Posts in category: Moving With Gs

Apostle Samuel Gyau Obuobi, 53, has been elected as the General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, succeeding Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, who served in the role for 10 years.

The nomination of Apostle Obuobi, who is the Asamankese Area Head of the Church, was confirmed by delegates at the Church’s 46th session of the General Council Meetings, held at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC) on Thursday, May 4, 2023.

He secured an overwhelming endorsement of 1,256 votes, representing 99.6% of the 1,262 votes cast.

Profile of Apostle Samuel Obuobi

Apostle Samuel Obuobi is a Chartered Accountant who holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Master’s degree in Organisational Leadership and Governance from the University of Ghana, Legon.

He was called into full-time ministry of The Church of Pentecost in 2004, beginning as a Resident Minister at Emmanuel Worship Centre in Dansoman Area while simultaneously serving as a lecturer at Pentecost University. Later on, he was transferred to Prophet M. K. Yeboah Worship Centre in the Odorkor Area, and subsequently assigned as Resident Minister at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC), Asokwa, and later at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC), Atomic, Accra. Currently, he serves as the Area Head of the Church in Asamankese.

Apostle Samuel Obuobi has also served on various boards and committees of the Church.

He is married to Mrs. Korkor Obuobi, and they are blessed with three children.

PENTECOST NEWS

Whoever thought that a street boy, perched in a tailoring kiosk in Suhum Amponsah Market with his well-known drunkard father, and whose mother was the daughter of a chief fetish priest, could be saved and have the opportunity to be schooled and become a Minister of the Gospel? Isn’t it sheer grace? Who is this person? How did he come out of obscurity and attain prominence? Indeed, with God, all things are possible. The man in perspective is the indefatigable Apostle Ing. Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, the outgoing General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, who has served the Church, God, and the country in that capacity for the past ten years.

Apostle Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi is not ashamed of his ugly and hopeless past, from which only the mighty hand of God could snatch him and give him an expected end. No wonder this man is so passionate about evangelism and soul-winning. Whenever he mounts the stage to preach, he narrates where God took him from and where he is now. His testimony is so touching that it leaves most of his listeners weeping and eager to hear more.

Through him, his drunkard father, and his idol-worshipping mother, came to the saving knowledge of Christ. Today, he can pride himself on building a formidable and well-respected Christian family.

46th General Council Meeting Elections

In the next few days, The Church of Pentecost will elect a new General Secretary to replace Apostle Kumi-Larbi at the upcoming 46th Session of the General Council Meetings. This meeting will take place from May 3rd to May 5th, 2023, at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh in the Central Region. The event will have His Excellency Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, as the Special Guest of Honour.

This piece does not attempt to speculate in any way about who will become the next General Secretary of the largest Pentecostal/Charismatic Church in Ghana. Rather, it seeks to eulogize the achievements of the hardworking outgoing General Secretary and his life experiences. Additionally, it will highlight the position of the General Secretary, which is regarded as the second-highest position within The Church of Pentecost.

How it all began

In 2013, when the “gentle giant,” Apostle Dr Alfred Koduah ended his second five-year tenure as the General Secretary of the Church, the then Chairman of the Church, Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah, noticed a young Apostle named Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, who was in charge of the Asamankese Area of the Church at the time.

Looking back over the past ten years, the general consensus among the Church populace is that Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah could not have chosen a better person, as Apostle Kumi-Larbi has exceeded all expectations.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi served under Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah for five years and has worked with the current Chairman and newly elected President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), Apostle Eric Nyamekye, for the past five years. With tenacity, enthusiasm, and zeal, Apostle Kumi-Larbi has carried out the implementation of the Church’s Vision 2023 of the ‘Possessing the Nations’ agenda.

Chairman Eric Nyamekye sometimes wonders whether the General Secretary even sleeps since he is always on the move to ensure the realisation of the vision. In one of the events organised by the Church in November last year, Apostle Nyamekye virtually wept when he introduced Apostle Kumi-Larbi and indicated that he [Kumi-Larbi] would be attending the annual conference for the last time in his official capacity as the General Secretary of the Church.

