The Church Of Pentecost Inaugurates Dubai City Assembly 

The Church of Pentecost has inaugurated a new assembly known as the Dubai City Assembly in the Buduburam District of the Church. The assembly, which currently boasts 70 congregants, was created through the ministry of the Home and Urban Missions (HUM).


Speaking at the inauguration service on July 17, 2022, the Buduburam District Minister, Pastor Anane-Adjei, who doubles as the HUM Coordinator for the Kasoa Area, said that although the assembly begin with an adult membership of 27 and 11 children, it has seen appreciable growth, hence its inauguration as a full-fledged assembly.


He was hopeful that the new assembly would become a strong church in some years to come and serve the spiritual needs of the members and people in the community.


“Today will forever remain in the annals of history; we pray that the seed we have sown today would germinate and bear fruit in Jesus’ name,’” he said.


Delivering a sermon on the topic: “All The Believers Shared Everything Together” based on Acts 4:32-33, Pastor Anane-Adjei encouraged believers to make it a habit of supporting each other. 


He urged Christians to emulate the early church, who willingly shared their possessions with others in need.


He also encouraged them to pray, fast and preach the gospel in order to lead many into the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.


Among those present at the historic event were Mrs. Vida Anane-Adjei (Wife of the District Pastor), District Executive Committee members, presiding elders, officers, and members of the Buduburam District.


Report by Elder John Nana Mainoo (Kasoa Area HUM Secretary)

Raise Godly Children – Apostle Nyamekye Charges Christian Parents

The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has charged Christian parents to make a concerted effort to raise their children in a godly manner for God’s service.

Apostle Nyamekye was speaking during the live broadcast of a Special Evening Service on PENT TV on Sunday, July 17, 2022, as part of his series on “Family – An ‘Endangered’ Institution.”

Dilating on the topic: “Raising A Family Altars,” with Samuel as a case study (1 Samuel Chapter 1), the Chairman narrated the circumstances surrounding the birth of Samuel and the effort his mother, Hannah, made to raise him for God’s service in fulfilment of her promise to God.

He explained that though Samuel was sent to Eli, the priest, to be trained, his mother’s effort cannot be overemphasised as she annually visited the boy and presented him a linen ephod on each visit in Shiloh, stressing that, “Samuel was a mother’s effort and a product of a godly woman.”

He opined that any time the mother visited Samuel, she might have told him that: “you are a priest so be like a priest.” This, Chairman said, stuck into the boy’s mind, and he became so desirous to be a priest to the extent that he slept beside the ark and did not allow himself to be influenced by the bad attitudes of Eli’s sons.

Like Hannah, Apostle Nyamekye urged parents to train their children in the way of the Lord to be used by God.

“This should be our pledge as parents to raise children that God gives us and present them back to Him for His service,” he said. According to the Chairman, through Hannah’s effort, Samuel grew to be a priest, judge and prophet for Israel. 

Examining the life of Samuel as a priest, a judge and a prophet, Apostle Nyamekye noted that Samuel was a busy man (1 Samuel 7:15-17; 16:13; 19:18).

The Chairman indicated that Samuel was endeared to the people of Israel because he brought true worship of God and revelation back to Israel in those days when revelations were so rare in Israel. He also restored order and sanctity in Israel, which hitherto was unruly for lack of a king (Judges 21:25), by giving them two great kings, and as a result, the people of Israel mourned him when he died (1 Samuel 25:1).

On the contrary, Apostle Nyamekye said, Samuel, who, being a great man of God and a faithful judge, could not train his children in the way of the Lord as his sons perverted justice by taking bribes after they had been appointed as leaders in Israel when their father, Samuel, had grown old which resulted in the demand of a king by the elders in Israel (1 Samuel 8:1-5). 

Chairman Nyamekye, therefore, underscored the necessity for Christian parents to prioritise raising godly children and making them live as a delight to the Lord.

“What are you leaving for the children?” he quizzed, adding, “It is not about buildings and cars; these are big toys. You need to leave a Christian legacy – something that has life because when you die, your name will live in your children.”

Apostle Nyamekye advised parents against being too busy and urged them to have time for their families as he attributed Samuel’s failure to train his children to his busy schedules, stressing that, “Your home should be the first church. The issue is not about you serving God, but you and your family serving God.”

