Preserving The Spirit Of Giving In The Church Of Pentecost – Some Reflections On The Contributing Factors And Some Suggestions For The Way Forward

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1.0       Introduction

The Church of Pentecost like many endearing institutions can be said to have come of age in terms of its stability, leadership praxis, theological disposition, doctrinal foundations and its mission-minded mandate. Over the years, the Church has climbed many mountains, survived challenges, weathered storms, fought winds and yet survived. It is obvious that many factors might have contributed to bringing the Church to its current state.

This article aims at highlighting the spirit of giving in The Church of Pentecost (CoP), a motivation which stems from a careful analysis of the Chairman’s state of the church address which is normally presented during the opening sessions of Council meetings.

The State of the Church address provides an overview of the activities of the Church in the calendar year.  A key aspect of the address which normally forms part of the appendix in the presentation is what has stimulated my interests for this article. This aspect is the donations made by individual members, officers, ministers, districts, areas and even nations within a year under review as captured in the Chairman’s address.

In this article, I will draw factors gleaned by my personal observations as well as documents written by some of our founding fathers, following which I will attempt to offer some suggestions for the preservation of this spirit of giving in the Church.

2.0       FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE SPIRIT OF GIVING IN THE COP

2.1       Our Belief In What The Bible Says On Giving

The bible serves as the foundation and basis for everything we do in the CoP. The Church believes that the scripture is infallible in its declaration and all sufficient in its provision.”[1] Having this understanding have made the Church subscribe to whatever the scripture subscribes to. In the CoP, the scripture is our rule, thus considering that several passages of scripture encourage giving, it comes as no surprise therefore to see members and officers in the church demonstrating such spirit of giving within our spiritual eco-space, for in CoP, “we follow him together, wherever he leads.”

2.2       The Covenant That Is Still Speaking

The Church of Pentecost like other denominations was built on a covenant – a covenant which God entered with our founding fathers and reaffirmed it at various eras of her growth (1931, 1940 & 1948).[2] In this covenant, God promised to “meet the Church’s financial needs in good times and in bad times for all other denominations to acknowledge that His divine presence, blessings and glory are with the church.[3] It is obvious over the years that God has kept his part of the bargain by ensuring that the Church is continually stable financially. For example in the COVID-19 pandemic year of 2020, when world economies were nose-diving, the Church’s financial performance grew by 7.10% compared to the previous year,[4] a striking feat that the covenant is still speaking.

2.3       Mckeown’s Financial Missiological Strategy

The third factor which might have contributed to the spirit of giving in the CoP is what I describe as the Mckeown’s Financial Missiological Strategy (MFMS). The MFMS is gleaned from Rev. James McKeown Missiological strategy of building a church that is self-propagating, self-governing and self-financing. Koduah notes that “Pastor Mckeown and his able leaders insisted right from the inception of the Church that financial independence was what would make the church stand on its feet.[5] According to McKeown, he had not come to Africa to create beggars but sons of God. It is this spirit that strengthened McKeown to promulgate the “do-it-yourself” policy even though it came with its difficulties for a young church at that time when many churches were relying on foreign aid from their mother churches abroad. This MFMS contributed to the kind of giving spirit we see today in our church. For members were made to own the church, feel part of her success story and contribute towards the any developmental agenda of the Church. As a young man growing up in the church, I observed how members would identify a need in the local assembly and buy to replace or fix that need. For example, microphones, sound equipment, musical instruments, chairs et cetera were bought and donated willingly by church members particularly on Lord’s Supper Sundays.

2.4       The Shining Examples of Our Founding Fathers

Another contributing factor towards the spirit of giving in the CoP is what I describe as the shining examples of our founding fathers. Not much has been recorded in terms of how the church in its formative years demonstrated that. Nonetheless, one can infer that, that could have been a major culture in the church. Historical accounts recall Mrs. Christiana Obo in a vision saw angels picking her precious valuables away. This was at a time when McKeown needed urgent support to meet pressing financial needs in the church. Mrs. Obo eventually sowed her jewelries for the work of the ministry, a timely intervention that plucked many holes in those days. She was said to have also put up a building to house him and the pastors when they were on trek. She was able to pay for the Pastors’ allowances when the church had no adequate funds to do so.[6] Mrs. Obo was supported by other women including Prudence Anaman from Saltpond.[7] Additionally, some leaders in Accra donated as much as 500 pounds sterling to aid a new Pastor’s settlement in Accra. Some gave lands and properties, just to mention a few. These acts, I believe, would have sparked lots of conversations within the church circles, planting a seed of free-will support in the hearts of the members at that time. It is these acts which set the foundation and created a legacy for which reason we are seeing such a mighty outpouring of generosity in the Church.

