New Tafo Area Welcomes Prophet Tetteh Doku & Family

The New Tafo Area of The Church of Pentecost has organised a special service to officially welcome their new Area Head, Prophet Samuel Tetteh Doku, and his family.

Prophet Tetteh Doku, who was transferred from Takoradi District, replaces Apostle Samuel Antwi, who recently retired from active ministerial service, having served meritoriously for 38 years.

Officiated by Apostle John Budu Kobina Tawiah (Kwadaso Area Head), the welcome service, which took place on Sunday, September 4, 2022, at the M. K. Yeboah Memorial Temple, Krofrom in Kumasi, attracted a high turnout.

Delivering the sermon at the event on the topic, “The Messenger of God,” Apostle Tawiah urged Christians always to acknowledge the fact that it is God who calls, and He calls from among men to make His purpose known to the world. According to him, this is why even Christ had to take the form of a human being to accomplish His God-given assignment (Hebrews 5:1-5).

“No one can call himself a man or a minister of God unless God makes him one,” he said, adding, “No pastor or a man of God is an angel.” He noted that since a minister of God is human, they have weaknesses. He, however, said that even in their weaknesses, the strength of God makes them strong, and grace also abounds for them.

Taking his main Bible texts from Exodus 3:7ff; 4:29-31; Deuteronomy 18:15-22, the Kwadaso Area Head intimated that whoever is called by God is assigned a responsibility or a particular task to perform. Such a person, he said, works in the name of God, adding that signs and wonders follow them.

In his exposition, Apostle J. B. K Tawiah, who doubles as the Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Committee Secretary, further revealed that every messenger of God has a message to deliver to the people they have been sent to and that they are determined to speak the truth no matter the situation.

According to him, such people do not project themselves, but rather project Jesus as Lord. He, therefore, admonished ministers of God to ensure that they speak the mind of God at all times, saying, “Don’t conjure up anything and say what God has not said,” he cautioned.

“No messenger of God works alone; he needs support and cooperation of the people to whom he has been sent,” he added while urging the New Tafo Area to fully accept Prophet Samuel Tetteh as a man sent by God and cooperate with him for the realisation of the purpose for which he was sent to them.

Prophet Samuel Tetteh Doku is married to Mrs Victoria Tetteh Doku and their union is blessed with four children. He was called into the full-time ministry of The Church of Pentecost in 2004 and has since served in Dominase, Bubuashie, Koforidua and Takoradi Districts.

Report by Emmanuel Nana Nsiah.

Assin Foso PIWC Inaugurated

The Assin Foso Area of The Church of Pentecost has inaugurated the Assin Foso branch of the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC).

The English-speaking cosmopolitan church was carved out of the Foso Station District of the church. 

The inaugural ceremony which coincided with the welcome service for the pioneer Resident Minister, Pastor Enoch Amoah, and his family was held on August 31, 2022, at the Hall of Champions of PIWC-Assin Foso. The service was officiated by the Area Head, Apostle Frederick Kweku Andoh.

In a brief sermon on the topic, “The Word to the Called,” Apostle Andoh admonished Christians who feel called not to be only enthused with the privileges attached to the call, but also carry out the assigned responsibilities as well.

Quoting from Isaiah 42:5-9, Apostle Andoh said that God calls for a purpose, and for those He calls, He equips to succeed.

“God equips His called ones through His word. Through His word, He reveals Himself, His purpose, and His ways to the called,” he noted.

Concluding his message, Apostle Frederick Andoh encouraged all who feel called to be a blessing to others and also endeavour to bring glory to the Lord.

PIWC-Assin Foso was born out of the need to bridge the language barrier to accommodate an expatriate from Denmark in 1995. The then District Minister, the late Pastor Matthew Tetteh Wayoe, took the opportunity to start an English assembly to meet that need which has over the years grown to its present state.

Inaugurating the worship centre, Apostle Andoh explained that the concept of PIWC is a special ministry of The Church of Pentecost dedicated to meeting the spiritual needs of persons who are exposed to or more comfortable with the Western form of worship, as well as persons who are considered “elite” in society.

He, therefore, encouraged professionals in the church to evangelise to their colleagues and invite them to church.

