Posts in category: Church News

The immediate past International Missions Director (IMD) of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Emmanuel Gyesi-Addo, has charged Christians to position themselves as an army to take nations for Christ.

Speaking at the Heads’ Session of the 17^th Extraordinary Council Meeting on Monday, May 2, 2022, at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa-Fetteh, on the topic: “The Lord’s Army: Turning The World Downside Up,” Apostle Gyesi-Addo, who is currently the Haatso Area Head of the church,  said in pursuit of the agenda to possess the nations and other spheres of the society, it is expedient for Christians to hold onto the virtues of Christ.

According to him, the virtues which are faith, righteousness, salvation, truth, and the gospel of peace, are worn and carried by a certain kind of people.

“The fact that these are presented to us as the soldier’s belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, sword, shows that these are not just weapons worn by anyone not in the army,” he stated.

The former IMD explained that if there is any group of people in the world that understands the strategies and principles of war, it is the army, hence the theme for the year, “Possessing the Nations As An Army of God,” and not as priests of God.

He iterated that the early apostles were imprisoned, therefore, they knew how soldiers dressed and appeared on the field.

He urged Christians to endure hardship as good soldiers, since no one serving as a good soldier gets involved in civilian affairs.

Apostle Gyesi-Addo noted that the apostles of old learned from the army with regards to how they commanded, instructed, charged (giving straight orders from a superior officer), and led the church accordingly.

He stressed that just as believers in the early church suffered, Christians today are not in normal times.

“We live in abnormal times, where right is seen as wrong and the wrong things are seen as right,” he said, adding, “light is seen as darkness to the world, while darkness is seen as enlightenment to the world.”

He said that Jesus came to a world which was already upside down to turn it downside up. Moreover, He came to teach the world how to live right side up, he stressed.

Quoting from Ephesians 6:11-13, he mentioned that Paul admonished the church to put on the whole armour of God in this upside-down world.

“When you put on the breastplate of righteousness, it will turn the world from downside up,” he pointed out.

He charged believers not to be afraid or intimidated by the society that makes a mockery of prayer, rather they must persevere in turning the world downside up.

Apostle Gyesi-Addo encouraged Christians to take up roles in chieftaincy institution and rule with the Bible to turn the world for Christ.

“Let us get out of our comfort zones and be people who have turned the world downside up as the Army of the Lord,” he concluded.

Apostle Eric Nyamekye, Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, on his part, stated: “There is no way that we are going to turn the world downside up if we do not set our minds to do it.”

He reiterated that although Christians find themselves in abnormal times, the church needs people who are enthusiastic for God to confront the abnormalities in the system.

“Very soon we will be going on retirement but before that, let us change our world for God,” he ended.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Elder Kofi Annor-Adu of the Abelenkpe District in the La Area of The Church of Pentecost has singlehandedly constructed a church building for the Genui Assembly of the Atorkor District in the Aflao Area of the church.

The church building, which was constructed at a cost of GH¢ 110,101.70, was dedicated on Sunday, April 10, 2022, by the Aflao Area Head, Apostle Peter K. Dzemekey. He was assisted by Atorkor District Minister, Pastor Kweku Appiah Kubi-Annan. 

The colourful event brought together the ministers and their wives of the Anloga zone in the Area, chiefs and opinion elders of the Genui community as well as members and officers of the Church.

Speaking on the topic “Be an Equipped Vessel Prepared for the Master’s Use” (2 Timothy 2:20), the Agorve-Woe District Minister, Pastor Francis Lamptey, urged Christians to consciously avail themselves for the Lord to use them for holy purposes. 

According to him, one can only become a vessel of honour if they cleanse themselves of dishonourable things such as excuses, negative influences and immorality.

Dedicating the building, Apostle Dzemekey commended Elder Annor-Adu for the kind gesture and advised the congregants to emulate his example by contributing to the advancement of the Kingdom of God. 

He then prayed for God’s blessings for the Annor-Adu family.

In his response, Elder Kofi Annor-Adu stated that “no one labours for the Lord in vain.” He stressed that his motivation to build the magnificent edifice for the Lord stemmed from an appeal by one of his close friends, Elder Wisdom Kwasi Delali, a native of the Genui community who fellowships with the Assembly.

Pastor Kweku Appiah-Kubi Annan, on behalf of the district, thanked Elder Annor-Adu and his family for the gesture. 

He also assured him that the building would be taken good care of to ensure its longevity.

Report by Pastor Francis Lamptey, Aflao Area Reporter

The Aflao Area Youth Ministry of The Church of Pentecost, in collaboration with the Pentecost Students and Associates of the Keta Nursing and Midwifery Training College (PENSA Keta-NMTC), has organised a three-day campus crusade.

