Posts in category: Moving With Chairman

The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has challenged Ministers of the Gospel to focus on winning the cities for Christ, since urban centres are the hub of influence and culture.

He made this call when he delivered a sermon at the annual prayer meeting of ministers and wives of The Church of Pentecost in the Greater Accra Region held at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC), Atomic, on Thursday, October 19, 2023.

Some retired ministers of the church and other Executive Council members also graced the event.

Speaking on the topic, “Winning The City,” Apostle Nyamekye explained that most of the cities mentioned in the Bible, such as Antioch, Ephesus, and Corinth, were strategic places for Paul’s missionary work. 

He said that Paul understood that reaching the cities with the gospel would have a ripple effect on the surrounding communities.

The Chairman quoted some scholars who have observed that the world has become one immense city and that he who wins the city wins the world. 

He noted that the trend of urbanisation is likely to continue and that the church needs to adapt to the changing landscape and be serious about fulfilling the Great Commission in the cities.

“When you are transferred from the rural side to the urban side, change your mindset; tune your mind from the rural value setting to the urban value setting,” he advised.

Apostle Nyamekye noted that cities are characterised by diversity, sophistication, anonymity, and sinfulness. He indicated that ministers who work in the cities must be able to adapt to the culture and lifestyle of city dwellers without compromising their faith. 

He also cautioned them to be aware of the challenges and temptations that come with urban ministry.

“Be diverse, especially in the use of language in many areas in the cities. Let there be interpretations in other languages when you have joint services. Conscious efforts should be made for people to lead church services in the vernacular,” he stated.

He discussed the challenges that rural-urban migration poses to countries like Ghana, where limited employment opportunities, inadequate access to education and healthcare, resource constraints, and lower living standards often push people to seek better prospects in urban areas.

“Statistics reveal that a substantial percentage of the membership of The Church of Pentecost resides in urban centres. In the Greater Accra Region, where the church has a significant presence, the congregation raised 47.4% of the total tithes in 2022,” he said, adding, “These numbers highlighted the necessity for the church to adjust its ministry approaches to cater to the unique needs of urban congregations.” 

Apostle Nyamekye urged ministers to focus on helping the weak in the city, emphasising that ministry in urban areas should not be self-centred or driven by personal ambition. 

Given the fast-paced urban lifestyle, he reminded them that ministry in the city demands attention to one’s spiritual life.

The Chairman called for the church to embrace change, diversity, and quality in its urban ministry efforts while encouraging leaders to adapt to the dynamic nature of city life, manage conflicts, and foster harmony within diverse urban communities.

He concluded his message by saying that “city churches need leaders who think as city people,” underscoring the need for a shift in mindset to effectively address the unique challenges and opportunities that urban ministry presents.

As part of the programme, newly transferred ministers and their wives to the region were introduced to the gathering.

PENTECOST NEWS 

Retired former Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Dr. Michael Kwabena Ntumy’s tenacity and faith in God in the face of challenges and difficulties is legendary. He is one man of God, who has been through what can aptly be described as painful life experiences. But in all of the challenges he has been through, the former Chairman has not been heard publicly questioning God or slacking in his faith in God.

One typical example of his tenacious character and faith in God was his decision not to leave the flock in Liberia and return to a comfortable life in Ghana, citing the war; instead, he made that decision, which would have been very difficult for many a man of God to take – he stayed with the members of the church and went through the harrowing experience of war with them, to the extent that he came face-to-face with death, spending one hundred and sixty-five days in Flamingo, the popular camp of no return during the Liberian war.

Another demonstration of his faith in God is how he has given recognition to the goodness of God in his life, despite having been confined to an electronic wheelchair in the last fifteen years, after serving meritoriously as Chairman of The Church of Pentecost.

On the occasion of the retirement service of the former Chairman, the current Chairman of the church, Apostle Eric Kwabena Nyamekye paid glowing tribute to his staying power, urging the congregants and the wider Christian community to emulate the tenacity and staying power demonstrated by the former Chairman.

“We have seen the life of a man with such staying power and tenacity. As the preacher said, let us thank God for his life, let us recognize the goodness of the Lord.

