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A Mathematical Model Of The ‘Local Church As An Equipping Centre In Possessing The Nations’

by with No Comment Church News

In this write-up, I posit that, THE PROBABILITY OF A LOCAL CHURCH CONTRIBUTING TO REVIVAL IN THEIR COMMUNITY IS EQUAL TO THE PERCENTAGE OF HER MEMBERS WHO ARE AGENTS OF TRANSFORMATION. THAT FRACTION IS ALSO A MEASURE OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE LOCAL CHURCH IN BEING AN EQUIPPING CENTRE IN POSSESSING THE NATIONS.

Last Sunday, I visited one of our local churches. During the Bible study session, one man asked why there seems to be little or no revival among present-day Christians compared to the Early Church.

My response was that, assuming without admitting that the hypothesis may be true, this calls for testing. We can use that very local church and, of course, the testing can also be replicated in other local church settings.

To do the testing, I established that, a person who is an agent of transformation is one who is on fire or revival for the Lord. Such a person should be consistent in:

1. PRAYER (P): Praying personally and alone for at least 15 minutes a day

2. BIBLE STUDY (B): Reading and meditating on at least a passage of scripture a day

3. DISCIPLESHIP (D): Shares the gospel or engage others in discussing their issues in the light of what the Bible, through Christ, teaches; doing so to at least one person – onsite or remotely – once a week

I then counted the needed numbers as follows:

  • Total Number of Adult Members above 20 years = 46
  • Total number of members who fulfill the indicator “Prayer” (P) defined above = 36
  • Total number of members who fulfill the indicator “Bible Study” (B) defined above = 19
  • Total number of members who fulfill the indicator “Discipleship” (D) defined above = 21

Each of the 46 adult members above 20 years did at least P, B or D. None of them did exactly 2 of P, B, and D.

The number of the 46 adult members who are TRUE AGENTS OF TRANSFORMATION are those who fulfill ALL THREE INDICATORS (P, B & D). Let us represent that by the variable “x”

To find “x”, I employed 3-set Venn Diagram as follows:

36-x + 19-x + 21-x = 46

76-3x = 46

-3x = 46 – 76

-3x = – 30

x = 10

This means only 10 out of the 46 adult members above 20 years in that local assembly are TRUE AGENTS OF TRANSFORMATION.

Hence, the probability of that local assembly possessing the nation (their contextual community in this case) is given by

10/46 × 100% = 21.74%

This figure is way below average (50%)

Hence, to some extent, the old man’s observation that there seems to be less revival in the present-day church compared to the Early Church is true for the local assembly he belongs to.

The research was premised on the following as true:

1. The 46 people sampled are a true representation of the local church adult above 20 years population.

2. The Early Church in the Book of Acts is the Standard of Christian Living.

3. Evidence is replete to the effect that any Christian who does all three indicators (P, B & D) transforms their sphere of influence for Christ.

As a church leader at any level in The Church of Pentecost, you may want to replicate this research to measure the extent to which the local church as an equipping centre is truly churning out true agents of transformation.

God bless you

Selah.

By Apostle Seth Kwame Fianko-Larbi.

Apostle Daniel Owusu-Akyaw

Wear The Garment Of Righteousness To Exercise Authority – Christians Told

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Apostle Daniel Owusu-Akyaw, the Konongo Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, has urged Christians to constantly put on the garment of righteousness in order to exercise authority in the Kingdom.

According to Apostle Owusu-Akyaw, righteousness must be seen as the master key in accessing the authority in the kingdom of God, stressing that, “a Christian whose life is not right with God does not have the authority in the Kingdom.”

Addressing the officers, ministers and wives in the Ashanti Bekwai Area of the church on Friday, February 25, 2022, at Manso Nkran assembly on the topic: ‟Righteousness: The Authority of the Kingdom.”

