Posts in category: Top Stories

Many people yearn for progress, but few prepare for this life of progression. Thousands are waiting for opportunities, but only a few are ever ready to embrace these opportunities when they happen because they have prepared.

Many ladies yearn for marriage, but only a few have prepared to be married. The same goes for men. They wish to be somewhere in life, but they need more preparation.

Five were silly, and five were smart. The silly virgins took lamps but no extra oil. The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps. – Matthew 25:2-4 [MSG]

The above scripture sheds light on how we can prepare for progress and challenges.

One characteristic of a person who has prepared is the ability to know. What do you know as you are preparing?

What do you know about your LAMP; SKILLS, PROFESSION, VISION, CHURCH, CHILDREN, etc.? Your lamp talks about anything that causes you to shine in your world. So, this can be your wealth, family, business, spiritual life, marriage, etc.

Both sets of virgins had LAMPS. This means those who were fools were with a profession, vision, skills, and other important tools needed to boost their progress if it were today’s world. But they failed to know their LAMP. They failed to realise that the oil in their lamp could dry out and that there should be a need for backup.

This happens to us. We have professions, skills, and family, among others, but we still need to secure knowledge that will help these segments of ours to grow and be sustained. Additionally, we have the skills necessary to foster ministry in this Church, especially in the field of music, church branding, etc., but because of a failure to seek knowledge to improve our skills, we find it challenging to meet the demands of this contemporary society.

The important thing we need to know is that many have skills, professions, and other tools but need to gain knowledge. That’s the OIL. And this has caused them to be unwise in their generation.

Knowledge places a person in a position not to perish. Many people have paid a lot because of their ignorance because they have failed to understand their lamp in order to add appropriate knowledge to sustain its lifespan.

Life is for those who are smart, and they are those who have knowledge about the principles of this life and how it is governed.

As you have your LAMP, attach that with the appropriate oil. It is on you to search for that particular oil for your Lamp – the ultimate oil is the HOLY GHOST. So, fuel your life now for progress, and you will know how to overcome any challenge.

As you do that, you will be in a position to stand and make a maximum impact in your world. Because the more you know about a thing, the more easily you function in it.

Written by Elder Tonnie Baffoe (Ekroful District, Agona Swedru Area)

A waiter’s job is to take orders and serve food to customers in a restaurant. However, the importance of a waiter goes beyond just serving food. They are responsible for ensuring that customers have a pleasant dining experience by providing excellent customer service to meet the orders made by the customers. In the Bible, John 12:26 states that anyone who wants to serve Jesus must follow Him and be ready to serve at a moment’s notice. This means that being a waiter is not just about being present, but also about being serviceable and following instructions.

We had gone into a restaurant in Kumasi, and the waiter brought us the menu, but almost everything we had ordered initially was not available. He then pointed out a few menu items, and we all opted for a particular one. However, when he returned a few minutes later, he brought something else and told us to make do with that. This incident made me reflect on how many times we purport to be serving Christ but not following His instructions. We seem to have our own agenda and how we want things to pan out. We have our own prescriptions and game plan, yet we come to Him and say ‘We are waiting on You, just at Your service’. Then when His choices as to what He requires of us are made, we laugh them off and tell Him ‘not at the moment’.

Being a waiter is not enough if you cannot provide what the customer needs. Similarly, being a Christian is not enough if we do not follow through with the instructions of Christ. Jesus says the Father will honour and reward those who serve (working according to instructions), not those who are just present. Yes, God’s first interest is in our availability, but what good is a person when they are available but not serviceable? Our availability must translate into following through with what the Master requires of us. Without that, our availability is just ‘much ado about nothing’ and pain to the Master who requires work done for honour and rewards. In order to be a good waiter, one must have a good knowledge of the menu, be quick to take orders, and have good timing of orders. Similarly, in order to be a good Christian, we must have a good knowledge of the Bible, be quick to obey God’s commands, and have good timing in carrying out His instructions. Taking an order is a skilful art that reflects the efficiency and standard of both the waiter and the establishment. Similarly, following Christ’s instructions is a skilful art that reflects our faithfulness and standard as Christians.

In a biblical narrative, the story is told of a messenger who runs without a message (2 Samuel 18). His delight was just in being present and not in presenting anything of value (2 Samuel 18:22–23). Many of us rush and scheme to be given mandates, and when the eyes of authorities catch us, we fail woefully not because we were incapable but because we relented or had our own ulterior motives all the time we were clamouring for the opportunity.

When this empty messenger arrived, King David had just asked that he step aside when it turned out he had just run (2 Samuel 18:20). Note, running is not just; you may ask Usain Bolt. But if it is done without purpose, without benefit, it becomes unprofitable (1 Corinthians 9:26–27). Anything we do for Christ or the Church, which is not borne out of the service of following through with the commands of God, is just futile.

The servant with the hidden talent laboured tirelessly but fruitlessly. He worked hard at digging and perhaps being watchful that no one tampered with the hidden treasure over the period. He had a lengthier narrative than all others to explain his motive, but as long as it violated following the master’s instruction, his efforts amounted to cos 90° – he had no rewards (Matthew 25:26–29).

Once Joab, the commander of Israel’s troops, had clearly induced a soldier to violate the orders of the king. The soldier had remarked that he heard the instructions of the king and was willing to carry through the order more than any other thing (2 Samuel 18:13). Even when others want to circumvent things for their own benefit, the servant must learn to do the bidding of the Master.

Our calling as Christians is not just ‘Come,’ but ‘Come, Follow Me’ (Matthew 4:19, NIV). The requirement for service is faithfulness (2 Corinthians 4:2). Let us strive not only to be good but faithful servants. Following Christ is faithfulness. As Christians, we must strive not only to be good but faithful servants. Following Christ is faithfulness, and faithfulness is always towards another.