In attendance were a cross-section of the pastorate and their wives in the Area, officers and family members of the new minister, among others.

Report by Pastor Samuel Avornyo, Area Reporter.

Girl Miraculously Receives Her Sight After Going Blind

A fourteen-year-old visually impaired girl, Benedicta Awaki had her sight restored after being prayed for by an elder of The Church of Pentecost.

Benedicta was led by her headmaster, Mr Agemina Benjamin, to Elder Samuel Adda in school for prayer support when she mysteriously went blind.

This is how Elder Samuel Adda narrated the incident: When the headmaster brought Benedicta to me, upon further interrogation, it was revealed that she had been having scary dreams in which some people wanted to kill her. She decided to confide in her headmaster when the scary dreams kept on reoccurring since her parents died some years ago based on the same trend.

Since it was time for closing, I advised the headmaster to see her family since she and her family were not Christians.

Unfortunately, before we could even meet her family, we received reports that Benedicta had mysteriously gone blind the following morning.

When I heard this, I rushed to the house and found the report to be true. Immediately, I led her to accept Jesus Christ as her Lord and saviour and then spent time praying with her. I returned later that evening with a brother, Apaaya Jonathan, to pray for her and assured the family of divine healing.

On Wednesday, 26th January 2022, I visited the house in the morning to check on Benedicta, but I was told she had been taken to the eye clinic in Bolgatanga. But upon returning from the eye clinic, they reported to me that, the eye specialist could not identify what was wrong with her eyes. So they were simply asked to go home.

At this point, frustration was setting in. Benedicta’s grandmother was running out of patience. The little girl was now being blamed for everything that had happened to her. I spoke to the family and encouraged them to exercise patience and wait on the Lord for a miracle.

I went back to the house in the afternoon and prayed for her again, and by this time everybody had left her for me alone. But that was the time the miracle-working Jesus visited her with a miracle. After the prayer, I asked Benedicta to stop crying and go and sleep then I left for home. Some minutes after I got home, a phone call came through that she woke up from sleep at once and screamed “I can see,” and there was a great joy and celebration in the house that afternoon.

Glory to Jesus for doing such a great thing!

Former Women’s Director Builds Church Building In Kumbungu District

The immediate past Women’s Ministry Director of The Church of Pentecost, Deaconess Grace Lucy Yeboah-Asuama, and her family has singlehandedly built a church building worth GH₵ 94,000.00 for the Zangbalun Assembly in Kumbungu District of the Tamale Area of the church.

The short dedication service which took place on Saturday, August 13, 2022, was officiated by the Tamale Area Head of the church, Apostle Sylvester, who is also an Executive Council Member of the church.

On her motivation for putting up the church building, Mrs Grace Lucy Yeboah-Asuama, who fellowships with the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) in Sunyani, said that the gesture was an expression of her gratitude to God and The Church of Pentecost for the mercies shown to her family during her tenure as the Women’s Ministry Director of the church.

Delivering a brief exhortation on the topic, “The Lord Who Sees,” based on Genesis 16:1-16, Apostle Arhin said that believers serve a God who sees all things, and as such they must approach Him with reverence and sincerity, saying, “Worshippers of God must shun the act of doing service to please people.”

“One of the sins the Lord cannot tolerate is pride. Embrace humility in your servitude in this life’s journey to receive a blessing from God,” he stressed.

Apostle Arhin who is an Executive Council Member of the church iterated that the blessings, progress and prosperity of Christians are positioned in a place where God has planted them.

He further encouraged people who have backslidden, hardened their hearts towards God, neglected their prayer altars and lost their love and evangelistic passion for God, to return to their first love.

Concluding, Apostle Sylvester Arhin admonished Christians to endeavour to serve the Lord faithfully, and yearn for a personal encounter with God, while being focused on witnessing and discipling souls for God’s kingdom.

He, therefore, urged Christians to “embrace a lifestyle of humility and submit to the constituted leadership the Lord has placed over us in the various places.”

The Kumbungu District Minister, Pastor Ephraim Kofi Ahiable, on behalf of the district, expressed their gratitude to the Lord and the love shown them by the Yeboah-Asuama family.

