The President of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma has reiterated the need for ministers and deaconesses to reduce their consumption of yaqona and smoking. Reverend Semisi Turagavou highlighted these concerns during his opening address at the 2024 Methodist Church Conference held at the Centenary Church in Suva on Friday.
Reverend Turagavou addressed several issues contributing to a decline in church membership. He noted that the church has faced criticism for excessive yaqona consumption and smoking in front of congregants, leading some members to leave the Methodist Church due to inconsistent and impractical leadership styles.
“Our followers have publicly expressed their dissatisfaction and lack of confidence in church leadership at both circuit and divisional levels. The behavior and leadership styles have distorted the image of Christ,” he stated.
He pointed out that many loyal members are leaving the church to join other denominations and faiths. He urged ministers and deaconesses to take immediate action to restore the true image of Christ within the church.
“We cannot continue to depend solely on seniority within our families; we need to balance experience with performance,” he emphasized.