Journal of Religion in Africa 51 (2021) 150–183
brill.com/jra
Attitude and Perception of Ghanaians toward 
the Church
An Analysis of the views of Christians living in selected Districts in the 
Greater Accra Region of Ghana
Joseph Bawa | ORCID: 0000-0001-8761-9348
Department of Distance Education/Political Science, University of Ghana, 
Legon, Ghana
Corresponding author
jbawa80@gmail.com/jobawa@ug.edu.gh
Anthony Ayim | ORCID: 0000-0002-9068-8528
Department of Distance Education/Sociology, University of Ghana,  
Legon, Ghana
eliayim@yahoo.com/aayim@ug.edu.gh
Bossman Bastimi | ORCID: 0000-0002-2031-4053
Divine Congregation (Madina NOP), Presbyterian Church of Ghana,  
Accra, Ghana
imitsabakanlug@gmail.com
Abstract
Although a secular state by legislation, Ghana is highly considered a religious one with 
a significant number of the population being Christians. Using Christians in some 
selected municipalities in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana, this study examines the 
opinions of believers toward Ghanaian churches. Through a quantitative method, the 
study revealed that prayer service is the least important practice of the church liked 
by Christians. In addition, majority of Christians disliked their churches because of 
unfaithful pastors, long sermons and late closure of church services. Again, the study 
revealed that churches concentrate on the message of personal prosperity more than 
repentance toward salvation. They have an overly monetized and materialistic leaning 
in their sermons. The study recommends the need for churches in Ghana to leverage 
on the importance of research on regular basis to ascertain the opinions of the mem-
bers to give churches the right direction to develop.
© Joseph Bawa, Anthony Ayim and Bossman Bastimi, 2022 | doi:10.1163/15700666-bja10046
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the CC BY-NCD o4w.0n lloicaedneds efr.om Brill.com04/27/2022 09:34:06AM
via free access
Attitude and Perception of Ghanaians toward the Church 151
Keywords
Believers – Christianity – Church – Ghana – God – Greater Accra
1 Introduction
It is important to note that churches universally and those in Ghana in par-
ticular have for the past years invested massively in both their spiritual and 
physical growth. Ghana is generally considered as a Christian country partly 
because about 71.2 percent of the population are Christians (Ghana Statistical 
Service 2012). In fact the Ghanaian Christian is highly considered to be chur-
chical (Gyampo and Asare 2015). It is in line with this that the leadership of the 
church is constantly exploring various means of attaining plausible and action-
able roadmaps to meet the overall goal and mission of the church which is pri-
marily to win souls for the kingdom of God. This obviously requires leadership 
to constantly create the necessary conduit for its members to participate fully 
in all the activities of the church in order to facilitate its growth. Invariably, it is 
very imperative for the church to have an effective plan for sustaining its mis-
sion and purpose. This requires the development of a comprehensive action 
plan on the part of the leadership to keep track of the general growth of their 
members and the church as a whole.
In fact it is very imperative again to note that there cannot be a church with-
out members. Thus, it is the coming together of the members that makes a 
church to be truly considered a church. This requires a rigorous implementa-
tion of the desired interests of the members of the church in line with the 
Word of God. The members of the church also have a responsibility on their 
shoulders to see to it that the church is performing its functions in accordance 
with the Word of God. Therefore, the believer in no way has to see the church 
as a welfare organization as some are tempted to believe. This requires the 
members to be active rather passive in the church. Believers who call them-
selves followers of Christ must have the right attitude toward the church, fun-
damentally as a sacred institution. It is an obvious fact that vibrant and active 
members will produce a vibrant church. The church as an entity and spiritual 
institution needs to be assessed occasionally in order to track its development 
and progress especially on how it keeps evolving. This needs to be done through 
studious scientific research which examines the views of the members of the 
church. It is for this reason that ecclesiology1 continues to be one of the impor-
tant fields of Christian theological studies. This study seeks to provide empiri-
cal evidence on what believers like and dislike about their churches as well as 
Journal of Religion in Africa 51 (2021) 150–183 Downloaded from Brill.com04/27/2022 09:34:06AM
via free access
152 Bawa, Ayim and Bastimi
investigating the growing perceptions about the church. Thus, it contributes to 
the existing literature on the changing nature of the church from the perspec-
tives of believers.
Using Christians in some selected municipalities in the Greater Accra Region 
of Ghana as case study, this work seeks to investigate their attitude and percep-
tion toward both the spiritual and physical growth of the church. As noted ear-
lier, Ghana is highly considered as a religious nation with majority of the citizens 
being the followers of Jesus Christ. Based on the findings, recommendations will 
be drawn for churches in Ghana and the rest of the world. The study seeks to 
achieve three main objectives: (1) To examine the demographic characteristics of 
believers (2) To examine the views of believers on church services and activities 
(3) To examine the perception of believers about Ghanaian churches.
2 The Conception of the Church
The church has been defined to mean so many things in Christian theology. 
The word church was first used in the Christian sense in Acts 5:11 and primar-
ily referred to as local congregations (Goodhew 2015). It has been argued that 
the conception of the church in today’s society comes with a lot of confusion. 
Clowney (1987) argues that we cannot understand the meaning of the church 
with sociological analysis. Bulgakov (1988) sees the church as the Incarnation 
and Body of Christ. Similarly, in the view of Acquah (2012: 22), the church is the 
Body of Christ, of which Christ is the Head. To Acquah (2012), it is unbiblical 
to conceptualize the church as a building. Thus, the church has been referred 
to as the personality of Christ. It is from this that the Bible says the bodies 
of believers are the temple of God. This is what Apostle Paul admonishes 
Christians to understand as a fundamental idea about their relationship with 
Christ. We can therefore define the church as a group of people called out of 
the world to represent the body of Christ on earth. This is the literal concep-
tion of the church. However, biblically the church represents the individual 
believer as Apostle Paul rightly noted in 1 Corinthians 6:19 (KJV): ‘What? Know 
ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye 
have of God, and ye are not your own?’
Christ, in His interaction with the Samaritan woman, declared that: ‘But the 
hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father 
in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him’ (John 4:23 
[KJV]). By this, Christ attributes God’s temple or place of worship to be the 
individual. When Jesus declared that He will destroy the temple and rebuild 
Journal of Religion inD Aowfnrloiacdead  f5ro1m ( B2r0ill.2co1m) 0145/207–/2012823 09:34:06AM
via free access
Attitude and Perception of Ghanaians toward the Church 153
it in three days, the Pharisees took it as an offence because they understood 
this in their carnal minds that Christ meant destroying the physical struc-
ture which they spent several years to build. Little did they know that Christ 
referred to His own body. He fulfilled this when He died and resurrected on the 
third day. The word church also epitomizes a sacred institution where believ-
ers or followers of Christ worship.
Etymologically, the word church is translated from the Greek term ekklesia 
and it is used in the New Testament (NT) primarily to mean the community of 
believers or followers of Jesus Christ. It is out of this that we have a congrega-
tion. The concept is therefore plainly used to mean congregation, assembly, 
or meeting. However, although the word church assumed prominence in the 
NT, it was similarly used in the Old Testament to mean the Lord’s congrega-
tion, the day of assembly or meeting before the Lord (Díaz-Pabón 2019). In 
ecclesiological terms, the word church is normally used in two dimensions. 
The first is ‘local’ [church], which is defined by its geographical setting and sec-
ond, ‘universal’ [Church] which refers to the collection of believers in Christ 
Jesus and this church include both Jews and Gentiles (Díaz-Pabón 2019). In 
the NT, churches were therefore named by the cities or places where they 
were located. Simply put ‘local church’ refers to the congregation of believ-
ers of Christ limited to a particular geographical setting whereas the ‘universal 
Church’ means all believers (past, present and future) of Christ in the world. 
Christ is the builder of the Church: ‘And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, 
and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail 
against it’ (Matthew 16:18). Christ although is the builder of the Church, gives 
men the task to also join Him in building the Church.
We are told that historically, the early Christian church was without build-
ings. The first-century Christians suffered wanton persecutions and as a result 
had no option than to have fellowship in secret places, usually homes (Velarde 
2009). Velarde therefore defines church as not a building, but a body of believ-
ers with a specific nature and purpose. Velarde continues to argue that wor-
ship, fellowship and ministry are all done by the people and not the buildings. 
Church structures, he argues, facilitate the role of the people of God and the 
structures do not fulfill it. The church is therefore a personalized practice and 
devotion of the believer toward God. Apostle Paul cautions Christians that 
salvation is an individual affair and as such they must work out their salva-
tion with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). However, the individual cannot 
detach himself or herself from the group of believers.
It is important to stress that, Robert Velarde (2009) makes a distinction 
between the visible and the invisible church:
Journal of Religion in Africa 51 (2021) 150–183 Downloaded from Brill.com04/27/2022 09:34:06AM
via free access
154 Bawa, Ayim and Bastimi
When speaking of the church, theologians often use terms such as the 
visible and local church as opposed to the invisible and universal church. 