The event, dubbed “Behold I Come Quickly” (Revelation 22:12), which was held from Friday, March 25 to Sunday, March 27, 2022, was led by the Aflao Area Youth Ministry Leader, Overseer Seth K. Danah.

As part of the crusade, the team, comprising Area Young Missionaries, undertook various exercises, including house-to-house evangelism, shop-to-shop evangelism, as well as street and cinema evangelism. 

The outreaches yielded 52 souls in all. Among the converts were drug addicts and people of other faiths.

Speaking at the climax of the outreach held at the school’s assembly hall on Sunday, Overseer Seth Kofi Danah asserted that “the promise of Jesus’ Second Coming is a great hope and anticipation for every believer.”  

He further noted that the glorious expectation of every believer is that the Lord Jesus would come for them as He promised, and this hope is based on what is written in the Scriptures.

He, therefore, urged believers to be assured of their salvation in Christ and to do well to work on it with fear and trembling.

Other dignitaries who graced the event were Pastor Stephen M. Akorsu, Overseer Seth Wettey Larbi, and Elder Stephen Amevor (PENSA Patron, NMTC-Keta).

Report by Pastor Francis Lamptey, Aflao Area Reporter

A medical outreach organised by the Pentecost Students and Associates of the Ho Nursing Training College (PENSA Ho-NTC) yielded 91 souls, resulting in opening of a nursery assembly to the glory of God.

The three-day event, dubbed “Christ for All” Crusade (Acts 2:36), was held from Friday, March 25 to Sunday, March 27, 2022 in partnership with the Agorve-Woe District in the Aflao Area of The Church of Pentecost. The targeted communities were Aklorbordzi and Cape Coast Road. 

The team of 97 students was led by the PENSA Travelling Secretary for Lower Volta, Pastor Edgar Kwesi Karikari, and the President of PENSA Ho-NTC, Gilbert Nana Bentum.

By the power of the Holy Spirit the team saturated the two communities with the gospel of Jesus Christ through various activities, including mega crusades, film-shows, house-to-house evangelism, dawn broadcasting, donations and medical screening.

A mega revival held on Sunday, March 27, 2022 as part of the exercise yielded 91 souls, culminating in the opening of the Cape Coast Road assembly. The exercise also saw 17 people receiving Holy Spirit baptisms while 23 converts were baptised in water.

Pastor Francis Lamptey, the Agorve-Woe District Minister, commended the team for their sacrifice and hard work in reaching out to the unsaved in the district. He assured them that the district would do well to follow-up on the souls won and disciple them for Christ.

PENTECOST NEWS

The Sawla Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Pastor David Amankwaa, launched the 2022 Environmental Care Campaign of the church at Sawla Central church auditorium last Tuesday.

The campaign is being held in partnership with the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District Assembly and other stakeholders in the district.

In a presentation at the launch ceremony, the Environmental Health Assistant for Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District, Mr. Lawrence Naalubetuore, shared with participants the deteriorating state of the environment in the Sawla community and its environs. 

He therefore advised participants to respect the environment by keeping it clean for habitation. 

Mr. Naalubetuore lamented the difficulty in enforcing environmental laws due to some influential members of society who always negotiate the release of culpable offenders arrested for their actions towards the environment.

He warned that until laws are enforced, the war against indiscipline could not be won.

He also entreated participants to be each other’s keeper on the cleanliness of the environment because any outbreak of disease due to bad environmental practices will affect each and every one.

In his address, Pastor Amankwaa said that God created the environment for humanity. It is therefore, incumbent that all people, particularly Christians, take responsiblity and take good care of it.

Reading from Genesis 1:30, he emphasised that “the environment God created was good; hence must be protected by God’s people because we are His stewards.”

Pastor Benjamin Addo-Boateng, the Coordinator for the Area Discipleship and Leadership Development Committee (ADLDC), outlined the action plan for the 2022 Environmental Care Campaign to be climaxed with clean-up exercises in the various zones in the Area.

In attendance were ministers, District Environmental Health officers, church officers and members in the Area.

The Environmental Care Campaign is one of the focal areas of the Vision 2023 of The Church of Pentecost, dubbed “Possessing the Nations” (Equipping the church to transforming every sphere of society with values and principles of the Kingdom of God). 

Report by Sawla Area Media Team 

The Sawla Area Head of The Church of Pentecost (CoP), Pastor David Amankwaa, has been appointed as the Chairman of the newly-inaugurated Savannah Regional Chapter of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC).

Pastor Amankwaa was inducted into office during a grand ceremony to inaugurate the chapter of the Council in the Savannah Region at the Sawla Central Assembly church auditorium of The Church of Pentecost last Sunday.

According to the GPCC General Secretary, Rev. Emmanuel Barrigah, who chaired the event, the creation of the Savannah Region out of the Northern Region, has necessitated the inauguration of the GPCC in the Savannah Region and the induction of Regional Executives to oversee the affairs of the Council in the region.