Concluding his exhortation, Apostle Eric Nyamekye referenced a quote by Frederick Douglass, the founder of A.M.E Zion Church, who once said: “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men,” and encouraged Christian parents to take a keen interest in training their children in the way of the Lord to be responsible adults (Proverbs 22:6).

Report by Emmanuel Nana Nsiah

Breman Asikuma Central Assembly Church Building Dedicated

The Agona Swedru Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Derek Mireku, has dedicated the Asikuma Central Assembly church building in the Breman Asikuma District of the Church to the glory of God.

The edifice was dedicated at a well-patronized ceremony held at the church premises on Sunday, July 17, 2022. The event was attended by past and present ministers of the district, namely; Pastor Emmanuel Assah Awuku (Breman Asikuma District Minister) and Pastor Reuben Mensah Adrakpanya (Rtd.), as well as Odeefuo Amoakwa (President, Central Regional House of Chiefs) and the pastorate in the Asikuma zone.

Speaking on the topic, “Dwelling In The Secret Place Of The Most High” with Psalm 91 as scripture reference, Apostle Mireku stressed the need for everyone to serve the Most High God.

According to him, God continues to assert His lordship by protecting and providing for the needs of His children in every calamity and difficult situations.

“Jehovah provides us with shelter and food and has power to confront every enemy. Indeed, Jehovah is the Lord our God,” he said.

He, therefore, called on believers to always desire to spend quality time in the Lord’s presence at all times.

In a brief remark at the event, Pastor Adrakpanya, who initiated the building project in 1996 during his tenure as District Minister, was full of praise and thanked God for granting him the opportunity to witness the glorious state of the building.

He also paid glowing tributes posthumously to Odeefuo Amoakwa Boadu VII, the then Omanhene of Breman Asikuma Traditional Area, and the late Deaconess Sarah Afenyi, a former Swedru Area Assistant Women Ministry Leader for donating the land on which the building is situated to the church in 1988.

According to him, the late Chief helped to secure the land when it became apparent that the community wanted to forcefully take it from the Church.

He also commended subsequent ministers who took over from him, especially Pastor Emmanuel Assah Awuku and his wife, for their maximum effort in ensuring the completion of the project.

The beautiful edifice, which is valued at GHC 462,757.00, was funded through grants from The Church of Pentecost Headquarters as well as support from the International Missions directorate, Agona Swedru Area, Breman Asikuma District, local offering and contributions from other areas (Suhum, Tarkwa and Teshie Nungua) and benevolent individuals.

Pastor Assah Awuku, Deaconess Prof. Alice Mensah and Mrs. Elizabeth Ofori were also acknowledged for their massive financial contributions towards the project.

PENTECOST NEWS

2nd Children’s Ministry 50th Anniversary Lecture Held In Kumasi

The second edition of the 50th Anniversary lecture of the Children’s Ministry of The Church of Pentecost has taken place at the James McKeown Temple, Asokwa, in Kumasi.

The event, which was held under the theme, “The Children’s Ministry: Successes, Challenges and the Way Forward”, took place on Sunday, July 17, 2022. It attracted members of the clergy, Children’s Ministry workers (teachers), and children from various parts of Greater Kumasi.

In an address, the Director of the Children’s Ministry, Pastor Prof. William Otoo Ellis, said that the event was divinely historic, saying that “it is with much delight to note that the Children’s Ministry from the perspective of history began in McKeown Temple, Asokwa, where we stand today.”

He further said that in 1972, the General Council of the church met in Kumasi, to decide upon the creation of the Children’s Ministry. He thanked all those who have been very instrumental to the successes of the ministry for the past fifty years.

In a remark, the chairperson of the event, Mrs. Bridgette Adjei-Kwarteng, wife of the Bompata Area Head, noted that a lot of people have passed through the ministry to be great personalities in the country and beyond.

The guest speaker, Mrs. Georgina Birago Amaniampong, wife of the Asokwa Area Head, presented a paper on the successes, challenges, and the way forward of the Children’s Ministry. According to her, the ministry is one of the most vibrant ministries in the church.

