The Methodist Church of Ghana has proposed to increase its membership from the current 874,326 which was recorded in 2019 to 1,403, 976 by the end of 2028.
To achieve this objective, the church is targeting an annual growth of 7% up from the current three per cent.
The aim is to actualise its mission and vision to be a vibrant Jesus Christ-centered and spirit-filled church in fulfilling its mission to disciple people for ministry towards holistic transformation of society.
As part of the strategic growth plan, the Church also intends to increase attendance from 46% to 80% of its population, increase Bible Class attendance to 70% and increase the percentage of members paying tithe to 80%.
This goal, when achieved, will help to produce knowledgeable, prayerful, spirit-filled and witnessing Christians.
The proposal is contained in the Methodist Church Ghana Strategic Plan (2022-2028), which objectives border on stirring up the Wesleyan zeal of evangelism, discipleship and holiness towards accelerated church growth.
It also intends to nurture and promote the active exercise of the charismatic gifts and effective prayer life of the church and mobilising and equipping every member to fully participate in the ministry of the church.
The strategic objectives also include supporting and guiding the progressive development of the MCG in the Diaspora to respond to the peculiar needs of their members and communities and to remain faithful to the Wesleyan heritage.
The plan is also meant to facilitate effective relationships of the Methodist Church-Ghana, with the wider ecumenical community and making the church more responsive to the needs of children and youth and provide adequate resources and space for their active participation in the ministry.
To provide a paradigm shift, the proposal enjoins Ministers to focus more attention on training and equipping of the congregation to play more active role in Evangelism and Discipleship of the church and thus Promote and nurture the operation of the Holy Spirit gifts.
The church has also proposed that Circuits adopt total Church planting strategy in a “One Church, one circuit “programme under which each circuit must plant one church per year within or outside the circuit. The church, headed by Most Reverend Dr. Paul Kwabena Boafo as the Presiding Bishop, has 20 Dioceses, 337 circuits 4934 Societies.
It can also boast of many social services: Basic Schools; 28 SHSs; 34 Health establishments; 4 Colleges of Education and one University. The proposed Strategic Plan for the period January 2022 and December2028, built on the lessons from the Implementation of the first2007-2017 Strategic Plan seeks to improve upon New Administrative Structures, increase in Membership and Societies, Circuits and Dioceses.
The proposed Strategic Plan mentioned that the content of the previous Strategic Plan was not adequately communicated to the generality of the Church and that was not well integrated into the Church’s normal business and processes as it did not have performance standards and
effective monitoring and evaluation system.
The 2022-2028 Strategic Plan is necessitated by major challenges of the Methodist Church Ghana mentioned as Lack of focused Evangelism/Discipleship leading to nominalism and Stunted growth; ineffective Nurturing and Restricted Operation of Charismatic Gifts
and Prayer Life; Clergy driven church/Inadequate promotion of Lay involvement in the Ministry of the church and others.