Other members of the New Regional Executive Committee (REC) inducted into office were Rev. Patrick Mensah (Area Head, CAC, Bole Missions) – Vice Chairman, Rev. Benjamin Addo-Boateng (District Pastor, CoP, Bole) – Secretary, Rev. Peter Tunjie (Head Pastor, Bethel Prayer Ministry,Sawla) – Organizer, Rev. Adams Seidu (Head Pastor, Fountain Gate Chapel, Bole) – Financial Secretary, Rev. Augustine Tungkunmwene (Head Pastor, Assemblies of God, Salaga) – Member, Rev. Charles Lokko (Head Pastor, The Apostolic Church, Kalba), Member, Rev. Atta Joseph (Head Pastor, Holistic Gospel Church, Damango) – Member and Rev. Agbenyeke (Head Pastor, Assemblies of God, Buipe) – Member.

Pastor David Amankwaa, in his response, acknowledged God’s grace for the mandate given to REC to spearhead GPCC activities in the region.

He also thanked the National GPCC Executive Members and the General Secretary and wife as well as all Heads of Churches present for confidence reposed in them assured them of the REC’s commitment towards advancing the cause of the Council and the Kingdom of God in the region.

“We would work hard to organise GPCC at the various district levels across the region,” he said and also called on all member churches to get all hands-on deck to help the REC achieve this objective.

PENTECOST NEWS

The Savannah Regional Chapter of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) was inaugurated in a grand ceremony held at the Sawla Central Assembly church auditorium of The Church of Pentecost on last Sunday.

The inaugural ceremony was graced by the GPCC General Secretary, Rev. Emmanuel Barrigah, and his wife, Rev. Mrs. Charlotte Barrigah. Other dignitaries present were interim Regional Executives, Heads, and other Leaders of member churches in the Savannah Region.

In his address, Rev. Emmanuel Barrigah indicated that the GPCC is structured to decentralize across all the political regions in the country to enhance smooth mobilization and coordination of its activities and responsibilities to all member churches and the nation at large.

According to the GPCC General Secretary, the creation of the Savannah Region out of the Northern Region, has necessitated the inauguration of the GPCC in the Savannah Region and the induction of Regional Executives to oversee the affairs of the Council in the region.

With scriptural reference from Ephesians 4:11-16, Rev. Barrigah admonished the gathering and leaders present to make every effort to keep the unity in the spirit among all member churches and the body of believers as a whole.

He added that God purposely appoints leaders and grooms them to be responsible for unifying the body of Christ and equipping believers for the work of ministry in their various endeavours. 

He further charged leaders and believers to live a life worthy of God’s calling and exhibit genuine humility, diligence, gentleness, patience, and love towards all churches and fellow believers in the body of Christ in anticipation of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As part of the inauguration ceremony, Rev. Emmanuel Barrigah inducted into office the New Regional Executive Committee (REC) to man the affairs of the GPCC in the Savannah Region. They are: Pastor David Amankwaa (Area Head, CoP, Sawla) – Regional Chairman, Rev. Patrick Mensah (Area Head, CAC, Bole Missions) – Vice Chairman, Rev. Benjamin Addo-Boateng (District Pastor, CoP, Bole) – Secretary, Rev. Peter Tunjie (Head Pastor, Bethel Prayer Ministry,Sawla) – Organizer, Rev. Adams Seidu (Head Pastor, Fountain Gate Chapel, Bole) – Financial Secretary, Rev. Augustine Tungkunmwene (Head Pastor, Assemblies of God, Salaga) – Member, Rev. Charles Lokko (Head Pastor, The Apostolic Church, Kalba) – Member, Rev. Atta Joseph (Head Pastor, Holistic Gospel Church, Damango) – Member and Rev. Agbenyeke (Head Pastor, Assemblies of God, Buipe) – Member.

Pastor David Amankwaa, in his response, acknowledged God’s grace for the mandate given to REC to spearhead GPCC activities in the region.

He also thanked the National GPCC Executive Members and the General Secretary and wife as well as all Heads of Churches present for confidence reposed in them assured them of the REC’s commitment towards advancing the cause of the Council and the Kingdom of God in the region.

“We would work hard to organise GPCC at the various district levels across the region,” he said and also called on all member churches to get all hands-on deck to help the REC achieve this objective.

Prior to the grand inaugural ceremony, a Leadership Seminar was held for all Heads, Ministers, and Lay Leaders of GPCC Member Churches in the Savannah enclave on Saturday, 23^rd April 2022 at the same venue.

During this seminar, ministers and lay leaders were taken through the mission and vision of GPCC, the theme for the year, and the respective roles of leaders and member churches of the GPCC by Rev. Emmanuel Barrigah.

Pastor David Amakwaa also took the participants through the constitution of the GPCC after which time was allotted for intercessory prayers for the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council.