“Today, we have been called upon to learn from the life of our dear apostle; that we will be able to suffer long, have the needed tenacity and staying power in times of difficulties and remember that, “God is still good; His goodness and love endure forever”, he asserted.

Chairman Nyamekye also eulogised Mrs. Martha Ntumy’s staying power; and not abandoning her husband to his fate, but sticking to him throughout the challenging times the former Chairman has faced in this life, saying, “in Ghana, the statistics on divorce between believers and non-believers is almost the same. What this means is that we lack staying power. Let us learn from Apostle Michael Kwabena Ntumy and his wife, Mrs. Martha Ntumy”, he urged.

Report by Elder David Tagoe

Without a shred of doubt, his two terms of ten years as the fourth Chairman of The Church of Pentecost saw the church emerging from obscurity to national and international prominence, spreading its tentacles to all continents of the world.

In the last fifteen years, he has been confined to an electronic wheelchair, but that could not stop him from serving as the Director of Literary Works of the church.

Since his assumption of that duty, under his watch, the Church has published twenty books of international standards. The aforementioned and many more are the things he availed himself to be used of the Lord to do  in the church. Many are those who would have claimed indispensability that, but for them, the church could not have assumed its current status, but certainly, not the now retired former chairman of The Church of Pentecost.

In an excellently written response read on his behalf on the occasion of his retirement service held at the auditorium of H4 Hotel, Hamburg, Bergedorf, typical of him, Apostle Dr. M. K. Ntumy drummed home one point- he would not claim credit for anything.

He wrote, “finally, to The Church of Pentecost fraternity worldwide, thank you very much. You do not owe me anything; I owe you everything; I didn’t make you what you are, you made me what I am. Long live the church of Pentecost. God bless us all”.

In that response preceded by the song, “Aseda fata wo, ayeyi fata wo, yen Hene Christo,” Apostle Dr. M. K. Ntumy expressed profound gratitude to the current Chairman, Apostle Eric Kwabena Nyamekye and members of the Executive Council, as well as the immediate-past Chairman of the church, Apostle Professor Opoku Onyinah (Rtd) for not abandoning him to his fate, but showed him great support.

He remarked, “Chairman Eric Nyamekye has shown us exceptional love and compassion even long before he became chairman. He has visited me many times, and shared with us from his personal resources; called me very often to enquire about our well-being and to pray with us”.

Turning attention to the immediate-past Chairman, Apostle Professor Opoku Onyinah, he recalled, “Chairman Opoku Onyinah told me, “I do not see death in this at a time doubt abounded, whether the following day will see me alive. He insisted, that despite my disability, I still have a lot in me with which to serve the Lord and the Church so retiring me on health grounds was not an option.

“He and his executive council appointed me Director of Literary Works in 2013; today our directorate has published twenty books of international standards”.

He also expressed gratitude to former General Secretaries, Apostle Albert Amoah and Apostle Dr. Alfred Koduah, and International Missions Directors, Apostles B. K. Arthur and Stephen Kofi Baidoo, both of blessed memory with whom he worked during his tenure as Chairman from 1998 to 2008.

He also thanked those under whose administrations he served namely; Apostles Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi and Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe, General Secretary and International Missions Director respectively.

In that same response, he paid glowing tribute to his dear wife, Mrs. Martha Ntumy, whom he affectionately calls Lady, for standing by him through thick and thin in his ministry.

Amid a loud applause from the congregation, he said, “at this juncture, dear Chairman, permit me to pay a glowing tribute to my wife, Mrs. Martha Ntumy. My wife of forty-one years now; a ministry partner for the past 39 years; she is all-in-all to me; my beloved wife, a mother and the best of friends.

“Over the past fifteen years when I got into the state of paralysis, the best of my dear Lady came to the fore; my nurse, my doctor and mighty intercessor; Lady, may the Lord richly bless you and greatly reward you”.

He didn’t miss the opportunity to thank his children for acquitting themselves well. For them, he prayed, “may the Lord bless each of you in the continuous journey of life”.