Election of the General Secretary

The Church of Pentecost is touted for its excellent governance structure, which has enabled the Church to endure the test of time and emerge as a prominent, thriving global Church.

Chapter 3 of the Church’s Constitution outlines the Administration of the Church, which specifies the various administrative structures and how the Principal Officers (Chairman, General Secretary, and International Missions Director) and other key officers are selected.

Article 14 of the Constitution sets out the qualifications for the General Secretary as a mature Minister of the Church with a good standard of education. The General Secretary’s duties include: managing the Church’s correspondence, being accountable to the Chairman for the Head Office Administration,  serving as an ex-officio member of all Boards and Committees, holding the official seal of the Church and reporting to the General Council on the Headquarters Administration’s performance.

The Church of Pentecost’s method of selecting its key officers has upheld the Church’s sanctity, unity, and rapid and sustainable growth. The Church does not have elections or contests for higher positions or offices. Instead, suitable persons are chosen to occupy leadership positions in the Church through a ‘calling’ (nomination), subsequently affirmed through a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ voting system. This selection method eliminates lobbying and campaigning, which typically results in factionalism and disunity as has been the case in some churches. In Acts Chapter 1:12-26, Peter and the other Apostles prayed before selecting Matthias to replace Judas Iscariot. Similarly, in The Church of Pentecost, people are called/nominated to occupy higher positions upon careful consideration and reflection through prayers.

The process for selecting the General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost involves several steps as outlined in Article 14 (3) of the Church’s Constitution. The process begins with the 15-Member Executive Council, led by the Chairman of the Church [after prayerful consideration], presenting a candidate from the list of eligible candidates to the Electoral College for open discussion and secret ballot. The Electoral College is made up of Members of the Executive Council, Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, National Heads, and Area Heads. The Electoral College will then conduct a secret ballot election, supervised by an Electoral Commission appointed by the Executive Council, with the candidate elected by a simple majority. Finally, the candidate elected by the Electoral College will be presented to the General Council, the highest decision-making body of the Church, for approval by a two-thirds majority vote of the members present and voting.

The elected General Secretary, like the two other Principal Officers of the Church, will serve for a term of five years and may be re-elected for a second term only, i.e., he cannot be elected to hold office for more than two terms.

During this two-term tenure, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi has done an excellent job handling the Church’s affairs. Due to his front-line involvement in pursuing specific national agendas, he is well-respected among Ghana’s ecumenical bodies.

The personality of Apostle Kumi-Larbi

Apostle Kumi-Larbi is a man known for his high level of integrity and is highly esteemed by both ministerial and non-ministerial staff at the Church’s Headquarters. He has a humble disposition, respects everyone, promotes team spirit, exhibits level-headedness, maintains good human relationships, demonstrates ingenuity, and takes work seriously. Anyone who has interacted with him will forever remember these qualities. He adopts an open-door administration, listens attentively, and addresses all issues brought to his attention promptly. Apostle Kumi-Larbi is not interested in using his position to lord over others, knowing that power can corrupt. His prayer has always been to occupy the Office as a Christian and to leave as a Christian without blemish. Fortunately, his prayer has been answered, and he is leaving the Office with clean hands.

Profile of Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi

Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi was born on 24th December 1964 at Asamankese in the Eastern Region to Mr Samuel Opare Kumi and Madam Florence Akosua Odi, both from Abiriw-Akuapim and of blessed memory.

As an engineer by training, he started schooling at Suhum Presbyterian School and obtained his Middle School Leaving Certificate in 1979. He then continued his education at Koforidua Secondary Technical School. He passed the GCE ‘O’ level examination in 1984 and proceeded to the Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School (PRESEC, Legon) for his GCE’ A’-Level certificate in 1986.

During his pre-university National Service, he taught for one year at the Suhum Presbyterian JHS (from 1986-1987).

He subsequently gained admission at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and graduated with a BSc. (Hons) degree in Civil Engineering in 1991. During his post-university National Service, he taught at Takoradi Polytechnic, now Takoradi Technical University, from 1991-1992.

