Posts in category: Church News

The Akyease District Mission House in the Sunyani Area of The Church of Pentecost has been dedicated to the glory of God. It was constructed at the cost of GH¢ 165,079.00.

The Sunyani Area Head, Apostle Mark Obeng Andoh, who dedicated the manse on May 11, 2021, commended the District Minister, Pastor Gabriel Adjei, the immediate past Minister, Pastor Peter Adjei, and the entire members for the good work done. 

The district was carved from the Duayaw Nkwanta District in 2012, with Pastor Peter Adjei as the first district minister. The sod-cutting ceremony to begin the construction of the building was performed by the former Area Head, Apostle Kingsford Kyei Mensah (now retired) on February 23, 2013, while the foundation stone laying ceremony was performed by Apostle Mark Obeng Andoh on July 27, 2016.

In a brief sermon on the theme, “God Bless Our Homes” based on 2 Samuel 7:18, 27 and 29, Pastor Daniel Ameyaw (Area Secretary), said that King David praised the Lord when he proclaimed the grace and mercy of God upon his life. He added that when David wanted to build a temple for God, even though the Lord refused him, he assembled the building materials for his son Solomon to undertake the project for God.

According to Pastor Ameyaw, the building of the temple was an indication that the Lord wanted to dwell among His people, firmly establish the house of David, and bless his home.

He concluded by saying that for Christians to attract the blessings of God, they must love righteousness and refrain from sin, avoid complaining, and rather testify the blessings of God by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to the unrepented souls.

In attendance were Mrs. Juliet Obeng Andoh (the wife of the Area Head), Pastor Silas Boateng (Rtd), Akyease Local Council of Churches and GPCC Ministers, and the Sunyani Area pastorate.

Report by Pastor Joseph Awotwe.

The Interior Minister, Hon. Ambrose Dery, has on behalf of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and the people of Ghana, expressed their profound gratitude and appreciation to the leadership and members of The Church of Pentecost for constructing a magnificent prison facility at Ejura in the Ashanti Region.

According to him, The Church of Pentecost, which currently has branches in 109 nations across the world, has “proven to be a first-class corporate citizen of Ghana.”

Hon. Ambrose Dery said this in a keynote address at the commissioning of the multi-purpose Ejura Prison Camp on Tuesday, May 11, 2021. The 300-bed capacity facility which consists of an administration block, visitor’s lodge, an infirmary, chapel/classroom, kitchen, stores block, workshop block comprising three workshops, inmates’ bathrooms and toilets block, and a football field, was wholly funded and constructed by The Church of Pentecost at a total cost of GHS 3,297,139.81.

He indicated that the Government is committed to building the capacity and reorienting the Ghana Prison Service to deliver on its constitutional mandate to meet international best standards of correctional practices, and that Government is happy to partner the private sector to improve the conditions of the Service towards efficient delivery.

“Accordingly, I am delighted to convey the appreciation of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and the Government of Ghana to The Church of Pentecost for their exemplary gesture of supporting a worthy cause of bringing relief to humanity. The church is building five prison facilities including this facility in Ejura and four others which are commendable. Three of such facilities are at appreciable levels of completion.

“The contribution of The Church of Pentecost in this regard is unprecedented and I will encourage all of us to applaud it. This is unprecedented; you can’t question it. It is clear. I am more impressed about it because it is not by accident; it is part of a strategic plan and Vision 2023 that The Church of Pentecost is putting in place these facilities variously.

“Not just a one-off intervention, as a Minister of Interior, I am aware that there are other places in the country they have made various interventions such as the construction of facilities for the Ghana Police Service. Vision 2023 of the church shows a consistent well-thought-out strategy where people’s lives are going to be transformed and even start-ups are given to some to start their businesses,” he pointed out.

He added: “The Church of Pentecost has shown and demonstrated that the Bible is a living word. They have also shown that indeed Christ hates sin but loves the sinner.

“I’m pleased to note that this prison facility, unlike some of the prison facilities that we have in Ghana which are remnants or remains of the colonial era, has been purposely built according to specifications with features like multi-purpose workshops which will facilitate reformation and rehabilitation of inmates.”

The Interior Minister mentioned that correction practices globally have evolved considerably from its punitive force. He explained that the administration of capital punishment in the past with the infliction of physical pains has been de-emphasized and now the emphasize is on the offender reformation and rehabilitation to facilitate their reintegration into society.