The visible and local church is, of course, the physical churches that we 
see around us and around the world, as well as the members of those 
churches. The invisible and universal church, however, refers to all believ-
ers everywhere and is one church, united in Christ, not many physical 
churches. Everyone in the universal church is a true believer, but such is 
not necessarily the case with visible and local churches. Why is it relevant 
to understand some basic differences between the visible and universal 
church? One key reason is so that we do not confuse what we sometimes 
see fallible churches doing with the reality of the universal church. Not 
only do visible and local churches often host nonbelievers, but also the 
believers themselves are imperfect, resulting in challenges and tensions 
in every visible church.
Velarde 2009: para. 3
In the context of this study, by church we mean the ‘local’ or ‘visible’ (church) 
as opposed to the ‘universal’ (Church).
3 The Role of the Church
The church has many roles to play both physically and spiritually. In this sec-
tion, we present four fundamental roles or functions of the church. We must 
note that every church must have a purpose and vision. The duties and roles of 
the church are inherent in its purpose and vision. As the assembly of Christ on 
earth, no true believer can say he or she is staying at home to serve God unless 
there is a peculiar challenge such as in times of violent conflict, pandemic 
and disaster where believers would not have the opportunity to meet together 
physically. It is therefore mandatory for everyone who believes in Christ not 
to forsake the regular gathering of believers: ‘Not forsaking the assembling of 
ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and 
so much the more, as ye see the day approaching’ (Hebrews 10:25 [KJV]). Some 
of the roles of the church are discussed in the subsequent sections.
3.1 A Place of Worship and Praise
The church is seen as an avenue for believers to come together to worship and 
praise God. Human beings were created primarily to praise and worship God, 
hence the need to worship Him. Worshipping God is the sum of all activities 
in the church and the duty of man to God. It encompasses every activity of the 
Journal of Religion inD Aowfnrloiacdead  f5ro1m ( B2r0ill.2co1m) 0145/207–/2012823 09:34:06AM
via free access
Attitude and Perception of Ghanaians toward the Church 155
church and this is why it is the primary function of the church. One may argue 
that if church is limited to only worshipping then can the believer not wor-
ship God at home or alone? Yes! One can praise and worship God at home but 
according to the sound Christian church doctrine, God is much happier when 
believers worship Him in unity.
We are told that the early Christians worshipped God in unity and with one 
accord. It is important to note that worshipping God cannot be confined to 
a particular place. It is for this reason that Christ declares that where two or 
more people are gathered in His name, He is in their midst (Matthew 18:20). 
The church is set apart and dedicated to the worshipping of God. The church 
therefore is a place of divine worship. It is from this conception that we derive 
its origin from the Greek word, Kuriakon, meaning the “Lord’s House” which 
personifies the idea of something sacred (Regester 2004). Even as a building, 
the church is set apart from any other structure. Regester notes that:
The consecrated character of the church should have distinct recognition 
in use and conduct. The building has been thereby ‘separated from all 
unhallowed, worldly, and common uses.’ It is wrong to use it for purposes 
of amusement or business. It has been given to God. It has been conse-
crated for religious purposes. It is sacrilege to treat it as a common thing.
Regester 2004: para. 8
Indeed the church as a place of worship is very crucial for believers as it pro-
vides the chance to feel very close to God, to meet other Christians with com-
mon religious beliefs and to express their faith on regular basis (Bitesize n.d). 
In the church believers can praise and worship God through music, dancing, 
giving, prayer, fasting and studying the Word of God among others. It is very 
interesting to note that all these activities can also be personalized.
3.2 The Church as a Place of Serving God
Apart from praise and worship, the church as a religious and sacred institu-
tion exists to serve God. It must be noted that, one distinguishing trait of the 
believer is that he is a servant. Thus, every Christian is a servant. Therefore, the 
church gives the believer that opportunity to serve God. To serve God entails 
a lot and according to Christians, He has given every believer a special gift so 
that they can all come together to serve Him very well. Some have been called 
to be inter alia: pastors, preachers, apostles, evangelists, drummers, singers, 
prophets, ushers, cleaners, healers, counselors and teachers. As Apostle Paul 
admonishes Christians, they are all one Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12–30). 
Believers must therefore serve God with everything that they have. According 
Journal of Religion in Africa 51 (2021) 150–183 Downloaded from Brill.com04/27/2022 09:34:06AM
via free access
156 Bawa, Ayim and Bastimi
to Christianity, all the special abilities that God has given each Christian must 
be used to serve and glorify Him.
After God created everything, He created man to be in charge of all creation. 
This was the beginning of the servanthood of man. The Christian cannot there-
fore worship God without serving Him. Again, in Christianity serving God is 
not limited to any particular group of persons. According to Christian doctrine, 
once a believer has a personal relationship with God, he must definitely serve 
Him in any capacity that he can. The act of serving God is an act of gratitude 
that believers show to God for creating them. This implies that Christians must 
take care of all the creations of God and the church exists to guide believers 
in doing all these. God has created humankind in a way that they can serve 
Him. Serving God practically is also working for Him. Christians hold the fun-
damental promise that they will be rewarded for serving God. For instance, in 
1 Corinthians 15:58 they have been assured that nothing they do for God will 
ever be useless. It is said that working or serving God is the highest paid job. 
However, Christians often forget this since they do not receive any physical 
cash as they receive their wages and salaries in their jobs.
3.3 The Church as a Place of Meeting both the Spiritual and Physical 
Needs of Believers
The church has the function of meeting both the spiritual and physical needs 
of the believers. This was a distinct hallmark of the early church. We are told 
that they sold their belongings and properties to help one another. This they 
did faithfully with the love of Christ as the foundation. This is what Ananias 
and Sapphira failed to do (Acts 5:1–11). Meeting the needs and interests of the 
members of the church must therefore be a priority. In actual fact, the church 
is seen as a family and just as we try as much as possible to meet the needs 
and interests of the child, the father and the mother, the church must replicate 
same. This calls for the leadership of the church in general and the pastor in 
particular to identify the needs and interests of the members. The International 
Journal for Pastors notes that:
Pastoral ministry can be compared to a father and mother with several 
children. Each child requires undivided attention from their parents, and 
may practice negative attitude and exaggerated actions to call for this 
parental notice. What do these offspring really desire? Special attention. 
As in a family, the pastor needs to be aware of the needs and desires of 
each church group. What do they wish to accomplish in the church set-
ting or in the community? How could they work together in the district 
to accomplish their goals and dreams for the advancement of the gospel?
Ministry 2009: para. 6–7
Journal of Religion inD Aowfnrloiacdead  f5ro1m ( B2r0ill.2co1m) 0145/207–/2012823 09:34:06AM
via free access
Attitude and Perception of Ghanaians toward the Church 157
When the church really cares about the needs of the congregation, it will 
grow both spiritually and physically. Inasmuch as the church is fundamentally 
a place of meeting the spiritual needs of believers, meeting the physical needs 
is equally important. In the real Christian sense, the overall spiritual expecta-
tion of believers from the church is its ability to provide the conduit for them 
to stay connected to Christ and establish the right relationship with Him. This 
could be achieved through sermons, prayers, teachings and all other relevant 
spiritual activities. Thus, in this way believers will be able to overcome spiritual 
challenges that obviously will drive them away from Christ. This is because 
they will be able to bear only fruits of the Holy Spirit that will lead them to eter-
nal life and avoid bearing all forms of fruits of the flesh which will lead them 
to eternal condemnation. Examples of the fruits of the flesh as espoused in the 
Bible include: lust, unforgiveness, malice, gossip, dishonesty, fornication, adul-
tery, hatred, selfishness, lies, immorality, drunkenness, witchcraft and so on. 
The needs of believers in the church could also be physical where the church 
does not need to pray for long hours seeking for a miracle. You cannot rule out 
prayers (which is the main weapon of believers) in all physical needs in the 
Christian sense but these are needs that are very tangible that the heathen 
and the unbeliever can also meet. The love of God must therefore drive the 
church toward this direction. Examples of the physical needs include: visiting 
the backsliding member, the sick, feeding the hungry, clothing the poor and 
helping the homeless among others.2 The needs could also be emotional such 
as the ability to overcome depression, anxiety, hurting, grief, loneliness, aban-
donment and hopelessness based on the Word of God.
Admittedly, identifying the needs of believers is not easy for every church. It 
is in fact a difficult task for the church today. Thus, it is not meeting the needs 
of the people that is difficult but identifying or knowing the problem of the 
people. If a member does not come out with a peculiar need, the church lead-
ers and ordinary members might not know. The problem must first be identi-
fied before the solution. Some members are also likely to abuse the privilege 
they enjoy and see the church as a welfare association rather than a spiritual 
institution. It becomes more problematic when the congregation is a very large 
one with weak decentralization such as cell and family groupings where each 
member can easily be known by the group.