“Generally, children are the most important element of the family, church, and society. They form an integral part of our everyday life, and are considered in the future of the family and the church,” she noted.

Mrs. Amaniampong said that the rationale for creating the ministry was to lead children to Jesus Christ; teach them the unadulterated Word of God; prepare them to take up their position in the body of Christ, and encourage good citizenship in them.

“The message of salvation must reach succeeding generations where children can be saved,” she mentioned.

She admonished parents to be mindful of children, as they remain the target of the devil. She, therefore, urged parents to pay critical attention when children leave for church.

“As an army of God, if we equip our children with the whole armour of God, they can stand the test of time,” she stressed.

On the growth of the ministry, she said that the total membership of children in the church was 385,700 in 2004. It moved to 621,768 in 2012, 994,437 in 2020, and 1,050,153 as of the end of 2021.

Present at the event were Apostle Yaw Adjei-Kwarteng (Bompata Area Head, who doubles as the Co-ordinator of the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Committee of the church), Prophet James Osei Amaniampong (Asokwa Area Head), Apostle John Obeng Kesse (Suame Area Head), Mrs. Florence Otoo Ellis (wife of Children’s Ministry Director), and Pastor John Afawuah (Children’s Ministry Pastor).

Others were Prophet Benjamin Augustus Adobah Rtd. (Former Children’s Ministry Director), National Executive Committee Members of the Children’s Ministry, and many more.

About three weeks ago, the first Children’s Ministry 50th Anniversary lecture took place in Accra.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Registration For All-Ministers’ Conference 2022 Opens.

All is set for the maiden edition of All-Ministers’ Conference 2022, which is being hosted by The Church of Pentecost.

Over the years, The Church of Pentecost has sponsored worldwide conferences for its clergy. This year, however, the church will organise the maiden All-Ministers’ Conference, at which Ministers from other Christian denominations in Ghana will participate.

During the conference, all mysteries and heavenly methods for practising effective and sustainable ministry in a new way, expanding membership growth, and other mind-blowing tactics would be revealed.

The event, which is slated for September 13-16, 2022, would be held at the Pentecost Conventions Centre at Gomoa-Fetteh, near Kasoa in the Central Region of Ghana under the theme:  “Rediscovering and Fulfilling the Purpose of the Church.”

“The objective of the conference is to share fellowship with other pastors across the nation,” a statement issued by the Planning Committee has stated.

According to the Planning Committee, the impacts of the COVID-19 epidemic on the church have presented church leaders with insurmountable hurdles to handle. Nonetheless, the Planning Committee emphasised that fresh possibilities and ways exist for the church to explore in order to advance God’s kingdom.

How to Register

Registration fee goes for GHS 400.00.  All ministers in The Church of Pentecost and other denominations, who wish to participate in this historic event are encouraged to register online through an approved registration link below.

Registration link: https://www.allministersconference.com

Payment Methods

  1. Pay at any of The Church of Pentecost (COP) Area Offices and upload the receipt when filling out the form.
  2. Use the shortcode *887*2074# and upload a screenshot of the receipt.
  3. Pay online through https://www.allministersconference.com/

Delivered From A Spiritual Attack

On the way home from a dawn broadcast exercise within the Mamobi township, members of the Pentecost University (PU) branch of the Pentecost Students and Associates (PENSA) found a man lying haplessly on the floor.

His condition, at first sight, smacked a person who was either drunk, epileptic or perhaps mentally challenged.

All efforts by the team to revive him proved futile. Reluctant to leave him behind in that sorry state, they carried him to the Salem Assembly auditorium in the Mamobi District of The Church of Pentecost to pray for him.

After an intense prayer session, Samuel came to himself and became more responsive. He was, however, unable to talk and only responded to questions with gestures. So, the team continued to pray for him until he was completely restored. 

After taking a bath and changing into some clean clothes, the gentleman, who revealed his name as Samuel Kabutey, inquired from the team how he had ended up at the auditorium. He later narrated his ordeal, recounting the events that led to his unfortunate situation.

According to him, the last memory he had of events was some men (wearing dreadlocks), whom he presumed to be cultists, chasing him throughout the night. So, he hid in a pile of charcoal and spent the rest of the night there. 