3.0       SUGGESTIONS FOR PRESERVING THIS LEGACY

Reflecting on the afore-mentioned factors, I am convinced that these are legacies and values ought to be grounded in our generation and preserved for subsequent pass-on to the next generation. The question that comes to mind is what can be done to preserve and pass on. I would like to suggest a few

  • Intensification of Teachings of Voluntary Giving in the Church (2 Cor. 9:6-8; Pvrb. 11:24-25).
  • Conscious Efforts should be made at all levels to build love for God and His Church (Matt. 22:37-38; Deut. 6:5).
  • Continuous Review of Church Policies on Financial Accountability & Reporting.
  • Strategic Chaplaincy Support for Major Financiers & Their Affiliates.
  • An Annual Special Prayer/Breakfast Conference could be considered for these financiers at all levels.
  • Intermittent Recognition of Financial Pillars at all levels.
  • Frequent Reminders of God’s Covenant with the Church.
  • Avenues should be created at all levels for testimonies of the Financial Pillars in the Church.
  • There should be intentionality in creating opportunities to develop more financiers for the Church through financial empowerment seminars, business development programmes, leadership and mentoring sessions et cetera.
  • Continuous Intercession should be made for the businesses and organizations of these members.

4.0       CONCLUSION

The purpose of this article is to appreciate God for the outpouring of the spirit of giving in The Church of Pentecost. It is also aimed at highlighting some of the factors which might have triggered such grace whiles offering some suggestions for the next generation. God is with his Church and the church will continue to march on.

Submitted by

Kwasi Asante Annor (Ps.)PENT TV

The Meal That Heals

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INTRODUCTION

Medicines (or medications) are chemicals or compounds used to cure, halt or prevent disease, ease symptoms, or help in the diagnosis of illnesses. They are administered for healing purposes. Thus, people take medicines to fight illness, to feel better when they are sick, and to keep from getting sick in the first place. Medications work in different ways to bring good health to people. Some can cure an illness by killing or halting the spread of invading germs, such as bacteria and viruses. Others are used to treat cancer by killing cells as they divide or prevent them from multiplying. Some others replace missing substances or correct low levels of natural body chemicals such as some hormones or vitamins. No one takes in medicine for fun, especially when they are not drug addicts. Health officials prescribe specific drugs to their patients to deal with specific diseases. However, not all drugs are able to cure all diseases. That is why patients often consult their medical officers for possible switch in medication when they find out that a particular one seems not to be working as expected. These medicines are one of the media God uses to heal his children. Another medium God uses to administer healing to his children is through a meal introduced by our Lord Jesus Christ during his earthly ministry, thus, the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion. This meal has the potency to heal any type of disease, both physical and spiritual. This article throws light on the Holy Communion as “The Meal that heals”.

WHAT IS A MEAL?

Merriam-Webster defines meal as “food eaten or prepared for eating at one time.” Meals are prepared and served in homes, at restaurants, schools, and among other places. They are served during the day as breakfast, lunch or supper. Among the reasons of enjoying meals are for peak performance energy, growth and function, enjoyment and satisfaction, strength, and cleansing, prevention and fighting diseases. Others are for maintaining our external body, and healing purposes. Of late, people eat selected foods to meet their health benefits. They do not eat for eating sake, but for healing purposes. People are now turning their kitchens into pharmacies or bringing pharmacies into their kitchens. What this means is that people are now giving the food they choose to nourish their mind, body and spirit the utmost respect they deserve. Unlike previously, where they eat to just satisfy their stomach, they are now filling their kitchen with healing ingredients, and not ordinary ones. Notwithstanding, these efforts meet only the physical needs of humankind and not their complete makeup—their spiritual, psychological, emotional, and social needs. Thus, the meal only caters for their physical needs, but fails to meet the needs of their soul and spirit. The Holy Communion, which is also a meal, brings complete healing to a believer when they receive it in faith and in accordance with the will of God.

THE HOLY COMMUNION

The Holy Communion also known as “the Lord’s Supper” (1 Cor 11:20), “the Last Supper” (Matt 26:29), “the Lord’s Table” (1 Cor 10:21), “Fellowship” (1 Cor 10:16), “Eucharist” (the Greek word for ‘thanksgiving’ in Matt 26:27; Mk 14:23), “Breaking of Bread” (Acts 2:42, NRSV), “the Mass” and “the Cup of Blessing” (1 Cor 10:16, KJV) is a rite ordained by the Lord Jesus that symbolises His sacrificial death and its significance to atonement and redemption.

