Ghana, believed to be a Christian nation has a population that is nearing thirty [30] million. Seventy percent [70%] of this population are members of various Christian denominations who go to church.
Today, pastors [or men of God] play a major contributive role in the impartation of the Word onto the members of these various Christian denominations, the citizens of Ghana and as well, during elections to ensure that peace continually prevails.
Nonetheless, the Government has made pronouncements on the decision to impose tax on churches based on the claim that businesses are executed in the Church.
The Registrar General’s department underscores that a church is registered under ‘Limited by Guarantee’. Any company registered under ’Limited by Guarantee’ is exempt of tax by the constitution. Are we saying that the Government doesn’t comply with the constitution of this land or the constitution of Ghana must be amended?
On the issue of selling [otherwise business] that goes on in the church; we must remember that if for instance, a bottle of oil or communion wine that has already been taxed from source and has a barcode on it by the government is purchased by a pastor and he decides to ‘sell’ this bottle of oil or communion wine that he deposited his ‘anointing’ into; Is it possible for the government to quantify the volume of ‘grace’ imparted into that mere oil or communion wine that is going to perform a certain miracle for a certain person, for that person to experience a certain breakthrough? Let’s be real, the same way the oil or communion wine was purchased, is the same way that the pastor ‘can’ decide to sell to members of the church ‘even if’ it is by divine direction from God. Will the government still slap taxes on that thing which cannot be quantified?
Yes, there are some pastors who are exploiting people in certain churches; however, it is the government’s duty to intermittently seek the interests of the Ghanaian church-goer and not impose a tax system on the Church as a whole.
Evidently, some pastors are doing wrong things in the Church: yet, if a wrong man [pastor] is doing a wrong thing and a government chooses to follow the wrongness and performs a wrongful act, then what is that government? The act of selling in the church is not biblical. It is WRONG! Therefore, when the government follows the same wrongdoing to take such monies in the name of taxation, is the government not more corrupt than that very pastor that sells [a thing] in the church?
It thus implies that the government is ultimately encouraging that act of selling in the church in order to make more money.
Every church is seen to be autonomous. The fact that a church is in a nation does not mean that the Church is of the nation. UN laws even acknowledge that in the event of a war or any kind of problem, one can run to the church to seek refuge and no troop[s] will have the right to harm this person or persons in the Church.
Who then dare the Government of Ghana to invade the Church and impose tax on the Church.
Churches overseas are seen as charitable institutions wherefore after taxes are filed every year, certain monies are paid back to the church to cater to the transformation and growth of the people. Is the government of Ghana following suit by taxing the church and bringing back those monies to support the people or they are taxing the church to use that money for their own dubious exploits?
In Ghana, pastors are not given any special treatment; they pay tax on every purchase made just like any other citizen [because the Bible admonishes all Christians to do so with honesty], and so I find it hard to understand the intention behind the decision to not exempt tax on churches, as has been in the last sixty [60] years.
Pastors and the Church provide crucial social services to this nation and these efforts relieve the government of doing work it would otherwise be obliged to undertake and no appreciation is shown on the part of the government for work done by pastors.
Even so, government should prove to us all, that is, give a biblical analysis of where this abominable act of imposing a tax system on the Church took place in the Bible. Anyone or institution that deems it right to charge God should move right ahead to do so and would face His WRATH.
Is the government not aware that:
i. Taxing the church would place government above God: The Bible points out that those who rule society are appointed directly by God. Are we maintaining that the government, appointed by God, is above the Church of God?
ii. Taxing churches when their members receive no monetary gain in return would amount to double taxation: church members are already taxed on their individual incomes, to tax them again for participation in voluntary organizations from which they derive no gain is ‘double taxation’.
iii. Small churches, already struggling to survive, would be further endangered by a tax burden.
iv. Poor and disadvantaged people relying on the assistance from local churches would suffer.
The Government must refrain from this very decision, so as to not experience any furious demonstration in the coming days.
Otherwise, the Law court of Ghana should give a justification of which category of business the church belongs to, [i.e. limited by guarantee, limited by liability, etc.] so that all know and adhere to the regulations governing that category accordingly.
Plus, the Government should reveal how they would quantify every pastor’s anointing they carry by the calling that God has bestowed upon them and charge tax on it.