He said that the night before the attack, he dreamt of a similar attack by some men in dreadlocks, but, in this instance, he could identify them because knew them in person. 

In the dream, he further narrated, his assailants injected an unknown liquid substance into his leg as he struggled with them. He then woke up from his sleep.

Mr Kabutey was, therefore, grateful to the team for the assistance offered to him. He believes that he has been delivered from a spiritual attack which had now manifested physically.

Samuel, who used to be a devout Christian, but turned from the faith some 15 years ago, rededicated his life to Christ. He is now a member of the Church.

The story of Mr. Kabutey is one of the many miraculous accounts recorded during a five-day evangelism outreach organised by PENSA-PU at the Mamobi township and its environs. The event recorded a total of 117 souls amidst instant healing of various ailments to the glory of God.

Report by PENSA-PU Editorial Board

PENSA-PU “Mamobi Outreach” Records 117 Souls

The Pentecost University (PU) branch of the Pentecost Students and Associates of (PENSA) organised a five-day evangelism outreach at the Mamobi township and its environs. 

The event, which took place from July 12 to 17, 2022, is an annual soul-winning initiative of PENSA-PU held at the end of the second semester of the academic year. This year’s outreach was held under the theme: “If the Son set you free…” (John 8:35).

The PENSA-PU team, led by their president, Elder Richard Mbelembote, was received on arrival at the Salem Assembly church auditorium by the Mamobi District Minister, Pastor Dennis James Osei-Asibey. He commended their passion for soul winning and prayed with them for a successful outreach.

Elder Mbelembote, in an exposition on the theme, indicated that there is total freedom for anyone who accepts Christ Jesus as Lord and personal Savior and is ready to become like Him. 

“Man’s independence does not bring total freedom, but there is total freedom for an ind­­­ividual that accepts to walk with the Lord Jesus Christ,” he stressed. 

The PENSA-PU Vice President, Elder Gideon Bonney, also asserted that no matter how powerful and strong an individual is, it takes the saving grace of God for them to lead a victorious life.

At the end of the five-day event, 117 persons gave their lives to Christ and many others received instant healing of various ailments to the glory of God.

The “Mamobi Outreach” has, indeed, sparked a fresh revival, love and joy among the members of the Mamobi District.

Report by Knack Pent Editorial Board PENSA-PU

The Church of Pentecost Gets First Fulani Pastor

Probationary Overseer Abubakar Diallo Sulemana was commissioned into the full-time ministry of The Church of Pentecost on Friday, making him the first Fulani minister in the history of the Church.

The historic moment took place at a commissioning service for the 2021/22 batch of ministerial students held at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh.

Having been commissioned, P/Overseer Diallo and his wife, Mariam Diallo Sulemana, are now set for Nkwanta, where they would be stationed to serve God and the Church as the Home and Urban Missions (HUM) Pastor for the Volta & Oti sector.

This refreshing news adds to the growing list of successes chalked by the Church under the five-year strategic vision of “Possessing the Nations,” dubbed “Vision 2023,” which birthed the Home and Urban Missions, among other ministries.

Through HUM, the Church is seeking to win and disciple the marginalised, unreached and unengaged people groups, such as the Fulani community, with the unadulterated word of God, giving them hope and transforming them into positive change agents for their communities. This venture has since yielded tremendous results in the Fulani community in particular.

Considered one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa, the Fulanis (Fulbes) are a Muslim-dominated community with a population of about 40,000,000 in more than 20 countries. 

“In our bid to ‘possess the nations,’ we cannot leave out the Fulani community with such a huge number. Fulanis are marginalised in most countries and seem to have conflicts with most indigenous people across Africa. HUM is, therefore, seeking to intentionally and strategically reach out to them,” Apostle Kwafo, the National HUM Coordinator, shared in an interview.

According to the National Coordinator, HUM has led more than 1,000 Fulanis to Christ in the last three years.

“As we speak, we have many Fulani converts as members of The Church of Pentecost; some of whom are ordained officers of the Church,” he said, adding that: “We keep recording these success stories because God has gone ahead of us in the ‘Possessing the Nations’ agenda,”

P/Overseer Sulemana served as a Field Assistant for the Home and Urban Mission before his call into full-time ministry last year.