In 1995, he was awarded an OSW Scholarship to pursue an MSc degree in Infrastructure Planning at the University of Stuttgart in Germany. He completed the program in 1997. Additionally, he has finished the School of Theological Education by Extension (STEE) program at Pentecost University and has been awarded a Bachelor’s degree in Theology. He is currently a member of the Ghana Institution of Engineers (MGhIE).

Work Experience

He worked with Twum Boafo and Partners, a Consulting Engineering firm in Ghana (1992 to 2000), during which he engaged in Structural, Civil Engineering and Road Design and Construction Works. His experience in road works includes pavement and geometric designs, hydrological studies and the design of drainage structures. He was also involved in the design and supervision of some significant projects in the country, including serving as a Resident Engineer for the Rehabilitation and Completion of the Accra and Kumasi sports stadiums for the CAF-Under 20 Youth Soccer Tournament (1998-2000), Design and Resident Engineer responsible for the construction of the SSNIT flats at Tema Community 5 and Ho (1992-1995), Assistant Design Engineer involved in the Feasibility Studies for the Reconstruction of Tetteh-Quarshie Interchange-Mamfe road (1994-1995); he was involved in the structural design and detailing for a warehouse and offices for VRA at Aboadze Thermal Plant site office, Takoradi (1999) and a Consulting Engineer for The Church of Pentecost projects (1993 to date).

Call into full-time Ministry

Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi was called into the full-time ministry of The Church of Pentecost in 1999 and has since served as District Minister for Kojokrom, Awoshie and Michel Camp districts. He was appointed an Area Head in 2011 and was responsible for the Asamankese Area. He was called into the Office of Apostle in 2013 and elected as the General Secretary in 2013.

Marriage

He is married to Mrs. Rose Ama Dansoa, and they have been blessed with four sons.

Interest

Apostle is very passionate about evangelism, discipleship and selfless leadership with integrity.

By Fred Tettey Alarti-Amoako

About the Author:

The Author is a Senior Editor at The Church of Pentecost General Headquarters & a Communication Expert.

Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, the General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost (CoP), has emphasised that every aspect of the Church’s liturgy is important and, therefore, Christians should always arrive early for Church service and actively participate until the end.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi gave this advice today when he fellowshiped with members of the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC), Atomic. Continuing his serialised sermon on the topic “Deepening The CoP Brand,” the General Secretary expressed his concern that some Christians have made it a habit to skip parts of Church service by either arriving late or leaving early.

He cautioned against this practice, stating that people who do so are unaware of the spiritual implications of their actions.

“Just like at the pool of Bethesda, we do not know the exact time at which the angel of God will appear to stir up the water. So, arrive in good time before the start of service and take part in every activity until the benediction is pronounced,” he advised.

Expounding on the Rules of Conduct for CoP members, Apostle Kumi-Larbi said that The Church of Pentecost is a Christ-centered brand built with core values, culture, and rules of conduct bequeathed to the Church as a legacy from its forebears.

He explained that rules of conduct is a set of rules outlining the norms or standards, responsibilities, or proper practices of the members who form the Church.

According to the General Secretary, the Church’s rules of conduct are guidelines inspired by God and taught to the members through God’s ordained leadership for the equipping of the saints.

One of these rules, he noted, enjoins members to be in their seat in good time before the commencement of service and participate fully in every aspect of the service.

He noted that the rules of conduct are time-tested landmarks and a key aspect of the CoP brand and, therefore, urged every member of the Church to endeavour to know, uphold, and jealously guard them.

Some other rules of conduct for CoP members mentioned by Apostle Kumi-Larbi in his presentation are setting aside a period daily for personal quiet time in prayer and meditation on the Word (Matthew 6:6; Ephesians 18-20), and adequately preparing one’s self through prayer and meditation before coming to the house of God (Hebrews:15-16).

PENTECOST NEWS.

Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, the General Secretary of The Church Of Pentecost, has called on members of the Church, particularly the youth, to form cooperative prayer teams to stoke the fire of the Holy Spirit in the Church.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi made the call during a sermon at the monthly prayer meeting dubbed: “Face To Face With God,” organised by the Kasoa Area of the Church, under the leadership of Apostle James Asare.

Speaking on the topic “Repositioning the Fire Tetrahedron in the Church,” the General Secretary emphasised the need to keep the fire burning in the Church.

Drawing from various passages including Leviticus 6:8-13, 9:24, 10-2, Acts 2:1-4, 2:42-47 and 1 Thessalonians 5:19, he explained that the Church needed to strengthen herself so that members could appreciate how far God had brought them.

He highlighted that stoking the fire was like the work of a boiler man in the past, who had the responsibility of ensuring that the fire kept burning.

He, therefore, urged youth in the Church to form prayer teams to keep the fire burning, noting that: “In The Church of Pentecost, we believe in cooperative prayer.”

Apostle Kumi-Larbi also emphasised the importance of prayer, the word of God, and fellowship in keeping the fire of the Holy Spirit ablaze.

He noted that prayer was like oxygen, and without it, the fire would be doused.

He further explained that the word of God was like fuel that ignites the fire and keeps it aflame. He, however, warned that Christians should not use the knowledge of this world to study the word of God.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi, therefore, encouraged Christians to continue to revisit the Word of God and to keep the fire burning for generations to come.

Concluding his sermon, the General Secretary called on the Christian youth to rise and engage in fervent prayers, including all-night prayer sessions, as this was the practice of their forebears.

“The Church of Pentecost has always been a church that believes in the power of prayer, and it is essential that Christians continue to pray together to keep the fire burning” he said.

The “Face To Face With God” monthly prayer meeting, organised by the Kasoa Area of The Church of Pentecost, provides an avenue for members to come together to pray and fellowship with one another. It is aimed at strengthening the faith of members and to promote the growth of the Church.

Present were Apostle James Asare (Kasoa Area Head), Apostle Samuel Antwi (rtd), Mama Rose Kumi-Larbi (wife of the General Secretary), ministers in the area, members of the Church and the general public.

PENTECOST NEWS.

The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost (CoP), Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, has said that God’s covenant with The CoP is sacrosanct and must be religiously upheld and bequeathed from one generation of Church members to the other.

“For the past 80 years, our forebears, being careful in observing the instructions in the Covenant, have given The CoP a unique and enviable brand which ought to be guarded jealously,” he said.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi made this clarion call when he delivered the first part of his serialised sermon on the topic: “Deepening The CoP Brand,” at the dome of the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC), Kokomlemle, yesterday.

In his presentation, the General Secretary revealed that The Church of Pentecost is now in its third or fourth generation, and for this reason, the current generation must be abreast with the terms and conditions of the Church’s Covenant with God to uphold it and pass it on to ensuing generations.

“We are told God made a covenant with our forebears through prophecies, which were given by different people at different places and times. The first one, which was given in 1931 at Akoroso, was after nine years confirmed at Winneba in 1940 and again after eight years in 1948 at Koforidua,” he said.

Quoting Proverbs 22:28, he noted that the Covenant, among other things, has significantly contributed to building the enviable brand of The Church of Pentecost, hence the need for members to uphold it as “sacred, a no-go area and a boundary of the Church that should never be shifted.”

“In addition to the Covenant and the tenets, our forebears had some core values, as well as church culture, including the rules of conduct, which outlines the way members should conduct themselves, and these are virtues and values that must be jealously guarded and bequeathed from one generation to the other,” he added.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi also stated that these beliefs and practices of the Church are well-documented in various publications of The CoP in a bid to preserve them and make them known to members.

“They are documented in our Constitution, Ministers’ manual (tenets and rules of conduct), ministerial handbook (brief history, covenant, tenets and core practices – values and culture), diary (brief history, tenets and rules of conduct) and also on our Baptismal certificate (tenets),” he explained.