I, Bishop Fidel Owusu-Agyei of the ecumenical board of the Council of Faith, Ghana and Worldwide disagree with this decision and strongly urge the government to rethink it. The Church belongs to God Almighty and not any human being and therefore all activities of the Church should be left for God to be the ultimate judge.
If we say that Ghana is a Christian nation, let our decisions be inspired by the Word of God because not ever was it recorded in the Scriptures that the Church paid tax. Sixty years of Church tax exemption has not brought our dear nation to ruins and it will not now.
My humble submission,
Bishop Fidel Owusu-Agyei
Source: Bishop Fidel Owusu-Agyei
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THERE ARE MORE ONE MAN CHURCHES THAN ORTHODOX. THE ONE MAN PEOPLE ARE THE ONES TO BE TAXED. THEIR SHOW OF MONIES RIPPED OFF THEIR ***barred word*** AND NAIVE CONGREGANTS THROUGH COERCION AND THREATS IS WHAT WE WANT TAXED AND POSSIBLY THOSE WHO SHOW SUCH ATTITUDE HAVE THEIR CHURCHES BANNED LIKE IT IS IN RWANDA.
What an abominable pastor. The likes of this chap tickles my belly big time. We sit in Ghana believing that Ghana is the only country in the world that God loves. Look how backward we are. How evil some so called men of God and their churches are exploiting the very poor and 1gn0rant in the society. Abominable act indeed. Even the mighty USA taxes churches and yet God has not cursed them with poverty. Pastors own fleets of luxury cars, mansions etc, blatantly flout their riches and you turn round to create fear and panic with this u$el£ss lose talk. The government should be bold and tax the churches and any profit making organisation. God will not abandon Ghana.
Hmmm, it is unfortunate some of us don't know that Jesus paid tax as AN INDIVIDUAL. The question was, "DOES YOUR MASTER (THE INDIVIDUAL) PAY TAX?" and not "DOES THE CHURCH OR YOUR GROUP (since it wasn't even yet a church) PAY TAX?" I am an orthodox church member (Methodist) but if you read this submission and you deliberate on it, you'll find wisdom. The statement is never saying: 1. The Pastors and members shouldn't pay tax as individuals 2. The buying and selling in the church is right. But taxing the church as whole is double taxation and against the constitution itself. His Grace, you are on point sir....
Jesus paid tax as and individual not the Church.And the bishop said, the pastors and the members already pay taxes per what they purchase in the nation.thank you
If this so called Bishop knows the Bible he would know Jesus Christ paid tax if not what was the give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are God's! does he know that, why did Jesus say that? if not tax? Jesus never said he was the son of God so wasn't going to pay tax, he got a fish and took out money from its mouth and gave it to the tax agent even though he didn't sell communion wine or any oil,yet he paid tax. I now understand why the White Christians who brought Christianity to Africa say Black African pastors are fake because they don't know who they worshipping. Black African pastors collect monies from the very people whom some are distressed and need help, that is not Christianity, Jesus healed for free and gave the hopeless hope. Everywhere he went he was doing good, he never collected a dime from anyone. Jesus said if you love me take care of my sheep,you are the shepherds of the world! and ask if these pastors in luxurious cars are shepherds who are taking care of the sheep Jesus talked about? A Christian must be somebody who behave like Christ and are these so called pastors and Bishops behaving like Christ? I pity and weep for their followers because they will be among those Jesus will say "I DON'T KNOW YOU" It is better to stay with the Catholic, Methodist,ANGLICAN and the PRESBYTERIAN than being with these Bishops and pastors with big titles and get rejected on the judgement day when the Bishop or Pastor has no salvation.
Bishop pls I like your long essay but you really don't know your fact. When was the last time you gave GOd money. U ppl are enjoying the sweat of ppl without shame.ok sorry . Some pastors are .
Even Jesus Christ, our Lord and master paid tax, how much less you so called followers? If you are Christ like, emulate His example on Tax. The othordox churches in Ghana use their money to build schools and hospitals for the nation whilst the penteco/Charismatic leaders are leaving lavishly on the poor church members without contributing to national development. Fake Bishop, you should know all these. Start paying