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Prioritise soul winning over filling pews -Catechist
A Catechist of the Lighthouse Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Tanoso in the Ashanti Region, Mr Peter Nuamah, has urged church leaders to prioritise winning and nurturing souls for Christ over the interest to just fill the pews.
According to him, “heaven is not about counting of heads. It is more about the number of souls won for the Lord.”
His comment came against the backdrop of the several ambitious plans by churches, including the Tanoso Lighthouse Presbyterian Church to reach two million members by 2028.
Speaking to The Spectator after last Sunday’s church service, Mr Nuamah insisted that aiming to increase membership was not wrong but was important to focus on soul winning and converting them for Christ.
Mr Nuamah noted that numerical growth without genuine conversion and repentance risks hollowing out the church’s mission.
In this regard, he urged leaders to shift their gaze from membership targets to the deeper work of winning and nurturing souls for Christ.
“The church should not nurture members; it must nurture souls,” he declared, adding that, “We should desire two million souls rather than two million members. This should be our aim and target”
The Catechist lamented what he described as a growing obsession with attendance figures, cautioning that Jesus Christ was more concerned with transformed lives than crowded sanctuaries.
“It appears we are counting numbers and assuming that if the church is full, then we have achieved our mission. Jesus is not looking for numbers; He is looking for repentant souls who believe in Him and live for Him,” he explained.
He argued that one million genuine believers would be far more valuable than two million nominal members who lack a personal relationship with Christ.
The Catechist challenged pastors, teachers, and elders to intensify gospel teaching, anchoring their work in salvation and the second coming of Christ.
He reminded the church that salvation was not secured by titles, denominational identity, or inclusion in membership records.
“When Christ returns, He will take those who have believed in Him, not merely those whose names are found in church membership books,” he noted.
Mr Nuamah cautioned Christians against placing their assurance of salvation in church positions or labels.
“My salvation should not be based on being a Presbyterian, a pastor, or a catechist. It should be based on Christ’s evaluation of my personal relationship with Him,” he underlined.
From Shirley P. Yalley, Kumasi
A 29-year-old tricycle rider, Naah Mashood, has been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a three-year-old girl at Tiegber in the Wa Municipality.
The Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Upper West Regional Police Command arrested the suspect on February 24, 2026, following a complaint lodged by the victim’s mother.
According to police, the convict, who had been contracted by the parents to pick the victim to and from school, lured her to an isolated location on February 23, 2026, and sexually assaulted her inside his tricycle, popularly known as ‘Camboo’.
After thorough investigations, he was arraigned before the Wa District Magistrate Court and subsequently stood trial at the Wa High Court.
On October 30, 2026, His Lordship Justice Osei-Wusu found him guilty of defilement and sentenced him to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour.
The Upper West Regional Police Command has commended the officers involved in the investigation and prosecution, as well as all persons who contributed to ensuring justice was served.
The Command urged parents and guardians to keep a close eye on their children and ensure their safety at all times, and encouraged the public to report suspected cases of child abuse and defilement to the nearest police station or DOVVSU office for prompt action.
It further assured the public of its commitment to protecting children and ensuring perpetrators of sexual offences are brought to justice.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has announced the arrest of three suspected members of a criminal syndicate believed to be behind a series of robberies targeting bank customers in Kumasi and its environs.
On October 31, 2026, at about 11:30 pm, an IGP’s Special Team, comprising personnel from the Anti-Armed Robbery Unit of the CID Headquarters and the Accra Regional Police Intelligence Directorate (PID), acting on intelligence, embarked on an operation to apprehend the suspects.
The operation led to the arrest of two Nigerian nationals, Aboy Promise, 30, and Favour Uwalaka, 45, at a hotel at Moshie Zongo. A search of their rooms resulted in the recovery of GH¢1,600.00, assorted mobile phones, a Royal motorbike and a master key used to gain unauthorized access to victims’ vehicles to steal cash.
During interrogation, the suspects admitted their involvement in the robberies and mentioned two accomplices, Chinedu, alias Alhaji, and Kingsley, alias KC.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the syndicate monitored banking premises, identified customers who withdrew substantial sums of money and trailed them before attacking and robbing them. They also broke into unattended vehicles belonging to bank customers using a master key to steal cash kept inside.
The suspects subsequently led the police team to another hotel at Dechemso, a suburb of Kumasi, where Kingsley, alias KC, 35, also a Nigerian national, was arrested.
The remaining accomplice, Chinedu, alias Alhaji, is currently on the run. The Command is appealing to the public to volunteer credible information that could lead to his arrest. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to report to the nearest police station or contact the police through emergency numbers 191, 112 or the toll-free MTN and Telecel line 18555.
The suspects admitted to robbing a victim of GH¢15,000.00 at Asokore Mampong on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, after the victim had withdrawn money from Kwamang Rural Bank. They also admitted to similar robberies at the Atonsu branch of Fidelity Bank, the Ahodwo branch of Access Bank and other locations within Kumasi and its environs.
The three arrested suspects have since been handed over to the Ashanti Regional Police Command and are assisting with investigations.
The Command has cautioned bank customers to remain vigilant, be alert to suspicious persons around banking premises and avoid leaving cash or other valuables unattended in vehicles, while commending the public for their continued cooperation and assuring residents of its commitment to combating robbery and other criminal activities in the region.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
