The President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) and the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has called on Christians to be authentic by leading lives that reflect the image of Christ.
He made this call at the opening of the GPCC 5-day Discipleship Training on Monday, January 29, 2024, at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa-Fetteh.
He said that the nation does not need more pastors or churches but genuine followers of Christ who can bring transformation to society.
“The greatest need we have in this nation is not many more pastors and churches but authentic Christians, a people like Christ. It is only Jesus Christ that transforms, but until we have people like him, there will be no transformation,” he said.
He urged the participants to rethink what Christianity means and to live it out as a way of life, not just a title or a profession.
He also encouraged them to translate their religiosity into spirituality, which can impact the nation positively.
“We need to rethink Christianity. Christianity is not about titles or pastors but a way of life. Translate your religiosity to spirituality, which brings transformation. If we translate our numbers into real spirituality, we will be a blessing to the nation,” he said.
He quoted various scriptures to emphasise the importance of holding on to the teachings of Jesus Christ and conforming to His image.
He said God’s ultimate purpose for every born-again Christian is to reveal Christ in and through them. He added that God has given them everything they need to transform into the image of His son.
Apostle Nyamekye further explained that the seed of Christ in them gives them the potential to become like Him and that they should nurture and grow that seed by avoiding sin and erasing any mistakes.
“When you sin, it means you have missed the mark. Sin, to us, is a mistake; it is not a weakness. The seed of Christ in you has power over sin. When you miss the mark (make a mistake), do not continue in it, erase it,” he said.
He also shared some practical ways to manifest the image of Christ in their lives and actions. He said that the image or seed of Christ should not just remain in their hearts but must be seen in their body, as seen in 2 Corinthians 4:10-11. “People should think they have come to Jesus when they are around you. If Christ is in you, let Him be manifested in your body”, he revealed.
He added that to be able to do the works of God, they just need to believe in Jesus.
The Chairman cited Ephesians 4:11-13 and Ephesians 3:14-19 to stress the importance of teaching and prayer as the two major agents of transformation. He said that the scriptures and prayer should work hand in hand to help them grow in Christ.
He quoted Luke 4:20-22 and Colossians 2:2-3 to illustrate how Christlikeness should be holistic and affect every part of their body.
He said that growing into the image of Christ must also include growing in wisdom and knowledge and that the wisdom needed to deal with the affairs of life is found in the seed of Christ planted in them.
“When you say you are a good Christian, it doesn’t mean walk sanctimoniously, but rather Christ must be manifested in your body. In your normal conversation, gracious words must come out of your mouth”, he added.
Apostle Eric Nyamekye said that to become more and more like Christ, they should be like Him in power and in deed, and have power over sin and evil forces. He said that being a disciple is to be all like Christ is.
“When you are like Christ, do not think you will not suffer in life, but in the midst of all that, be able to shine like stars in the sky”, he encouraged.
“Unless we surrender our crowns, Christlikeness will be difficult to achieve”, he concluded.
The Discipleship Training is for all pastors, ministry leaders and church leaders. It is being held under the theme: Launching Transformational Disciples Movement.
The event is being organised in collaboration with the Keystone Project in the USA, under the leadership of Richard Warren Greene (Founder/President, Keystone Project – USA).
The seminar began on Monday, January 29 and is expected to end on Saturday, February 3, 2024.
PENTECOST NEWS.