When the early church saw their numbers increasing and to ensure effec-
tive monitoring and management of the members, the seven deacons were 
appointed to specifically have time for the people. This was to avoid division 
in the church whiles the other apostles concentrated on the preaching of the 
gospel which was the main duty of the church (Acts 6:1–15). Nevertheless, the 
church must put up all the necessary measures to help in addressing the needs 
Journal of Religion in Africa 51 (2021) 150–183 Downloaded from Brill.com04/27/2022 09:34:06AM
via free access
158 Bawa, Ayim and Bastimi
of the members. It is a fact that as a human institution as well, the church can-
not satisfy all. This task involves an all-hands-on-deck approach involving the 
leadership of the church and the individual members. Human needs are insa-
tiable and these include the spiritual as well as the physical. Of all the needs, 
the spiritual needs are the most important since they manifest in the physical 
and emotional needs. When Christ came to this earth, He always identified the 
needs of His followers and listeners and gave them the necessary attention. In 
fact, only God can satisfy the spiritual needs of the believer because He cre-
ated man as spiritual being (Fletcher 2013). Christianity teaches that He even 
knows the needs of man more than man himself. The church must avail itself 
to be used as a vessel to meet the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of the 
members. When a church is able to meet the needs of its members, it moves 
beyond its confinement to meet the needs of the community at large. This has 
given rise to faith based organizations building hospitals, schools and provid-
ing other social amenities for some communities.
3.4 Mission and Evangelism as a Function of the Church
The last role of the church to be discussed which is very fundamental and 
uncompromising is mission and evangelism. These two core duties of the 
church are obedience to the Great Commission. They are the main tasks of 
the church. God expects believers to worship Him by saving others too for 
them to have the self-conviction of eternity. Mission and evangelism require 
believers to tell others about the love of God shown to humankind through 
Christ. It is about the redemptive message of the Cross and the saving faith 
in Christ (Ogunewu 2014). Any church that does not make mission and evan-
gelism a priority is a lost church by itself and just a mere building wasting 
space. Mission and evangelism do not mean the same thing. They are differ-
ent. Mission is larger than evangelism although both flow from one thing – the 
Great Commission. Mission is the activity that crosses cultural and language 
barriers. In other words, mission is mega-evangelism. Mission is God’s com-
missioned call to announce the gospel whereas evangelism is the placement of 
the gospel wherever the people of God are authorized to take it anywhere on 
this earth (Adams 2010).
Mission involves the learning of new language and new culture of a par-
ticular place where there is no church in which people do evangelism of those 
in that particular culture (Piper 2009). Mission is therefore proclaiming the 
Good News to people of a different culture who do not have someone in their 
culture to do that, whereas evangelism is proclaiming the message to people 
that you are well familiarized with in terms of language and culture. Mission 
therefore involves the frantic effort to reach out to the lost in a different 
Journal of Religion inD Aowfnrloiacdead  f5ro1m ( B2r0ill.2co1m) 0145/207–/2012823 09:34:06AM
via free access
Attitude and Perception of Ghanaians toward the Church 159
cultural setting. A clear example was the missionary activities in Ghana when 
the Europeans came to the Gold Coast to preach the Good News to the natives 
and converted them to Christianity. Those who involve themselves in mis-
sions are called missionaries. It requires more dedication and passion. Matt 
Smith helps us with the dichotomy between these two intertwined concepts. 
He posits that:
In order to “reach” a people group, some type of language and/or cultural 
barrier must be crossed. This is the definition of missions, crossing a cul-
tural barrier to share the gospel with a people group. Once that group has 
been reached, then evangelism needs to be done to bring all the members 
of that group to the Lord – that’s evangelism – when someone from their 
own people group shares the gospel with others in their people group.
Smith 2016: para. 2
The renowned Evangelist, Billy Graham notes that:
Christian mission is unique in the aggressive movements of history. 
Christianity in its pure form has no ‘axe to grind,’ no system to foster, and 
no profit motivation. Its job is simply to ‘seek and to save that which is 
lost’. Nothing more, nothing less.
Graham 2020: para. 1
The origin of evangelism is rooted in three Greek words:
– euangelion – “gospel” – to describe what is said (Mark 1:14–15)
– euangelistes – “evangelist” – to describe the person who is telling the 
gospel (Acts 21:8; Eph. 4:11)
– euangelizo – “to proclaim the gospel” – to describe the activity of tell-
ing the gospel (Rom. 10:15) (Bouma 2018: para. 6).
On the nature of evangelism, the Lausanne Covenant (paragraph 4) notes that:
To evangelize is to spread the Good News that Jesus Christ died for our 
sins and was raised from the dead according to the Scriptures, and that as 
the reigning Lord He now offers the forgiveness of sins and the liberating 
gift of the Spirit to all who repent and believe. Our Christian presence in 
the world is indispensable to evangelization, and so is that kind of dia-
logue whose purpose is to listen sensitively in order to understand. But 
Journal of Religion in Africa 51 (2021) 150–183 Downloaded from Brill.com04/27/2022 09:34:06AM
via free access
160 Bawa, Ayim and Bastimi
evangelization itself is the proclamation of the historical, biblical Christ 
as Savior and Lord, with a view to persuading people to come to Him 
personally and so be reconciled to God. In issuing the gospel invitation 
we have no liberty to conceal the cost of discipleship. Jesus still calls all 
who would follow him to deny themselves, take up their cross, and iden-
tify themselves with his new community. The results of evangelization 
include obedience to Christ, incorporation into his church and respon-
sible service in the world.
Stott 1975: 4 as cited in Ogunewu 2014: 67–68
Although the onus of spreading the gospel lies on the individual believer, the 
church must provide that avenue. It must preoccupy itself with training the 
individual believer to imbibe the Christian ethos of saving others. Some believ-
ers feel very confident in sharing the gospel in groups. Others too can preach 
and share the testimony of Christ to others alone. Although some people have 
the gift of evangelism, they still need the church to nurture them to grow 
in the act.
The church as the assembly of Christ must show its love for Christ by reach-
ing out to the lost. In the view of Ogunewu (2014: 67), evangelism is ‘the major 
reproductive mechanism of the church’. This responsibility must not be left in 
the hands of the few. It is for this reason that every true church has a separate 
department for mission and evangelism. Thus, the church must invest both 
physically and spiritually in mission and evangelism. Mission and evangelism 
give every church its true identity and purpose.
In the twenty-first century, mission and evangelism pose a huge challenge 
to the church in this otherwise fast changing world. This is premised on the 
wrong assumption that through technology the gospel is preached to all 
nations, hence no need for massive mission and evangelism. The church must 
rather take advantage of the technologies which the early Christian missionar-
ies did not have to promote and champion mission and evangelism. It must 
be noted that the goals of mission and evangelism are summed up into salva-
tion for mankind. Salvation is the ultimate goal of every Christian, and mission 
and evangelism help the believer to be saved and stretches that saving hands 
of God to the lost. This is was Christians consider soul winning. The message 
and content of mission and evangelism are therefore very crucial. The message 
must be clear, direct, piercing, and devoid of ambiguities. The message of evan-
gelism may differ in the form of presentation and articulation but its import is 
to tell the unsaved the love of God. The truly established church must therefore 
be evangelistically conscious and spiritually oriented.
Journal of Religion inD Aowfnrloiacdead  f5ro1m ( B2r0ill.2co1m) 0145/207–/2012823 09:34:06AM
via free access
Attitude and Perception of Ghanaians toward the Church 161
4 Studies on Attitudes and Perceptions of Christians Concerning  
the Church
Although considerable studies have been done on the attitudes and percep-
tions of Christians, it appears in the literature that most of these studies have 
focused on issues outside the church (Titilayo, Agunbiade and Kehinde 2009; 
Osafo et al 2013; Peprah et al 2018; Austin 2018). An attempt has been made by 
other scholars to concentrate on the opinions of Christians regarding some 
phenomena within the church (Wyllie 1985; Appiah 2015; Darko 2015). Thus, 
studies on the attitudes and perceptions of Christians toward the church as a 
spiritual organization are underexplored.
Titilayo, Agunbiade and Kehinde (2009) investigated the perceptions and 
attitudes of Christian youths toward condom use in Nigeria with the aim of 
examining the implications on HIV/AIDS. The study concentrated on unmar-
ried Christians from 15–30 years of age. The study was a survey research and 
the descriptive design was adopted. The findings of the study revealed that 
43 percent of the respondents had sex before the age of 20 years. The study 
also found that religious commitment was fairly distributed among the partici-
pants. Again, their research revealed that the level of religiosity of respondents 
was a significant predictor on the knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevention. Thus, 
from these findings Christian doctrines and principles according to the Bible 
have significant impact on issues of sexuality and condom use since Christian 
youths with high levels of religiosity are more likely to abstain from sex.
Osafo et al (2013) also investigated the influence of religious factors on 
attitude toward suicidal behavior in Ghana. They employed the qualitative 
research approach in their study and in all, twenty-seven adult participants 
from both rural and urban settings were interviewed. Their study found that 
religious factors positively influenced the attitudes of people toward suicidal 
tendencies and that such people are committed to their religious beliefs. Their 
study found out that the principles of the Christian faith guide behaviors of 
believers away from committing suicide and compels them to help those bat-
tling with suicidal thoughts. Their study again revealed that Christians most 
especially cite the scriptures to clarify their opinions on suicide.