“This is the first ever church building in the district to have a ceiling and tiled floor. The entire church is challenged by the generosity of the Yeboah-Asuama family to serve the Lord sacrificially in expanding the frontiers of God’s kingdom,” he mentioned.

The district presented a citation to Deaconess Grace Lucy Yeboah-Asuama, which was received on her behalf by Deaconess Mrs. Anna Esinam Baah (Virtuous Ladies Coordinator, Tamale Area).

Present were leaders of the Kumbungu Local Council of Churches and representatives of the Chief of Zangbalun.

Also, in attendance were Mrs. Vivian Arhin (wife of the Tamale Area Head), Pastor B. A. M. Abogorago (Area Secretary), and a section of ministers and their wives from the Tamale Metro.

Report by Overseer Solomon Anderson, Busunu.

Apostle Larbi Wettey & Wife Miraculously Survive Car Crash

Apostle Matthew Larbi Wettey, a retired minister of The Church of Pentecost, and his wife, Elizabeth, miraculously escaped a horror crash on Friday while on their way home from Nsawam.

The couple, together with a 92-year-old relative, were on their way to their residence in Tema Community 25.  

As they approached the overhead, construction workers on the Dawhenya stretch signaled oncoming vehicles to slow down as work was ongoing, so all the vehicles, including that of the retired minister, began to decelerate.

Suddenly, a Toyota Corolla vehicle on top speed run into their vehicle from behind. The impact of the crash was so severe that it caused a reciprocal effect on the cars ahead, as they also ran into each other.

By the grace of God, all three occupants of the car, including Apostle Matthew Larbi Wettey, sustained no injuries despite the impact of the collision. The driver of the Toyota vehicle, a lay preacher of the Deeper Life Church, also survived the crash unscathed.

After the incident, Apostle Matthew Larbi Wettey, his wife, and their nonagenarian relative, underwent a medical assessment at the hospital and have since been discharged.

To God be the glory.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Newly-Created PIWC-New Tafo Inaugurated

The newly-created Pentecost International Worship Centre, New Tafo (PIWC-New Tafo), in the Effiduase Area of The Church of Pentecost, has been inaugurated to the glory of God.

The colourful inaugural ceremony, held on August 26, 2022, at the New Tafo Akim Central Assembly church auditorium, in Koforidua, was officiated by the Effiduase Area Head, Apostle Daniel Yeboah Nsaful.

The event also served as a welcome service for the pioneer Resident Minister, Pastor Daniel Adjabeng Kissi, and the dedication of a new mission house for the minister.

PIWC-New Tafo was created during the Extraordinary Council Meetings this year after it was carved out of the New Tafo District of the Church. 

In a brief sermon on the topic, “Let Us Rise And Build,” Apostle Yeboah Nsaful admonished Christians to rise and help build the Church of God, saying: “Everybody has a role to play.”

Quoting from Nehemiah 2:17-18 and 2 Chronicles 14:1-7, the Effiduase Area Head said that just as the people of Israel agreed to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, every Christian must be involved in the kingdom work, adding: “No one person can build a nation, hence the need for everyone to get involved.”

Apostle Yeboah Nsaful iterated that building a house requires the services and expertise of many artisans and professionals, each of whom plays a significant role in the building process. 

He, therefore, urged the leadership and members of the Church to assist the new minister to succeed in the quest to possess the nations for Christ.  

Inaugurating the worship centre, Apostle Nsaful explained that the concept of PIWC is a special ministry of the Church dedicated to meeting the spiritual needs for persons who are exposed to or more comfortable with the western form of worship, as well as persons who are considered “elite” in society. He, therefore, encouraged professionals in the Church to evangelise to their colleagues and invite them to Church.

In attendance were the Effiduase Area Pastorate and their wives, officers and family members of the in-coming minister, among others.

Report by Ezekiel Korletey.

The Value Of Regular Monitoring Of Your Vital Signs – A Quick Read

The vital signs are important biological, biochemical, physiological and hormonal indicators of a person’s general health status. They are the objective measurements of the body’s most basic operations. Their processes perform essential functions for the living body. They are “vital” because they are urgently needed; absolutely necessary; a manifestation and sign of life. Even in triaging patients i.e., assessing or sorting patients according to importance or urgency of clinical presentation, the first set of clinical examinations is an evaluation of the vital signs of the patient.