Written by Elder David Tagoe

The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost and President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has reiterated the call for Christians to make intentional efforts to translate their religiosity into spirituality and, by extension, morality to transform the nations with values and principles of the Kingdom of God.

“The journey starts with a commitment to first live and then teach the very values and principles that will nurture individuals capable of being channels through whom the grace of God will flow in blessing society,” he said. 

Delivering the closing address at the All Ministers’ Conference hosted by The Church of Pentecost at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh, from Tuesday, September 19, to Friday, September 22, 2023, Apostle Nyamekye underscored the need for Christians to transform the structures and institutions to position the development agenda of the country. 

He stated that the journey towards transforming the moral fibre of the nation should start with ministers who live and teach the very values they profess. 

“The church must consciously move out of our fortress and begin to see our settings as God-given opportunities for ministry – becoming the real salt of the earth and light of the world that will permeate like yeast into every fabric of society with righteousness. 

“Our members must arise to confront the moral decadence in their spheres of influence, no matter the cost nor opposition,” he said.

A communiqué issued at the end of the Conference called on the Church to intentionally identify, promote and strategically support political actors who have proven moral standards at all levels of the political space. It also recommended that the Christian community champion the inclusion of morality at all levels of Ghanaian educational structure by expanding the STEM flagship programme to include morality, thus Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Morality (STEMM). 

The Conference further called on churches to invest in building the capacity of morally sound media personnel and provide the needed logistics with an intentional agenda to provide ethical and quality content to set the pace for media discourse and agenda setting.

The theme for the conference was, “Moral Vision and National Development: The Role of the Church.” It brought together about 2,500 ministers of the gospel and church leaders drawn from the Protestant, Catholic, Pentecostal, Charismatic, and Para-Church organisations across the country.

Speakers at the Conference included Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe (International Missions Director of The Church of Pentecost), Most Rev. Charles Palmer-Buckle (Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast), Most Rev. Dr Paul Kwabena Boafo (Presiding Bishop, Methodist Church – Ghana), Apostle Dr Aaron Ami-Narh (President, The Apostolic Church, Ghana) and Rev. Sam Korankye Ankrah (Founder & Apostle General, Royalhouse Chapel International).

Other speakers were Rev. Dr Stephen Wengam (General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Ghana), Archbishop Charles Agyinasare (Founder & Leader, Perez Chapel International), Mr Emmanuel Baba Mahama (National President of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International – Ghana) and Apostle Jude Hama (President, Africa Bible Centre for Disciple-making (ABCD).

The rest were Bishop Emmanuel Louis Nterful (Convener, United Denominations of churches originating from the Lighthouse Group of Churches), Rev. Dr Joyce Rosalind Aryee (Founder & Executive Director, Salt & Light Ministries), Mr Bernard Avle (General Manager, Citi TV/Citi FM), Prof Stephen Adei (Former Board Chairman, Ghana Revenue Authority), Dr. Joshua Oppong-Sarfo (Leader, New African Concept), and Apostle Dr John Kpikpi (Senior Pastor, City of God Church).

PENTECOST NEWS

Please find below the full text of the Opening Address delivered by the Chairman of THE CHURCH OF PENTECOST and Convener of the ongoing All-Ministers Conference (#AMC2023), Apostle Eric Nyamekye, during the opening session of the interdenominational conference.

The address contains all you need to know about the focus and objectives of this all-important conference.

Reading Time: 5 minutes

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Praise the Lord!

I am delighted that we are gathered here once again as a unified force not bound by denominational barriers to pursue the purpose of the Church in our dear nation, Ghana.

On behalf of the Executive Council of The Church of Pentecost and the entire planning committee members of this conference, which cuts across several other denominations, I welcome you all to the second edition of the All Ministers #interdenominational conference. Last year was a blessing, and I am hopeful this year’s edition will equally be a blessing.

Dearly beloved, as I indicated last year, I hold the view that no one denomination is the exclusive or particular channel of God’s grace. The saints, I believe, are equally distributed among all denominations and that the degree to which God uses a fellow is determined not by the denomination in which he is located but by the depth of his surrender to God, regardless of where he is.

