Posts in category: Church News

The Anyaa-Ablekuma Area of The Church of Pentecost, under the headship of Apostle Samuel Kojo Gakpetor, has organised a day’s Statistical and Financial Seminar for Ministers, Presiding Elders, District Secretaries, District Finance Committee Members, Local Secretaries and Local Financial Secretaries.

The event, which took place on October 23, 2020, at the Anyaa Central church building, was in part, a replication of the national training organised by the National Records, Archives and Statistics Committee (NRASC) in August.

It was aimed among others to equip statistics handlers with the requisite knowledge and skills in reliable church data collection; highlight some common errors, challenges and concerns in report writing, and to proffer some solutions; strengthen adherence to all church financial policies at all levels and to offer participants the opportunity to share their concerns in respect of the report writing process and financial administration of the Church.

The Area Head, Apostle Gakpetor, in his welcome remarks on Ecclesiastes 10:10, hinted that training is very important for church leaders and likened it to the sharpening of the blade of an axe. He explained further that periodic training builds the capacities of church workers so they become more efficient in their service deliveries.

The Area Secretary, Pastor Samuel Acheampong, who presented a paper on church data collection and report writing, focused his presentation on the Essence of Data Collection, Data Collection Process in The Church of Pentecost, Effective Church Membership Management, among others, while the Area Deacon, Elder Emmanuel Edusa-Eyison, handled the financial policies of the Church as well as some auditing concerns.

During the open forum session, participants raised some pertinent issues such as literature debts, and the use of church registers. The presenters together with the Area Executive Committee members provided suitable answers.

In all, there were 297 participants.

Report by Pastor Samuel Acheampong (Area Secretary).

In line with the Church’s initiative of ensuring a peaceful election 2020, the Assin Foso Area of The Church of Pentecost, headed by Apostle Sylvester Arhin, has launched the ‘Agent of Peace’ campaign.

The programme, which took place on Wednesday, October 14, 2020, at Foso Habitat Prayer Grounds, brought together dignitaries in the Assin Central Municipality, such as a representative of the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), the Divisional Police Commander, traditional leaders, the Chaplain of Immigration Training School, Chairman of the District Peace Council, sister churches, political parties, among others.

In a keynote address, a Deputy Coordinating Director at the Assin Central Municipal Assembly, Mr. Charles Lartey, who represented the MCE, applauded The Church of Pentecost for the wonderful initiatives the Church has embarked on such as the Environmental Care campaign and the Agent of Peace campaign geared at making society better to live.

He noted that Ghana is ranked 6^th and 43^rd peaceful country in Africa and the World respectively. He encouraged all to jealously guard the hard-earned peace the country was enjoying.

Speaking on behalf of the Municipal Imam, Deputy Imam Borhan Salifu reechoed the need for religious tolerance and peaceful co-existence among the religious bodies since all religions are founded on peace, love, and equal rights. He was so grateful to The Church of Pentecost for involving the Moslem Community in all her flagship initiatives.

Other dignitaries present took turns to pledge their commitments to ensuring peace and order before, during, and after the 2020 General elections and encouraged all to do same.

Launching the campaign on behalf of the Chairman of the Church, Apostle Sylvester Arhin called on all present to seek and pursue peace in all their dealings ahead of the December 7 elections and beyond. He said that every Ghanaian has a role to play in achieving the peace of the country at all times. “Peace cannot prevail unless we make it our responsibility to work at it. Peace is a commodity that does not just fall from the skies but an important element in our lives that takes a collaborative effort of groups and individuals to attain,” he stressed. 

Apostle Sylvester Arhin, therefore, charged all participants to be agents of peace in their homes, communities, workplaces and wherever they may find themselves, and resist selfish individuals who may scheme to use them to perpetrate violence.

Concluding his address, he read from Psalm 34:14: “Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it” and led the gathering to make a personal commitment to achieving the peace agenda.

Various patriotic songs that communicate peace, unity, and tolerance were sung to consolidate the campaign.

Report by Pastor Samuel Avornyo, Area Reporter.

It was all joy as people of all walks of life trooped to the Central Auditorium of the Jumapo District in Koforidua Effiduase Area of The Church of Pentecost to bid Pastor Joshua Asante farewell as he retired from active service after 23 years of service.

The retirement service, which took place on Sunday, October 25, 2020, was officiated by the Koforidua Effiduase Area Head, Apostle Daniel Yeboah Nsaful.

Pastor Joshua Asante was born on 18^th July, 1955 at Berekum in the Bono Region. He attended Fetentaa Primary School and completed middle school in 1972 after which he attended Drobo Secondary School and completed in 1977.

After teaching at Buni Roman Catholic Primary School for some years, Pastor Asante embarked on cocoa farming.