Apostle Kwafo said their paths crossed when P/Overseer Diallo, then a Muslim turned Christian, was moving from Ghana to neighbouring Burkina to fellowship with a Fulani Church there.

Through the recommendation and help of a friend, Apostle Kwafo got in touch with Diallo, as he is affectionately called, and decided to bring him on board.

“After our meeting, we encouraged him to join The Church of Pentecost and created a space in the Church for him where he felt a sense of belonging. We also took him through discipleship and training to equip him to be effective in worship and service to God,” he said.

Apostle Agyei Kwafo believes that P/Overseer Diallo’s association with The Church of Pentecost is no coincidence but a divine orchestration since, through him, the Church has made significant inroads in the Muslim-dominated community with the gospel of Christ.

“Diallo joined at the right time when Vision 2023 was categorically intentional to reach out to the Fulani community,” he remarked.

Speaking to PENTECOST NEWS on the sidelines of the commissioning service, P/Overseer Sulemana expressed gratitude to God and the leadership of the Church for the investment made in him since he joined The Church of Pentecost.

He said the ministerial training has made him a better Christian and equipped him for a holistic ministry.

“I used to be more comfortable dealing with my people (Fulbes). However, through this training, I have become more confident and can now engage non-Fulbes. I have also learnt more about the Church from my colleagues. This has been very helpful, especially since I was not born into The Church of Pentecost,” he said.

P/Overseer Diallo is poised for the task ahead and now feels adequately prepared for the work of the ministry.

“I am very grateful that God chose The Church of Pentecost to be the channel through which the gospel would reach my people, and I could not be more honoured to be part of this story,” he said.

The newly-commissioned ministers, 127 in all, comprise 115 Ghanaians and 12 others from nine different countries (Nigeria, South Africa, Botswana, Liberia, Zimbabwe, Gambia, India, Cape Verde and Madagascar)

The new ministers have successfully completed the first phase of their ministerial formation course at the School of Theology, Mission and Leadership (STML) of Pentecost University.

PENTECOST NEWS.

The Church of Pentecost Commissions 127 New Ministers

The 2021/22 batch of ministerial students were on Friday, July 15, 2022, commissioned into the full-time ministry of The Church of Pentecost on probation at a commissioning service held at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh.

The students, comprising 115 Ghanaians and 12 others from nine different countries (Nigeria, South Africa, Botswana, Liberia, Zimbabwe, Gambia, India, Cape Verde and Madagascar), have successfully completed the first phase of a ministerial formation course at the School of Theology Mission and Leadership (STML) at the Pentecost University (PU).

The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, in a brief address, urged the newly-commissioned ministers not to be dismayed by the uncertainty of the future because the Lord has already gone ahead of them to their respective stations.

He assured them that the Lord is with them even as they depart for the field, hence they are destined for exploits, saying: “This may be your best gift to your generation. Therefore, be the catalyst that facilitates the agenda of God in the world as we possess the nations together.”

Apostle Nyamekye further stated that the church would continue to invest heavily in training ministers to adequately equip them to deal with the challenges of the times.

“The world is becoming more complex by the day, and we need to train ministers to be equally complex to deal with these complexities,” he said.

The Chairman also urged church members to pray for the new ministers and support them in every way possible to succeed in ministry.

In his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Apostle Prof. Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua, commended the newly-commissioned ministers for the hard work during the preliminary training of their theological education.

He also lauded their contribution towards the success of some of the university’s activities. 

“You were exceptional in the Pentecost University student recruitment exercises in our churches and the communities. Not only that, your contribution towards the success of the PU offering and The Church of Pentecost Chairman’s Education Foundation (COPCEF) was also great!” he said.

The Head of the Department of Ministerial Formation, STML, Apostle Dr. Samuel Ofori, in a short sermonette, said that as ministers, they have been enlisted in the army of God and given the mandate to protect the flock from the enemy.

Alluding to various Bible references, he mentioned the flesh, the world and the devil as the three principal enemies that ministers must guard themselves and the members against.