Similar to Osafo et al (2013), Austin (2018) examined religious perceptions 
of suicide and its outcome for suicidiology advocacy in Nigeria. He examined 
a number of religious attitudinal perspective on suicide including Islam and 
Christianity. Thus in his study the perceptions of Christians toward suicide is 
explored. Although Austin was not clear with the methodology of his study, 
he made a general observation that Christianity values life as sanctity and 
Journal of Religion in Africa 51 (2021) 150–183 Downloaded from Brill.com04/27/2022 09:34:06AM
via free access
162 Bawa, Ayim and Bastimi
thus condemns the act of one taking his or her own life. Austin did not base 
his study on empirical analyses of the views of followers of a specific religion. 
However, he argues that although the Bible is inexplicit on suicide, Church 
Fathers such as St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas who strongly con-
demned suicide based their arguments on the value attached to life. The posi-
tion of the Church Fathers especially St. Aquinas led to the criminalization of 
suicide throughout the Middle Ages. Austin therefore calls on the church and 
other religious organizations to mount formidable advocacy for the reduction 
of suicide in Nigeria.
Appiah (2015) examined the attitudes of Christian pastors and leaders 
toward leadership succession, for leadership continuity in Charismatic and 
Pentecostal churches in Ghana with a case study in Kumasi. His study relied 
on the qualitative method of data collection through in-depth interviews and 
mono method of analyzing the data. Appiah contributes to the better under-
standing of character, attitude and motivation, and highlighted certain invis-
ible traits (such as fear, self-centeredness, ego and unforgiveness) of leadership 
succession failures in the church as an organization.
In a study, Peprah et al (2018) sought to explore the attitude and health 
perceptions of faith healing users in urban Ghana. They thus examined the 
relationship between religion and health. Through exploratory research design 
which was qualitative in nature, their study found that faith healers are the 
first point of call for disease prevention and curing for most users. Thus, their 
study shows a positive relationship between attitudes of faith users and faith 
healing. In their research, it was indicated that majority of the users were 
Christians which made their study very important. Thus, majority of Christians 
therefore have positive attitudes and perceptions toward faith healing. They 
concluded in their research that users have positive attitudes and perceptions 
toward faith healing and stressed the importance of policy integration that 
blends faith healing into medical practices.
As gleaned from the literature most of the studies done on the attitudes and 
perceptions of Christians have largely concentrated on developments outside 
the church. This study although adds knowledge to the existing literature on 
general studies on the attitudes and perceptions of Christians toward a par-
ticular phenomenon, it directs the attention of church scholars to investigate 
the changing nature and developments of the church from the perspective of 
the church members in addition to personal observations. The study there-
fore contributes to the limited studies on the attitudes and perceptions of 
Christians on issues within the church, rather than issues which are outside 
the church as revealed in the literature.
Journal of Religion inD Aowfnrloiacdead  f5ro1m ( B2r0ill.2co1m) 0145/207–/2012823 09:34:06AM
via free access
Attitude and Perception of Ghanaians toward the Church 163
5 Method
The study largely relied on the quantitative research method. In terms of the 
research design, the study relied on case study in which some selected munici-
palities in the Greater Accra Region were used for the research. With regards 
to the sources of data, the study relied solely on primary source. The primary 
data were in the form of interviews through the distribution of structured 
questionnaires. Five hundred members of the church were targeted (of which 
455 were actually interviewed). The targeted population was adult Christians 
from 18 years and above within five selected municipalities in the Greater 
Accra Region of Ghana. These municipalities were La Nkwantanang-Madina 
Municipality, La Dade-Kotopon Municipality, Adentan Municipality, Ayawaso 
West Municipality, and Ledzokuku Municipality. Due to some methodologi-
cal challenges such as funding and the COVID-19 pandemic (which made data 
collection very difficult) the researchers decided to settle on these five munici-
palities to give a fair representation of Christians (church members) within the 
Greater Accra Region. The study employed the stratified and simple random 
probability sampling techniques. The stratified sampling technique was used 
to select the five municipalities whilst simple random sampling technique 
was used to select participants from each of the selected municipalities where 
every Christian 18 years and above had an equal chance of being selected in 
the research process. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for 
Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Data were presented in the form of tables 
and figures. In conducting a scientific research, there is always the need to fol-
low the necessary ethical conditions. As a result, the consent and confidential-
ity of all respondents were strictly adhered to, and respected.
6 Results and Discussion
This section presents the results and discussion of the findings based on the 
objectives of the study.
6.1 Demographic Characteristics of Respondents
The results in table 1 show the demographic features of respondents. In terms of 
sex, majority of the respondents (52 percent) were females whereas 48 percent 
were males. These results confirm the existing statistics of females being domi-
nant over their male counterparts in terms of numerical strength and advan-
tage. Most churches in Ghana and elsewhere are dominated by females. There 
is an increasing notion that for one to establish a church he or she should target 
women. It is believed that women are more receptive to issues of the church 
Journal of Religion in Africa 51 (2021) 150–183 Downloaded from Brill.com04/27/2022 09:34:06AM
via free access
164 Bawa, Ayim and Bastimi
than their male counterparts hence they continue to overshadow males in the 
church. This has some biblical connotation. Women largely pride themselves 
of the significant role of women in the Bible for the New Testament Church. 
For instance after the resurrection of Christ, He appeared to women first.
With regards to the age distribution of respondents, majority (67 percent) 
were between the ages of 18–30 years. This was followed by those between 
31–40 years (21 percent). Next were those between 41–50 years representing 
9 percent. Those who were between 51–60 years represented 2 percent of the 
respondents. The least were those from 61 years and above who constituted 
only 1 percent. In Ghana, the youth are those normally between the ages of 
18–40 years and they constitute majority of the fraction of the population. In 
churches too, the youth make up the largest of the congregation. Majority of 
the respondents (81 percent) belonged to the youth category. It is said that any 
church that does not have youth does not have a future. The youth do not only 
constitute the reproductive age category of the nation but in the church as 
well. In Ghana, the youth are normally the first point of call when it comes to 
activities that have to do with physical strength in the church.
In terms of the level of education of respondents, a higher percentage of 
respondents (34 percent) had education up to the Senior High School level. This 
was followed by 29 percent who had education up to the university level. Next 
were those who had education up to O/A level constituting 23 percent. Five (5) 
percent also had education up to Junior High School level. Following that were 
those who had education up to teacher training level constituting 3 percent. 
Those who had education up to the primary school level constituted 2 percent, 
and technical university (Polytechnic) level 2 percent. Only 2 percent of the 
respondents did not have formal education. Thus, overwhelming majority of the 
respondents (98 percent) had formal education in one way or the other. This is 
very important in the conduct of the study as respondents are able to compre-
hend most of the issues raised in achieving the objectives of the study.
With regards to the marital status of the respondents, an overwhelming 
majority (75 percent) were singles. This was followed by 20 percent who were 
married. Next were those who were divorced or separated constituting 3 per-
cent. Only 1 percent of the respondents were widowed. Thus, majority of the 
respondents were singles and this explains the reason why prayers for marriages 
continue to be on the top wish list of churches and individual believers. One 
cannot imagine a prayer festival of a church without attention paid to marriage.
The next demographic feature of the respondents is the occupational back-
ground. Majority of the respondents (68 percent) were students. This was fol-
lowed by traders constituting 12 percent, bankers (9 percent), drivers (2 percent), 
teachers (2 percent) and masons constituting less than 1 percent (0.2). About 
3 percent of the respondents identified other occupations such as nursing, 
Journal of Religion inD Aowfnrloiacdead  f5ro1m ( B2r0ill.2co1m) 0145/207–/2012823 09:34:06AM
via free access
Attitude and Perception of Ghanaians toward the Church 165
fashion work and accounting. However, 2 percent belonged to the unemploy-
ment category.
With regards to the Christian denominations, majority of the respondents 
(57 percent) belonged to the Pentecostal/Charismatic denominations. This 
was followed by 41 percent who belonged to the Orthodox Christian denomi-
nation and 1 percent belonging to other denominations. Only less than 1 per-
cent (0.9) did not belong to any Christian denomination. Thus, majority of 
the respondents interviewed belonged to one Christian denomination or the 
other. This is very important for the discussions especially on the perceptions 
that believers have toward churches in Ghana. These results are very important 
to really identify what believers like and dislike about the spiritual and physi-
cal organization of their respective churches. Thus, their personal experiences 
with their churches and observations inform their views about some of the 
growing perceptions about the church.
TABLE 1 Distribution of respondents by demographic features
Gender Frequency Percentage (%)
Male 217 48
Female 238 52
Total 455 100
Age
18–30 295 67
31–40 93 21
41–50 41 9
51–60 8 2
61 and above 4 1
Total 455 100
Level of Education
Primary 9 2
JHS 24 5
SHS 155 34
University 131 29
O/A level 102 23
Technical university 7 2
Teacher Training 13 3
Journal of Religion in Africa 51 (2021) 150–183 Downloaded from Brill.com04/27/2022 09:34:06AM
via free access
166 Bawa, Ayim and Bastimi
TABLE 1 Distribution of respondents by demographic features (cont.)