Pastor Joshua Asante got married to Mrs. Susana Asante in 1976 at Berekum. They are blessed with six children – two males and four females.

He accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour in 1986 and was baptised by the late Pastor J. K. Prah. He was ordained as a deacon in 1990 and later as an elder before his call into full-time ministry in 1996.

He served as District Pastor in Jirapa, Nadowli, Bogoso-Kokoase, Dompoase, Fayiase, and Jumapo. He also held several ministerial appointments and attended four courses.

In a sermon on the topic, “God Bless You” based on Numbers 8:22-26, Apostle Daniel Yeboah Nsaful said that blessing involves the total well-being of a person. “Blessing is a gift of God and necessary for Christians because it is the blessing of God that makes one prosper,” he said, adding, “Some of the causes of the blessings of God are when one acknowledges God and comes before Him, and do His work.”

He commended Pastor Asante for his dedication to the ‘Ghetto Ministry’ and praised him for not using his age and years in service to bully his fellow pastors.

Concluding, Apostle Nsaful prayed that the Lord will keep and make His face shine on Pastor Asante and grant him peace.

In a testimony read by the Kade Area Head, Apostle Lawrence Otu-Nyarko, the General Council of the Church said: “Although calm and unassuming, Pastor Joshua Asante is a principled and visionary leader who served the Lord wholeheartedly. His output in ministry was very significant. He has distinguished himself as a hardworking soldier of the cross.”

The Koforidua Effiduase Area Pastorate described Pastor Asante as a major contributor to the Area, having joined the Area just two years after its creation from Koforidua in 2013, adding: “He is approachable, humble and comforting to be with.”

In attendance were Apostle Obiri Yeboah (Rtd.); Elder Nana Kwasi Sompreh, Bogosohene; some retired ministers, pastors from other Areas, representatives of Local Council of Churches, chiefs, among others.

Report by Koforidua Effiduase Area Media Team.

The Central Assembly church building of the Gbingbani District in the Walewale Area of The Church of Pentecost has been dedicated to the glory of God. The project was completed at a cost of GH¢ 73,459.00, with funding from the Headquarters, the Area, and individual donations.

The ceremony, which took place on Wednesday,  21^st October, 2020, was officiated by the Walewale Area Head, Apostle Francis Yaw Adu, assisted by the Gbingbani District Minister, Pastor Emmanuel Kenin.

Speaking on the theme, “A Glorious House of God to Possess the Nation,” taken from Genesis 28:16-22, Pastor Daniel Tetteh of Jimbale District said that the Christian’s body is God’s temple and the Holy Spirit dwells in them.

He admonished Christians to always walk in the consciousness that God is in them. This, according to him, will help them shun anything that has the potential of defiling their bodies which is God’s temple.

Present at the ceremony were ministers and their wives in the Walewale Area, members and officers from the Gbingbani District, and the Regent of the Gbankpurugu Traditional Area, Gbongdana Bedima Jatong.

Report by Pastor Emmanuel Kenin.

Four years after renovation works began on the Kaneshie Central Assembly auditorium, church members in the Kaneshie Area of The Church of Pentecost and community leaders gathered on Friday, October 23, 2020, to witness and celebrate the dedication of the remodelled ultra-modern facility.

The multipurpose 5000-sitting capacity complex, which also houses the English Assembly and the Children’s Ministry, was dedicated by the Chairman of the church, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, with support from the International Missions Director, Apostle Emmanuel Gyesi-Addo, and some Executive Council Members.

More than one thousand members of the Area – including some past and present Area Heads and ministers – graced the service, which was also streamed live online via Facebook to a worldwide audience.

Exhorting the gathering at the event, the Chairman emphasised the need for the glory of God in the church to be jealously guarded. 

He read from Haggai 2:3-9, 1 Chronicles 22:19 and 2 Chronicles 7, among other Scriptures, to explain that the glory of God is a non-negotiable element of the Church without which the Church becomes a mere organisation like any other.

Quoting from 1 Chronicles 22:19, he said that in the Old Testament, the two things that were required to always be in the temple of God were the Ark of Covenant (signifying the presence of God) and the sacred articles belonging to God. In the New Testament, however, he further explained, the two things that must always be present in the Church is the presence of God (the Holy Spirit) and believers, whom the Bible describes as “a holy priesthood and a people belonging to God” (1 Peter 2:9).

He added that as priests, believers are responsible for carrying the presence of God to the temple as was in the case of the Old Testament when the Ark of Covenant was brought to the temple by the Levitical priests.

“As Christians, we are the carriers of the presence of God because He dwells in us. Therefore, it is our responsibility to bring Him to church. This means that believers have now taken the place of the sacred articles belonging to God in the temple. 

“There are no more sacred articles in the temple, but people cleansed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. So, in the New Testament what is essential in the church building are the presence of God and the believer,” he intimated.

Outlining some of the distinctive marks of the glory of God in the church, the Chairman said that “when the glory of God is present in the church, we will feel and see it.” 

According to the Chairman, when the glory of God is present in the church, worship and offering become spontaneous and congregants always leave the church auditorium for their homes with joyful hearts and gladness because they have encountered God.

He advised that for the glory of God to remain in the church, believers must turn from their wicked ways and continually seek the face of God in all things. On the other hand, if they fail to heed to the commands of the Lord, He would forsake them and make the church an object of scorn and ridicule among the nations (2 Chronicles 7:20-12).

Apostle Nyamekye, therefore, urged the members, particularly church leaders, not to entertain any form of sin in the church, but to confront it with the urgency it deserves. 

“We must not be persons who look the other way when sin is being perpetrated in the church, just to save our skin, but to be persons who are committed to jealously guarding the glory of God in the church, that there may be glory in the church from generation to generations,” he advised.

The Kaneshie Central Assembly church building holds an enviable place in the history of the church as the venue where the name “The Church of Pentecost” was first declared in 1962. Over the years, the building has been renovated to accommodate its teeming membership, and to give it a facelift befitting of an Area seat (a venue for Area meetings). 

The remodelling project was, thus, initiated in 2006 by the then District Minister, Pastor Isaac Ekow Eshun (now Apostle and Asamankese Area Head), in consultation with the then Area Head, Apostle Emmanuel Achim Gyimah (now retired) and the then Chairman of the church, Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah (now retired). After taking over as Kaneshie Area Head and District Minister, respectively, Apostle Mike Etrue and Pastor Adjei-Nimako Darkwa saw to the successful completion of the ultra-modern edifice.

The project was funded with grants received from the church’s Headquarters and the Kaneshie Area, as well as contributions from members and some benevolent individuals. Elder William Oppong Bio, and his wife, Anna, were, however, singled out for special praise for bearing about 20% of the total cost of the project.

Some of the dignitaries who were present at the historic occasion were Prophet James Osei Amaniampong (Executive Council Member and Asokwa Area Head), Prophet David K. Beditor (Executive Council Member and Ashaiman Area Head), Apostle Daniel Okyere Walker (Executive Council Member and PU Vice-Chancellor) and Apostle Dr Dela Quampah (Executive Council Member and PIWC-Odorkor).

Also, in attendance were Mrs Mary Nyamekye (Wife of the Chairman) and some retired ministers including Apostle Samuel K Ansong, Apostle Jonathan Ameyaw, Apostle J. S Gyimah, Apostle Moses Ladejo, Apostle Noble Atsu, Apostle Peter Ayerakwa, and Apostle Emmanuel Achim Gyimah

Prophet E. K. Appiah (Dansoman Area Head) and Apostle Isaac Ekow Eshun, both past district ministers of Kaneshie, also graced the event with their presence.

Together with his entourage, the Chief of Kaneshie, Nii Ayitey Kaneshie I, was also present at the event and assisted the Chairman in cutting the ceremonial tape during the dedication.

PENTECOST NEWS

The Zabrama District in the Kintampo Area of The Church of Pentecost has organised a mass wedding for 19 couples. The event took place on Friday, October 9, 2020, at the Central Assembly auditorium.

Speaking at the occasion, the Kintampo Area Head, Apostle Gideon Obeng-Darko Debrah, admonished married couples to learn how to manage their differences no matter the challenges that confront them in their marriages.

He spoke on the topic, “Building a Glorious Church through Good Marriages,” taking his main texts from Genesis 2:18-25, Matthew 19:3-10, and Ecclesiastics 4:9-12.

Apostle Debrah stressed that marriage was instituted by God and not man, hence the need to marry according to the principles of God and not by the culture and traditions. “If you are a Christian you need to choose the word of God over customs,” he emphasized.

He added that everyone has his or her weaknesses and, therefore, spouses must make a conscious effort to love one another unconditionally. He advised wives to support their husbands, physically and spiritually. Husbands, on the other hand, must love their wives and take good care of them.

The Zabrama District Minister, Pastor Clement Ampako, explained that the district decided to organise the mass wedding to regularise the marriages of the members.

In attendance also were some chiefs of the Zabrama traditional council led by the Queen Mother, Nana Kwaagya. Also present were ministers in the Area.

Report by Overseer Prince Augustine Ababio.

The Ho Area of The Church of Pentecost has taken its turn in launching the ‘Agent of Peace’ campaign to implore Ghanaians to uphold peace in the upcoming elections.

