Christian leaders have called on Ghanaians to expose wrongdoing and support lawful initiatives that safeguard the common good of the people to give true meaning to Christmas, which marks the birth of Jesus Christ.
They said, for instance, the destruction of the environment through illegal mining (galamsey) needed to be tackled collectively and decisively by all Ghanaians, irrespective of where they came from.
They said Christmas should be a period to remind mankind of their stewardship of the environment entrusted in their care.
The religious leaders further stated that the greatest manifestation of God’s love to mankind and Ghanaians in general was to extend such a gesture beyond the season of Christmas.
The Christian leaders stated these in separate messages ahead of the Christmas festivities.
The messages came from the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the Methodist Church of Ghana, the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, the Church of Pentecost, the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church, and the Assemblies of God Church Ghana.
Others were from The Lord’s Pentecostal Church International, the Life International Churches and Schools, and the Great Commission Church International (GCCI).
Catholic Bishops
The Catholic Bishops Conference, in a message signed by its president, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, said Ghanaians should extend love to the marginalised and the less privileged in society, namely prisoners, street children, mentally ill people, widows, orphans, and the poorest of the poor, among others, as part of the Christmas celebrations.
The circumstances surrounding Jesus’s birth, it said, continued to invite “us to a life of simplicity and modesty and not a life of affluence. It also reminds us that it is only in humility that we can access Christ in our lives”.
“One of the worrying concerns of many Ghanaians during this season is the high rate of road accidents on our roads. Therefore, we reiterate our appeal over the years to all users of our roads to observe all rules and regulations to ensure safety on our roads,” it said.
Methodist, Presby
The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, Most Rev. Prof. K. Asamoah-Gyedu, said Christmas required mankind to embody compassion where there was pain, righteousness where injustice prevailed, and hope where despair threatened to take root.
John the Baptist’s exhortation, he said, challenged “us to share what we have, to act with fairness, and to uphold the dignity of all people.”
“This call to righteousness includes our responsibility as stewards of God’s creation.
“The scourge of galamsey, destroying our lands, polluting our waters, and threatening the future of our children, is a painful reminder of what happens when we prioritise short-term gain over God’s long-term vision for human flourishing,” he emphasised.
The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rt. Rev. Dr Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye said Christmas was not merely a season of celebration as was now commonly known, and that it affirmed God’s decisive intervention in human history.
In the birth of Christ, he said, prophecy was fulfilled, a divine promise honoured, and salvation made available to all.
“The Incarnation reveals God’s redemptive initiative, equips the saints for ministry, brings order into a disordered world, and points us toward the blessed hope of the Parousia, when Christ shall return to judge the world in righteousness and to usher His people into everlasting life, rewarding all for their quality work and life lived on earth,” he said.
Assemblies of God, Pentecost
The General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church, Ghana, Rev. Stephen Yenusom Wengam, said to many Ghanaians, 2025 had been a year of tears and fears, highs and lows, sweet and sour, good and bad, a year of pestilence and turbulence.
But in all those circumstances, he said, “We can look back and thank God, and look forward and trust Him. For no one who trusts in Him will be disappointed”.
“The figures, in terms of economic growth, inflation decline, exchange rates, food prices and agricultural production have been good, but can get better.
So, as policymakers and implementers, we must do more to feed ourselves at lesser costs, accommodate the homeless and provide decent jobs for the unemployed, especially the youth,” Rev. Wengam said.
The Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Dr Eric Nyamekye, said the fact that Christmas was celebrated worldwide by nations reinforced the truth that Jesus was the accredited Saviour of the world.
He said there was an attempt by some groups to shift people’s minds away from Christ, turning the season into nothing more than a holiday filled with feasting and merrymaking.
Great Commission, Lord’s Pentecostal
Apostle Dr Vincent Samuel Ansah of the GCCI said Christmas was a time to celebrate the birth of God’s unspeakable gift to mankind.
“Jesus’ birth, life and death on the cross, all sanctioned by God, constitute the highest expression of God’s love to man (John 3:16),” he said.
The message linked God’s love with peace upon the world, stressing that “peace is an existential priority.
The Bible exhorts us to do our utmost to live in peace with all men”.
The General Overseer of The Lord’s Pentecostal Church International, Apostle Eric Essandoh Anim Otoo, said peace on earth and goodwill towards men, as contained in the biblical verse of Luke 2:14, must continue to inspire how mankind lives.
The season, he said, called for mankind to reflect deeply on the responsibilities entrusted to them as stewards of God’s creation.
He said Christ came for mankind to have life and have it more abundantly, and that the government, entrusted with the mandate to protect the national interest, must rise with renewed courage, consistency and integrity to salvage the country’s lands from destruction.
AME Zion
The Presiding Bishop of the AME Zion Church, Rt Rev. Dr Hilliard K. Dela Dogbe, said the smooth transition of political power from the former administration to a new government, the significant improvement in economic markers alongside the strengthening of the local currency, renewed efforts and interventions such as Blue Water Guards and NAIMOS to combat the menace of illegal mining and the imminent threat posed to local water bodies, and efforts at mediating peace in the Bawku crisis had been some positive developments over the period.
The tragic loss of eight officials through the helicopter crash and 16 youth of the Saviour Church in a road crash were some of the very challenging and low points of the year.
“The challenges notwithstanding, Ghana remains a progressive, safe, and peaceful nation within a relatively volatile sub-region, and for this we owe God thanks,” he said.
Life International
The General Overseer of Life International Churches and Schools, Bishop Gordon Kisseih, said although there was something unique about Christmas—the carols, the lights, and the joy that filled the atmosphere—not all people may be celebrating.
The message of Christmas, he said, required that “we show the love of Jesus during the season, by demonstrating the compassion of Christ towards the poor and vulnerable.
“This is the season to remember people in our various communities to show them practical Christianity,” he said.
He said basic items such as food, water, and other daily essentials would be a great Christmas message to send across to the people for whom Jesus was born.
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