Gender Frequency Percentage (%)
No formal education 11 2
Total 452a 100
Marital status
Single 339 75
Married 91 20
Divorced/separated 15 3
Widowed 6 1
Total 451b 100
Occupation
Student 308 68
Trader 52 12
Banker 43 9
Driver 11 2
Storekeeper 5 1
Teacher 7 2
Mason 1 0.2
Other 13 2.9
Unemployed 9 2
Total 449c 100
Christian sect
Orthodox 183 41
Pentecostal/Charismatic 258 57
Other 5 1.1
None 4 0.9
Total 450d 100
a   Three (3) respondents did not response to the question.
b   Four (4) respondents did not respond to the question.
c   Six (6) respondents did not respond to the question.
d   Five (5) respondents did not respond to the question.
NB: Sample size (n) = 455
SOURCE: FIELD WORK, 2020
Journal of Religion inD Aowfnrloiacdead  f5ro1m ( B2r0ill.2co1m) 0145/207–/2012823 09:34:06AM
via free access
Attitude and Perception of Ghanaians toward the Church 167
6.2 Assessment of Church Services and Activities
Respondents were asked how regularly they attended church. It was revealed 
that majority of the respondents (51 percent) indicated they go to church very 
often, this was followed by 36 percent who attended church often and 13 per-
cent who did not attend church often (see figure 1). Thus, not all Christians go 
to church on regular basis. It is important to note that there is the need for the 
believer to attend church on regular basis for some important reasons for both 
the believer and the church as a whole. First, going to church on regular basis 
shows the level of one’s commitment to God. Second, it makes a Christian 
become consistent in his or her spiritual growth. The overall importance of 
going to church on regular basis is that it gives the church the right direction in 
building the faith and belief of its members. A church with regular attendance 
of its followers is a growing church and increases in its spirituality.
The results in figure 2 show the extent to which believers attend evening 
church services. Most churches have certain days within the week for evening 
prayers, Bible studies and teachings. It could also be all-night services and 
revivals. Fifty (50) percent of the respondents indicated that they attended 
evening church services and another 50 percent indicated otherwise. Thus, 
half of the respondents did not attend evening church services. It can therefore 
be deduced that not all Christians attend evening church services within the 
Greater Accra Region and this can have a national reflection on evening church 
attendance in Ghana. A number of factors may account for this. Considerations 
such as proximity, late closure of work, fatigue and spiritual laziness are some 
of the key ones. The believer would therefore feel comfortable going to church 
How regularly do you go to church?
36%
13%
13%
51%
Very often Often Not often
FIGURE 1 Distribution of respondents by church attendance
 NB: Sample size (n) = 455
SOURCE: FIELD WORK, 2020
Journal of Religion in Africa 51 (2021) 150–183 Downloaded from Brill.com04/27/2022 09:34:06AM
via free access
168 Bawa, Ayim and Bastimi
Do you attend evening church services?
No 50%
Yes 50%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
FIGURE 2 Distribution of respondents on the extent to which they attend evening 
church services
 NB: Sample size (n) = 455
SOURCE: FIELD WORK, 2020
only on Sundays/Saturdays which to a very large extent does not promote 
effective spiritual growth.
One of the chiefly reasons why Christians go to church is to listen to the 
message that God has for them through His messengers. One of the funda-
mental roles of the church is to meet both the spiritual and physical needs of 
the members as already noted. As to whether Sunday/Saturday sermons met 
the spiritual and physical needs of respondents, majority (64 percent) indi-
cated that Sunday/Saturday sermons met both their spiritual and physical 
needs. This was followed by 26 percent who were uncertain about the ability 
of church sermons to meet both their spiritual and physical needs. Ten (10) 
percent affirmed otherwise that church sermons did not meet both their spiri-
tual and physical needs. Thus, not all believers have their needs, both spiritual 
and physical met by the words of the preacher or pastor believed to come from 
God (see table 2). With the majority of the believers affirming that both their 
spiritual and physical needs were met by church sermons, it establishes the 
fact that the church which is the assembly of believers of Christ remains an 
important Christian and biblical institution of worship.
The results in figure 3 reveal a number of issues and developments that 
believers liked about their churches. A higher percentage of the respondents 
(33 percent) identified other things they liked about their church. These 
included: committed pastors, the serenity of the church, the unity and togeth-
erness of the church, the spirituality of the church, having experienced pas-
tors, nice looking boys and girls in the church, equity and non-discrimination, 
use of advanced technologies in the church, church parties and frequent evan-
gelism of the church. Also, 17 percent identified church sermons as what they 
liked about the church. This was followed by 14 percent who expressed the 
Journal of Religion inD Aowfnrloiacdead  f5ro1m ( B2r0ill.2co1m) 0145/207–/2012823 09:34:06AM
via free access
Attitude and Perception of Ghanaians toward the Church 169
TABLE 2 Distribution of respondents by whether Sunday/Saturday sermons meet both 
their spiritual and physical needs
Frequency Percent Valid percent
Valid Yes 272 59.8 63.6
No 44 9.7 10.3
Some how 112 24.6 26.2
Total 428 94.1 100.0
Missing No response 27 5.9
Total 455 100.0
NB: Sample size (n) = 455
SOURCE: FIELD WORK, 2020
What do you like about the church?
Other 33%
Prayer service 3%
Church members have right attitude 14%
It cares about the needy members and… 10%
I like everything about the church 6%
Praises and worship 10%
Church sermons 17%
Bible studies and teachings 7%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
FIGURE 3 Distribution of respondents by what they like about their churches
 NB: Sample size (n) = 455
SOURCE: FIELD WORK, 2020
view that they liked their churches because members have the right attitude. 
Examples of the right attitude stated by respondents included: punctuality, 
comportment during preaching, committed members, hospitality and great 
membership personalities. Next were 10 percent who indicated that they liked 
their churches because they attended to the needy members in the church 
and the society at large. Another 10 percent noted that they liked their church 
because of the praises and worship performance of the choir and praises team. 
Again, 7 percent indicated that they liked the church because of the Bible 
Journal of Religion in Africa 51 (2021) 150–183 Downloaded from Brill.com04/27/2022 09:34:06AM
via free access
170 Bawa, Ayim and Bastimi
studies and teachings of the church on key Christian practices and doctrines. 
More so, 6 percent noted that they liked everything about their church. Only 
3 percent identified prayer service as what they liked about their church. Prayer 
is considered as an important Christian practice and when Christ came to the 
earth, He taught His followers the need to be prayerful at all times. Christianity 
to a very large extent is a religion of warfare and the weapon of the Christian is 
prayer. It is therefore surprising how such an important Christian practice was 
considered the least important by believers.
Respondents advertently also noted some practices that they did not like 
about their churches. A higher percentage of the respondents (35 percent) 
identified other reasons that they disliked about the church. The other reasons 
included: inappropriate explanations of the Bible leading to poor sermons, 
unfaithful pastors, womanizing pastors, alcoholic pastors, long sermons, late 
closure of church service, lack of socialization, lack of recreational activities, 
boring choir, long hours of prayer, and church not caring about the welfare of 
members. Again 23 percent cited poor attitude of members as what they dis-
liked about their church. The poor attitude identified by members included: 
hypocrisy, sexual immorality, gossip, intolerance and unwelcoming behavior 
of members, disobedience, problem of punctuality and laziness. Fourteen (14) 
percent were of the view that they disliked their churches because of the poor 
attitude of ushers, 11 percent identified division and discrimination within the 
church. There is a general concern that the church discriminates against the 
poor. The poor are sidelined and grossly discriminated against when it comes 
to important issues about the church. Also 5 percent were of the few that the 
church has become highly monetized and too materialistic. Some were of the 
view that the church takes ‘too much offering’. About 1 percent also cited inde-
cent dressing among females as what they disliked about the church which 
is promoting indecency and disrespect to God. The dressing of the world has 
gradually intruded into the church and two main general reasons have been 
identified for the alarming rate of indecent dressing in churches: first to get life 
partners and second to be noticed (Uzochukwu 2020). Whereas some churches 
prescribe the dressing code for their members, others have given members the 
liberty to dress “any how” to church. The church is an agent of change and the 
members of the church must live a life of example to influence the society 
positively. If church members have no moral training at home to dress in a 
decent manner, the church in the Christian context should not be a place for 
fashion and indecent dressing.
Further, 12 percent indicated that they disliked nothing about their churches. 
Thus, it can be concluded that majority of believers (88 percent) had issues 
and practices in the church that they did not like which confirm the argument 
Journal of Religion inD Aowfnrloiacdead  f5ro1m ( B2r0ill.2co1m) 0145/207–/2012823 09:34:06AM
via free access
Attitude and Perception of Ghanaians toward the Church 171
TABLE 3 Distribution of respondents by what they dislike about the church
Frequency Percent Valid percent
Valid Indecent dressings 3 .7 .8
Poor attitude of members 82 18.0 22.9
Division and discrimination within 39 8.6 10.9
the church
Monetization and materialism of 16 3.5 4.5
the church
Nothing 41 9.0 11.5
Poor attitude of ushers 51 11.2 14.2
Other 126 27.7 35.2
Total 358 78.7 100.0
Missing No response 97 21.3
Total 455 100.0
NB: Sample size (n) = 455
SOURCE: FIELD WORK, 2020
that the church will never be 100 percent purified until the return of Christ (see 
table 3). Most churches normally have general meetings and open forums to 
discuss pertinent issues for the growth of the church. These platforms help the 
bold members to openly voice out their grievances about the wrong direction 
of the growth of the church. Some churches also have suggestion boxes where 
members are encouraged to write down suggestions for improving the growth 
of the church and drop them in those boxes anytime. Some members there-
fore take advantage of this medium and anonymously drop their displeasures 
about the negative developments in the church in order not to be victimized 
by the church leadership and some individual members.