He defined Righteousness as having the right standing with God or acting in accordance with divine or moral law. He said, because of the fall of man, humanity was poisoned with the Adamic sinful nature, but God through Christ Jesus redeemed and saved those who believe in Him and imputed or clothed them with God’s righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21).

“Having been saved, we must make a conscious effort to walk in righteousness,” he said while quoting Ephesians 5: 8-9.

Apostle Owusu-Akyeaw iterated that the mark of every genuine Christian is righteousness. Reading from 1 Peter 2: 24 – 25, he said that Christians must die to self and live for righteousness because righteousness is the authority of the kingdom of God.

Using Apostle Paul and the seven sons of Sceva as a case study, he said that Paul was able to exercise authority over demons because he was wearing the garment of righteousness and was connected to the source of the Kingdom authority (Acts 16:17-18).

However, the seven sons of Sceva were overpowered by demons because they were not wearing the garment of righteousness and were not connected to the source of the Kingdom’s authority.

He concluded by saying the righteous are bold as a lion (Proverbs 28:1) and they exercise authority. Therefore, Christians must wear the garment of righteousness and display the kingdom’s authority in their spheres of life (Mark 16:17-18), he added.

Report by Overseer Frank Osei Tutu.

Guard Your Heart From The Enemy’s Attacks – IMD Alerts Christians jpg

Guard Your Heart From The Enemy’s Attacks – IMD Alerts Christians

by with No Comment Church NewsMoving With IMDTop Stories

“The heart is a very delicate organ to human existence because it pumps oxygenated blood to all parts of the body. When the heart dies the human being also dies.

“In the same way, spiritually your heart must be guarded and protected from the enemy. Any believer who does not protect his or her heart is prone to the enemy’s attacks.”

These were the words of Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe, the International Missions Director of The Church of Pentecost, during a sermon he delivered at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC), Kaneshie on Sunday, February 27, 2022.

The IMD stated that the mind is the battleground, and once the believer gives in to the thoughts of the devil, he [Satan] will take hold of his heart. That is why believers need to guard their hearts, he stated. 

“You need to guard your heart. Start running away from sin because it is dangerous to fight the enemy in his own territory. If you fight him on his turf, you will lose the battle. When you go to the mountain of God and fight him there, you will win the battle,” he said.

Reading from Proverbs 4:23 (Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it), he stressed that the heart and the mind are connected, and that anytime the Bible talks about the heart, it is also referring to the mind.

“The heart is the mind, the mind is the heart, and the two are in the soul of man. The heart of man is the mind of man and the mind of man is his thoughts. The thoughts and the mind are encapsulated in the brain. The mind and the heart together form the soul of a man,” he disclosed.

Speaking on the topic, “The Breastplate of Righteousness,” the IMD chose his main scripture reading from Ephesians 6:14 (Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place).

According to him, the armours represent God’s strength that he gives to the Christian once he/she is saved, and that once the believer puts them on they exhibit God’s strength.

Explaining the text, he stated that there is a connection between righteousness and holiness, saying, “Holiness is encapsulated in righteousness; once you are holy, you are also a righteous person.”

He indicated that imputed righteousness which is God’s righteousness that he shares part with the saved, just like the other armours of God, must be put on by the believer.

“The decision to put it on lies with you. You can decide not to put it on, it is your own prerogative,” he said.

He added: “We have many believers who have actually placed their armours aside. There are also those who have the armours in place, but they do not know how to use them.

“We must be a church that is equipped, prepared and trained and able to use the full armour to face the enemy.”

Touching on what to do to guard the heart, he asked Christians to constantly make a deliberate effort to renew their minds (Romans 12:2).

“Society is suffering because we are not able to discipline our thoughts. Once we are not able to discipline our thoughts our conscience becomes dead. Once your conscience is dead your heart becomes evil and you cannot stop sinning. It would take the grace of God to live right,” he added.