Christ instituted the Lord’s Supper on the eve of his crucifixion during the last supper he shared with the disciples. Jesus was eager to eat the Holy Communion with his disciples during the Passover feast (Lk. 22:7-23, Matt. 26:17-30, Mk. 14:12-26), before his departure from earth. He took bread and, when He had broken it, said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Cor 11:24). In the same way, he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Cor 11:25). After dinning with them, Jesus commanded his disciples to continue in the practice in remembrance of him.

THE HOLY COMMUNION AS A MEAL

As said earlier, meals are “foods eaten or prepared for eating at one time”. The Holy Communion is also food eaten by Christians at church and or in homes. This meal looks different from other meals prepared in our homes or by chefs at restaurants or hotels. It uses no other ingredients and spices, except bread and wine. The bread and wine are emblems of Jesus’ body and blood respectively to be broken and poured out for humanity to receive salvation.

Unlike ordinary meals people take at home, restaurants, or rest stops with no stringent measures and under no serious circumstances, Christians take this meal under strict conditions. This is espoused by Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:27; “So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord”. That is to say, participants to the Lord’s Supper must go according the set down procedures. Or better still, partakers must not approach the Lord’s Table in a manner unsuitable to the purposes for which it was designed or instituted.

As a meal, Christians partake it in different ways. Some dip the bread in the wine. Some also take both the bread and wine together. Others drink from a shared cup. Some traditions use wafers instead of bread or juice instead of wine. The frequency of this meal also varies. It is offered weekly, monthly, or even once a year.

As mentioned earlier, the Holy Communion is one of the media God uses to administer healing to his children when they attend to it in a worthy manner and in accordance to his will.

WHAT HEALING IS

Healing refers “to the physiological processes that mend an injury, and also to the emotional, spiritual, or psychological processes that relieve stress, achieve acceptance, and promote hope.” Healing is received when health which is “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” is restored. Health and healing are not the same. While health is an outcome, healing is a choice. Thus, one chooses to receive healing which brings about healthy living. A person cannot be healed if they don’t desire for it. That is why Jesus had to ask the man at the pool of Bethesda whether he needed healing. “When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” (John 5:6). Jesus could not have administered healing to the man without his consent. In other words, Jesus offered the man healing when he consented, and he was made whole completely.

In the Bible, healing comes from being saved. A clear example to this is found in the Old Testament. After growing impatient with the Lord about the long journey from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom, and complaining bitterly of food and water, “the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died” (Num 21:6). In Numbers 21:9-11, God had to tell Moses to make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole so that all who are bitten will live if they simply look at it! This happened after Moses had prayed for the nation of Israel when they confessed to him their sin of disobedience. Those who were made whole received healing from the bites of the snakes and the sin of disobedience after they looked at the replica of the poisonous snake attached to the pole.

In the New Testament, salvation is a complete work of making a person whole in spirit, soul, and body. In his earthly ministry, Jesus healed a number of persons. Anytime he offered healing to the sick, the Bible tells that they were made whole. For example, the woman with the issue of blood who touched the hem of Jesus’s garment was made whole (Matt 9:21-22). Thus, she did not receive physical only, but had total healing. The psychological trauma she found herself in for the past years coupled with emotional distress, financial challenges and possibly, spiritual weakness were all restored. This attests to the fact that being saved is not only having your sins forgiven, but also receiving healing in the physical body. David affirms this: “He [God] forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases” (Ps 103:3). That is to say, God’s salvation makes one completely whole. Meaning, salvation makes a person’s body, soul, and spirit function in peace and unity, without the disruption of sin in the spirit, sickness in the body, or depression and oppression in the mind.

WHAT CALLS FOR HEALING?

In our daily living, healing is pursued when one’s life seems to be ceasing. It happens when the blood that unites the living part of the body as a life stimulant by nourishing and cleansing the body is deficient; affecting the functioning of other that part. In this case, the cells in the body cannot get all the oxygen and nutrients they need which will cause malfunctioning of that part, leading to death. But when healing is received, people are brought back to life. This happens when the deficiency in the blood is dealt with for optimum performance.

THE BLOOD CARRIES LIFE

In ancient Israel, blood was not only a metaphor or symbol for life; it was equivalent to life itself. In most occurrences where blood was shed in Scripture, it meant that life had ended. To remove the blood is to terminate life (Lev 17:11, 14).

God gives instructions regarding sacrifices and offerings in Leviticus 17, particularly on the proper slaughtering of animals. The Israelites were to bring each animal to the tabernacle entrance for the priest to offer. The blood of the animal was never to be treated as common food; it belonged to God, who is the giver of life (Gen 2:7; Job 33:4; Ps 139:13). Thus, the blood of animals had to be drained and offered to God on the altar. Anytime blood was drained, there was a separation of the body and the blood of the animal leading to cessation of the life of the animal.

