The General Secretary of the Church of Pentecost, Rev Alfred Koduah has decried the increasing levels of litigation in churches, saying it contravened the spirit of the Holy Bible and the work of Christ. Rev Koduah said churches must have structures to resolve issues internally because it is against the ethics of Christianity to solve issues outside the church. Speaking to Adom News, the General Secretary of the Church of Pentecost quoted 1 Corinthians 6: 1-4 to buttress his point that “if any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? 2 Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church?” Rev Koduah stressed that it is very disheartening to see churches going to court to resolve issues. “When issues of this nature crop up what comes to mind next is why Christians are not showing tolerance and compromise to resolve their disputes internally instead of resorting to the courts” he enquired. The number of churches in Ghana is currently estimated at 7,897 as at the end of 2010, and most of these churches can best be described as commercial entities, according to the Catholic Church. After a lengthy trial which spanned 1993 to December, 2001, a High Court in Kumasi ruled in favour of the Assemblies of God Church after the Head Pastor of Calvary Charismatic Center, Rev Ransford Obeng and other four members were found guilty of attempting to defraud the Assemblies of God Church, Ghana, of its right of ownership. The CCC was a branch of the Assemblies of God Church. The Saviour church of God had been existencing with two factions and has been experiencing intermittent eruption of violence in which houses and other properties have been destroyed by the two factions. The recent court case between two factions within the Musama Disco Church showed there is bad blood between the two factions in the church, which was posing a threat to the peace, and unity of the church. Winners Chapel Ghana and Winners Chapel International have also been at loggerheads. An Accra High Court ordered the closure of E.P. Church to prevent its use by two contending factions - the EP Church, Ghana, and the Global Evangelical Church - until the final determination of the ownership of the chapel. Story: Akuamoah Boateng/Adom News