To achieve the #transformation of our dear nation and fulfil the Great Commission within our context, we must work together across denominational lines. By joining forces, we can become a powerful voice that shapes the growth and development of our nation through the gospel of Christ. This is the essence of the “All Ministers Conference”.

Brothers and sisters, this year’s conference, in particular, is a direct follow-up of the National Development Conference, which was hosted by The Church of Pentecost here at PCC a couple of weeks ago under the theme, “Moral Vision and National Development”.

The conference brought together Ghana’s two former presidents, the sitting Vice President, the Speaker of Parliament, the Chief Justice, parliamentarians, leaders of political parties and various heads of institutions.

The Conference called for an urgent need for a clear moral vision that will serve as the bedrock for our development as a nation.

The question we are confronted with as a Church is this: as the salt of the earth and light of the world, what role can the Church play in all this? Dearly beloved, this is what this year’s All Ministers Conference seeks to address under the theme: “Moral Vision and National Development – the Role of the Church”.

The relevance of the church to the common man is the transformation it brings to society.

For a nation that claims to have 71.3 % of its population as Christians, we need to rethink our influence on the nation’s development in our generation, especially the moral development.

Among this, 71.3% of Ghanaians claiming to be Christians are cultural Christians, nominal Christians and actual practising Christians.

By cultural Christians, I am referring to those who claim to be Christians solely due to their forebears being Christians but have never been active members of any church.

Between 2010 and 2015, the Ghana Evangelism Committee conducted a “National Church Survey” in five regions.

However, due to funding constraints, the survey did not cover all the five regions. According to the survey, only 19.76% of the population in the Ashanti region attended church.

In the Upper West region, the survey recorded only 12.05% of the region’s population attending church. The Upper East, Northern and Bono Ahafo regions recorded 12.0%, 8.21% and 21.23% respectively.

Admittedly, it is possible that these statistics might have improved over the period, but one thing is clear: as ministers of the Gospel, we need to work really hard to bring all these cultural and nominal Christians into the fold of the Church and effectively disciple them so that our huge numbers can have a meaningful impact on the nation.

Brothers and sisters, as we work hard in discipling our members, we must, however, keep in mind that persons are not isolated individuals, but are persons embedded in community with its complex and sometimes corrupt socioeconomic and political structures.

We cannot save the soul of an individual and be unconcerned about the society they live in – the very structures and systems that inform their everyday life. Both the soul and society must be evangelised to make righteous living easy in the society.

The theme for this conference, “Moral Vision and National Development – the Role of the Church”, is a call to consciously raise all who claim to be members of our churches to be channels through whom the grace of God will flow in blessing to society.

It is a call to help our members appreciate their role as the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

It is a call to re-orient ourselves that the Church holds the key to the transformation of this nation.

It is a call to refocus the church on its core mandate of raising Christlike Christians who will transform society with righteousness. For righteousness, the Bible says, exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people (Prov. 14:34).

Brothers and sisters, I am very confident that as the Church of God, when we collectively keep our minds to our mandate, we can bring about the needed transformation to the nation. I am happy to note that we can draw some encouragement from history.

Max Weber was a German sociologist, economist, and politician. In 1904, Max Weber wrote a series of essays about the evolution of capitalism in Northern and Central Europe. These essays later became the widely read book “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.”

According to Weber, the industrial revolution that gave birth to the new economy in Europe and eventually to our modern civilisation was a result of the teachings of the European Protestants.

Weber believed that the influence of the Protestant ethic on large numbers of people to work in the secular world, enterprises, trade, savings, and investments gave birth to the new world economy, largely known as capitalism. It is upon that economy that our modern world stands.

Prior to the Protestants’ teaching, the dilemma of the European economy was the fact that when landowners employed labourers, they could not make these labourers give their best. The only incentive widely known and used at that time was an increase in wages, thinking that when there was an increase in wages for labourers, they would view their work as more valuable and, thus, work longer and harder.

However, in the real sense, the labourers often spent less time working and not hard enough. They would rather drink and leisure. But the teaching of the Protestants changed all that.

The basic teachings of the Protestants were all surrounding values, ethics, and morals. They focused on building a better world out of what they had. Their teachings, among others, stressed on the following:

That righteousness must be at the basis of the nation, government, and society in general.

That ministry was not only meant for the clergy; every believer is a minister. Howbeit, they minister everywhere they find themselves on a daily basis: at work, at home and everywhere.

That secular work is as sacred as the clergy’s. Hence, you do everything as unto the Lord, and whatsoever your hands find to do, you do to the very best.

They also taught their people to choose to live for the long term, even eternity. This perspective on time motivated them to be far-sighted, sacrificing the short-term for the long term. They live with the next generation in mind. They were never interested in amassing wealth at the expense of the nation.

These values were later transferred to the United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries and continents where the descendants of these European Protestants were scattered in the 16th/17th centuries.

Everywhere the Protestants and their descendants went, they took with them these same teachings, and they got the same results – a developed economy and an advanced and civilised society – a generally more prosperous nation.

If we do what the #Protestants did, we will have the results they had – the transformation of our society.

We cannot afford to only put up huge church buildings, raise gigantic billboards, litter churches across the nations, etc., without our salt and light being felt in our generation. This ought to change, brothers and sisters; this ought to change.

How can we complain about corruption when we are the salt of the earth?

It is for such reasons that we are gathered here once again to rethink our influence on our nation. It may not all happen in one day, but we need to begin from somewhere.

We need to ask ourselves, what are we not doing right? As we hear from the various speakers, let each and every one of us reflect – what am I not doing right as a church worker?

Let us make an intentional effort to translate our religiosity to spirituality and from spirituality to morality, and let us release our members into society to transform it with the values and principles of the Kingdom of God.

If the Protestants in the 16/17 century could do it, we can also do it in our time.

It is my prayer that in this conference, we shall have a deeper and better understanding of our role in the nation’s development.

I pray that after this conference, righteousness will flow from our churches to the streets and the marketplace.

On this note, I once again welcome you to the second edition of the All Ministers Conference. May the Lord of the Church, even our Lord Jesus Christ, be with us and give us success.

The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost and President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has asserted that society will feel the impact of the Church when it works towards transforming society.

“The relevance of the Church to the ordinary person is the transformation it brings to society,” he said, adding, “For a nation that claims to have 71.3 % of its population as Christians, we need to rethink our influence on the nation’s development in our generation, especially the moral development.

Apostle Nyamekye said this at the opening session of the 2nd All Ministers Conference (the biggest non-denominational conference for Ghanaian pastors) being attended by about 2,500 ministers at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh near Kasoa.

Being held from Tuesday, 19th to Friday, 22nd September 2023, the conference is under the theme: “Moral Vision and National Development – the Role of the Church.”

The Chairman pointed out that 71.3% of Ghanaians purporting to be Christians are cultural Christians, nominal Christians and actual practising Christians.

He observed that cultural Christians are those whose ancestors were Christians while they have not accepted Christ or been active church members.

He charged the clergy to work to bring all cultural and nominal Christians into the Church and effectively disciple them so that the Christian community’s huge numbers could have a meaningful impact on the nations.

Apostle Nyamekye charged ministers to work together across denominational lines’ since this is the essence of the conference.

While calling on the clergy to work hard at winning souls, he advised them not to lose sight that the souls (persons) they win are not isolated individuals but live in communities with complex and corrupt socio-economic and political structures.

“We cannot save the soul of an individual and not be concerned about the society they live in, the very structures and systems that inform their daily lives. Both the soul and society must be evangelised to make righteous living easy in the nation,” he stated.

The GPCC President expressed his delight that Ghanaian clergy was gathering once again as a unified force not bound by denominational barriers to pursuing the purpose of the Church in Ghana.

He reiterated that a single church denomination cannot achieve the work of transforming people to be Christlike, saying, “I hold the view that no one denomination is the exclusive or particular channel of God’s grace. The saints, I believe, are equally distributed across denominations. That, the degree to which God uses a fellow is determined not by the denomination in which they are located but by the depth of their surrender to God regardless of where they are.”

Apostle Nyamekye disclosed that the essence of this year’s conference is to work together as a joint force to effect a moral change and foster national development as the Church, stressing that “we can become a powerful voice that shapes the development of our nation through the gospel of Christ.”

He indicated that the conference is a direct follow-up of the conference on national development that brought together two former presidents of Ghana, the sitting vice-president, the speaker of parliament, the chief justice, parliamentarians, leaders of political parties and various heads of institutions.

He revealed that the conference called for an urgent need for a clear moral vision to serve as a bedrock for Ghana’s development.

He said the theme of the conference serves as a conscious call to Christians to be channels through whom the grace of God will flow in blessing the Ghanaian society, a call to help all appreciate their role as salt and light of the earth, a call to orient church members that the Church holds the key to the transformation of nations.

Apostle Eric Nyamekye called on the Church to refocus her core mandate of raising Christlike Christians who will transform society with righteousness.

PENTECOST NEWS

Apostle Eric Nyamekye has been inducted into office as Chairman of The Church of Pentecost for a second term.

Apostle Nyamekye was given the nod to lead the Church for another five-year term during the 46th General Council meetings held in May this year.

The induction ceremony, which took place at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) in Atomic, Accra, on Saturday, September 2, 2023, was attended by several prominent clergymen, Heads of Churches in and outside Ghana, as well as state officials and traditional leaders, among others.

Notable among them were Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah Rtd. (Former Chairman of The Church of Pentecost), Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe (International Missions Director), Apostle Dr. Aaron Ami-Narh (President, Apostolic Church of Ghana), and Elder Dr. Yaw Adutwum, Minister of Education and his deputy, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour.

The event also witnessed the induction of the four newly-elected Executive Council Members: Apostle A.N.Y. Kumi-Larbi, Apostle Dr. Amos Jimmy Markin, Apostle Dr. Dieudonne Komla Nuekpe, and Apostle Banimpo Lare.

Apostle Ebenezer Hagan and Elder Ebenezer Acheampong were introduced as the Youth Ministry Director and Deputy Director of the Pentecost Men’s Ministry (PEMEM) at the historic event.

In his maiden address, Apostle Nyamekye, on behalf of all the inductees, thanked God for offering them the opportunity to serve the Church in their respective offices.

He also solicited the support of the entire church community to enable them to discharge their roles effectively.

The Chairman noted that in the last five years, the Church pursued the “Possessing the Nations” agenda, which aimed at influencing every sphere of society with the values and principles of the Kingdom of God.

The pursuit of the five-strategic vision of the Church, dubbed Vision 2023, saw The Church of Pentecost achieving significant success and contributing significantly to societal transformation, he said.

He added that during the period, the Church recorded a 29% growth in overall membership and a 50% increase in the number of new nations reached.

Touching on Vision 2028, the Chairman said that in the coming years, the Church will pursue what he described as “Phase 2 of the Possessing the Nations agenda.”

“While Vision 2023 focused on equipping our members, Vision 2028 will focus on unleashing these equipped members into the world as agents of transformation,” stressing: “We need to make God popular again.”

The Chairman revealed that the ultimate goal of Vision 2028 is to fulfil the Great Commission by reaching individuals from all walks of life and elevating the values and principles of the Kingdom of God in every sphere of society.

PENTECOST NEWS

Apostle Eric Nyamekye, the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, has offered guidance to retired ministers, ministers’ wives, widows, and widowers within the Church, urging them to embrace a joyful and healthy life during retirement while maintaining a continuous connection with God.

Apostle Nyamekye shared these insights on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, during the 2023 Retirement Seminar hosted at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh.

Addressing participants on the topic “One Thing I Ask Of The Lord, Two I Desire,” using scriptural references from Psalm 27:4-5, he drew attention to King David’s prayerful aspirations in his later years.

“Even if you’re not preaching as often, you’re still a Christian with a unique wealth of experience from serving in the Lord’s sanctuaries for years,” he assured.

He emphasized that retiring ministers shouldn’t feel their ministry and priesthood have been taken away. Instead, he reminded them of their continuing role as carriers of priestly wisdom, vital for guiding the next generation.