Blood was God’s ordained means of effecting atonement: “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life” (Lev 17:11). Atonement for sin was achieved by sacrificing an animal’s life in substitution for one’s own life. The shedding of blood was the most critical element—it was the blood of the guiltless substitute offered on the altar that served as payment for the people’s sins (Lev 16:15).

Jesus, God’s sacrificial lamb suffered this fate when he went to the cross.

JESUS ON THE CROSS

The cross is most shameful death ever for the son of man to be nailed on just to save humanity. He went on it by the hands of godless men (Acts 2:23) to free humanity from the bondage of sin and death. He suffered a shameful death in order to redeem humankind, for the world to have eternal life. In his death, Jesus’ blood was separated from his flesh. That is to say, the blood of Jesus was drained and offered to God later by himself when he resurrected from the dead (Jn 20:17). So, Jesus died on the cross because there was a separation of his body and blood which carried life. This life caused everything including wind, the dead, the lame, sicknesses, evil spirits, etc to obey him. Since blood resides in the body and life is found in the blood, Jesus could touch the blind and lame to be healed completely. This was because there was a connection between his body and blood which carried life. This life permeated through his body even into his garment to the extent that when the sick touched, they had healing. The potency of life in the blood was manifested when the blood touched the ground (cf. John 19:34). Immediately something extraordinary happened! “At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart” (Matt 27:51).

THE MYSTERY OF PARTAKING IN THE HOLY COMMUNION

The communion meal is a special meal initiated by Jesus Christ for his disciples and commanded them to repeat it through generations. This has continued till now. It’s made up of bread and wine signifying his body and blood respectively. These two emblems are taken together as a commemoration of our Lord Jesus Christ. Why did Jesus give both his body and blood to the disciples in Holy Communion? Jesus did to tell that in the Holy Communion, his blood and flesh which were separated on the cross by ungodly men are put together again by godly men (or Christians) for life to reign in his body again. Partaking in the Lord’s Supper gives us a picture of bringing back the separated body and blood of Jesus together for life to exist; the bread and wine symbols of the body and blood respectively are joined together. Thus, the believer sees Jesus who once lived on earth and now in heaven to be so close to them as he was with the disciples and working by offering total healing of the body, soul and mind, as well as the spirit, connecting believers to a new life.

WHAT THE MEAL DOES

The meal heals ‘sick’ marriages. So many marriages are ‘sick’ and crumbling. When Christian couples partake in the Lord’s Supper, they recognise Jesus as standing with them in marriage and teaching them what ought to be done and what not. In so doing, they commit themselves to the marriage to pleasing Jesus who is always with them. It also makes singles to be healed from sinful behaviours such as following other people’s husbands and wives; they would find it difficult to engage in such illicit behaviours whiles they have Jesus with them.

The meal heals spiritual being. Some Christians are spiritually sick. Being spiritually sick is engaging in immoral activities which is against biblical teachings. They find it difficult to engage in spiritual activities, always carnally minded. They don’t see the need to attend church, come for evening services, participate in Home Cells and Bible Studies, prayer meetings, etc. The order of the day is forcing them to engage in illicit activities making them not to be spiritually sound. Now, people find it difficult to follow the leadings of the spirit, making them not to be children of God; those led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God (Rom 8:14). But when we partake in the Lord’s Supper, Jesus comes into our bodies alive with spiritual nourishment. Thus, Jesus comes to heal spiritual weaknesses, making one to build a strong relationship with the Lord.

The meal heals the Church. The church is made up of individuals who profess to be Christians. They are made up people called out from the world unto Christ. When these individuals are spiritually sick, the church becomes sick. On the other hand, when they are spiritually active, the church also becomes active. It must be noted that one person can make the church sick. This is when they constantly engage in sinful activities. Remember the story of Achan (Josh 7). He caused the whole nation to suffer defeat when he coveted sacred things belonging to the Lord. A healthy church is the one where members partake in the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner.

The meal heals the physical body, mind and spirit. Once we live in a fallen world, becoming sick is part of us. At the cross, God took all of our sicknesses and diseases and put them on Jesus’ originally perfect and healthy body, so that we can walk in divine health. Isaiah confirms this by saying, “But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed” (Isa 53:5). Adding on, Peter declares that “He [Jesus] personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed” (2 Pet 2:24). So, the believer gets into a deep communion with the great Physician, Provider, and Deliverer when they partake in the Lord’s Supper (the body of Christ). This gives them access into the divine health of Christ; making them to receive total healing—physical, soul, and mind—making them to have peace and unity, without the disruption of sin in the spirit, sickness in the body, or depression and oppression in the mind.