Also present at the service were the wife of the IMD, Mrs. Deborah Agyemang Bekoe; the Resident Minister, Pastor Emmanuel Paa Sekyi Yirebi and his wife Priscilla, as well as Pastor Samuel Yankey of Anyinasuso District in the Tepa Area, among others.

PENTECOST NEWS. 

The Life Of The Christian Is Worship – Apostle Nyamekye

The Life Of The Christian Is Worship – Apostle Nyamekye

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Apostle Eric Nyamekye, Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, has urged Christians to serve God in truth and in holiness outside the church.

He stated that the Christian’s understanding of the church is misunderstood, even though churches are scattered all over the nation.

“People do not understand the purpose of the church. It is the church that will be used by God to achieve the possessing the nation’s agenda,” he said.

Speaking to congregants of the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) – Bolgatanga, on Sunday, February 27, 2022, on the 2022 theme: “Equipping the Church as an Army To Possess the Nations,” Apostle Nyamekye said that the purpose of the believer’s redemption is to worship God. He used Hebrews 13:20-21; Ephesians 4:11-12; 6:10-12 as scripture references.

He defined worship as “to bow” and “to serve,” indicating that Christians should not only fulfill the former and leave the latter. Rather, they should serve God outside the church after bowing to Him in the church.

“Worship is not just to bow and adore God, also, it is to serve Him,” he stated.

According to the Chairman, the body is supposed to be the sacrifice that Christians give to God (Romans 12:1-2). Therefore, whatever they do with their bodies is a worship to God.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy to offer you bodies as a living sacrifice, pleasing to His service,” he stated and added: “The real worship is what you do with your body.”

He, however, noted that when God is not pleased with one, He will never be pleased with what is in his/her hands. He advised Christians to be mindful of how the body is used daily in the church and outside of it.

He further admonished Christians to eschew separating their working lives from that of the church because whatever they do is a form of worship to God, and must be done to the glorification of God.

“If our lives become our testimonies, that is purely based on the righteousness of Christ, it will certainly make our evangelism easier. Let the world see the Bible in you,” he urged.

He further revealed that Christians, being God’s ambassadors, must allow themselves to be used as agents of God because they have been equipped as a church to possess the nations.

“We are equipping ourselves as an army so that we will be able to withstand the enemy with the armour of God,” he emphasized.

The Chairman of the church ended the Bolgatanga and Bawku Areas 2022 Officers’ Retreat (Apostolisation) in the Upper East Region on Sunday.

Throughout the week he addressed officers and members of the church in the Bolga, Navrongo, Siniensi zones (Bolgatanga Area), and the Zebilla Zone (Bawku Area) about the theme of the church for the year.

PENTECOST NEWS

ayorkor

24 Ghanaians Arrive Today From Ukraine

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Twenty-four Ghanaians, the first batch of evacuees from Ukraine will arrive in Accra today aboard Qatar Airways.

They are expected to be followed by 220 others who have exited Ukraine and will be in Ghana within the week.

The 24 are part of about 460 students who have managed to leave the beleaguered Ukraine to neighbouring countries such as Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia and Czech Republic.

At a press briefing in Accra on Sunday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey said the 24 had already arrived in the Romanian capital, Bucharest and officers of the Ghana Mission there had procured tickets for them to leave for Accra Monday.

She also denied reports that a train carrying some Ghanaian students out of Ukraine had been attacked.

Source: Graphic.com.gh

Go Mobilise The Squads To Repair The Gates Of The Church – IMD Tells Officers

Go Mobilise The Squads To Repair The Gates Of The Church – IMD Tells Officers

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The International Missions Director (IMD) of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe, has challenged officers of the church to mobilise their members to build every broken gate in the local church to make the place dynamic.

He indicated that when Nehemiah realised that the walls and gates of Jerusalem had broken down, he mobilised some like-minded groups to help him repair all the 12 damaged gates so as to restore the fortunes of the city.