Traditionally, vital signs include the body’s temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation. Generally, vital signs provide a snapshot of what is going on in the body, if the values are outside the normal range, they may point to a dysfunction in the body.

BODY TEMPERATURE

The normal internal body temperature ranges from 36.5 to 37.2 degrees Celsius (Check to verify if you are in this range). Usually, fluctuations in this value indicate there has been a microbial exposure and the body is fighting an infection. When there is a microbial exposure in the body, the immune system sends signals to the hypothalamus to increase the body’s temperature. This process in turn weakens the invading microorganisms and allows the specific body’s immune cells to respond appropriately, halting the pathogenesis of the microorganism. Upon successful victory by the immune cells, the body temperature will return to normal. However, prolong elevated body temperature needs a medical attention.

BLOOD PRESSURE

The blood pressure is the pressure of the circulating blood against the walls of the blood vessels. Two numbers i.e., a numerator and a denominator are recorded when measuring blood pressure. The numerator (the systolic pressure/higher value) displays the pressure inside the artery when the heart pumps blood to the body. The denominator (the diastolic pressure/lower value) represents artery pressure when the heart is at rest. The blood pressure is considered normal at 120/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) (Check to verify if you have this value). Usually, fluctuations in this value indicate a concern for the health of the heart and brain and it associated blood vessels. E.g., coronary heart disease (heart attack), hypertension or stroke (brain attack).

PULSE RATE

The pulse rate is the number of times the heart beats in a minute. It ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm) (Check to verify if you are in this range). Usually, fluctuations in this value indicate a concern for the health of the heart and its associated blood vessels.

RESPIRATORY RATE

The respiratory rate is the number of times anyone breathes in a minute. It ranges from 12 to 20 breaths per minute (bpm). (Check to verify if you are in this range). Usually, fluctuations in this value indicate signs of respiratory illness, signs of a respiratory allergic exposure, respiratory poisoning, heart disease, lung infections, signs of a general infection, pain and emotional changes.

OXYGEN SATURATION

Oxygen saturation means the amount of oxygen saturated-hemoglobin relative to the total hemoglobin in the blood. It ranges from 95 to 100%. (Check to verify if you are in this range). Usually, fluctuations in this value indicate the lack of adequate oxygen saturatedhemoglobin reaching the organs of the body. This can compromise organ functions.

Take note however, that, many sources of internal and external variables affect the scores of these vital signs. E.g., age, external temperature, physical activity, pregnancy etc. Nonetheless, vital signs monitoring is the critical first step for a healthy and long life. Be intentional about monitoring your vital signs.

Are you ready to monitor your vital signs but do not have the equipment and skill? Visit us at the Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Pentecost University and we will be happy to help.

Thank you.

Written by Mr. Reginald Arthur-Mensah Jnr, David Sablah & Dr. Abigail Kyei (Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Pentecost University)

Apostle Debrah & Family Leave Kintampo For Atonsu

A farewell service was held last Sunday in honour of the outgone Kintampo Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Gideon Obeng-Darko Debrah, and his family, to appreciate them for their praiseworthy service to the Kintampo Area in the last five years.

The event, which took place at the Grace Boahen Memorial Temple auditorium, Kintampo, was officiated by Apostle James Gabriel Quardson (Sunyani Area Head) and ably assisted by Apostles Samuel Berko (Berekum Area Head), William Edzorhoho (Goaso Area Head) and Pastor Daniel Frimpong Manso (Tepa Area Head). 

The glorious service drew a mammoth gathering, including ministers and wives in the region, relatives and friends of the minister, as well as officers and members of the Kintampo Area.

The Area Presbytery, Area Pastorate, and the Area Women’s Ministry took turns to testify about Apostle Debrah and his wife, Mama Mabel, at the event and presented citation plaques to them.