Written by Pastor Emmanuel Foster Asamoah (Abasraba District)

The Church Of Pentecost Area Ranking: Offinso Area Tops All

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The recently created Offinso Area of The Church of Pentecost has been adjudged the Best Performing Area of The Church of Pentecost for the year 2021, beating 72 other administrative areas of the church in Ghana to it.


Created in May 2020, the Offinso Area, headed by Apostle Samuel Edzii Davidson, surprised many with its sterling performance over the period of reporting after moving from the 47th position in the 2020 ranking to the topmost spot a year later.
The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, announced this on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa-Fetteh, near Kasoa in the Central Region of Ghana, during the State-of-the-Church Address at the official opening of the 17th Extraordinary Council Meeting of the church.


Closely following Offinso Area are Berekum and Obuasi Areas which grabbed the 2nd and 3rd spots respectively. The two areas, Berekum and Obuasi Areas, have over the last few years maintained an impressive performance in the ranking after they placed 1st and 3rd positions respectively in the 2020 ranking.


Also in the top ten performing positions are Axim, Abuakwa, Winneba, Dunkwa, Kete-Krachi, Walewale, and Suame Areas which were ranked 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th respectively on the table.


The Chairman, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, congratulated the Areas for their outstanding performances and urged them to continue to work harder to maintain or improve their performances in the coming years.


The Areas were ranked according to their performances in 17 selected Key Operational Performance Indicators (KOPI).


The KOPIs include Number of Outreach Programmes Held, Adult Souls Won, Gospel Sunday Souls Won as a percentage of Total Adults Souls, Home and Urban Mission (HUM) Souls as a percentage of Adults Souls, Ministry to Persons With Disabilities (MPWDs) Souls as a percentage of Total Adults Souls, Assemblies Opened, and Total Adults Souls Converts Baptised in Water as well as Total Adults Souls Baptised in Holy Spirit.


Other indicators are the Number of Assemblies Opened, Average Attendance at Bible Studies as a percentage of Total Adults, Members Attending Home Cell as a percentage of Total Adults, Net Tithes Performance in Quantum, Missions Offering Performance in Quantum, Percentage of Actual Tithes Over Budget, Percentage of Actual Missions Offering Over Budget, and Percentage of Change in Membership between 2020 and 2021.


PENTECOST NEWS.

459 Ghanaian Ministers Of The Church Of Pentecost Transferred

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There has been a mass transfer of ministers of The Church of Pentecost to various parts of Ghana, totalling 459.

Apostle Eric Nyamekye, Chairman of The Church of Pentecost worldwide, announced this at the closing ceremony of the 17th Extraordinary Council Meetings on Friday, May 6, 2022, at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh, near Kasoa in the Central Region of Ghana.

He stated: “Now my colleague transferred Ministers, I want to reiterate the need to appreciate the fact that, where we are posted to at any given point time is part of God’s divine purpose for our lives. May we, therefore, see our transfers as God sees it, as we joyfully walk into unfamiliar territories with the sole aim to press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus has taken hold of us.”

The Chairman in his address noted that as part of the decisions taken by the Executive Council of the church, 53 new districts and three new administrative areas (Atonsu, Duayaw Nkwanta, and Old Tafo Areas) have been created. Some ministers also received higher callings such as apostles, prophets, evangelists, missionaries, and area heads.

He also announced that 51 ministers of the church will proceed on retirement from the full-time ministry, come September 2022, while two new committees (Research & Development and Prisons Ministry Committee) have been created to enhance the Vision 2023 agenda.

The Chairman charged ministers to go all out to impact their world with the power of the gospel to advance the Possessing the Nations agenda.

“Brothers and sisters, as we continue to go out to win many into the Kingdom, we are encouraged to intensify our equipping mandate at all levels of the Church in raising an army who will project the values and principles of the Kingdom in all spheres of endeavour,” he charged them.

He continued: “The Lord refreshed us in our meetings through His Word, prayer and prophecies, and we have enjoyed His presence. We are confident that through our deliberations and the many decisions made, we have been challenged to go and continue the business of influencing the nations for Christ as we help mobilise a great army equipped to do exploits for the Lord.” 

This year’s Extraordinary Council Meetings officially began on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, on the theme, “Equipping the Church As An Army To Possess The Nations” (Hebrews 13:20-21; Ephesians 4:11-12; 6:10-11).

The meeting was attended by over 500 Councillors, with 144 missionaries and nine (9) observers drawn from the 135 nations in which the church has a presence.

The College of Apostles and Prophets made up of Area Heads, National Heads, Missionaries, and Directors, earlier had a 2-day prayer and business session from Monday, 2nd to Tuesday, 3rd May 2022.

PENTECOST NEWS.

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The Church Of Pentecost 2021 Ranking: Krachikrom District Tops All

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The Krachikrom District in the Kete-Krachi Area of The Church of Pentecost has been adjudged the Overall Best District of the church in 2021.