Apostle Agyemang Bekoe was speaking at the just-ended Kaneshie Area 2022 Officers Retreat (Apostolisation) at the Kaneshie Central Auditorium.

Treating the topic, “Mobilising the Squads to Repair the Gates of the Church” (Nehemiah 3:1-32; 12:39), he stated that for the local church to become an equipping centre, where people could be trained, mentored, and unleased to make an impact in society, leaders have onerous responsibility to ensure that every member is given a role to play in the church.

The first gate, the Sheep Gate (Nehemiah 3:1) was repaired by the High Priest and the priests. This gate, he said, represents the gate of sacrifice. He stated that before Jesus Christ was crucified, he had to pass through the Sheep Gate to Golgota.

In the church, the gate of sacrifice should be repaired by leaders so that people can render sacrificial services free of charge without demanding any financial reward.

The second gate was the Fish Gate (Nehemiah 3:3-5), which represents evangelism. He, however, said that when the Fish Gate was being repaired, the nobles of Tekoites did not put their shoulders to the work. Same thing is happening in the church today, he said, as ministers, officers and leaders do not involve themselves in personal evangelism, but usually send some particular group of people out while they stay indoors.

The third gate was the Jeshanah Gate or Old Gate (Nehemiah 3:6) which represents the old practices in the church. He was of the view that while the core values or practices of the church cannot be discarded in the 21st century, leaders should blend them with modern trends so that the church would stay relevant to society.

Talking about the fourth gate, the Valley Gate (Nehemiah 3:13), Apostle Bekoe said that it represents suffering. He stressed the need to repair this gate of suffering since Christianity is not always smooth but also involves persecutions. He asked believers to endure hardships and be partakers of Christ’s suffering since their rewards are assured.

Revealing the fifth gate which was the Dump/Refuse Gate (Nehemiah 3:14), he said it represents sin. He asked officers of the church to repair that gate by nibbing sin in the bud anytime it rears its ugly head in the church no matter the people involved so that there will be sanctity in the church.

Repairing the sixth gate, the Fountain Gate (Nehemiah 3:16) which represents the Holy Spirit, he said that unless the Sin Gate is repaired the Fountain Gate cannot have its way.

However, talking about the seventh gate, thus the Water Gate (Nehemiah 3:26) which represents the word of God, he said the squad realised that it was still intact. This confirms the scriptures that all things will pass away but the word of God is forever settled.

On repairing the eighth gate, the Horse Gate (Nehemiah 3:27) which represents the gate of spiritual warfare, he said it was a gate where soldiers going for war dressed with their armour. He asked leaders to encourage the members to pray themselves so that they can stand against the schemes of the devil.

The ninth gate, the East Gate (Nehemiah 3:29) was closed for the return of the Messiah. This, he explained, represents the second coming of Jesus Christ. “We need to constantly remind our members about the return of our Lord Jesus Christ since this earth is not our permanent place of abode,” he added.

On the tenth gate, thus the Inspection Gate (Nehemiah 3:31), he said it was where soldiers going for war were inspected, and when they were returning from war, roll call was conducted and those who misconducted themselves at war were then punished, while those who fought well were also honoured. According to him, a day is coming where every work and action of believers will be examined and rewards given.

The eleventh gate, the Ephraim Gate (Nehemiah 12:39), represents fruitfulness and double portion. He said the local church should be centre of fruitfulness.

On the last gate which was the Guard/Prison Gate (Nehemiah 12:39), representing judgment day, he charged Christians to do their work well so that they will not face the wrath of God.

PENTECOST NEWS.

True Repentance Must Lead To A Changed-Life – Apostle Kumi-Larbi

True Repentance Must Lead To A Changed-Life – Apostle Kumi-Larbi

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The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, has challenged Christians to bear fruit in keeping with repentance, emphasising that true repentance must lead to a changed life.

The General Secretary said this today when he and his wife, Mrs. Rose Kumi-Larbi, joined the English and Central assemblies of the Achimota District to climax this year’s Officers’ Retreat (Apostolisation).

Delivering a sermon titled “Righteousness and Justice,” Apostle Kumi-Larbi, who defines repentance as a change of heart that leads to a changed-life, explained that anyone who has genuinely repented from their sins and accepted Christ as Lord and personal Saviour must show forth their repentance by leading a life of righteousness.

“When it comes to godly living, most contemporary Christians are quick to say that the ‘Lord sees the heart.’ But it is not enough to say that. We must also live it out for the world to see that we have truly repented,” he said.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi explained that despite all the moral decay in society, God has provided redemption through the finished work of Christ on the cross and His resurrection. 

It, however, behoves humans to respond to the gospel message of Christ by turning from their wicked ways (ungodliness), to receive forgiveness of sin and the Holy Spirit in order to qualify them as sons of God with the capacity to live a life of righteousness and holiness, he added.

He said that God is righteous and, therefore, Christians, as subjects of His kingdom, cannot continue to indulge in ungodliness.

He identified Zacchaeus as a true example of repentance because he completely turned from his wicked ways when he surrendered his life to Christ (Luke 19:1-10). 

Elaborating on bribery and extortion, the General Secretary was emphatic that “the Bible is clear that giving or receiving a bribe is evil.”

He explained that bribery is money, favour, or other consideration given in exchange for one’s influence against what is true, right, or just, while extortion is taking money from someone by violence, threats, or the misuse of authority.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi further noted that God is just and shows no partiality (Acts 10:34), and He perfectly exacts vengeance against those who take undue advantage over others.

By His very nature, God is just in meting out rewards for righteousness and equally just in meting out punishments for evil and wrongdoing (Hebrews 6:10, Colossians 3:25), he cautioned.

“If God punished Adam and Eve for disobedience, Cain for murder, Sodom and Gomorrah for sexual perversion etc., then we must also expect to be punished for the same misdeeds (evil) that He has punished others for. This is because God is just, and a false balance is an abomination to Him,” he said.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi, therefore, called on Christians, particularly Christian workers and members of the Church, to endeavour to uphold Kingdom values and principles such as honesty, truthfulness, hard work, diligence and contentment at the workplace as they seek to possess their spheres for Christ. 

PENTECOST NEWS.

righteous3

Make God’s Kingdom & Righteousness Your Priority – Pastor Mireku To Christians

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The Madagascar National Head of The Church of Pentecost, Pastor Daniel Mireku Gyamera, has charged Christians to prioritise righteousness and the advancement of the kingdom of God on earth.

Pastor Gyamera gave this charge yesterday at the ongoing National Officers’ Retreat at the Pokuase Central Assembly auditorium. 

Preaching to participants of the Ofankor Zone of the Achimota Area on the topic: “The New Creation and the ‘Possessing the Nations’ Agenda,” Pastor Mireku emphasised that the new creation are those who have come to faith in Christ (1 Corinthians 5:17).

“They are those who have made up their minds to follow Christ and have no intention of going back to the world,” he said.

The Madagascar National Head explained that the “new creation” is powerful and important because he has been given the power and authority to possess the nations for the Lord.

“Apart from the new creation and the church (the assembly of believers), there is no person or institution that has power over Satan,” he said.

Buttressing his assertion, Pastor Mireku explained that God’s primary purpose for creating man is to take care of the world He created (Genesis 2:16, Psalm 139:13-16). God also gave them talents, skills and abilities to be able to effectively discharge their duty as managers of the earth, he further explained.

He, however, noted that due to the disobedience of the first humans (Adam and Eve), sin entered the world and corrupted all that God had created (Romans 5:12). As a result of this, man lost his glory; and subsequent generations after him inherited his depraved nature.

“So, in order to restore God’s original plan, there is the need for mankind to be born again (spiritual birth). Therefore, anyone who surrenders their life to Christ in faith is born of God. This is who we call the new creation,” he said.

He further noted that, as new creation, it simply means they (believers) have been rescued from the kingdom of darkness and have become members of the kingdom of God.

“As subjects of the kingdom of God, we must serve the purpose and will of our King on earth,” he added.

He also noted that just as the “old creation” was created for a specific purpose, the new creation is also made to fulfil a divine purpose.

According to him, the purpose of the new creation is to advance God’s kingdom on earth by possessing the nations for Christ. This, he said, is achieved through the preaching of the Gospel so that unbelievers can come to the saving knowledge of Christ and by demonstrating Christlike character (Fruit of the Spirit) in every sphere of life to influence others in the society.

“As subjects of the kingdom, we must make God’s kingdom and His righteousness our priority. Righteousness is important because it is the authority of the Kingdom of God and the foundation upon which all other Kingdom values stand; without it, we cannot advance God’s kingdom,” he said.

He also noted that this new responsibility of the new creation does not, in any way, replace mankind’s duty of managing the earth.

“The new creation has a dual responsibility. That is, managing God’s creation and advancing His kingdom on earth. This means, in addition to advancing the kingdom of God, the new creation must also manage God’s creation,” he explained.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Apostle Fredrick Andoh sit

Dunkwa Area Holds 2022 Apostolisation

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The 2022 Officers’ Retreat dubbed ‘Apostolisation’ is underway in the Dunkwa Area of The Church of Pentecost under the theme: “Equipping the Church as an Army to Possess the Nations” (Hebrews 13:20-21, Ephesians 4:11-12, Ephesians 6:10-11).

Hosted by Apostle Jones Awuah Afrifa (Dunkwa Area Head), the annual prayer and teaching retreat had Apostle Vincent Anane Denteh (Director of Pentecost Men’s Ministry and Executive Council Member), and Apostle Fredrick K. Andoh (Assin Foso Area Head), as the guest speakers.

Speaking at the ministers and wives’ session of the retreat on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, at the J. K. Pray Auditorium, Apostle Jones Awuah Afrifa thanked ministers and their wives for their dedication and selfless service towards the Kingdom business. He encouraged them to stay focused and tuned to the Holy Spirit for a great revival.

Delivering a sermon titled: “The Minister as a Soldiers of Christ” – 2 Timothy 2: 1-6, Ephesians 4:11-12, Hebrews 13:20-21, Apostle Fredrick Andoh said that every minister is an ordinary person who has strength and weakness but was called, chosen and commissioned by God for his Kingdom business.

According to him, because God called, choose, and commissioned the minister for a purpose, he expects them to be responsible and fruitful in their calling. He encouraged ministers and their wives not to relent in their calling but give out their best in the Kingdom business.

Apostle Andoh gave seven descriptions of a minister from 2 Timothy 2:1-21. First and foremost, he said the minister is a child of God and as a child of God, they are expected to be humble and submissive to God.

Secondly, he pointed out that Apostle Paul writing to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:1-6 described the minister as a solider. As soldiers, he said ministers are to obey their commander, and not entangle themselves with civilian affairs.

“Obedience is a necessity to fruitfulness in the ministry,” he said.

He advised ministers to endure hardship for God, because Jesus endured the cross for the sake of humanity to bring salvation to the entire human race. He said ministry is hardwork, and that there are so many pressures in the ministry that only ministers who can endure can finish their work as faithful servants.

He also advised ministers to obey and submit to their leaders at all levels and within the ranks of the ministry and pursue the vision of the church.

According to him, loyalty is one of the greatest virtue of a soldier, and admonished ministers to be loyal to each other.

Thirdly, he revealed that the minister is an athlete and God expects them to run according to the rules in the ministry which is the word of God. He explained that to run as a minister means to be zealous and dutiful in all seasons and at all times.

“Many ministers are running but not according to the rules of the kingdom. You must run according to the rules so that you will obtain the prizes,” he said.

He observed that so many ministers are disqualified by God not because they are not working hard but their hard work is not in line with the true purpose of God and the expectations of the Kingdom.

Apostle Andoh pointed out that the minister is a farmer and every good farmer depends on the weather to plants his crops. He advised them to rely on the Holy Spirit to teach them what to do in the ministry instead of leaning on their own understanding. 

“It is God who gives grace and power for service. Rely on him and seek help from him,” he stressed.

The Assin Foso Area Head revealed that the minister is a worker, a vessel of God, and a servant of God. As a worker of God, he must know the code of conduct and the protocol of the kingdom business and apply it in the discharge of their duties.

He also asked ministers to always prepare, avail themselves and remain flexible so that they can be molded and put into maximum use by God. “As servants of God, ministers must remain humble and teachable,” he stressed.

Bringing his message to an end, Apostle Fredrick Andoh advised ministers and their wives to fish out for kingdom successors who will carry out the work of the ministry in their generation. Such people, he said, must be trained and mentored just as Paul mentored Timothy. The kingdom successors, he said, must be people with integrity, faithful, and have ministerial abilities.

Report by Pastor Twene Adane Justice, Dunkwa Atechem District.

Apostle Tawiah

Model Righteousness At All Times – Apostle Tawiah Charges Church Leaders

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The Kwadaso Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle John Budu Kobina Tawiah, has challenged Christians, especially church leaders, to consistently model righteousness in all their endeavours to portray the character of Christ, stressing that, consistency of righteousness is non-negotiable.

According to him, righteousness is the trademark of Christians which relates to the salvation they have found in Christ Jesus.

“We cannot profess to be Christians without living a life of righteousness,” he said.

Apostle Tawiah said this on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, when he spoke on the topic: “Righteousness; The Authority of the Kingdom” at the ongoing New Tafo Area 2022 Officers’ Retreat (Apostolisation) at the M. K. Yeboah Memorial Temple, Krofrom, in the New Tafo Zone.

Taking his main Bible texts from Proverbs 14:34; Romans 14:17, the Kwadaso Area Head noted that Christians have healthy relationship with God and as such their lives must conform to the standards of God. 

He expounded from Matthew 7:1-5 that righteousness makes Christians courageous which gives them moral authority to confront the ills in the church and the society at large.

Defining righteousness, Apostle Tawiah indicated that is it a gift from God through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17-18). 

“Jesus is the centre, key, pillar and pivot of righteousness. So, we believers have been made right with God,” he pointed out.

Referencing the story of Cornelius (Acts 10) to buttress his point, Apostle Tawiah who further noted that righteousness is the condition of being right with God only through the acceptance of the Lordship of Christ, explained that though Cornelius was a devout man who venerated God and treated Him with reverential obedience, as did all his household as he gave much alms to the people and prayed continually to God, these were not enough to make him right with God until he accepted Christ Jesus. 

He, therefore, stressed that no matter how good one may be, they cannot be made right with God until they accept and believe in Christ Jesus, saying, “Righteousness is found only in Jesus.”

As people who have been imputed with God’s righteousness, the man of God urged Christians to put on the breastplate of righteousness, which according to him, signifies moral character to protect their hearts from evil.

He further noted that when believers model righteousness it protects them from danger (Daniel 6:19-21) and saves them from death (Proverbs 11:4), saying, “Let your righteousness be your defense.” 

Reading from Ezekiel 14:14, Apostle J. B. K Tawiah charged church leaders to be the Daniels, Noahs, and Jobs of their time who will exhibit righteousness, faithfulness, obedience, humility, and stand for God at all times which would endear them to God and guarantee their safety.

“When God calls someone, He expects the person to walk in righteousness with Him. As leaders of God’s church, we must walk in righteousness to establish our leadership and leave a legacy before God for divine commendations,” he concluded.

Report by Emmanuel Nana Nsiah