A waiter must serve what is ordered and not what they delight.

Charis, Agape, Shalom, Hallel

Written by Pastor George Osei-Asiedu

The Church of Pentecost (CoP), like many institutions, is purpose-built and people-driven. The setup of an impactful organisation like the CoP could only be made possible due to the efforts, strength, hard work, and energies dispensed by her human capital.

Now, as a Christian organisation with a defined mission of preaching the gospel, winning souls, planting churches, and disciplining converts for the kingdom of God, one of the functional resources for fulfilling this mandate is the frontline ministerial staff, herein made up of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Overseers, and their wives.

With the structure of the CoP set in such a way that these people, once called into the ministry, come as full-time workers of the Kingdom, it becomes clear that the only life they know is the culture and environment of the church.

It is here that relationships are built, networks are established, families are consolidated, and associations firmed up. However, like every organisation, there comes a time when growth, age, and policy requirements would demand an old order make way for the new, and the CoP is no different.

At age 65, our gallant ministers and wives are gloriously retired in ceremonies that leave one full of gratitude to God for the opportunity to serve, the fulfilment of contributing one’s quota to the Kingdom come, and the joy of bringing the curtains down on the uphill task of full-time ministry.

After all these, one would have thought that is all there is for the pensioner, and this is where the efforts of the Pension Board of the Church are worth commending.

Over the years, we have seen how, through the great leadership of the Pension Board, efforts have been made to give our gallant retirees a sense of belongingness, the warmth of family, and the needed attention one would love to have at that age of inactivity.

The Pension Board has been involved in the mobilisation of the pensioners into associations in their unique jurisdictions, the organisation of both spiritual and physical retreats and seminars, the pursuit of the well-being of retirees and their spouses, including widows, and the creation of an enabling environment for the retirees to enjoy each other’s company while consolidating their togetherness.

However, my sense of delight was heightened at this year’s retirement seminar, where I observed how a number of programs were put in place not only to teach and resource the participants cognitively but also to provide avenues for them to recreate and have fun.

And it was such a beautiful sight, beholding our fathers and mothers engaging in some of their childhood games like Draft, Ampe, Ludu, and the like, creating not only an avenue to de-stress but also to entertain and bond in the spirit of unity.

From the look of things, one can tell that the managers of our pensioners are doing a yeoman’s job. We, therefore, applaud the systems and dynamic innovation brought into the lives of our beloved fathers and mothers by the Pension Board and humbly urge them to keep up the good work.

At this year’s seminar, participants received teachings on Willing Processes and Procedures, Interstate Succession Law, Emotional Health in Retirement – the Empty Nest Syndrome and its Management, Dieting and Exercising in Old Age, and Investment Insights, among others.

These are nuggets that will equip retirees to walk with their heads held high in this changing phase of their lives. Old Age is an inevitable phase for all of us, especially full-time ministers, but with the efforts being executed by the Pensions Board, one can anticipate a refreshing time when that season comes.

For the joy of the Elderly is the joy of the family; when our fathers are joyful, the home is cheerful.

Written by Pastor Kwasi Asante Annor (General Manager, PENT TV)

In the last five years, The Church of Pentecost, under the leadership of Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has dedicated herself to the vision of influencing the public sphere with Kingdom values and principles as part of the “Possessing the Nations” agenda. This initiative aims to steer the country towards a path of progress and prosperity, leveraging values that combat bribery, corruption, theft, armed robbery, and other societal vices. However, within the Christian community, there appears to be scepticism that casts a shadow over this agenda and vision.

A well-known Ghanaian songwriter once remarked in one of his songs that “Part-Time Christians are fighting a full-time devil,” suggesting that Christians only display righteousness in the church and act the opposite in the public space. This perspective resonates with the songwriter’s observation of the lifestyles of Christians in his context.

Ghana boasts a Christian majority, with numerous employees in the country’s public institutions identifying as Christians. While the church in Ghana experiences commendable growth, the state institutions are encountering rapid deterioration. Surprisingly, many of these public servants are active church leaders who contribute significantly to the church’s expansion.

Hence, the question arises: “Why are the very individuals building the church seemingly causing the downfall of public institutions?”

This is partly because, in the eyes of the Ghanaian, all endeavours connected to the church are perceived as God’s work, demanding devotion and sacrifices. But where does this perspective leave the public offices they hold and the nation they serve? While they dedicate themselves diligently to the church, their commitment to the government and state establishments appears lacklustre. Instead, public officeholders prioritise personal gains over the welfare of the institutions they work in. This prompts the query: Could it be that some of these leaders merely assume the role of churchgoers on Sundays, only to transform into thieves and robbers from Monday to Saturday? This contradiction is disheartening, especially when contrasted with the Biblical teaching to “do everything as if working for God.”

In my view, Christianity parallels military service, where the adage “once a soldier, always a soldier” rings true. Similarly, a church leader or a Christian should embody their faith from Sunday to Sunday, regardless of the circumstances, be it within the church auditorium, on the streets, or at the workplace. If one has embraced Christ as Lord and Saviour, then they ought to dedicate their lives to Him. Consequently, every action—whether mundane tasks, strolls, or professional duties—should radiate Christ’s teachings. Christians must internalise the belief that all their endeavours, whether for individuals, private enterprises, institutions, government, or the nation at large, are a testament to their service to God.

Hence, if one occupies a governmental role and withholds funds earmarked for school construction, thereby indirectly driving someone to resort to armed robbery due to lack of educational opportunities, it can be argued that they bear a share of responsibility for that criminal activity.

As such, let us reevaluate our conduct and commit to serving the Lord not solely within the church’s walls but also within the realm of public service.

Written by Oheneba Nyarko