6.3 Perceptions about the Ghanaian Church
The last objective that the study sought to achieve was to examine the views 
of believers on some of the growing perceptions about Ghanaian churches. 
There is a growing perception that churches in Ghana have diluted the mes-
sage of the Cross by concentrating on the message of prosperity more than 
repentance which leads to salvation. On this note, 43 percent and 37 percent 
agreed and strongly agreed respectively with this position. However, 13 percent 
and 7 percent disagreed and strongly disagreed respectively with this position 
(see figure 4). It is not a sin for the church to preach about material prosperity. 
Journal of Religion in Africa 51 (2021) 150–183 Downloaded from Brill.com04/27/2022 09:34:06AM
via free access
172 Bawa, Ayim and Bastimi
Churches in Ghana today concentrate more on the message of
prosperity than repentance 
7% 13% 37%
43%
Strongly agree Agree Strongly disagree Disagree
FIGURE 4 Distribution of respondents by level of agreement on the assertion that Churches 
in Ghana today concentrate more on the message of material prosperity rather 
than repentance
 NB: Sample size (n) = 455
SOURCE: FIELD WORK, 2020
However, God is much interested in sinners turning away from their sins to 
come to Him rather than being preoccupied with material prosperities. It is for 
this reason that Christ admonishes His followers to seek first the kingdom of 
God and its righteousness and all others (including riches) shall be added unto 
them (Matthew 6:33). John the Baptist preached about repentance to prepare 
the way for Christ and when Christ began His ministry, He also preached about 
repentance. Again, after the Day of Pentecost, Peter in his public sermon made 
repentance a central focus of his message.
Respondents were also asked to show their level of agreement with the 
monetization and materialism of the church in Ghana. It must be noted that 
on what respondents disliked about the church, about 5 percent identified 
the monetization and materialism of the church. On this growing percep-
tion, a higher percentage of respondents (41 percent) strongly agreed with the 
assertion that the churches are becoming monetized and materialistic. Again 
about 37 percent agreed with the fact that churches are becoming monetized 
and materialistic. However, 14 percent disagreed with this perception and 8 
percent strongly disagreed. Thus, majority of Christians interviewed (78 per-
cent) believed that churches are becoming monetized and highly materialis-
tic as against 22 percent who disagreed (see table 4). This act of some of the 
churches in Ghana (by far the majority), has been condemned by the Christian 
fraternity. Quansah (2019) makes the following revelation about the drifting 
of Ghanaian churches from the message of repentance to material prosperity:
Journal of Religion inD Aowfnrloiacdead  f5ro1m ( B2r0ill.2co1m) 0145/207–/2012823 09:34:06AM
via free access
Attitude and Perception of Ghanaians toward the Church 173
TABLE 4 Distribution of respondents by level of agreement on churches becoming 
monetized and materialistic
Frequency Percent Valid percent
Valid Strongly agree 178 39.1 40.7
Agree 161 35.4 36.8
Strongly disagree 38 8.4 8.7
Disagree 60 13.2 13.7
Total 437 96.0 100.0
Missing No response 18 4.0
Total 455 100.0
NB: Sample size (n) = 455
SOURCE: FIELD WORK, 2020
It is very sad how, today, many pastors have abandoned the preaching 
of the gospel of Christ to the preaching of pop psychology and material 
prosperity. Acquisition of wealth and riches has become the sole motiva-
tion for many pastors in our generation. As a result, in many churches 
today, a good pastor is described as the one who pulls crowds and raises 
hundreds of Cedis during revivals and other special programs. If a pastor 
pulls crowds to programs, preaches to make people happy and is able to 
trick them through false prophetic directions to give all the money they 
have, such a pastor is considered to be highly anointed – ‘a great man 
of God’. Surprisingly, the unsoundness of the message he preaches, his 
inaccurate and false prophetic utterances, his unbridled desire to pray 
for people for money against the teaching of Christ Jesus (Matt.10:8) are 
swept under the carpet.
Quansah 2019: para. 7–8
A further analysis with regards to the monetization and materialism of 
Ghanaian churches was made according to denominations (figure 5). The 
results show that among Orthodox Christians majority (78 percent) agreed 
that churches are becoming monetized and materialistic whereas 22 percent 
disagreed. This is not different among Pentecostal/Charismatic believers. 
Majority (77 percent) agreed that churches are becoming monetized and mate-
rialistic whereas 23 percent disagreed. Thus, it can be concluded that there is 
the growth of monetization and materialism in all Christian denominations in 
the Greater Accra Region and Ghana at large. It will therefore be difficult for 
Journal of Religion in Africa 51 (2021) 150–183 Downloaded from Brill.com04/27/2022 09:34:06AM
via free access
174 Bawa, Ayim and Bastimi
Churches in Ghana are becoming monesed and materialisc
14%
Disagree 14%
9%
Strongly disagree 8%
44%
Agree 27%
33%
Strongly agree 51%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Pentecostal/Charismac Orthodox
Figure 5 Distribution of respondents by denomination and the monetization and 
materialism of the church
 NB: Sample size (n) = 455
SOURCE: FIELD WORK, 2020
any of these Christian denominations in Ghana to run away from this percep-
tion which had an overwhelming affirmation among believers.
It has largely been observed that majority of churches today are increas-
ingly becoming monetized and gradually becoming economic hubs instead of 
spiritual enrichment centers. Globally, there is the penetration of money into 
the church and the worth of a church is now measured in terms of money, and 
this angers God (Christian Truth Centre 2020). This has eventually contributed 
to evil acts crippling into the church. Apostle Charles Osei Soadwa, the Head 
Pastor of Pentecostal Live Church, Kumasi noted that the practice of pastors 
milking the members of their churches for profit is highly unacceptable and is 
an act of indiscipline before God (Owusu-Akyaw 2017).
Of course the church in this present age cannot be ran without money. The 
Bible supports this assertion in the book of Ecclesiastes 10:19 (KJV): ‘… But 
money answereth all things’. God values the tithes and offerings of Christians 
to promote His earthly and heavenly kingdom. Christians must therefore learn 
to give to God. Mary Fairchild outlines the following benefits for giving to God:
– Giving shows God is Lord over the lives of believers
– Believers ought to give according to their income
– Believers are blessed when they give
Journal of Religion inD Aowfnrloiacdead  f5ro1m ( B2r0ill.2co1m) 0145/207–/2012823 09:34:06AM
via free access
Attitude and Perception of Ghanaians toward the Church 175
– When believers give freely to God, they receive freely from God (Fairchild 
2019).
Some so called men of God in Ghana go overboard by charging people for con-
sulting them on their spiritual needs. For instance, a popular pastor in Ghana 
publicly stated that he does not joke with his consultation fees (Ayamga 2020). 
Money is regarded as a powerful symbol of wealth and its search, a necessary 
phenomenon in the church (Lauterbach 2017). The message of salvation goes 
with evangelism but most churches have relegated this important message of 
Christianity and hooked unto the message of prosperity and materialism. This 
lacuna was also identified by the Chairman of the Christ Apostolic Church 
International (CACI), Apostle Dr. Stephen Kwame Amoani when he reminded 
Ghanaian pastors that “the Message of the Cross’ is salvation for people to 
live godly and responsible lives; but not the accumulation of earthly wealth” 
(Ghanaweb 2017). Apostle Paul in his first letter to Timothy, pre-empted him 
(Timothy) about the evils of money: “For the love of money is the root of 
all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and 
pierced themselves through with many sorrow” (1 Timothy 6:10 [KJV]).
As noted earlier on, evangelism is a core mandate of the church and the 
believer. It is a command from Christ to His followers. It is therefore compul-
sory for the believer and the church to pursue outreach activities to reach lost 
souls. Also as noted in church history, it took the frantic and selfless efforts 
of the European missionaries to bring Christianity to the doorstep of the 
Ghanaian. Any church that is not evangelistically oriented has no purpose. 
On this not, it is encouraging to note that a higher percentage of respondents 
(46 percent) agreed with the perception that churches take evangelism very 
serious. Another 23 percent strongly agreed with this assertion. However, 
about 17 percent and 14 percent strongly disagreed and disagreed respectively. 