He stated that the main interest and the premium on corrections practice is seeing offenders reformed, rehabilitated, and add value to their lives as they return to society as law-abiding citizens, saying, “In that we have found no better partner than The Church of Pentecost.”

PENTECOST NEWS.

A multi-purpose prison facility funded and constructed by The Church of Pentecost at Ejura in the Ashanti Region has been commissioned and handed over to the Ghana Prisons Service.

The facility, described as one of a kind in the country, was constructed at the cost of GHS 3,297,139.81. The fully furnished three-dormitory block with the capacity to accommodate 300 inmates also comprise an administration block, chapel which will also serve as classroom, football pitch, baptistry, modern washrooms, mechanized borehole, offices, infirmary, workshops, and other auxiliary facilities, was jointly commissioned by the Interior Minister, Hon. Ambrose Dery; the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, and the Chief of Ejura, Barima Osei Hwedie II.

Speaking at the event which took place on Tuesday, May 11, 2021, the Chairman of the church, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, said the construction of the facility was inspired by the “Possessing the Nations” agenda of the church. He explained that three similar prisons facilities at various stages of completion are under construction at Nsawam, Obuasi, and Damango, all funded by the church in its zeal to partner government to decongest the nation’s prisons facilities and to equip inmates with skills to better integrate them into society after serving their jail terms.

“As part of the church’s Vision 2023 and in line with the global conviction, that every country’s prison’s system should move from being punitive (retribution) to being corrective (reformation), we planned to support the Ghana Prisons Service in carrying out its mandate of primarily reforming our convicted brothers and sisters who have to find themselves there for one reason or the other.

“At the time of crafting the vision 2023 for the church in 2018, the Ghana Prisons Service was experiencing acute overcrowding in their holding facilities across the country. Available statistics then, suggested an inmates’ population of 14,855 for an authorized maximum capacity of 9,875 prisoners which was over 50% beyond the normal capacity. As of April ending 2021, there was a total of 13,081 prisoners occupying facilities that could cater for a maximum of 9,945 inmates.

“Those of you who were here during the sod-cutting for the commencement of this edifice in May 2019, I believe can well appreciate the practical meaning of not only what reformation or transformation means but also what the love of God through Christ Jesus is all about.

According to Apostle Eric Nyamekye, one key scripture that has spurred the church on in constructing and completing the facility even though the church has a fair share of infrastructural deficits and challenges by way of church buildings and mission houses has been Hebrews 13:3 which has been inscribed at certain locations in the edifice which reads, “Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”

The Chairman also recounted the numerous interventions that the church has provided such as the construction of police stations, provision of mechanized boreholes in rural communities, community clinics, the Environmental Care Campaign to clean Ghana, skill and livelihood training for its members, among others in the past two years as part of its vision to transform lives and the society.

He assured the good people of Ghana that The Church of Pentecost will continue to partner government in delivering its mandate to the citizenry as has been the case over the years, saying, “After all, that is the essence of the love of Christ made manifest to all humankind.”

The Interior Minister, Hon, Ambrose Dery, who was so overwhelmed with the gesture by The Church of Pentecost, applauded the leadership of the church for its vision and show of generosity.

“With the construction of this magnificent prison facility, The Church of Pentecost has shown and demonstrated that the gospel is a living word, and that Christ hates sin but loves the sinner.

“I am pleased that this prison facility has been purposely built according to specifications fitted with workshop which will facilitate reformation of inmates,” he said, adding, “Correction practice globally has evolved from punitive to offender reformation and rehabilitation to ensure their integration into society.”

According to him, The Church of Pentecost’s vision falls in line with the Government as the government is committed to ensuring the Ghana Prison Service is equipped to become world class reformative centre.

PENTECOST NEWS

In pursuance of the objective to contribute to the enhancement of the reformation and integration of prisoners in Ghana, The Church of Pentecost today, Tuesday, May 11, 2021, handed over the newly constructed Ejura Prions Holding facility to the Ghana Prisons service.

The Ejura Prison facility project, which began in 2019, is one of the four holding facilities being constructed by the church to help decongest Ghanaian prisons.

The facility has an administration block, dormitories, kitchen, workshop, and a football field, among others. The facility is sited at Ejura Nkwanta in the Ashanti Region.

The commissioning ceremony, which had the Minister for Interior, Hon. Ambrose Dery as the guest of honour, had in attendance the Chairman of the church, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, the General Secretary, Apostle ANY Kumi-Larbi, and the outgoing International Missions Director, Apostle Emmanuel Gyesi-Addo.

