As someone who uses words daily—in lecture halls, online publications, radio and television broadcasts, sometimes the pulpit, and in personal conversations—the sermon delivered by former Clerk of the General Assembly, Rev. Prof. Samuel Ayete‑Nyampong, at the commissioning service for ministerial probationers at Ramseyer Congregation, Abetifi, struck me deeply.
He reminded us that approaching God is never casual. It is holy ground. And on holy ground, words matter. Quoting Ecclesiastes 5:1–2 and several other texts, the sermon offered that moment when in church when Scripture confronts you with a truth so sharp and sobering that it forces you to pause and examine yourself.
With a solemn yet steady voice, Rev. Prof. Samuel Ayete‑Nyampong, urged the probationers to guard their speech before God, to speak with humility, and to resist empty vows. Citing Matthew 12:36–37, he stressed that every word carries weight because God listens. Words shape our future, influence our destiny, and even alter the patterns of our minds. They reveal the true condition of the heart.
True worship, he said, is not performance—it is alignment. It is when our prayers agree with our lives, when our hearts agree with our words, and when our actions reflect what our lips proclaim. He quoted John 4:23 and reminded us that God seeks integrity, not lip service. God condemns those who honour Him with their lips while their hearts remain distant.
Then he shifted gently into a powerful teaching on vows. Ecclesiastes teaches that vows are sacred commitments, not decorative phrases. Ordination vows, commissioning vows, wedding vows, covenant vows—these are solemn acts of surrender, he said. Scripture warns us against broken, insincere, or unfulfilled vows.
“It is dangerous,” he said, “to say before God what we do not intend to practice.”
To the probationers, his message was direct: ‘Today you will make promises to God, the Church, and your families. When you are lonely, discouraged, or far from home, remember the words you spoke today. God watches whether we will follow the vows we make. Wherever you are posted, go with your vows intact.’
Then came another gentle but piercing reminder: the minister’s primary tool is words. Christ preached with words. Words build or destroy. The tongue that blesses can wound; the tongue that proclaims grace can also spread gossip. Words travel—and as they travel, they can be distorted. Ministers must therefore be stewards of speech, for James 3:1 warns that those who teach will be judged more strictly.
Rev. Prof. Samuel Ayete‑Nyampong ended with a powerful image: Isaiah did not confess unclean hands—he confessed unclean lips. Ministry requires cleansed lips, controlled lips, lips touched by the fire of God. No human being possesses enough strength to keep all promises to God. Human determination is never enough. Only the Holy Spirit empowers us to live out what we say. Without the Spirit, words become mere talk.
So, we are called to guard our words. To worship in spirit and truth. To depend on the Holy Spirit, as Zechariah 4:6 reminds us: “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit.” In all things, words matter indeed—because God hears them, weighs them, and calls us to live them. Thank you, Rev. Prof. Samuel Ayete‑Nyampong.
By Jerome Otchere