He, therefore, urged newly-commissioned ministers to defend the Christian faith at all times, protect the flock entrusted to their care and redeem captives from bondage.

The event was attended by some Executive Council members of the Church, namely Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe (International Missions Director), Apostle Samuel Osei Asante (Koforidua Area Head), Apostle Dr. Dela Quampah (Ho Area Head), Apostle Vincent Anane Denteh (Director, Pentecost Men’s Ministry) and Prophet David Kankam Beditor (Ashaiman Area Head).

Pastor Prof. William Otoo Ellis (Chairman, PU Council), Apostle Dr. Emmanuel Anim (Pro-Vice Chancellor, PU and STML Director), Most Rev. Aboagye Mensah (Head of Research, STML), Apostle Dr. Christian Tsekpoe (Head, Department of Missions, STML), Rev. Dr. Justice Arthur (Head, Department of Theology, STML), Rev. Dr. Victor Zizer (Head, Department of Ministerial Formation, STML) and other staff of the university were also in attendance.

Also present to witness the commissioning ceremony were officers, ministers and wives within and outside the church as well as relatives and friends who had come to support the newly-commissioned ministers.

Joining the service via Zoom, Apostle Dr. Elorm Donkor, the Principal of the Birmingham Christian College, UK, and Apostle Dr Mbanyane Mhango, Principal of the Pentecost Bible Seminary, USA, also conveyed fraternal greetings and congratulatory messages to PU and the newly-commissioned ministers, respectively.

The commissioning service was formally held to recognise and affirm the call of new ministerial entrants into the full-time ministry of The Church of Pentecost as they prepare to commence field-work. 

The event, however, did not mark an end of their training but the completion of the first phase of a four-year Bachelor of Theology programme designed to provide them with a grounding in Biblical and Theological Studies and associated disciplines.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Christian Singles Advised To Seek God-Fearing Partners 

Christian singles, especially women, should always look out for God-fearing persons when choosing a spouse for marriage, Mrs. Gladys Oduro, wife of the Yennyawoso District Minister of The Church of Pentecost, has advised.

Mrs. Oduro administered this piece of advice when she delivered a sermon at the climax of the New Tafo Area week celebration on Sunday, July 10, 2022, at the Yennyawoso Central Assembly auditorium. Referencing Colossians 3:18-21; Matthew 19:2-8; Malachi 2:15-16, among others, she spoke on the topic: “Causes and Effects of Divorce.”

According to her, material things, profession, and physical appearances should not be the criteria for selecting a life partner as such do not guarantee a peaceful and successful marriages.

She, therefore, charged single people to have a prescience to look beyond physical attributes of their suitors before accepting or turning down their proposals.

Mrs Oduro further noted that one reason for the institution of marriage was for couples to raise godly children. In that sense, she admonished couples not to pull apart what God has joined together because whoever divorces their spouse becomes an enemy of God as divorce defeats God’s purpose of marriage.

“God will not forgive us if we do not marry in accordance with His directives because marriage is dear to Him,” she cautioned.

Admitting to the challenges and painful nature of some happenings in marriage, Mrs. Oduro incited married couples to strive to exercise patience no matter the circumstances, stressing that “marriage is work.”

She advised the congregants against failure to obey God’s word, fantasies, unforgiveness, distant relationship, bad company, laziness and poverty as such are potential causes of divorce.

On effects of divorce, Mrs. Oduro attributed the moral decadence and social vices such as streetism, waywardness of children, drug addictions, teenage pregnancies, armed robberies, among others, to broken homes.

She, therefore, urged married and prospective couples to use means of managing marital issues to avoid incidence of broken homes for proper upbringing of their children. This, she said, could be done through prayer, God’s guidance and adequate planning, noting that all married couples living by the rules of love and submissiveness as enshrined in the scriptures can make their marital union glorious.

“Next to Christianity is good marriage,” she remarked.

She also noted that childlessness does not negate God’s original design for the family because whether or not married couples have children, God still considers them a family.

The week-long event, dubbed “Kohinta,” was held in two sessions; morning and evening. The event was organised under the general theme: “God’s Original Design For The Family” (Colossians 3:18-21) with several thematic areas exhaustively treated by various speakers.

Report by Yennyawoso District Media Team