The immediate-past Chairman of the church, Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah, the National Head of the Church in USA, Apostle Michael Agyemang Amoako, and the Chief of Ejura, Barimah Osei Hwedie I (who is also an elder of The Church of Pentecost) graced the event with their presence.

Addressing the gathering at the event, the Chairman said that the construction of the edifice is also the church’s way of demonstrating the love of Christ to prison inmates. He was confident that the facility would help in the reformation of prisons inmates and their subsequent reintegration into society.

He expressed gratitude to the prisons service for partnering the church to undertake this audacious project. He was also grateful to the Chief of Ejura who generously donated the land where the facility is sited.

The Chairman also acknowledged the significant financial contributions of The Church of Pentecost in USA towards the project which cost in excess of GHS2,000,000.00.

Hon. Ambrose Dery, on his part, commended the church for supporting the government’s efforts in reforming prison inmates before they are reintegrated in society.

The Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mr Patrick Darko Missah, who could not hide his delight at the successful completion of the project commended the church for the project, which according to him, would help in decongesting the over-populated prisons in the country.

He revealed that the church is also constructing similar facilities at Obuasi, Damongo and Nsawam, while hinting of a sod-cutting ceremony for another facility at a new location.

PENTECOST NEWS

Prophet James Osei Amaniampong, an outgoing Executive Council Member and Asokwa Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, has urged ministers of the gospel to make every effort to serve the Lord faithfully to the very end.

“Do not crawl as you get closer to the finishing line; and at no point should you regard yourself as a derailed Christian, or worse, give up when life is not yet over. We are not finished until we are laid-in-state with our hands crossed on our chest. So, finish strong!

“Retirement is not the end, rather it is to help one relax from hard work; it does not mean one has finished. Indeed, there is going to be a day when God will usher us home, until then, we would still have to keep working,” he said.

Prophet Amaniampong gave this inspiring message on Friday, May 7, during the 45th General Council Meetings of the church, which began on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.

Drawing lessons from the life of Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:23-28, the Asokwa Area Head said that just like Apostle Paul, ministers should be determined to serve to the end despite the many challenges that may befall them in ministry.

He explained that God has assigned each of them special grace and giftings that He expects them to be good stewards of since they will render accounts on them on His return.

“When Jesus said, ‘Occupy till I come,’ He meant that we should operate until He comes; so, we need to work and be productive with whatever He us given us until He comes,” he explained.

To fulfil their ministry as God expects of them, Prophet Amaniampong advised the clergy to strengthen their relationship with God and to be prepared to follow the Lord wholeheartedly.

Quoting John 9:4, Prophet Amaniampong offered some strong words of encouragement to the ministers, saying: “Never give up! Do not move away from the track. Rather, let us move together to build the Kingdom of God, and possess the nations. A day of reckoning is coming. So be determined to follow Christ at all costs.”

He also encouraged them to strive to navigate any form of intimidation that would attempt to hinder them from fulfilling their ministry.

“I want to advise that we do our best and not seek credit for what we have done. Let us keep giving our best while remaining loyal and humble and trust that God will reward each one for what he or she has done. Let us keep serving God with the mindset that He alone would reward us,” he said.

Concluding his message, Prophet Amaniampong said: “It has been my philosophy that I will not rest or retire but finish my work only when God ushers me home. I want to finish with my arm raised towards the Lord as He welcomes me home so that even when I am laid-in-state, there will be smiles on my face. This is what I wish for all of us (ministers), so together, let us fulfil God’s plan for our lives.” 

PENTECOST NEWS

The Church of Pentecost, a global Pentecostal church with headquarters in Accra-Ghana, is now operating in 109 out of the 195 nations in all seven continents of the world, making it one of the fastest growing churches in the world.

The Chairman of the church, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, disclosed this in a State of the Church Address for the year 2020 at the opening session of the virtual 45^th Session of the General Council Meetings of the church, on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.

According to the Chairman, despite the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the church made sterling gains in all aspects in the past year.

He disclosed that the total membership of the church worldwide now stands at 3,623,011, recording a growth rate of 4.3% over the previous year. Out of the church’s 3,623,011 global membership, 3,081,862 are in Ghana, constituting 85.1%. Apostle Nyamekye indicated that the church’s current membership in Ghana constitutes 9.92% of the total estimated 2020 Ghanaian population of 31,072,9401. “This also constitutes approximately 14% of the total Christian population in Ghana, which is estimated to be 71.2% of the Ghanaian population,” he stated.