According to the General Secretary, the leadership of the Church, in line with this year’s theme, is resolved to intensify The CoP Brand (covenant, beliefs, core values and rules of conduct) so as to bring clarity to it, and thereby, cause members to become more interested in the Church.

“Like every other church, The Church of Pentecost has its own culture, its foundational beliefs at the heart of its theology, its governing system, and practical expression of Christian life and ministry, in addition to something special the Lord told us long ago, even predating the church’s existence; a covenant between CoP and God. These things we love and cherish so dearly, and everyone who comes into our fold must know and diligently apply themselves,” he said.

PENTECOST NEWS.

The Church of Pentecost was today presented a national award by the President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for the instrumental role played by the Church in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The award was received on behalf of the Church by the General Secretary, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, at a ceremony held at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC). Apostle Kumi-Larbi was accompanied to the event by Apostle Samuel O. Asante (Kaneshie Area Head and Executive Council Member) and Apostle Lawrence Otu-Nyarko (Finance and Administration Director).

The National Honours and Awards 2023 was organised by the State to honour distinguished individuals and deserving institutions for their roles in the fight against the dreadful COVID-19 pandemic.

It will be recalled that The Church of Pentecost, at the height of the pandemic, donated vans to the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) to help educate the citizenry on the COVID-19 virus as part of efforts to contain its spread.

The Church also donated numerous medical supplies, logistics and other personal protective equipment (PPEs) to the Ministry of Health (MOH) and various health centres nationwide to augment the Government’s efforts towards ending the spread of the deadly virus.

Perhaps, the most significant contribution of the Church to the COVID-19 fight was the release of the multipurpose convention centre to the State as an isolation and treatment centre for persons infected with the virus and undergoing treatment.

These noble services of The Church of Pentecost did not go unnoticed as many Ghanaians took to their social media platforms to shower praises on the Church.

The rousing cheer that greeted the mention of The Church of Pentecost at the event, prior to the award presentation, was clearly indicative of how highly the country values and appreciates the Church’s contribution to the country, hence the national honour.

Speaking at the event, President Akufo-Addo was grateful to all who contributed to efforts in defeating COVID-19 in Ghana.

“Our relative success in winning the fight against COVID-19 is a testament to the tireless work of our researchers, scientists, advisors, public health managers, frontline healthcare workers, hospital staff, contact tracers, the security services, public and private sector agencies, faith-based organisations, and many others,” he said.

The awards ceremony also saw thousands of other Ghanaians and institutions receiving various awards, including some faith-based organisation such as the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference (GCBC), etc.

The event also had in attendance the Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Chief Justice Kwesi Anin Yeboah, Inspector General of Police George Akufo Dampare and a host of other government officials and state functionaries.

It is also worthy of note that a significant number of distinguished individuals honoured at the event were members of The Church of Pentecost. We wish to congratulate them for the commendable feat and to encourage them to keep up the good work as agents of transformation and as good “brand ambassadors” of The Church of Pentecost.

PENTECOST NEWS.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has pledged to fully participate in the upcoming National Politicians’ Conference being organised by The Church of Pentecost between June 14 and 16, 2023, at Gomoa-Fetteh near Kasoa.

The General Secretary of the ruling party, Lawyer Justin Frimpong Kodua, gave the assurance when an eight-member delegation from The Church of Pentecost led by its General Secretary, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, paid a courtesy call on the national executives of the NPP at its headquarters at Asylum Down in Accra today (Tuesday, March 14, 2023) to brief them about the conference and invite them to participate in it.

“This is a godly conference, and we will not turn our back on God. We support the National Politicians’ Conference, and we shall fully come on board,” Lawyer Kodua stated.

The NPP General Secretary commended The Church of Pentecost for its contributions to the national development of Ghana in the areas of school buildings, hospitals, and prison facilities.

Contributing, the Chairman of the NPP, Mr. Stephen Ayesu Ntim, thanked the delegation from The Church of Pentecost for the visit and appealed to the various Christian denominations in Ghana to partner with key stakeholders to ensure a very peaceful election in Ghana in 2024. 

On his part, the General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Kumi-Larbi, said the upcoming National Politicians’ Conference forms part of the 25 thematic areas of the five-year strategic vision of The Church of Pentecost, which is currently the largest Pentecostal church in Ghana, which has a presence in 151 nations with over four million membership.

“We want the impact of the Church to be felt in the nation. Consequently, The Church of Pentecost has over the years, organised several national events such as the Royals’ Conference, Ministers’ Conference, Environmental Care Campaign, and now preparing for the National Politicians’ Conference in June this year,” he said.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi continued: “We want to raise a generation of politicians, who will influence society with godly values and principles.”

The other members of The Church of Pentecost delegation present at the meeting include Apostle Lawrence Otu-Nyarko (Finance and Administration Director), Apostle Philip Osei-Korsah (Director of Counselling Ministry), Pastor Dr. Felix Dela Klutse (Media Ministry Pastor), Hon. Deaconess Elizabeth Sackey (Accra Mayor), Mr. Alfred Ofori Annye, Elder Stephen Djaba (Men’s Ministry Secretary), and Dr. Yao Yeboah (National Politicians’ Conference Planning Committee Secretary). 

Key NPP Executives present at the meeting include Ms. Rita Talata Asobayire (2nd Vice Chair), Dr. Charles Dwamena (National Treasurer), Ms. Kate Gyamfua (National Women’s Organizer) and other members of the party’s national executive committee.

Readers will recall that The Church of Pentecost delegation on March 7, 2023, also paid a courtesy call on the leadership of the opposition National Democratic Congress to invite the party to participate in the conference. The party executives also assured the Church of its preparedness to participate in the upcoming conference.

Online registration for the conference has been opened and ends on March 30, 2023. So far, about 1,000 politicians have registered.

The National Politicians’ Conference is expected to be attended by politicians in The Church of Pentecost and other denominations across the country.

PENTECOST NEWS.

The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost (COP), Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, has advised Christians to actively participate in church services as it is a way of showing honour and respect to God.

“When we come to church, we should do everything that will honour God, this will show we respect and want to subject to His authority,” he added.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi said this today, March 11, 2023, when he delivered a presentation titled: “Deepening The CoP Brand,” at the ongoing Global Elders’ Retreat at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa-Fetteh.

According to him, chatting on WhatsApp, disrespecting ushers and conversing with others while church service is ongoing are attitudes that dishonour the Lord.

“When we come to Church there are three things we are expected to do; enter reverently, pray fervently and listen attentively,” he added. Reading from Isaiah 56:7, the General Secretary advised Church members to participate fully in all church activities.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi further noted that the forebears of the Church took pains to build The CoP’s unique brand, therefore, this generation must be intentional about deepening the Church’s brand.

Quoting ‘Item G’ of The CoP’s Rules of Conduct, the General Secretary said: “During casual conversations at home or at work, do not speak disrespectfully or disparagingly about the Church and God’s servants. Make your concerns and grievances known to the appropriate authority for explanation or redress.”

Explaining the Apostle Kumi-Larbi observed that there will be challenges, grievances or concerns among members, however, it behoves on leaders to open up and engage.

“Quoting Apostle Eric Nyamekye, “Leadership is to solve tough questions”, we have to create avenues as elders to solve concerns from the youth, if you can’t solve it, pass it on to people of higher authority.

Despite the fact that we may have challenges, The General Secretary said that members may not always agree with the leaders of the Church, but they should be careful not to speak ill of them.

“In 3 John 1:9, Diotrephes unjustly accused the leadership, used wicked words and maligned leaders and prevented people from joining the Church; he also excommunicated others. So, the lesson here is remember to imitate what is good and not evil,” he advised.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi ended his presentation by reiterating the need for members to respect people placed in leadership positions over them, saying; “The Apostles and Pastors are working together and there must be respect to all authorities at all levels. Let us be careful of the way we speak about others’ leadership style. If you speak against the leader, you speak against God. God gave them to us. Leaders may not always be right.”

PENTECOST NEWS