fundamentally undermines the broader human rights guarantees freedom from arbitrary restraint.
Human Trafficking Act (Act 694, as amended)
• Criminalises all forms of human trafficking, including recruitment, transportation, harbouring, and exploitation
• Provides for victim protection, rehabilitation, and reintegration through state-supported mechanisms
• Establishes institutional frameworks for investigation, prosecution, and inter-agency collaboration
Critical and normative insight:
The Act reflects Ghana’s commitment to safeguarding human dignity and aligns with international standards. However, enforcement challenges persist due to limited funding, weak institutional coordination, and low public awareness, which hinder effective implementation.
From an Islamic perspective, the provisions of Act 694 resonate strongly with core Sharīʿah principles. Islam unequivocally prohibits all forms of exploitation (ẓulm), coercion, and the commodification of human beings. Human trafficking violates the divinely ordained dignity (karāmah) of individuals, undermines justice (‘adl), and disrupts social balance. By criminalising trafficking and promoting victim protection, the Act indirectly advances the higher objectives of
Islamic law (Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah), particularly the preservation of life, dignity, and wealth. Thus, both Islamic teachings and Ghanaian law converge in condemning trafficking as a grave moral and legal injustice.
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Children’s Act (Act 560)
• Protects children from exploitative labour and harmful practices
• Promotes access to education, welfare, and holistic development
Domestic Violence Act (Act 732)
• Addresses physical, emotional, and psychological abuse often associated with trafficking
• Provides legal remedies, protection orders, and support systems for victims
By Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai, Kpone
Katamanso Municipal Chief Imam, Certified
Counsellor and Governance Expert
Jesus teaches, “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.”
Light is not meant to be hidden. In Ephesians 5:8, the Bible says, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”
This means our faith should be visible in the way we live. Not in a loud or forceful way, but in a consistent and genuine way.
When we choose honesty, kindness, patience, and love, we are shining our light. People may not always listen to what we say, but they will see how we live.
Your Life Should Point Others to God
Jesus says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
This is the purpose of being salt and light. It is not about drawing attention to ourselves, but about pointing people to God.
In 1 Peter 2:12, we are encouraged to live such good lives that others may see our actions and glorify God.
Our lives become a testimony. The way we treat people, the way we handle challenges, and the way we walk in love all speak loudly.Through us, others can begin to see the goodness and grace of God.
6. Being Salt and Light Requires a Living Relationship with God
We cannot live this life in our own strength.
In John 15:5, Jesus says, “Without me you can do nothing.” This reminds us that our ability to influence the world comes from our connection with Him.
As we spend time in prayer, study His Word, and walk in obedience, our lives are transformed. From that place, we begin to reflect Him naturally.
It is not about striving. It is about abiding in Him.
A Simple Reflection
To be salt and light means:
² To influence the world with Godly character
² To live differently according to God’s Word
² To shine through your daily actions
² To point others to Christ
² To remain connected to Him at all times
Conclusion
Jesus has already declared who you are. You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. The question is whether you are living out that identity.
The world needs your influence. The world needs your light. In your home, your workplace, your church, and your community, God has placed you there for a reason.
As you walk with Him, your life will naturally make an impact. Shine your light,
stay true to His Word and let your life bring glory to God.
By Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee
