Posts in category: Church News

In pursuance of the objective to contribute to the enhancement of the reformation and integration of prisoners in Ghana, The Church of Pentecost today, Tuesday, May 11, 2021, handed over the newly constructed Ejura Prions Holding facility to the Ghana Prisons service.

The Ejura Prison facility project, which began in 2019, is one of the four holding facilities being constructed by the church to help decongest Ghanaian prisons.

The facility has an administration block, dormitories, kitchen, workshop, and a football field, among others. The facility is sited at Ejura Nkwanta in the Ashanti Region.

The commissioning ceremony, which had the Minister for Interior, Hon. Ambrose Dery as the guest of honour, had in attendance the Chairman of the church, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, the General Secretary, Apostle ANY Kumi-Larbi, and the outgoing International Missions Director, Apostle Emmanuel Gyesi-Addo.

The immediate-past Chairman of the church, Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah, the National Head of the Church in USA, Apostle Michael Agyemang Amoako, and the Chief of Ejura, Barimah Osei Hwedie I (who is also an elder of The Church of Pentecost) graced the event with their presence.

Addressing the gathering at the event, the Chairman said that the construction of the edifice is also the church’s way of demonstrating the love of Christ to prison inmates. He was confident that the facility would help in the reformation of prisons inmates and their subsequent reintegration into society.

He expressed gratitude to the prisons service for partnering the church to undertake this audacious project. He was also grateful to the Chief of Ejura who generously donated the land where the facility is sited.

The Chairman also acknowledged the significant financial contributions of The Church of Pentecost in USA towards the project which cost in excess of GHS2,000,000.00.

Hon. Ambrose Dery, on his part, commended the church for supporting the government’s efforts in reforming prison inmates before they are reintegrated in society.

The Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mr Patrick Darko Missah, who could not hide his delight at the successful completion of the project commended the church for the project, which according to him, would help in decongesting the over-populated prisons in the country.

He revealed that the church is also constructing similar facilities at Obuasi, Damongo and Nsawam, while hinting of a sod-cutting ceremony for another facility at a new location.

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Prophet James Osei Amaniampong, an outgoing Executive Council Member and Asokwa Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, has urged ministers of the gospel to make every effort to serve the Lord faithfully to the very end.

“Do not crawl as you get closer to the finishing line; and at no point should you regard yourself as a derailed Christian, or worse, give up when life is not yet over. We are not finished until we are laid-in-state with our hands crossed on our chest. So, finish strong!

“Retirement is not the end, rather it is to help one relax from hard work; it does not mean one has finished. Indeed, there is going to be a day when God will usher us home, until then, we would still have to keep working,” he said.

Prophet Amaniampong gave this inspiring message on Friday, May 7, during the 45th General Council Meetings of the church, which began on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.

Drawing lessons from the life of Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:23-28, the Asokwa Area Head said that just like Apostle Paul, ministers should be determined to serve to the end despite the many challenges that may befall them in ministry.

He explained that God has assigned each of them special grace and giftings that He expects them to be good stewards of since they will render accounts on them on His return.

“When Jesus said, ‘Occupy till I come,’ He meant that we should operate until He comes; so, we need to work and be productive with whatever He us given us until He comes,” he explained.

To fulfil their ministry as God expects of them, Prophet Amaniampong advised the clergy to strengthen their relationship with God and to be prepared to follow the Lord wholeheartedly.

Quoting John 9:4, Prophet Amaniampong offered some strong words of encouragement to the ministers, saying: “Never give up! Do not move away from the track. Rather, let us move together to build the Kingdom of God, and possess the nations. A day of reckoning is coming. So be determined to follow Christ at all costs.”

He also encouraged them to strive to navigate any form of intimidation that would attempt to hinder them from fulfilling their ministry.

“I want to advise that we do our best and not seek credit for what we have done. Let us keep giving our best while remaining loyal and humble and trust that God will reward each one for what he or she has done. Let us keep serving God with the mindset that He alone would reward us,” he said.

Concluding his message, Prophet Amaniampong said: “It has been my philosophy that I will not rest or retire but finish my work only when God ushers me home. I want to finish with my arm raised towards the Lord as He welcomes me home so that even when I am laid-in-state, there will be smiles on my face. This is what I wish for all of us (ministers), so together, let us fulfil God’s plan for our lives.” 

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The Church of Pentecost, a global Pentecostal church with headquarters in Accra-Ghana, is now operating in 109 out of the 195 nations in all seven continents of the world, making it one of the fastest growing churches in the world.

The Chairman of the church, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, disclosed this in a State of the Church Address for the year 2020 at the opening session of the virtual 45^th Session of the General Council Meetings of the church, on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.

According to the Chairman, despite the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the church made sterling gains in all aspects in the past year.

He disclosed that the total membership of the church worldwide now stands at 3,623,011, recording a growth rate of 4.3% over the previous year. Out of the church’s 3,623,011 global membership, 3,081,862 are in Ghana, constituting 85.1%. Apostle Nyamekye indicated that the church’s current membership in Ghana constitutes 9.92% of the total estimated 2020 Ghanaian population of 31,072,9401. “This also constitutes approximately 14% of the total Christian population in Ghana, which is estimated to be 71.2% of the Ghanaian population,” he stated.

Chairman Nyamekye pointed out that 73.9% of the church’s membership in Ghana is made up of children and youth (up to 35 years), saying, “It is, therefore, important for leadership at all levels to continue to give significant attention to nurturing these young people in a manner that will position them to contribute greatly to the course of the church.”

The Chairman further revealed that the church opened 746 new assemblies worldwide, created 124 districts, and won a total of 195,636 new persons into the body of Christ in 2020 despite the pandemic which affected most religious activities globally.

He further mentioned that the number of assemblies (local churches) in Ghana alone as of December 2020 was 17,422, with a total of 1,523 districts, and 71 administrative areas.

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Reverend David Campbell, a Senior Pastor of the Elim Pentecostal Churches, UK, has urged ministers and members of The Church of Pentecost to be strong and courageous in the pursuance of the “Possessing the Nations” agenda.

According to him, the task of transforming nations with Kingdom values and principles is no small feat and would therefore require great courage on the part of all those involved, particularly the leadership of the church.

Preaching on the topic: “Be Strong & Courageous” inspired by Joshua 1:1-4, Rev. Campbell emphasised the need for the church of the contemporary generation to step out of the shadows of their past heroes and to fully embrace what God is doing through the church today, saying, “the first principle of laying hold of the future is realising that yesterday is gone.”

He, however, advised the church not to disregard its glorious history, but draw strength from the past while being mindful of the mandate they have been given to take hold of the future.

“This is a new era! It is a season to partner with God for revival. It is time to equip the saints for a great revival. This does not mean we should forget the past. No, not at all. The Church of Pentecost is one with a glorious past and is known for how well it honours those who have laboured in the past; however, we must be mindful that God has called us to the future, and it is now time for this generation to take up the responsibility,” he said.

He added: “Sometimes, we must stop looking around for mighty men and maybe start looking in the mirror; perhaps it is our time now! We are the people the Lord is partnering with. This is the time to be strong, and very courageous.”

Rev. Campbell explained that often the almighty God partners with humans not because He cannot accomplish His will on His own, but because He wants to give them significance.

“Is it not amazing how God uses imperfect people with imperfect ways to accomplish His perfect will? God is partnering with The Church of Pentecost in this generation. So do not be frightened but be strong. For the best is yet to come,” he said.

He urged the church to continue to hold fast to the word of God and equip the members to remain steadfast in the Word.

“We must not lose the word of God. We must equip members to read the word and to keep it in their heart. We must remain in the Word and become people of the Word; reading it constantly and carrying the name of Jesus with them everywhere we go,” he said.

After the sermon, the General Superintendent of the Elim Pentecostal Churches, Rev. Chris Cartwright, said a word of prayer for the current generation of the church and for the grace to realise the “Possessing the Nations” agenda.

Rev. Chris Cartwright and Rev. David Campbell joined the 45th General Council Meeting via a Zoom video conferencing. The meeting, which began on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, is under the theme: “A Glorious Church Revived to Possess the Nations.”

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Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe, Head of the Haatso Area of The Church of Pentecost, has been overwhelmingly elected to serve as the International Missions Director (IMD) of the church for the next five years.

The IMD-elect takes over from Apostle Emmanuel Gyesi-Addo, who has successfully served a two-term tenure in this capacity.

The election took place on the second day of the ongoing 45^th General Council Meeting which officially opened on Wednesday, May 6, 2021.

Apostle Agyemang Bekoe garnered 1,184 out of the 1,200 total votes cast, representing 98.7 per cent of total valid votes cast.

In a brief acceptance speech, the newly-elected IMD said: “I give thanks to God whose grace has located me. I want to thank the Chairman who has reposed this confidence in me. I also thank members of the Executive Council who supported this nomination. I also want to express gratitude to all councilors across the globe for their acceptance. I want to plead with you to pray for me so that I will be able to run with the Vision. I know the grace of God will abound and I will not disappoint God, the Chairman, the Executive Council, and the entire membership of the church.”

BRIEF PROFILE OF APOSTLE EMMANUEL AGYEMANG BEKOE

Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe holds a BSc (Hon) and MSc in Chemistry from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He also holds an M.A in Theology from the Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission and Culture, and Basics in Biblical Greek. He is pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy degree with the South African Theological Seminary. He was called into the full-time ministry of The Church of Pentecost in 2006 and has since served at four stations of the church. He is a former missionary to Uganda and is currently serving as the Haatso Area Head. Apostle Agyemang Bekoe is married to Deborah Agyemang-Bekoe with whom he has four children.

PENTECOST NEWS

The Ejura Correctional Facility, one of the four prison facilities being constructed by The Church of Pentecost to decongest Ghanaian prisons, is set to be commissioned on Tuesday, May 11, this year, the Chairman, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has said.

The Chairman revealed this in the 2020 State-of-the-Church Address (SOCA20), which he delivered on Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at the opening ceremony of the 45^th General Council Meetings.

In his address, he said that “in pursuance of its objective to contribute to the enhancement of the reformation and integration of prisoners in Ghana, the church, with the support by some philanthropists progressed with the construction of four Prisons Correctional Facilities which began in 2019.”

The Ejura Prison facility project, which began in 2019, has an administration block, dormitories, kitchen, and football field, among others. The facility is sited at Ejura Nkwanta in the Ashanti Region.

“To the glory of God, I am delighted to say that the Ejura Prison Holding Facility is set to be commissioned on May 11, 2021,” he said.

He further noted that the Nsawam Prisons project, is near completion, while the remaining two facilities at Obuasi and Damongo are also at various stages of completion.

PENTECOST NEWS

Despite the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, The Church of Pentecost recorded a growth rate of 4.3% in its total membership worldwide compared to the previous year.

The church, which currently operates in 109 nations including Ghana, has a total membership of 3,623,011.

This is according to the 2020 State-of-the-Church Address (SOCA20) delivered by the Chairman, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, at the opening ceremony of the ongoing 45^th General Council Meeting on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.

Addressing councilors via a Zoom video conferencing, Apostle Nyamekye stated that, within the period, 195,636 persons were led to Christ, which resulted in the opening of 746 new Assemblies worldwide and 124 Districts.

“It is gratifying to note that despite the challenges that we were confronted with, 99,120 of the souls won were baptised in water. This means that 50.7% of all adult souls won in 2020 were baptised in water,” he said.

He further stated: “In the area of Holy Ghost baptism, a total number of 135,061 members received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Of this number, 69,398 were new converts, representing 70.01% of converts baptised in water. Very encouraging!”

On the pursuance of the Vision 2023 agenda, the Chairman said that the year 2020 witnessed appreciable number of implementation activities at all levels of the Church in spite the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through the new ministry interventions such as the Home and Urban Missions, Ministry of Persons with Disabilities (MPWDs) and the Chaplaincy Ministry, the Church was able to reach out to people groups that were hitherto not reached.

“To the glory of God, the Home and Urban Missions (HUM), in its activities, won 12,331 souls. This was made up of 416 commercial sex workers, 1,194 street dwellers, 3,713 drug addicts, 3,205 northerners in the south, 544 African migrants, 101 expatriates (non-African migrants), 527 Fulanis, 50 Chakalis, 91 Kotokolis and 12 Challa with 800 Others. During the period, 2,183 of the converts received water baptism and 723 were baptised in the Holy Spirit,” he said.

He further noted: “In Walewale Area, the Chieftaincy Ministry has impacted the Bunbuna Nasuan community of Jimbale District to the extent that when a nearby community attacked them, they did not retaliate. When asked why they did not retaliate, they responded that they knew the Jimbale District Minster, Pastor Daniel Tetteh, who had been offering chaplaincy services to the palace would be disappointed to hear that they had retaliated the attack by their opponents. Praise God!”

The Chairman commended all the various ministries, including the traditional ones (Women, Men, Children, Youth and Evangelism), for the great work done in what was otherwise a difficult year.

Apostle Eric Nyamekye led councilors to observe a minute silence for ministers and ministers’ wives who were called to glory during the period.

The Chairman also acknowledged the services of ministers who will be going on retirement this year. They include: Apostle Rene Coco (Benin, 38 years), Apostle Dr. Alfred Koduah (Ghana, 37 years), Apostle Mark Obeng Andoh (Ghana, 37 years), Apostle Robert C. Ackon (Ghana, 35 years), Apostle Komi Edina Agbavitoh (Togo, 33 years), Apostle Dr. Francis Kofi Bonsu (Spain, 32 years), Evangelist Stephen Omane Yeboah – (USA, 27 years), Apostle Dr. Emmanuel Anthony Owusu (Canada, 26 years), Apostle Ekow Badu-Wood (Ghana, 26 years), Apostle Peter Owusu Amponsah (USA, 24 years), Apostle Joseph Adekoya Onile (Nigeria, 23 years) and Apostle Antonio R. Da Silveiro (Brazil, 11 years)

The State-of-the-Church address provides a report on the achievements under the various intervention areas of the Church’s Vision 2023 agenda of “Possessing the Nations”, as well as all major developments that took place in a particular reporting year.

Please download THE 2020 STATE-OF-THE-CHURCH ADDRESS here:

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