First Urban Accelerated Church Building (UACB) Dedicated In Kaneshie Area

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The Living Faith Assembly, located at Atico near Danrose in Bubiashie District in the Kaneshie Area of The Church of Pentecost, has been dedicated to the glory of God.

The project happened to be the first church building under the newly introduced Urban Accelerated Church Buildings (UACB) to be completed and dedicated in the church.

The dedication service was officiated by Apostle Dr. Samuel Ofori (Head of Centre for Ministerial Formation, Pentecost University), assisted by the Bubiashie District Minister, Pastor Eric Kweku Ansah.

The dedication service was attended by the Chief of Bubiashie, Nii Kpatsakole Kumowuo, and his entourage, as well as the Keneshie Area Chieftaincy Ministry Leader, Nana Imprem VIII of Ekumfi Esiam, and some opinion leaders.

Also present were the representatives of Honourable Dakoa Newman (Member of Parliament for Okaikoi South Constituency) and some ministers of the church in the Area.

In a sermon, Apostle Dr. Samuel Ofori cited 1 Kings 8:26-39 and said that the local church must be a house of prayer and sound teachings to equip the members to possess the nations. He also mentioned that as the Lord listened to the cry and prayer of King Solomon during the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem, likewise the Lord will answer every prayer that is lifted up in the new edifice.

The project commenced in May 2021 and was completed in June 2022. It was mainly financed by the Headquarters of the church through the UACB grant and supported by the local church.

Report by Michael Asante. 

Doblo Gonno District PEMEM Puts Smiles On The Faces Of Nsawam Prisons Inmates

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The Pentecost Men’s Ministry (PEMEM) of the Doblo Gonno District in the Achimota Area of The Church of Pentecost has visited the Nsawam Medium Security Prison and donated assorted items to the inmates.

The donation was made recently as part of the activities marking this year’s PEMEM weeklong celebration.

According to the District Minister, Pastor Kwabena Darko-Mensah, since the climax of the week coincided with Father’s Day, the church decided to show love to the inmates.

Assorted items donated by PEMEM to the facility included washing powders, sanitary diapers, bags of gari, bags of sugar, packs of toilet rolls, packs of toothbrush and toothpaste, packs of boxer shorts, bags of sachet water, boxes of guardian soap, loaves of bread and packs of milo.

Led by Pastor Darko-Mensah, the team comprised of an Area PEMEM Executive Committee Member – Elder Charles Adu, and the District PEMEM Executive Committee Members made up of Elders Abraham Ayertey, Delali Dekutse, Moses Ofori, Deacon Emmanuel Lantey and Mr. Francis Tweneboah. Some of the Local PEMEM executives and deaconesses also joined the team.

The District Minister, before the presentation of the items, shared the word of God with the inmates. He quoted from Romans 8:28 (ESV), “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

According to him, God can work out things to benefit His children irrespective of how hopeless the situation or circumstances may be, saying, “All we need to do is to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and might.”

Pastor Darko-Mensah encouraged them to fully trust in God and serve Him at all times. He ended by praying for the inmates.

The items were gladly received on behalf of management by the Chaplain for Nsawam Prisons, Pastor (ASP) Thomas Owusu Brefo.

The elated inmates requested the church to visit again.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Everyone Who Prophesies Is Not Necessarily A Prophet – Apostle Dr. Quampah Asserts

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The Ho Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Dr. Dela Quampah, has stressed that there is a difference between someone who prophesies on the spur of the moment by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the person who functions in the prophetic office.

According to the Executive Council Member of the Church, “anyone can prophesy, but everyone who prophesies is not necessarily a prophet. In other words, any person can make prophetic utterances, but not everyone can function as a prophet.”

Apostle Dr. Quampah said this last Wednesday when he spoke on the topic, “The Role of The Prophetic Ministry in Equipping the Church” at this year’s National Prayer Conference at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh.

Reading from 1 Samuel 10:10-11 and 1 Samuel 19:23-24 to buttress his assertion, the Ho Area Head cited two instances in the Bible where Saul prophesied even though he was not a prophet of God.

“It is therefore important to note that the practice of speaking a prophetic word during public worship does not necessarily make one a prophet,” he advised.         

Expounding further, Dr. Quampah explained that a prophet is a person who has received a specific and personal call from God and consequently has the vocational commitment of consistently speaking God’s messages to the community of faith or demonstrating God’s power in response to human problems.

“Because of this calling, he or she maintains a lifestyle consistent with this ministry,” he added.

He further noted that the prophetic ministry is a vital aspect of the ministry of the Church because it is one of the ascension gifts given by Jesus to build up believers, who form the Church, into full maturity. In addition, prophecies strengthen, encourage, comfort and edify the Church (1 Corinthians 14:3-5, Ephesians 4:11-13), he said.

He further underlined the importance of the prophetic ministry by stating that the Bible consists of 17 prophetic books (16 in the Old Testament and 1 in the New Testament), making it (prophecy) a prominent part of the Christian ministry.