Chairman Nyamekye pointed out that 73.9% of the church’s membership in Ghana is made up of children and youth (up to 35 years), saying, “It is, therefore, important for leadership at all levels to continue to give significant attention to nurturing these young people in a manner that will position them to contribute greatly to the course of the church.”

The Chairman further revealed that the church opened 746 new assemblies worldwide, created 124 districts, and won a total of 195,636 new persons into the body of Christ in 2020 despite the pandemic which affected most religious activities globally.

He further mentioned that the number of assemblies (local churches) in Ghana alone as of December 2020 was 17,422, with a total of 1,523 districts, and 71 administrative areas.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Reverend David Campbell, a Senior Pastor of the Elim Pentecostal Churches, UK, has urged ministers and members of The Church of Pentecost to be strong and courageous in the pursuance of the “Possessing the Nations” agenda.

According to him, the task of transforming nations with Kingdom values and principles is no small feat and would therefore require great courage on the part of all those involved, particularly the leadership of the church.

Preaching on the topic: “Be Strong & Courageous” inspired by Joshua 1:1-4, Rev. Campbell emphasised the need for the church of the contemporary generation to step out of the shadows of their past heroes and to fully embrace what God is doing through the church today, saying, “the first principle of laying hold of the future is realising that yesterday is gone.”

He, however, advised the church not to disregard its glorious history, but draw strength from the past while being mindful of the mandate they have been given to take hold of the future.

“This is a new era! It is a season to partner with God for revival. It is time to equip the saints for a great revival. This does not mean we should forget the past. No, not at all. The Church of Pentecost is one with a glorious past and is known for how well it honours those who have laboured in the past; however, we must be mindful that God has called us to the future, and it is now time for this generation to take up the responsibility,” he said.

He added: “Sometimes, we must stop looking around for mighty men and maybe start looking in the mirror; perhaps it is our time now! We are the people the Lord is partnering with. This is the time to be strong, and very courageous.”

Rev. Campbell explained that often the almighty God partners with humans not because He cannot accomplish His will on His own, but because He wants to give them significance.

“Is it not amazing how God uses imperfect people with imperfect ways to accomplish His perfect will? God is partnering with The Church of Pentecost in this generation. So do not be frightened but be strong. For the best is yet to come,” he said.

He urged the church to continue to hold fast to the word of God and equip the members to remain steadfast in the Word.

“We must not lose the word of God. We must equip members to read the word and to keep it in their heart. We must remain in the Word and become people of the Word; reading it constantly and carrying the name of Jesus with them everywhere we go,” he said.

After the sermon, the General Superintendent of the Elim Pentecostal Churches, Rev. Chris Cartwright, said a word of prayer for the current generation of the church and for the grace to realise the “Possessing the Nations” agenda.

Rev. Chris Cartwright and Rev. David Campbell joined the 45th General Council Meeting via a Zoom video conferencing. The meeting, which began on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, is under the theme: “A Glorious Church Revived to Possess the Nations.”

PENTECOST NEWS

Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe, Head of the Haatso Area of The Church of Pentecost, has been overwhelmingly elected to serve as the International Missions Director (IMD) of the church for the next five years.

The IMD-elect takes over from Apostle Emmanuel Gyesi-Addo, who has successfully served a two-term tenure in this capacity.

The election took place on the second day of the ongoing 45^th General Council Meeting which officially opened on Wednesday, May 6, 2021.

Apostle Agyemang Bekoe garnered 1,184 out of the 1,200 total votes cast, representing 98.7 per cent of total valid votes cast.

In a brief acceptance speech, the newly-elected IMD said: “I give thanks to God whose grace has located me. I want to thank the Chairman who has reposed this confidence in me. I also thank members of the Executive Council who supported this nomination. I also want to express gratitude to all councilors across the globe for their acceptance. I want to plead with you to pray for me so that I will be able to run with the Vision. I know the grace of God will abound and I will not disappoint God, the Chairman, the Executive Council, and the entire membership of the church.”

BRIEF PROFILE OF APOSTLE EMMANUEL AGYEMANG BEKOE

Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe holds a BSc (Hon) and MSc in Chemistry from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He also holds an M.A in Theology from the Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission and Culture, and Basics in Biblical Greek. He is pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy degree with the South African Theological Seminary. He was called into the full-time ministry of The Church of Pentecost in 2006 and has since served at four stations of the church. He is a former missionary to Uganda and is currently serving as the Haatso Area Head. Apostle Agyemang Bekoe is married to Deborah Agyemang-Bekoe with whom he has four children.

PENTECOST NEWS