A testimony read on behalf of the area pastorate by Pastor Akwasi Amponsah (Area Secretary), described him as a man of four (4) Fs, that is, friendly, firm, frank and fair and one who demonstrated leadership as a good counsellor, mentor, teacher and father to all. 

“He is disciplined and principled as far as the Kingdom business and the church policies are concerned. Apostle Debrah is very courageous, visionary and very focused on life and ministry. Ministers are able to approach him with their challenges. His earnest desire is to see to the welfare and progress of ministers and the entire church,” the testimony read.

In a testimony on behalf of the Area Presbytery, Elder Benjamin Ofosu Okyere (Area Deacon) described Apostle Debrah as a decent and well-organised man of God who works with passion and integrity. 

“His philosophy is clear-cut: The Father’s business must be faithfully accomplished,” he further stated.

He also stated that during Apostle Debrah’s tenure as Kintampo Area Head, the Area saw a significant increase in its finances, especially in tithes and missions offering, which recorded an increment of over 200% in five years.

During the same period, the area recorded a 47% increment in membership, opening of 44 new assemblies and six new districts, as well as, completion and dedication of 41 church buildings and 15 mission houses.

He also undertook the “One District One Motoking” project, which resulted in 18 tricycles (Motor King) being presented to 18 districts in the Area.

The Women’s Ministry also described Mrs Mabel Debrah as a good leader, counsellor, approachable, teacher and mother to everybody. They applauded her for her sterling leadership to the women in the Area. 

Using Lamentation 3:20-23, Numbers 14:5-9 and Joshua 14:6-9, Apostle James Quardson, in a sermon titled “Accessing God’s faithfulness: A Case Study of Caleb,” admonished Christians to develop a strong conviction about God and His faithfulness irrespective of the challenges that come their way.

He advised them to learn from Caleb, who was not intimidated by the giants on the land but gave a good report based on his conviction about God’s faithfulness in their journey. 

Apostle Quardson emphasised that God closely observes His people as He walks with them and He expects them to be faithful in all circumstances. 

Present at the service were Apostle J.B.K Tawiah (Kwadaso Area Head), Hon. Isaac Baffoe Ameyaw (Municipal Chief Executive for Kintampo North) as well as wives of the Area Heads in the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions.

Report by Overseer Prince Augustine Ababio (Kintampo Area Reporter)

Youth Director Pays Working Visit To Mampong Area

The Director of the Youth Ministry of The Church of Pentecost, Pastor Ebenezer Hagan, has paid a three-day working visit to the Mampong Area of the Church in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

The visit, which commenced on Friday, August 26, 2022 with a Ministers and Wives’ session at the Mary Afia Amaniampong Temple (MAAT) in the morning, was followed with a session with youth workers and youth members in the Agona and Mampong zones of the area later in the evening.

Addressing the gathering on the topic, “We Can Stand,” the Youth Director challenged the youth to lead a victorious Christian life by standing against sin and the deceit (schemes) of the devil aimed at destroying their faith in Christ Jesus.

Quoting Colossians 2:4 & 8, he urged the participants to be vigilant and grounded in Christ in order to withstand the deceit of the evil one.

According to him, the devil could use anyone to tempt the believer; and when they fall for it, he (devil) will enslave them. 

In contemporary times, he further stated, the devil is deceiving humanity through worldly philosophies (worldviews) and superstitious beliefs.

Reading from Romans 14:4 and Colossians 2:16-18, Pastor Hagan urged the youth not to fail their generation, but to do whatever it takes to stand for the Lord no matter how hard the storms of life may rage

He indicated that God has made available for them the needed strength and power to overcome the devil and his cohorts in the Holy Spirit. He further explained that, despite the power of sin, God, through His Son, Jesus Christ, has given humanity power to overcome it. 

“Jesus Christ died to sin and ended its power over us once and for all. Through His death, we have our victory over sin,” he said.

To be able to stand and be well grounded in Christ, the Youth Director advanced the youth to  constantly seek the infilling of the Holy Ghost, take daily devotions seriously, and be actively involved in Church and youth activities. 

He also charged them to do their best not to give their body to sin nor allow the negative aspects of social media to have an adverse impact on their Christian life.