“The prophetic ministry impacts almost all aspects of theological discipline, including evangelism, pastoral care, homiletics (preaching), and Christian education or discipleship,” he also noted.

Bearing in mind the importance of the prophetic ministry, Apostle Dr. Quampah advised churches to be careful so that they do not discourage genuine prophecies in their efforts to weed out or curtail false prophecies.  

The Ho Area Head, instead, proposed that “since we overcome false doctrine by teaching true doctrine; and we should also promote genuine prophecy to overcome false prophecy.”

He noted that prophets speak the mind of God into a situation for a purpose, predict the future to direct human behaviour, inspire hope in difficult situations, and pronounce God’s judgment upon human sinfulness.

Dr. Quampah, therefore, advised self-proclaimed prophets whose actions bring the prophetic ministry into disrepute to refrain from it.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Akuse District Women’s Ministry Visits Akuse  Prisons

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The Women’s Ministry of Akuse District in the Agormanya Area of The Church of Pentecost has visited the over 200 inmates of the Akuse Prisons in the Eastern Region.

A delegation of 56 women, led by the District Minister, Pastor Jacob Kwakye Frimpong, and his wife, Mrs Cynthia Kwakye Frimpong, as well as the District Women’s Ministry leadership, visited the facility on July 18, 2022.

In a brief address, Mrs Cynthia Kwakye Frimpong explained that the visit was in fulfillment of Jesus’ command to Christians to extend love and care to the vulnerable in society, including prison inmates (Matthew 25:26).

She added that the gesture was also in line with the church’s Vision 2023 of ‘Possessing the Nations’ which seeks to among other things extend ministry to neglected mission fields.

To the glory of God, four inmates accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal Saviour.

The items presented to the facility included church souvenirs such as calendars and desk diaries and 30 pieces of fufu bowls.

The women also prepared assorted foods such as fufu and light soup, banku and palm nut soup, konkonte and ground nut soup for the inmates.

The Officer-in-Charge of the prison, ASP Rufus Mensah, praised the church and the Women’s Ministry for its generosity and continued support to the inmates. He encouraged other organisations to emulate the kind gesture.

Report by Cynthia Kwakye Frimpong, Akuse.

Carry The Church Of Pentecost Brand Everywhere You Go – Apostle Gyau Obuobi Urges

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The Church of Pentecost (CoP), since its inception in 1937, has built a niche that has been transferred from one generation to other. It is in this regard that the Asamankese Area Head of the church, Apostle Samuel Gyau Obuobi, has urged ministers and members of the church to hold on to the Pentecostal heritage and carry the flame burning everywhere they go.

Apostle Obuobi made this charge at the 2022 Orientation for Missionaries at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa-Fetteh, near Kasoa on Monday, July 4, 2022.

In a presentation on the topic, “The CoP Brand,” Apostle Obuobi, who doubles as a member of the Audit Committee of the church, said that the brand of the church does not only differentiate it from other churches but brings out its core values.

“They are the things that shape the perception about the church, what we do and stand for,” he explained.

He added: “Though the church started with people who were not educated, the Holy Spirit inspired them to make the brand unique, distinguished and respected around the world.”

The Asamankese Area Head of the church further highlighted seven key factors that have contributed to the unique brand of the church. These, he noted, are absolute reliance on the Holy Spirit, prayer, the Word of God, elements of holiness and righteousness, emphasis on the local church, discipline and respect for authority, and the calling into full-time ministry and leadership succession.

Touching on the reliance on the Holy Spirit, Apostle Obuobi mentioned that the fathers of the church made much emphasis on the Holy Spirit. According to him, this has positioned the church to be widely perceived as a Holy Ghost-filled church.

He urged members of the church to keep the unquenching flame of the Holy Spirit in the activities of the church.

Apostle Samuel Gyau Obuobi also admonished ministers of the church to keep praying for more souls, the infilling of the Holy Spirit, and the expansion of God’s kingdom.

“The current generation must do everything in its power to keep and protect this brand and make it even better,” he said.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Missions Exist Everywhere In Contemporary Times – Apostle Anane Denteh Observes

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The Director of the Pentecost Men’s Ministry (PEMEM), Apostle Vincent Anane Denteh, has asserted that the scope of contemporary missions now covers the ‘six continents’ of the world, not on a particular destination as was in the past.

“The Mission to Six Continents concept was developed by the Commission on World Mission and Evangelism (CWME) under the auspices of the World Christian Council (WCC) conference held in Mexico City in 1963,” the PEMEM Director stated.

The PEMEM Director made this assertion on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, during a presentation at the Orientation for Missionaries at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa-Fetteh, near Kasoa.

Apostle Anane Denteh, who doubles as an Executive Council Member of the church, spoke on the topic, “Contemporary Issues In Missions.”

Quoting from Matthew 24:14, Apostle Anane Denteh said that the gospel of the kingdom of God is supposed to be proclaimed throughout the whole world, as a testimony to the nations.

“All those who matter in the kingdom are missionaries of Christ,” he said.

He explained that a missionary practitioner refers to all people involved in the activities of mission work. These, he noted, include the mission agencies, missionaries, donors, among others.

