The issue of integrity has been one of the moral values that is not talked about at all. It’s missing in our society today, even in the church. A careful look at happenings around you will simply tell you that we are in moral decadence. Every sector of our society today is riddled with corruption and bribery, from the classroom to the roadside to offices and, sadly, even in churches. This reality calls for urgent reflection and deliberate action if we are to restore the moral fabric of our society.
It was at the back of this that the Navigators revisited the issue of integrity during the recent Discipleship Conference on the 18th of April 2026 at the Navigators House, Dzorwulu in Accra. The Integrity Test at the Marketplace was the theme for the program. Luckily enough, the speaker, Mr. Ben Asiedu, a former full-time staff of the Navigators Ghana, delivered so well on the theme, engaging participants with both depth and clarity.
Part of his introduction, through a series of stories, established that indeed, we are in an integrity crisis as a nation. He further demonstrated how the crisis affects the nation, individuals, and the church, among others. Examples of crises, such as students being aided by their teachers to cheat in examinations, police and judges taking bribes, and inflated government contracts leading to shoddy execution of such contracts, among others, were mentioned. These real-life scenarios made the issue more relatable and pressing.
In his attempt to explain how we got here as a society, he shared his thoughts that over the years, moral and scriptural standards have been lost to urbanization and modernity. No discipline is encouraged as it used to be when they were children, and there has been a promotion of a theology of wealth creation rather than proper scriptural values. This shift, he explained, has gradually weakened the moral compass of individuals and communities.
The speaker, however, indicated that the standards of God have not changed and need to be upheld by the children of God. In the midst of these crises, God wants His children to show the way. They must allow their lights to shine at every corner to dispel the darkness. He went further to explain how integrity must be demonstrated using lessons from the likes of Daniel and Joseph in Daniel 1:9 and Genesis 39:9. These young men were very determined and upheld their integrity regardless of their situations, serving as timeless examples for believers today.
There was also a breakout session where participants had the chance to discuss practical and scenario questions, like:
- Have you had any personal experience where you were expected to pay money or induce someone to offer a service he or she is paid for? Or overlook a traffic offence you committed? How did you handle it?
- In your field of work, have you ever been offered a gift (or you asked for a gift) to facilitate a process or make a decision in favour of the giver? What did you do?
- If you became aware of a colleague at work who is involved in corruption or sexual misconduct at the workplace, what would you do about it?
- What price are you willing to pay to obey God in any situation?
- In your work, can you be described by the three characteristics: trustworthy, not corrupt, and not negligent? What should you do to develop these characteristics in the next year and subsequent years?
- What specific things can the Christian Community (Church) in Ghana do to reverse the integrity crises in the country?
These discussions helped participants to reflect deeply and apply the lessons to their everyday lives.
In conclusion, Mr. Asiedu indicated that the role of discipleship is paramount in dealing with the issues of integrity. The best way out of the crisis is to have people, even if they are a few, who are determined to live exemplary lives to inspire others. There must be moral courage or interest in tackling the issues head-on, because the world now needs people with integrity more than ever. This call challenges every believer to not only hear the message but to live it out consistently.