Thus, majority of respondents (69 percent) agreed that churches take evan-
gelism very serious whereas 31 percent thought otherwise (see table 5). It is 
not surprising that churches keep investing in mission and evangelism activi-
ties and churches in Ghana are not in exception. It is also not surprising that 
some churches have instituted certain month(s) within the year for such a cru-
sade and evangelism. Truly speaking this is not enough; this evangelism or the 
Great Commission work should be a daily activity. Majority of respondents 
largely agreed that churches take evangelism very serious. Nonetheless, the 
Ghanaian clergy see it otherwise. In general the individual Christian is becom-
ing apathetic in extending saved hands to the lost. Also, majority of believers 
have misconstrued the basics of evangelism by thinking that it is solely the 
responsibility of the pastor and the leadership of the church. In 2010, the Right 
Reverend Dr. Yaw Frimpong-Manso, then outgoing Chairman of the Ghana 
Journal of Religion in Africa 51 (2021) 150–183 Downloaded from Brill.com04/27/2022 09:34:06AM
via free access
176 Bawa, Ayim and Bastimi
TABLE 5 Distribution of respondents by whether churches in Ghana take evangelism very 
serious
Frequency Percent Valid percent
Valid Strongly agree 100 22.0 22.8
Agree 204 44.8 46.5
Strongly disagree 74 16.3 16.9
Disagree 61 13.4 13.9
Total 439 96.5 100.0
Missing No response 16 3.5
Total 455 100.0
NB: Sample size (n) = 455
SOURCE: FIELD WORK, 2020
Evangelism Committee (GEC), appealed to Christians in Ghana to support 
evangelism. He noted that:
Churches spend a lot of time, energy and money on building infrastruc-
ture and providing social services but little time, money and energy is 
vested in evangelism, discipleship and church growth  … Evangelism 
should, therefore, be the heartbeat of every living church toward the ful-
filment of the divine mandate as expressed in the Great Commission of 
Jesus to His church.
BusinessGhana 2010: para. 3–4
Respondents were asked to show their level of agreement with the assertion 
that churches care much about the poor. A higher percentage of the respon-
dents (44 percent) agreed that churches in the Greater Accra Region in par-
ticular and Ghana in general care much about the poor in the church. This was 
followed by 21 percent who strongly disagreed that churches in Ghana care 
much about the poor in the church. Also, nineteen (19) percent disagreed. The 
least was 16 percent who strongly agreed that churches in Ghana care much 
about the poor. Thus, majority of the respondents (60 percent) agreed that 
churches in Ghana care much about the poor in the church. However a con-
siderable number representing 40 percent disagreed (see figure 6). The poor 
has always been part of the church and as a result, the church must come out 
with programs and activities to support the poor. This is being done by some 
churches in Ghana through effective general welfare policies. As already noted, 
Journal of Religion inD Aowfnrloiacdead  f5ro1m ( B2r0ill.2co1m) 0145/207–/2012823 09:34:06AM
via free access
Attitude and Perception of Ghanaians toward the Church 177
Churches care much about the poor in the church
16%
19%
21%
44%
Strongly agree Agree Strongly disagree Disagree
FIGURE 6 Distribution of respondents by the assertion that churches care much about the 
poor in the church
 NB: Sample size (n) = 455
SOURCE: FIELD WORK, 2020
it is the duty of the church to help address the physical needs of its members 
especially the poor.
The results in table 6 show the levels of agreement by respondents with the 
assertion that there is currently much division and disunity in the church than 
before. The results reveal that a higher percentage of respondents (43 percent) 
agreed that there is division and disunity in the church. This was followed by 
26 percent who strongly agreed. However, 18 percent strongly disagreed and 
13 percent disagreed that there is much division and disunity in the church 
than before. Thus, majority of believers representing 69 percent confirmed 
that there is polarization in the church. Although there are countless lessons 
for present churches to follow from the early church, issues of divisions and 
bitterness are permeating all facets of majority of churches. It is common to 
see even leaders who are supposed to set good examples for their members 
to follow engaging in war of words in public. Some of the most popular feuds 
among some Ghanaian men of God include Bishop Isaac Owusu Bempah 
(Founder and Leader of Glorious Word Power Ministries International) vs. 
Prophet Emmanuel Badu Kobi (Founder and General overseer of Glorious 
Wave Church International) and Rev. Ebenezer Adarkwa-Yiadom (Founder 
and Leader of the Ebenezer Miracle Worship Centre) vs. Bishop Daniel Obinim 
(Founder and Leader of International God’s Way Church). Such attitudes and 
conducts of those who literally must know better makes Christianity unat-
tractive to the unbeliever and this makes one wonder if the feuding parties 
confess and profess the same God. It has also become a common lifestyle for 
members of the same congregation to be at loggerheads with each other. There 
are also unwanted and unwarranted competitions among church departments 
Journal of Religion in Africa 51 (2021) 150–183 Downloaded from Brill.com04/27/2022 09:34:06AM
via free access
178 Bawa, Ayim and Bastimi
TABLE 6 Distribution of respondents by division and disunity in the church in current 
times than before
Frequency Percent Valid percent
Valid Strongly agree 114 25.1 26.0
Agree 189 41.5 43.1
Strongly disagree 79 17.4 18.0
Disagree 57 12.5 13.0
Total 439 96.5 100.0
Missing No response 16 3.5
Total 455 100.0
NB: Sample size (n) = 455
SOURCE: FIELD WORK, 2020
and generational groups in the modern Ghanaian church. The lack of effective 
conflict resolutions in the church has led to some ‘breakaways’ or separations 
with the culminating effect on weak church capacity and leadership. Some 
Christians have also backslidden because of grudges with church leadership 
and members from the same church. Although this may partly depend on the 
spiritual maturity of the victims, it still boils down to weak conflict resolution 
strategies and effective communication in the church.
When Christ was praying for His disciples one thing that He placed pre-
mium on was unity. He prayed to His Father in Heaven to help His disciples 
live in unity, that they all may be one (John 17:21). It was through the power of 
love and unity that the early Christians prayed for the Angels of God to release 
Peter from prison (Acts 12:5–17). This is not to say that the early Christians did 
not have problems but they had effective conflict resolution mechanisms to 
deal with the dangers of divisiveness. A church that is anchored on Christ must 
have that divine power to resolve conflict. This is well reflected in the story 
of the seven deacons in Acts 6:1–15. Apostle Paul also rebuked the Church of 
Corinth when he suspected division within them:
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto 
carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not 
with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye 
able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and 
strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one 
Journal of Religion inD Aowfnrloiacdead  f5ro1m ( B2r0ill.2co1m) 0145/207–/2012823 09:34:06AM
via free access
Attitude and Perception of Ghanaians toward the Church 179
saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who 
then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even 
as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God 
gave the increase
1 Corinthians 3:1–6 [KJV]
7 Conclusion and Recommendations
It is very crucial for churches in Ghana to realize the need to leverage on the 
importance of research to church development. A survey study that directly 
measures the opinions of members of the church would especially be of util-
ity in this regard. This is a significant point to note from the findings of the 
study. It is therefore imperative for churches in Ghana today to constantly 
explore, through scientific and studious research to unearth the opinions of 
Christians about the church. Generally, Christians living in the Greater Accra 
Region attend church regularly. It can therefore be concluded that major-
ity of Christians in Ghana have the right attitude toward church attendance. 
However, not all Christians have their spiritual and physical needs met by 
church sermons. Also worthy of note from the findings of the study is the fact 
that a considerable majority of Christians do not have time to attend eve-
ning church services. The study further validates the assertions that majority 
of churches are concentrating more on the message of material prosperity 
rather than repentance, beside the fact that churches today are increasingly 
becoming highly monetized and materialistic. It is also important to note that 
Ghanaian churches within the Greater Accra Region care much about the poor 
and also take their mission and evangelism works serious.
The study recommends that churches must on regular basis assess and 
document the opinions of members on the development of the church from 
the perspective of the members since they are the ultimate stakeholders. This 
will help the church to know the direction of its growth, both physically and 
spiritually. It is also recommended that churches in Ghana in general must 
come out with programs which can attract majority of Christians to attend 
evening church services. This will reduce the rate of apathy toward evening 
church attendance by Christians. It is further recommended that churches 
within the Greater Accra Region and Ghana in general must, as a matter of 
urgency stick to the apostolic foundation of Christianity which is anchored 
on repentance and not material prosperity. This is very imperative to prepare 
both believers and unbelievers about the Second Coming of Christ which is 
the ultimate expectation of Christians on earth. In this regard, churches must 
Journal of Religion in Africa 51 (2021) 150–183 Downloaded from Brill.com04/27/2022 09:34:06AM
via free access
180 Bawa, Ayim and Bastimi
continue to intensify mission and evangelism activities and invest in them 
rather than buildings. Also, although in Christianity Jesus Christ is the perfect 
standard of emulation, Ghanaian pastors and pastors in general must live with 
the right Christian principles which is based on the Word of God in order not 
to be enemies of the Cross as Apostle Paul warns in Philippians 3:18. It is again 
recommended that churches within the Greater Accra Region and in Ghana in 
general that are using secular and unbiblical means to get members to give to 
God must desist from such ungodly conducts. This will significantly reduce the 
high rate of materialism and monetization of the church.