This was announced by the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, during the State-of-the-Church Address delivered on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, at the official opening of the 17th Extraordinary Council Meeting of the church currently underway at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa-Fetteh, near Kasoa.

According to the Chairman, out of the 1,571 districts of the church in Ghana ranked in the operational performance analysis from January to December 2021, the Krachikrom District came up top, beating well-endowed districts in the cities.

The second and third positions were secured by the Afrancho District in Suame Area and Wassa Simpa District in Tarkwa Area, respectively.

Gyampere District in Bogoso Area, Drobo District in Berekum District, Fenaso Junction District in Obuasi Area, Akomadan Afrancho and Abofour New Town districts, both in Offinso Area, Domeabra District in Downtown-Ofaakor Area and Nkrankwanta District in Berekum Area, placed 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th respectively on the table.

Interestingly, Krachikrom District placed 603rd in the 2020 ranking, while Afrancho and Wassa Simpa districts placed 708th and 794th positions respectively in the 2020 ranking.

Among the operational areas used for the ranking are Overall Membership Growth between 2020 and 2021, Actual Net Tithes Paid for 2021, Percentage Change between the Net Tithes Paid for 2020 and 2021, Actual Missions Offering Paid for 2021, and Percentage Change between Missions Offering Paid for 2020 and 2021.

Other indicators are Adult Souls Won, Gospel Sunday Souls Won as a percentage of Adult Souls Won, MPWDs Souls Won as a percentage of Adult Souls Won, Converts Baptised in Water, Water Baptism as a percentage of Adult Souls Won, Converts Baptised in Holy Spirit, and Holy Spirit Baptism as a percentage of Water Baptism.

The rest are Outreach Programmes Held, Assemblies Opened, Average Adult Attendance at Sunday Morning Bible Studies as a percentage of Total Adults, and Members Attending Home Cell as a percentage of Total Adults.

PENTECOST NEWS.                                             

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The Church of Pentecost Wins 331,042 Souls Globally

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Joy gladdened the hearts of the clergy and counsellors of The Church of Pentecost, after Apostle Eric Nyamekye, Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, revealed that at the end of 2021, the church had embarked on a total of two hundred and sixty-eight thousand, four hundred and ninety-seven (268,497) outreaches that yielded 331,042 souls globally for the Lord.

Delivering the State of the Church’s Address at the at the 17th Extraordinary Council Meetings at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), in Gomoa-Fetteh, near Kasoa in the Central Region of Ghana, Apostle Nyamekye mentioned that 103,638 of the souls were gotten from the Gospel Sunday morning initiative.

He commended the clergy and officers of the church for contributing greatly towards this feat. He iterated that the souls won were not left hanging, rather a total of 231, 907 were baptised in water and taken through new converts teachings.  He called on all Christians to make soul winning a priority, since it is the core mandate of the church.

 “All these successes have come as a result of individual members’ commitment to the cause of the gospel,” he stated.

He restated that notable among them are, Deaconess Rose Ferkaa, the immediate past District Evangelism leader of Drobo District in Berekum Area of the church, won 61 souls, out of which 57 were baptized in water. Moreover, she was also instrumental in the opening of two out of the six assemblies opened in Drobo District.

The Chairman of the church further added that Deacon Mark Yaw, a visually impaired member of Jimbale District, in the Walewale Area of The Church of Pentecost, single-handedly won 30 souls for Christ.

He believed this is worth emulating to Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in the church and encouraged them to participate fully in every activity in the church.

“Deaconess Rose Ferkaa and Deacon Mark Yaw are highly commended for their commitment to the cause of the church,” he reiterated.

PENTECOST NEWS

Our Call Is To Follow Christ Web

Our Call Is To Follow Christ – Rev. Glass To Christian

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A Senior Pastor of the Elim Pentecostal Church, UK, Reverend James Glass, has asserted that the call of every Christian is to live and follow Christ, seeking the presence and the glory of God.

According to Reverend Glass, God leads leaders to places where they may know or may not know in their discharge of duties.

“Sometimes as leaders, we are called to lead our people into unfamiliar ways from the familiar ones known to us,” he stated.

Delivering a short exhortation to Councillors of the 17th Extraordinary Council Meetings on Thursday, May 5, 2022, at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa-Fetteh, Rev. Glass said that it is incumbent for Christians to sometimes leave their comfortable jurisdictions into uncomfortable ones.

Reading from Mark 10:34, he narrated the scenario where Jesus was on a journey with his disciples and some followers from Galilee to Jerusalem. After Jesus explained His reasons for the journey, the disciples were amazed while those who followed were afraid.

