At the just ended 5th CLAN Moderatorial Forum at Abetifi, the Clerk of General Assembly, Rev. David Aboagye‑Danquah, and the National Director of Church Life and Nurture (CLAN), Rev. Andrew Shardow, drew attention to the troubling phenomenon of groupism. This refers to the tendency of congregants prioritising their generational or fellowship groups over the life of the church itself.
The Clerk and CLAN Director observed that while many members attend group meetings faithfully, they often neglect congregational worship, mission, and broader church activities. Both leaders acknowledged the pivotal role generational groups play in discipleship and nurture, but they also warned that groupism undermines the unity and witness of the church.
Generational and inter‑generational groups are indeed vital vehicles for discipleship, nurture, and mission. Yet they were never intended to become ends in themselves. Their purpose is to complement the larger body of Christ, not compete with it. When loyalty to a group overshadows commitment to the church, the result is fragmentation, weakened discipleship, and diminished outreach capacity.
The warning is timely. As we prepare for our bicentennial celebration and also pursue Agenda 2 Million, unity and collective effort are indispensable. The Moderator, Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye has already reminded us that discipleship and outreach are the lifeblood of church growth.
Groupism, by contrast, drains that lifeblood and distracts from the Great Commission. We must thus be intentional in resisting groupism. Group leaders should collaborate with the CLAN Directorate to ensure that their activities align with the church’s liturgy, mission, and strategic plan. We must know that our first allegiance is to Christ.
Our second is to the church before any subgroup comes. At the PCG, we have an outstanding heritage of unity, discipline, and mission. Groupism may appear harmless, but left unchecked, it erodes the foundation of our witness — the foundation already laid for us and which we are building on (1 Corinthians 3:11). Let us be wary of groupism.