 Acknowledgement
We the authors of this paper are grateful to the Almighty God for guiding 
our thoughts in the pursuit of this study. We are also grateful to our review-
ers whose critical suggestions and recommendations improved the quality 
of the work tremendously. We also wish to thank Rev. Norbert Ayaamo (for-
mer Catechist of Divine Congregation [Madina NOP], Presbyterian Church of 
Ghana) for his perceptive review of the questionnaire for the study. We are 
also grateful to Dr. Solomon Kofi Amoah (Department of Sociology, University 
of Ghana), for the insight he provided toward this study. We also thank our 
Research Assistants: Harry Akyene Mokwah, Sarah Sarfo and Eunice Akawari 
for their roles in making this study successful. Finally we wish to thank all our 
respondents for consenting to take part in the study in this challenging period 
of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 Declaration of Interest Statement
We the authors of this paper declare that there is no conflict of interest regard-
ing the execution of this study. It was purely for academic purposes and noth-
ing dubious.
References
Acquah, Maxwell Kobina. 2012. The Church: Is not What you Think. Cape Coast: Yefulkay 
Consultancy and Business Services.
Adams, Paul. 2010. The Difference between Evangelism and Mission. https://www.oscar.org 
.uk/blog/the-difference-between-evangelism-and-mission (Accessed: 21 June 2020).
Journal of Religion inD Aowfnrloiacdead  f5ro1m ( B2r0ill.2co1m) 0145/207–/2012823 09:34:06AM
via free access
Attitude and Perception of Ghanaians toward the Church 181
Appiah, David. 2015. The Attitudes of Christian Church Pastors and Leaders toward 
Leadership Succession, For Leadership Continuity, in Charismatic and Pentecostal 
Church Organizations in Kumasi, Ghana. Master Thesis, Blekinge Institute of 
Technology.
Austin, Omomia O. 2017. ‘Religious Perceptions of Suicide and Implication for 
Suicidiology Advocacy in Nigeria’. International Journal of History and Philosophical 
Research, 5.2, 34–56.
Ayamga, Emmanuel. 2020. I Don’t Joke with Consultation Fees; I can’t go Hungry when 
I’m Working – Osofo Kyiri Abosom. https://www.pulse.com.gh/news/local/i-dont-joke 
-with-consultation-fees-i-cant-go-hungry-when-im-working-osofo-kyiri/86ys516 
(Accessed: 5 April 2020).
Bitesize (BBC) (n.d). Significance of a Place of Worship. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ 
guides/z36xk2p/revision/1 (Accessed: 21 June 2020).
Bouma, Jeremy. 2018. What is Evangelism? https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/
evangelism/ (Accessed: 28 January 2021).
Bulgakov, Sergius. 1988. The Orthodox Church. New York: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press.
BusinessGhana. 2010. Christians Should Support Evangelism- Dr Frimpong-Manso. 
https://www.businessghana.com/site/news/general/123531/Christians-should-support 
-evangelism-Dr-Frimpong-Manso (Accessed: 1 February 2021).
Christian Truth Centre. 2020. Love of Money in Churches Today. https://www.chris 
tiantruthcenter.com/love-of-money/ (Accessed: 22 June 2020).
Clowney, Edmund P. 1987. ‘The Biblical Theology of the Church’. In Donald Arthur 
Carson (ed). The Church in the Bible and the World. Exeter: The Paternoster Press, 
13–87.
Darko, Nora Mintah. 2015. An Analysis of Perceptions and Attitudes towards Female 
Pastors in two Districts in the Presbyterian Church of Ghana. Master of Philosophy 
Thesis, University of Ghana.
Díaz-Pabón, Luis Ángel. 2019. What is the Church? Its Role and Purpose According to 
the Bible. https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/what-is-the 
-church-according-to-the-bible.html (Accessed: 20 June 2020).
Fairchild, Mary. 2019. What does the Bible say about Giving? Why do we Give Tithes 
and Offerings in Church? https://www.learnreligions.com/what-does-the-bible-say 
-about-church-giving-701992 (Accessed: 22 June 2020).
Fletcher, Dale. 2013. How are you Attempting to Meet your Deepest Spiritual Needs?
Ghana Statistical Service. 2012. 2010 Population and Housing Census: Summary Report 
of Results. Accra: Sakoa Press Limited.
Ghanaweb. 2018. Churches must Deepen Evangelism – Most. Rev. Prof. Asante. https:// 
www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/religion/Churches-must-deepen-evangelism 
-Most-Rev-Prof-Asante-665715 (Accessed: 28 January 2021).
Journal of Religion in Africa 51 (2021) 150–183 Downloaded from Brill.com04/27/2022 09:34:06AM
via free access
182 Bawa, Ayim and Bastimi
Ghanaweb. 2017. Salvation is the Message, not Materialism – Apostle Amoani tells Pastors. 
https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/religion/Salvation-is-the-message 
-not-materialism-Apostle-Amoani-tells-pastors-600156 (Accessed: 9 September 
2018).
Graham, Billy. 2020. Meeting Spiritual Needs. https://billygraham.org/devotion/meeting 
-spiritual-needs/ (Accessed: 21 June 2020).
Gyampo, Ransford E.V and Bossman Asare. 2015. ‘The Church and Ghana’s Drive 
toward Democratic Consolidation and Maturity’. Journal of Church and State, 59.1, 
1–22.
Lauterbach, Karen. 2017. Christianity, Wealth, and Spiritual Power in Ghana. London: 
Palgrave Macmillan.
Ministry. 2009. Meeting the needs of your Church: The Challenge of Meeting the Needs 
of your Church Members. https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/2009/12/
meeting-the-needs-of-your-church-members (Accessed: 21 June 2020).
Ogunewu, Michael A. 2014. ‘The Church and Effective Evangelization in the 21st 
Century: Contemporary Challenges and New Approaches’. AAMM, 9.67, 66–92.
Osafo Joseph, Knizek Birthe Loa, Akotia Charity Sylvia & Hjelmeland Heidi. 2013. 
‘Influence of Religious Factors on Attitude toward Suicidal Behavior in Ghana’. 
J Relig Health, 52.2, 488–504.
Owusu-Akyaw, Richard. 2017. Ghana: Monetizing Word of God is an act of Indiscipline. 
https://allafrica.com/stories/201702140694.html (Accessed: 22 June 2020).
Peprah Prince, Gyasi Razak M, Adjei Prince Osei-Wusu, Agyemang-Duah Williams, 
Abalo Emmanuel Mawuli & Kote Josephine Nii Amon. 2018. ‘Religion and Health: 
Exploration of Attitude and Health Perceptions of Faith Healing users in Urban 
Ghana’. BMC Public Health, 18.1358, 1–12.
Piper, John. 2009. Why Is Differentiating between Evangelism and Missions Important? 
https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/why-is-differentiating-between-evangelism 
-and-missions-important (Accessed: 21 June 2020).
Quansah, James. 2019. Pastors, it is time to Repent. https://www.modernghana.com/
news/907600/pastors-it-is-time-to-repent.html (Accessed: 28 January 2021).
Regester, Jacob A. 2004. The Church, the Place of worship. https://biblehub.com/library/
regester/the_worship_of_the_church/the_church_the_place_of.htm (Accessed: 
21 June 2020).
Smith, Matt. 2016. Is there any real Difference between Evangelism and Missions? https://
freedomtolead.net/evangelism-and-mission/ (Accessed: 21 June 2020).
Stefon, Matt (ed). 2012. Christianity: History, Belief and Practice. New York: Britannica 
Educational Publishing.
Titilayo Ayotunde, Agunbiade, Melvin Ojo & Kehinde Okanlawon. 2009. ‘Perception 
and Attitude of Christian Youths toward Condom Use (Implications for HIV/AIDs 
in Nigeria)’. African Research Review, 3.1, 47–60.
Journal of Religion inD Aowfnrloiacdead  f5ro1m ( B2r0ill.2co1m) 0145/207–/2012823 09:34:06AM
via free access
Attitude and Perception of Ghanaians toward the Church 183
Uzochukwu, Okwuagbala Mike P. 2020. Indecent Dressing and Indecency in the Church: 
Reasons, Causes and Effects. https://hubpages.com/religion-philosophy/Indecent 
-Dressing-and-Indecency-in-the-Church-Reasons-Causes-and-Effects (Accessed: 
21 June 2020).
Velarde, Robert. 2009. What is the Church? https://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/
what-is-the-church/ (Accessed: 20 June 2020).
Wyllie, Robert W. 1985. ‘Perceptions of the Spiritist Churches: A Survey of Methodists 
and Roman Catholics in Winneba, Ghana’. Journal of Religion in Africa, 15.2, 142–167.
Notes
1   Ecclesiology is simply the branch of Christian theology which deals with the study of the 
church. It studies the origin, nature and mission of the church and its relationship with Jesus 
Christ.
2   There are some common situations where some church members stop going to church sim-
ply because they feel the church does not visit them when they are sick and in other serious 
challenges. It takes those who are spiritually mature to forego such reasons as a justification 
for ceasing to be a member of the church. This is normally realized in small congregations 
where the family-like nature of the church is highly felt.
Journal of Religion in Africa 51 (2021) 150–183 Downloaded from Brill.com04/27/2022 09:34:06AM
via free access