Posts in category: Top Stories

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

Many times, we find ourselves pondering when the “heavenly secretary” will swing open the door and announce that the Master is ready to attend to us, inviting us to enter. But until that moment arrives, we can only sit and wait.

A “waiting room” is a designated space where individuals await their turn to be attended to. Its primary purpose is to provide clients with a convenient and comfortable place to relax while anticipating their moment. Similarly, the waiting room of the Lord illustrates the profound patience required to rely on God’s timetable and divine plan for our lives.

The scriptures furnish us with numerous passages meant to instruct and guide those who find themselves in the waiting room of life. These passages serve as reminders of the virtues of patience, trust, and faith in the face of life’s delays. The story of Abram stands as a narrative example of patiently enduring the wait for the fulfilment of God’s promises. Despite his advanced age and Sarah’s infertility, Abraham unwaveringly trusted in God’s faithfulness. After the passage of time, he finally became the father of Isaac, affirming the word of God in Romans 8:18: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (NIV).

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV).  This scripture from Proverbs serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of entrusting ourselves to God’s wisdom and guidance. It advises us to relinquish our limited understanding and wholeheartedly rely on God, trusting that our paths are being directed according to His perfect timing.

Attempting to predict when the waiting will conclude can lead to substantial disappointment, as the waiting room of the Lord defies prediction. It may yield results soon or perhaps later. “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” – Romans 8:25 (NIV). This verse from Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans underscores the significance of patience while dwelling in the waiting room of the Lord. It encourages us to persevere in our waiting, even when the manifestation of God’s promises remains elusive because we maintain hope and belief in His eventual fulfillment of His plans in His own time.

Mobile phones have become an integral part of our lives. These devices require charging before they can be used, and during the charging process, we wait patiently, assured that the phone will eventually be fully charged. Some individuals might opt to use their devices while they are charging, which prolongs the charging time (reflecting impatience in the waiting room). In contrast, others choose to wait patiently until the battery reaches its full capacity before utilising it. The waiting room of the Lord is not an easy space to inhabit, yet it holds rewards for those who endure the wait with patience. It doesn’t weaken us; rather, it empowers the weak and bestows strength upon the weary. “But they who wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” – Isaiah 40:31 (KJV).

The Waiting Room of the Lord enjoins us, as children of God, to cultivate patience, trust, and faith. The scriptures mentioned above serve as reminders of the eventual glory that awaits us after our sojourn in the waiting room of the Lord. “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end, it shall speak and not lie: though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” – Habakkuk 2:3 (KJV).

May this piece serve as a wellspring of inspiration and encouragement to those who, like you, await patiently in the waiting room, steadfastly believing in and trusting the unfolding plans of God in His perfect timing.

Written by Elizabeth Asamoah (Anum District, Ho Area)

The discourse on sound engineering in many of the local assemblies of The Church of Pentecost has been an age-old one. As a young man who grew up in the Church and has, for most parts of my life, been involved in holding the microphone to recite a lengthy Bible chapter during Children’s Ministry week celebrations until my young adult years, in which I was involved as a chorus leader, worship leader, choir director till being ordained as an officer and subsequent call into full-time ministry, I have seen the various transitions that the church has gone through when it comes to sound engineering matters. However, with the clarion call for the repositioning of the local church for maximum impact, I feel led to stimulate the discussion on this matter to draw deeper engagements on the way forward.

Let me, at this juncture, pause to indicate here that I am not writing from the perspective of a technical sound engineer, but I am only doing so as a lay end user who once in a while finds myself in uncomfortable situations due to bad sound engineering in some of the churches I visit to execute ministerial duties. In fact, the situation can get so bad that one descends the lectern with an aching sore throat and a hoarse voice that leaves one using many days of orthodox and unorthodox methods to treat, including lozenges, honey, and ginger therapies.

It is in the light of the foregoing that I respectfully would like to offer some suggestions for consideration in our bid to improve the situation:

1. Sound Engineering should be part of the conversation at the outset of our building projects. The implication here is that the blueprint and architectural layout should factor sound into the project right from the outset, so it is not considered an afterthought.

• The Terms of Reference of the Monitoring and Evaluation Teams at the Areas and National levels should be expanded to include the auditing of sound for quality, efficiency, and functionality to bring checks and balances. It is worth mentioning that sound volumes at certain decibels are unhealthy for the ears, and end users who are made to scream while using the microphones are at health risks of vocal infections.

• With the establishment of the Centre of Music and Worship at Pentecost University, rebates could be given in the form of scholarships for each big assembly to train at least one sound engineer to manage the sound in the local assemblies.

• Procurement and acquisition of sound equipment and technical gadgets should be separated from the building and estate committee or fundraising committee. They may act as advisors, but the task should be handled by an ad-hoc committee under the supervision of the presiding elder/district minister. The ad-hoc committee so set up should be made up of experts who understand the language of sound engineering.

• Structures should be put in place for the routine maintenance and replacement of this equipment. With the rising cost of such equipment and the number of fundraising campaigns that enable such procurements, it becomes heartbreaking when such equipment has a short lifespan due to manhandling, improper use, and low-quality purchases.

• Short videos offering titbits for sound management, microphone handling techniques, and other technical complexities could be packaged and shared on TV and on our social media handles.

CONCLUSION

The purpose of this article is to stimulate the call for attention to be given to our sound architecture in our churches. Even though some gains have been made in this area over the years, it is strongly believed that the bar can be raised to smoothen the edges, bearing in mind that excellence is one of God’s hallmarks we ought to pursue, sustain, and maintain. It is my thinking that as we seek to internalise our understanding of repositioning, we ought to say also that repositioning means better sound for maximum impact.

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