“According to some Bible commentators, the fear was not just about the journey with Jesus to Jerusalem, rather they were overwhelmed by the glorious power emanated from Jesus,” he explained.

He encouraged believers to understand that God is at work in their unfamiliar circumstances as He does in the familiar ones.

He noted that Jesus took the lead in the journey since He knew what awaited Him in Jerusalem and the purpose of God for His life.

He iterated that to be like Jesus, one needs to be prepared to make journeys that they do not want to undertake.

“God often comes and assures us not to be afraid, because he has a lot in stock for us,” he stressed.

He revealed that God’s presence and glory were best manifested in Jesus’ life and death while on earth.

He stated: “If we are called to inspire people in this Christian journey that God has sent us to, then we need to carry the presence of God, glory and power of the Holy Spirit that will transform our lives.”

He further said that to carry the presence and the glory of God, believers must be nurtured in the presence of God and develop personal devotion to God.

“Our secret time in the presence of God must be made a priority if we want to carry the presence and the glory of God,” he further admonished.

He called on Christians to stand and take over leadership roles in their various spheres of lives, advising them not to be afraid of the difficulties.

Rev. James Glass concluded by saying that Christ carried the presence of God because he was in the presence of God, therefore, believers need to stay in the presence of God to be able to accomplish their purpose and ministry.

PENTECOST NEWS.

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42 Persons Receive Special Awards From The Church Of Pentecost

by with No Comment Church NewsTop Stories

The Church of Pentecost has presented special awards to 42 members of the church who excelled in various spheres of life in society.

The awards were presented to the recipients on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, during the State-of-the-Church Address delivered by the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, at the official opening of the 17th Extraordinary Council Meetings of the church held at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa-Fetteh, near Kasoa in the Central Region.

Apostle Nyamekye congratulated them for raising the flag of the church high as they keep exhibiting excellence and hard work in their various fields of endeavours.

According to the Chairman, the awardees received various recognitions last year in some Ghanaiain institutions and corporate organisations for distinguishing themselves in their fields of work.

Prominent among the recipients was Mrs. Diana Antwi Hamilton of the UK branch of the church, who won the Artiste of the Year at the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards, the Best Gospel Act of the Year, Best Female Performance of the Year and Gospel Song of the Year. She also won the Artiste of the Year at the Ghana Music Awards UK in 2021.

Also receiving a special award from the church was Sarfoa (Benedicta Sarfoa Asamoah) of the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC)-Atomic, Accra who represented the Ashanti Region and won Ghana’s Most Beautiful Contest organised by TV3.

Others were Miss Francisca Lamini formerly of Keta Senior High School who was adjudged the Best Female Contestant for the 2021 National Science and Maths Quiz and has been offered a scholarship to study at Harvard University; and Petra Terkper & Jennifer Zutah Kafui from Mfantsiman Girls SHS who were winners of the 65th National Independent Day Debate competition.

Also, Miss Pheobe Afeti from the Ho Area of the church, who was adjudged the Overall Winner of the 2021 Preacher Kid Contest organised by the Children’s Ministry of The Church of Pentecost, as well as Master Benjamin Kwadwo Acquah and Master Festus Eshun Yamoah of Odorkor Area, who also emerged winners of the 2021 Youth Ministry Quiz Competition for the junior category, were honoured.

Masters John Ato Koomson and Prince Mensah Ansah of the Asokwa Area also received a special award for winning the 2021 Youth Ministry Quiz Competition for the senior category.

Miss Pethuel Afua Sompa Yeboah of Alajo District of the church, who won the Israel-Ghana Relationship Art Competition for kids, Miss Nuworzah Agnes who won the WASSCE Overall Best Female Student in Oti Region, and Master Richmond Tenadu, a Class 3 pupil of PIWC Michel Camp, who was adjudged the winner of the Ghana Book Worm Season 4 Competition, were also honoured.

While Confidence Fiagadzi, a police officer from the Darkuman District of the church, who was adjudged the Ghana Integrity Personality of the year 2021 by the Ghana Integrity Initiative, and Anita Aya Afful of Kwashieman Official Town Assembly of the church who broke a 10-year army record by passing out of Ghana Military Academy winning three (3) out of four (4) awards available, namely Overall Best Army Recruit, Best Female Army Recruit and Best in Academics Army Recruit, were both recognised by the church.

Elder Dr. Samuel Nana Amo Tobbin of Accra Newtown District of the church, who was adjudged the CEO of the Year by the Ghana Pharma Awards, and Elder Dr. Nana K. Gyasi of Suame Area, who also received the 2021 National Best Customer Award from CIMAF Cement Co. Ltd, were also honoured by the church.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Everyone Will Account For Their Works - Apostle Holachi Asserts

Everyone Will Account For Their Works – Apostle Holachi Asserts

by with No Comment Church NewsTop Stories

The President of The Church of Pentecost in Benin, Apostle Félicien Holachi, has said that everyone, especially the clergy, will account for their works on earth accordingly.

