² Throughout this paper the term ‘church’ is used in the popular sense to refer to an organized body whose beliefs and practices are recognizably Christian and whose members congregate regularly for common worship and public affirmation of their faith. By ‘Denominations’ we mean those bodies whose orthodox doctrines, routinized forms of religious expression, and western ethos, place them squarely in the mainstream of Western Christianity. ‘Sects’ are seen as religious groups whose beliefs and practices involve a rejection of, and opposition to, the orthodoxy of the Denominations. Our classification of sects follows broadly that set out most clearly by Bryan Wilson in his book Religious Sects, World University Library, London, 1970, pp. 36–40Google Scholar.

³ In four major Spiritist sects the pastors receive regular stipends from their respective headquarters. In another the stipend is paid by headquarters after receiving the funds collected in the local branch: if the funds are adequate the pastor receives the stipend, but if the funds are small the stipend may not be paid, or may be reduced in size. In the remaining five major Spiritist sects the pastors receive no remuneration from headquarters.

⁴ This applies to some extent also to Spiritist pastors, who often acquire personal followings and a considerable degree of independence from sect authorities.

⁵ The total church membership in Winneba is 2,947, some 2,049 whom are women.

⁶ The total number of leaders providing information used in this section of the paper was twenty-five. One, the pastor of St. Anthony Healing Power Church, had gone to the north of Ghana and was not available for interview. Another, the leader of Jehovah's Witnesses, declined to provide information on his personal history and career.

⁷ Of the Evangelical pastors, one had not attended school and the others had attended Elementary schools. Of the seven Spiritist pastors who had attended school one had reached Secondary school, two had been to Middle schools, and two had not gone beyond Elementary school.

⁸ The African Methodist Episcopal Church in Ghana owed its origin to a widespread resentment of white missionary control of the Methodist Church towards the end of the nineteenth century. Most of the early members had formerly belonged to the Methodist Church and were concerned with creating an African-controlled Methodist Church in Ghana. In doctrine and ethos, however, the African Methodist Episcopal Church remained patently Methodist, although it has an Episcopalian form or organization.