The secretary of the Methodist Church in Fiji’s evangelism department, Reverend Iliesa Koroi, has raised concerns about the performance of some pastors within the church. Koroi observed that certain ministers have become ineffective in fulfilling their roles.
He expressed, “I am not embarrassed to say this, but the ministers are not doing their job.” He reminisced about the early days of missionary work, noting that despite the challenges of war and cannibalism, the initial missionaries were able to spiritually guide the people with just two individuals. In contrast, he pointed out that with over 100 ministers today, there has been a noticeable rise in social issues, attributing this to a failure to preach the right message and a lack of commitment to their responsibilities.
Koroi voiced his support for the church’s stance on reducing yaqona and cigarette consumption, advising ministers to limit kava intake and focus on enhancing their spiritual health and the structure of their church communities. He lamented the decline in the tradition of families singing hymns together in their homes, a practice that was once common.
He highlighted the church’s vital role in transforming lives, sharing testimonials of individuals who overcame serious challenges such as suicidal thoughts, drug dealing, and alcoholism, thanks to the right message being preached. “The reason why I was saved – to save them,” he remarked.
Koroi concluded by noting that the church’s focus has disproportionately centered on spiritual matters like reaching heaven, while neglecting pressing social issues.