According to him, it is God who called the clergy into the ministry to take care of His people and the church, therefore, they must tread cautiously towards His work.

This declaration was done at the Heads’ Session of the 17th Extraordinary Council Meeting, on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa-Fetteh.

Speaking on the topic, “What A Man Will Sow Is the Same That He Will Reap,” using Galatians 6:7 as scripture reference, Apostle Holachi said that Apostle Paul centered on four main actions to explain his point: namely to form oneself, to mock, to sow, and to reap.

Touching on sowing and reaping, he defined sowing as “to plant a seed on a ground that has been prepared, while reaping is “to harvest what has been sown.”

“What you reap will depend on how everyone is sowing and how they are working,” he mentioned, adding, “whatever you sow, is what you will reap.”

Citing an example from Genesis 26:1-5, he explained that Abraham sowed obedience to the voice, commands, and laws of God and reaped an abundance of blessings as a result.

He added: “Even in the old age of Abraham, God continued to bless and satisfy him with long life.”

The President of the Church in Benin then prayed that everyone would sow diligently to reap abundance in their lives.

He urged Christians to remember their families, particularly their wives and children when demonstrating their abilities in their workplaces.

He stressed that the theme for the year is sending members of the church into the world to go and “possess the nations, adding that there was the need to sow the gospel into the hearts of those who do not have it within them.

“Every seed will determine its harvest, therefore, let us sow good seeds according to the Spirit so that we will win the world for Christ,” he concluded.

Apostle Komi Tchango, Cameroon National Head of The Church of Pentecost, afterward led an intensive prayer session.

The Church in Benin, headed by Apostle Félicien Holachi, is one of the two autonomous nations of The Church of Pentecost, aside from Cote D’Ivoire. The President of The Church of Pentecost in Cote D’Ivoire is Apostle Ernest Miezou.

PENTECOST NEWS.

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The Church of Pentecost Employs Over 6,000 Ghanaians

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The Church of Pentecost, Ghana’s largest Pentecostal denomination with a presence in 136 countries, has been hailed as the country’s foremost Christian organisation, providing jobs for many Ghanaians.

As of December 31, 2021, The Church of Pentecost has offered direct employment to a total of six thousand and fifty-four (6,054) Ghanaians, making it one of the highest private sector employers in the country.

The figure is very significant due to its economic impact on the many households and other dependants who might have derived a direct benefit from the people employed by the church.

Findings by Pentecost News indicate that out of the total figure, the Headquarters alone has employed 406 people, while those employed in the full-time pastoral ministry (pastors) were 1,826.

Other sectors of the church such as the Pentecost University (PU), has a total staff strength of 179. Pentecost Press Limited (PPL) has employed 56 people, while PENT TV and Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC) have employed 32 and 61 persons, respectively.

Pentecost hospitals, numbering 10 (Pentecost Hosptial, Madina; Pentecost Hospital, Tarkwa; Pentecost Hospital, Ayanfuri; and the Pentecost Clinics at Enchi Kwawu, Kasapin, Yawmatwa, Kpassa, Twifu Agona, Abrafo-Odumase, and Kultamise), have together employed a total of 1, 043 workers.

“Pentecost schools, comprising 98 basic schools, two senior high schools and two vocational training institutes, have together employed a total of 2,184 workers,” the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has stated when delivering the State of the Church’s Address today at the opening sessions of the 17th Extraordinary Council Meetings held at Gomoa-Fetteh, Kasoa in the Central Region of Ghana.

On the financial and economic empowerment sector, the church, through the Pentecost Co-operative Mutual Support and Social Services Society Limited (PENCO), has created direct employment for 267 people.

The 6,054 figure excludes the number of Ghanaians employed by the various districts offices of the church.  The Church of Pentecost as at December 2021 had 1,571 districts.

The global employment impact of The Church of Pentecost runs into about 10,000 as the church currently has branches in 136 nations, where full-time ministers have been employed to man the churches there in addition to the auxiliary workers. The total number of ministers in the missions field was one thousand, two hundred and fifty-nine (1,259) in 2021.

The church runs a number of Bible colleges in its external (foreign) branches such as the Birmingham Christian College (BCC) – UK, Pentecost Biblical Seminary (PBS) – USA, and Pentecost Francophone Theological Bible School (PFTBS) – La Cote D’Ivoire, as well as various clinics and hospitals, dotted across the world, which has provided employment avenue for hundreds of people.

PENTECOST NEWS.