The event, which took place on October 9, 2020, at the Central Auditorium of Ho Fiave, was chaired by the Area Head, Apostle Moses Kwame Ahiakor. The programme dubbed “Seek Peace and Pursue It” saw massive attendance by sister churches, civil society organisations, and Government institutions.

Speaking at the launch, Apostle Ahiakor called on Ghanaians to unite and seek peace now. “We have only one Ghana entrusted to our hands by the Almighty to keep. Should we become distrusted servants, chaos, disaster, and anarchy would become the order of the day,” he said.

He advised politicians and their followers to always smoke the ‘peace pipe’ in their attempt to settle their differences to sustain the peace of the nation ahead of the elections.

Apostle Ahiakor advised the youth not to allow themselves to be used to foment troubles, but rather be the engine that propels peace.

He also entreated the media to reflect solemnly on their reportage and ensure that they are devoid of sensationalism, bias, and false information which tends to fuel violence.

Having watched a peace campaign documentary, the stakeholders took turns to pledge their support to maintain the peaceful atmosphere the nation was enjoying.

They commended The Church of Pentecost for championing the call for peace. State institutions such as the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Ghana Prisons Service, and the Police Service itemized the diverse ways by which The Church of Pentecost has supported them in the discharge of their duties.

Speaking at the event, Hon. Prosper K. Pi-Bansah, the Ho Municipal Chief Executive, expressed his profound gratitude to the Church for spearheading the peace agenda and called on all political parties to put Ghana first in all deliberations. “We should be mindful of what we say, our actions, inactions, and other political innuendos which may derail us of our quest for peace,” he said.

The Area Coordinator for the programme, Pastor Cephas Akakpo, called on Ghanaians to seek peace and pursue it diligently.

The Church led a route march through the streets of Ho to climax the programme.

Also present were the Ho Area pastorate, the Chief Imam and his entourage, the media, Voice Ghana, Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council sister churches, Ghana Revenue Authority, Lands Commission, among others.

Report by Overseer Felix Brakatu, Ho.

The Techiman Area of The Church of Pentecost, on September 28, 2020, launched the ‘Agents of Peace’ campaign at the Dwomor Central assembly under the theme, “Seek Peace and Pursue It” (Psalm 34:14).

The launch of the peace campaign was in line with the vision of the Church to drum home the need for its members and Ghanaians, in general, to pursue peace before, during and after the December 7 elections.

In his opening address, the Techiman Area Head, Apostle Julius Franklin Asante-Ayeh, stated: “We have seen many nations suffer political instability that has thrown their development into the reverse gear. In that case, the church too suffers.

“Elections should not be left at the doorstep of the Electoral Commission and political parties alone, but civil society organisations and the church must be seen as influencing the process. It’s in the light of this that the nationwide campaign by The Church of Pentecost for its members to be agents of peace in their communities was initiated.”

He added: “As Christians, we are enjoined to be peacemakers. The purpose of the campaign is to challenge and educate Christians to be agents of peace as the nation prepares for elections 2020. Peace is an essential commodity in nation-building. Therefore, we must all support this course.”

Apostle Asante-Ayeh called on the Christian community and political players in the country to refrain from insults, abusive language, needless arguments, and derogatory comments.

He charged the participants to carry the peace message to their various destinations, saying, “This is just launching; we must send the message out there. Every district in the Area will do its peace march to propagate this message of peace,” he said.

The Deputy Bono East Regional Minister, Honourable Martin Oti Gyrako, on his part, advised Ghanaians to be mindful of their speeches to promote peace in the country. “War has rendered many homeless and made others refugees. If it [war] occurs in Ghana where will we go?” he quizzed.

“Our fathers have laid a good foundation for us; we are not those to destroy it,” he said. On behalf of the Regional Coordinating Council, he pledged their commitment to ensuring peace in the region and advised the youth not to allow themselves to be used as tools for violence since the future belongs to them. “Even if I tell you to go and fight for me, tell me to go myself,” he stated. 

The Deputy Regional Minister commended the leadership of The Church of Pentecost for the great initiative and pleaded with the Church to continue to pray for a peaceful election.

The Electoral Officer for the Techiman South Municipality, Mr. Sampson Ofori,  said: “Peace is the responsibility of all citizens but not politicians alone. So it’s laudable that The Church of Pentecost is championing this campaign.”

He outlined some of the don’ts in electioneering process as follows: tearing down posters, using others logo/symbols, intimidation, announcing one’s vote or making it open, vote-buying, personal attacks, etc.

There were goodwill messages from various stakeholders pledging their support for a peaceful election in the region.

Also present were Honourable John Kofi Donyina (MCE, Techiman South), Mr. Sampson Ofori, Nananom, Peace Council Representative, the clergy and members of the Church.

Report by Pastor Peter Amuzu-Avorde, Techiman Area.