Report by Sawla Area Media Team

The remains of Mrs. Mercy Naa Tackie-Otoo, the late wife of the Odikoman District Minister of The Church of Pentecost in the Teshie-Nungua Area, Pastor Percy Nii Tackie-Otoo, was interned today [Saturday, April 30, 2022] after a solemn burial and memorial service held in her honour at the Fred Stephen Safo Memorial Temple at Nungua-Nshorna, Accra.

The funeral service which was officiated by the General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Kumi-Larbi, assisted the Teshie-Nungua Area Head, Apostle Wilberforce Nkrumah Agyeman, and some members of Executive Council as well as some heads of the church and other sister churches, was heavily attended by people from far and near.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi, on behalf of the Chairman of the church, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, urged the bereaved family to encourage themselves in Christ in the face of their trying moments, while describing Mrs Mercy Tackie-Otoo as a woman of integrity.

Mrs Mercy Naa Tackie-Otoo, was called home on Monday, March 14, 2022, at the Pentecost Hospital, Madina after a short sickness at age 57. She survived by her husband and seven children.

Biography

Born at Akoto-Lante in Accra on April 1, 1964, Mercy attended Ghana National College, Cape Coast, where she successfully completed with the General Certificate of Education – Ordinary Level (G.C.E. O-Level) Examinations. She also obtained a Bachelor of Science (BSc.) degree in Banking and Finance from the Central University.

After her secondary education, she worked with the Ghana Statistical Services and later employed at the Bank of Ghana in 1981, where she rosed through the ranks to the position of Officer One, a position she held until she voluntarily resigned in 2003 to join her husband in the full-time ministry in The Church of Pentecost.

She and her husband served in the full-time ministry for 19 years in the following duty stations: Prampram (2003-2008), New Abirem (2008-2013), PIWC-Koforidua (2013-2018) and Odikoman in Teshie-Nungua Area (2018 to date), where she peacefully passed onto glory.

Tributes

In his tribute, the widower, Pastor Percy Nii Tackie-Otoo, described the death of his wife as “a terrible shock,” said she was not only a wonderful wife and mother, but also a meticulous housekeeper and homemaker.

Her children in their tribute said their late mother was a counsellor and a strong believer in God’s Word, saying, “She instilled the love of God in our hearts, and always told us, that all she knew and had was Christ.”

Tribute by the General Council of The Church of Pentecost, which was read by Apostle Yaw Adjei Kwarteng (Bompata Area Head), said the late Mrs Mercy Naa Tackie-Otoo was a very resourceful woman who proved her worth by aptly partnering with her husband in the ministry which resulted in their impactful service in the Lord’s vineyard.

“Throughout the stations that she and her husband served in the ministry, she played a key role in mobilising the women and the youth in the church and equipped them with godly values to contribute positively to the well-being of their families and society,” it stated.

Sermon

The Evangelism Director of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Dr Amos Jimmy Markin, preaching the sermon on the topic, “A Pursuit of Life” (Mark 10:17; Hebrews 9:27: Proverbs 22:4), said the pursuit of life has been at the heart of every religion and culture, yet its mystery is enshrined in the word of God.

According to him, eternal life (Zoe) which is only found in Jesus Christ, is far beyond doing good, stressing that “eternal life goes beyond money, honour, fame, and any other thing that the world can offer.”

He explained that though eternal life is gained after death, it is obtained on earth as one surrenders his life to the control of God.

Apostle Dr Jimmy Markin called on all and sundry to give their lives to Christ, because death awaits everyone. He indicated that since death is an appointed time, it can come at anytime in one’s life – at tender age, old age and may take any form such as sickness, accident and old age.

He prayed that humanity would pursue eternal life, since eternal life is a choice and a decision that is made once in one’s lifetime.

PENTECOST NEWS.

The Essam District of The Church of Pentecost in the Western North Region has constructed a washing bay, a new mission house, and washrooms for use by the church.

The chiefs and opinion leaders of the community applauded the church for embarking on the projects.

The facilities were dedicated recently by the Essam-Debiso Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Robert Kwabena Andoh, assisted by the Essam District Minister, Pastor Theophilus Buah Koomson, and other ministers in the Area.

The dedication service held at the Essam Central Church was also attended by the clergy from other churches, chiefs and opinion leaders of the community, among others.

The 5-bedroom mission house with an office was started in April 2018.

Speaking at the dedication service on the topic, “Every Mission House Carries a Purpose” based on Acts 16:9-10, 13-14, Apostle Robert Andoh said that every mission house is an ambassadorial residence of God, hence the doors of every mission house must be opened for people to meet God.

He, therefore, admonished the members to make the mission house their second home.

The Area Head further called on members to pray for pastors and realise that pastors carry the blessings of God.

Report by Overseer James Harvoh Jnr, Area Media Pastor.