By Emmanuel Todd, GNA
Accra, Sep 15, GNA – Reverend Professor Paul
Frimpong Manso, the General Superintendent of Assemblies of God, Ghana
has urged pastors and preachers of the Gospel to use the local dialect in
preaching the word of God.
Preaching in the local dialect of the people
would enable the congregation to better understand and appreciate the word of
God.
He said when the gospel was preached in
English language, which he described as a foreign language, the meaning did not
come so easily to the congregation, “but when preached in their local languages
the people relate much more easily with the message”.
He said Apostles such as John was successful
because they ministered by using the mother tongue of the people, adding, “John
did not write in classical Greek but “Koine Greek, which was the simplest form
of the language”.
Prof. Frimpong Manso said this when he
delivered his sermon at the Holy Ghost Worship Centre, Ashaiman, Jericho.
He noted that some churches such as the
Church of Pentecost and Evangelical Presbyterian Church have succeeded in
propagating the gospel to their localities through the use of the local
dialect.
He explained that it was important to always
use a language familiar with the locality in preaching the word of God for a
better understanding of the people.
“When you use a language the people
understand in preaching the word of God, the congregation associate themselves
with the word and are able to grow in it,” he said.
He said people practically listened and
understood better when information is communicated to them in their local
language and the preaching or teaching of the word of God was not different.
He noted that by so doing, both the literate
and illiterate could find their space to worship and serve in the Church
without any language barrier.
GNA