After the sermon, the Mampong Area Head, Apostle Samuel Kwabena Asare, advised the youth to hold on to the message received as he led the house in a time of intense prayers. The prayer session resulted in 57 participants receiving Holy Spirit baptism.

Present at the event were Mrs. Beatrice Asare (Wife of the Area Head), Mrs. Priscilla Hagan (Wife of the Youth Director), ministers of the Church within the Agona and Mampong zones and spouses, the leadership of the Area Women’s Ministry. 

The Youth Director also fellowshipped with PENSA AMUSTED and the Ejura Zone on Saturday, August 27, before drawing the curtains down on his visit on Sunday, August 28, 2022.

Report by Mampong Area Media Desk.

GPCC Inducts Apostle Okuley Tettey As New General Secretary

History was made in the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) as Apostle Immanuel Nii Okuley Tettey, Director of Administration of The Apostolic Church-Ghana, was inducted into the office of General Secretary of the Council.

Apostle Immanuel Nii Okuley Tettey takes over from Reverend Dr. Emmanuel Teimah Barrigah of the Global Evangelical Church, who has served the Council for the past five years.

A memorable farewell and induction service was held on Saturday, August 27, 2022, at the Global Evangelical Church, Adonai Chapel in Madina.

In his welcome address, the President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), who doubles as the President of Assemblies of God Ghana, Rev. Prof. Paul Frimpong-Manso revealed that with the support of the National Executive Council, the transformational leadership of Rev. Dr. Barrigah did not only unite the churches but impacted positively in the close working relationships with Sister Councils.

“During the campaign for the “Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill” you worked together with promoters of the Bill to mobilise the GPCC family across the country to present Memoranda, including your physical appearance at the Parliamentary Select Committee’s sittings to defend our position in favour of the Bill,” Rev. Prof. Frimpong-Manso added.

Sermon

Delivering the sermon on the topic, “The True Value Of Our Work Is With The Lord,” the 2nd Vice President of GPCC, who doubles as Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye admonished the clergy to eschew unnecessary complaints associated with their ministries and work in the Lord.

“Stop complaining, you may never know how far reaching the river of life in you is flowing and who it is blessing,” Apostle Nyamekye cautioned, urging them to be fountains through which the life of Jesus can flow through like rivers of waters to bless others. 

The Chairman further said that to fulfil God’s assignment on earth, Christians must stay connected to Jesus, the source of the living water, so that the rivers of life will constantly flow through them in blessing others, adding, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

He, then, encouraged Rev. Dr. Barrigah and Apostle Tettey to look up to God and not to men who only distract the call of God.

Profile of Apostle Tettey

Immanuel Nii Okuley Tettey, was called into the Ascension Ministry of The Apostolic Church-Ghana as an Assistant Pastor in 2009, and ordained as a non-salaried Pastor in 2012, all in the Tema Community 5 Assembly of the Church. In 2015, he moved to into the full-time ministry and served at Asylum Down Assembly.

Before his appointment as General Secretary, Apostle Tettey, was the Director of Administration of The Apostolic Church-Ghana, from 2021, a role he executed exceptionally. He had earlier worked as the Personal Assistant to the President of The Apostolic Church-Ghana (2015 -2019), and the Administrative Manager (2019-2021).

As an institutional pillar, he has concurrently worked as a Development Planning, Institutional and Organisation Development (I/OD) Expert with over 25 years post-qualification experience in Public Administration, Institutional Capacity Building and Local Governance. 

Former National Executives of the Council, were also honoured for meritoriously serving for years.

Present were Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi (General Secretary), Prophet David Kankam Beditor (Ashaiman Area Head & Executive Council Member), Apostle Samuel Yaw Antwi (Cape Coast Area Head & Former GPCC General Secretary), and Apostle Lawrence Otu-Nyarko (Finance & Administrative Director, COP).

Others were Apostle Martin Seth Appiah (Madina Area Head), Apostle Lt. Col. Benjamin Kumi-Woode (Director of Religious Affairs, Ghana Armed Forces), Apostle Abraham Swanzy (National Director, Ghana Evangelism Committee), and Apostle Ekow Badu-Woode Rtd. (Former GPCC General Secretary).

PENTECOST NEWS.