The newly elected Chairman of the Christ Apostolic Church International (CACI), Apostle Samuel Amponsah-Frimpong, paid a courtesy call on the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, today at the Church’s General Headquarters in Accra.
The visit, according to Apostle Amponsah-Frimpong, was to thank Apostle Nyamekye for honouring the invitation to preach at his induction service, congratulate him on his elevation to the presidency of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), and wish him well in his new mandate.
The CACI delegation was received by a four-member team of The Church of Pentecost, including Apostle Eric Nyamekye, the General Secretary, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, the International Missions Director, Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe, and the Finance and Administration Director (FAD), Apostle Lawrence Otu-Nyarko.
In his speech, Apostle Amponsah was full of praise for the leadership of The Church of Pentecost for the great work in advancing the Kingdom business in Ghana and beyond.
He said that although both church organisations have a chequered past, it was time to build bridges and forge ahead for the advancement of God’s kingdom. He explained that the Christ Apostolic Church, The Apostolic Church, and The Church of Pentecost all emerged from the ministry work of Pastor McKeown and Apostle Anim and are cut from the same cloth.
He said that the prophetic message received by early members that the Church would grow to become a big ocean had been fulfilled as all three churches have gone on to become great Pentecostal churches in their own right.
“I, therefore, see this as a divine move of God because today when you put the population of all three churches together, you can see that we have indeed become a mighty ocean,” he said.
He explained that it is now time for the Body of Christ to come together and make more inroads for the Lord. He said that both Christian organisations have a lot in common in their emphasis on holiness, soul-winning, and the work of the Holy Spirit.
“We share in Apostle Nyamekye’s passion for Christians to dominate the earth. This is the mandate we have been given as Christians to go into the world and make disciples of all nations, and in so doing, we will be filling the earth with the culture of heaven.
“The Church of Pentecost and the Christ Apostolic church must stand together always because the things that bind us together are more than our differences,” he said.
He indicated that his leadership is willing to collaborate with other church organisations, particularly The Church of Pentecost, and expressed that they are looking forward to honouring the invitation the CoP has extended to CACI to participate in its upcoming General Council meeting next month.
According to him, the meeting would serve as an opportunity to learn from The Church of Pentecost.
“As a member of the Ghana Pentecostal Charismatic Council (GPCC), we are well aware of the awesome contribution of The Church of Pentecost to the Body of Christ. The Church of Pentecost is a gem in Pentecostalism, and we accept it!” he said.
Apostle Eric Nyamekye, on his part, thanked the delegation for the august visit. He also congratulated the new chairman and his executive on their election to serve the CACI at the highest level.
“The work of an Executive Council Member is very important, and that is why it is not by appointment but by election so that the people themselves would select who they prefer to serve them,” he said.
He urged them to do their best to live up to the confidence the church has reposed in them by always seeking the collective interest of the church over individual interests.
He advised them to pay attention to their policies and structures in order to build a strong church.
“You should not hesitate to amend their constitution and review their policies and practices to better serve the needs of the people. Otherwise, you would have an archaic constitution that does not serve the people’s needs,” he urged.
Apostle Nyamekye also advised them to always have in mind that they building a church – a community of holy people who walk in love and advance towards heaven – and not a mere social club.
“This means that for us, the most important thing is to ensure that the Holy Spirit does not desert our camp,” he added.
The Chairman welcomed the idea of both Christian organisations to forge closer ties and work together to build on the viable seed sown by their forebears.
Apostle Kumi-Larbi also took the opportunity to invite the CACI to the second edition of the All Ministers’ Conference (AMC2023), slated for September this year.
The visit concluded with an official group photograph of the leadership of both Christian organisations.
The CACI delegation also included Apostle Dr. Addai-Kusi (General Secretary), Rev. Stephen Acheampong (Field Director), Apostle George Peter Derry (Missions Director), Apostle Prosper Agbaglor (Evangelism Director), and Rev. Asumadu Kyeremeh (Director of Christian Education).
PENTECOST NEWS.