Apostle Nyamekye emphasized that while their earthly journey is ongoing, their priestly role remains.

He urged the participants to stand as intermediaries between God and the people, highlighting the spiritual duty that continues even after retirement. Neglecting this responsibility, he noted, would be considered a sin.

“Harmony leads to happiness; disharmony leads to inner turmoil,” he underscored.

Quoting Psalm 31:7, he explained that it’s not only the heart that suffers but the soul as well. Maintaining a contented and optimistic mindset, he stressed, is crucial for a fulfilling, healthy life.

The Chairman recommended that retirees shield themselves from negativity and instead focus on uplifting words that elevate the spirit.

He highlighted the power of self-affirmation and the importance of positive thinking in nurturing happiness and health.

Apostle Nyamekye encouraged the elderly to shed negativity and maintain a Christ-like attitude, acknowledging that not everyone will be supportive.

He likened life to a stage, and despite stepping out of the limelight, he urged them to continue making their lives meaningful even behind the scenes.

PENTECOST NEWS

The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has challenged Ghanaians to be willing to endure discomfort by prioritising the interest of the nation ahead of their personal interests in order to hand over a better country to future generations.

According to him, the nation will not experience steady progressive growth if its citizens, particularly those in leadership positions, continue to promote their individual interests at the nation’s expense.

“We have people in leadership who only think about their interests, and this is not good. Live for the next generation and not just for the next four years,” Apostle Nyamekye charged, adding that “you cannot improve the future without addressing the present, so let us think about tomorrow’s Ghana. Whatever you do should benefit the nation.”

He made these remarks at the opening of a two-day National Development Conference, organised by The Church of Pentecost, at the Pentecost Convention Centre, Gomoa Fetteh, near Kasoa, on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. The theme of the conference is “Moral Vision and National Development.”

Drawing lessons from Isaiah 59:14-15 and Proverbs 14:34, he opined that every leader’s success or failure lies in the people’s nature, character, and confidence. He stressed the need to uphold moral principles since no nation can realise its potential with people who live by conflicting values.

Apostle Nyamekye cited the case of Moses, Israel’s greatest leader, who could not enter the Promised Land, and Aaron made a golden calf for the people, resulting in his inability to enter the promised land due to the character and pressure of the people, which they failed to nip in the bud promptly and strategically.

“We need to have a set of moral principles that will guide the life of Ghana. A socially approved and acceptable pattern and norms of proper conduct shared by all” advocated Apostle Nyamekye.

Apostle Nyamekye lamented the decline in moral values in Ghanaian society and highlighted the church’s transformative mandate and historical antecedents to be involved in the conversation of national development.

He encouraged the mindset to build a better world based on the teachings of our forebears about equality, the dignity of labour, and integrity in one’s words.

The conference, attended by a cross-section of Ghanaians from all parts of the country, including members of parliament, MMDCEs, political party representatives, assembly members, and others, is expected to issue a communique at its conclusion.

During the event, Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia delivered the keynote address, while former presidents H.E. John Agyekum Kufuor and H.E. John Dramani Mahama addressed the gathering.

Speeches and fraternal greetings were also delivered at the event by the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban S. K. Bagbin, the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Gertrude, Justice A. E. Torkonoo, and the President of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA), Mr. Albert Kwabena Dwumfour.

The conference includes various topics, such as “Moral Vision and Development” by Prof. Delanyo Adadevoh of the International Leadership Foundation, “Leadership and Human Flourishing: Making a Case for Social Justice and Nation Building in Ghana Today” by Very Rev. Prof. J. Asamoah-Gyadu, President of Trinity Theological Seminary, and “Raising Effective Politicians for Africa” by Dr. Olivia N. Muchena, Former Minister of Women Affairs, Zimbabwe.

Other topics include “Religion and Morality Development” by Sheik Aremeyaw Shaibu, Spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, “Integrity in Nation Building” by Apostle A. N. Y. Kumi-Larbi, and “Patriotism and National Development” by Rev. Dr. Opuni Frimpong, Executive Director of Alliance for Christian Advocacy Africa.

PENTECOST NEWS.