“Taking time to study the contemporary issues in mission is a critical exercise that every mission practitioner should take very seriously,” he stressed.

Apostle Vincent Anane Denteh, who is also the Chieftaincy Ministry National Co-ordinator of The Church of Pentecost, further stated that there are six basic qualities of a good practitioner of missions. He stated that a good missionary should be a student of the Bible, a student of mission, a pastor or a teacher in the mission field, a Holy Spirit-filled or matured person, an epitome of sacrifice, and a missiological researcher.

“As a student of missions, research is needed into the culture and traditions of the people,” he mentioned, adding, “In missions, every missionary is a messenger, and the people must accept the messenger to accept his message.”

He, however, pointed out that the mission field is filled with several challenges, notably among them are religious fanaticism leading to persecutions and terrorism; ungodly ideologies, worldviews, and national policies; nationalism, xenophobia, ethnocentrism, and racism, among others.

He also charged the clergy to indulge in digital evangelism, where technology is implored in the proclamation of the gospel of Christ.

Apostle Vincent Anane Denteh cautioned that while planting ethnolinguistic churches is a good missional strategy, care must be taken to manage those churches very well so that they would not turn into ethnocentric pressure groups in the church.

He further charged missionaries to allow the Holy Spirit to empower them, saying, “A mission practitioner may have the strategy or approach on the field but the one above all is the miracle of the Holy Spirit.”

PENTECOST NEWS.

Make The Grace Of God Profitable – Apostle Kumi-Larbi To Christians

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The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, has advised Christians, particularly church leaders, to work hard to ensure the grace (gifts) they have received in the Lord produces the intended effect.

Apostle Kumi made this passionate appeal to Christians yesterday during his ministration at the ongoing National Prayer Conference at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh.

Speaking on the topic: “Making the Grace of God Profitable,” based on 1 Corinthians 15:10 and 2 Corinthians 6:1, the General Secretary of the Church asserted that the grace of God is received in vain when the recipients live or conduct themselves in an unworthy manner so that it nullifies its effect.

“When Christians are influenced by the evil of the world around them, it nullifies the grace of God they have been given. Christians are, therefore, to come out from the evils of society and be separate” he said.

He explained that the opportunity to become children of God is a calling received through grace in Christ, hence, Christians must endeavour to make profitable use of it.

He further noted that, unlike a career, job or profession that involves prolonged training and formal qualification, a calling is a strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action, especially when accompanied by a conviction of divine influence.

“So, to excel in our calling, we have received grace, which is the unmerited favour of God, so that we can better serve and glorify God,” he said.

Elaborating on the grace of God, the General Secretary said that Grace, which he described as an essential part of God’s character, is variously defined as “God’s favour toward the unworthy” or “God’s benevolence on the undeserving.” 

He further indicated that Grace is closely related to God’s benevolence, love, and mercy. 

According to him, one of the greatest ways that God shows grace to humanity is through the forgiveness of sins after their heartfelt repentance and submission to His laws. 

He added: “In His grace, God is willing to forgive us and bless us abundantly, even though we don’t deserve to be treated so well or dealt with so generously.”

Juxtaposing the grace and mercy of God, Apostle Kumi-Larbi stated that “Grace is when God gives us what we don’t deserve, and mercy is when God doesn’t give us what we do deserve.” 

He explained that Grace is repeatedly referred to as a gift in the Bible because it is given out freely to the recipients (Christians) at no expense. Hence, Christians should show gratitude and value for the Grace of God by not allowing it to be unproductive.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi noted that the effective use of the grace of God results in a life of servitude (humility and selflessness), sacrifice and Christlikeness (godliness).

“As the recipients of God’s grace, Christians are to be gracious to others. This is because Grace is given to us to serve others and to exercise our spiritual gifts for the building up of the church,” he advised.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Great Names Are Earned – Apostle Eric Nyamekye

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Apostle Eric Nyamekye, the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, has urged Christians to lead righteous lives in order to earn a good or great name.

The Chairman said this today when he exhorted participants of the ongoing National Prayer Conference on the topic, “The Authority In The Name of Jesus.”

According to Apostle Nyamekye, the things that are more valuable or desirable than great riches, include good health, wisdom, long life and peace, but the greatest among them is a good or great name.

“When your name is great, it opens doors of opportunities for you. So, a great name is a blessing. It opens doors and purchases for the bearer of the name (and even others associated with them) things that even money cannot buy,” he stated.

Reading from Philippians 2:6-11, Apostle Nyamekye explained that the authority in the name of Jesus was not only conferred on Him, but He earned it through His obedience, humility and death on the cross.

“Therefore, God exalted Jesus to the highest place and gave Him the name above every name. Note that God did not give Jesus money or a crown; He gave Him a great name. This is because a name is not just for identification, rather, all a person is is vested in their name,” he said.

The Chairman further noted that the name of Jesus carries authority and is a strong tower for the righteous because it was conferred on Him by the Supreme Being Himself. He, however, reiterated that Jesus worked to earn the name conferred on Him.

He, therefore, advised Christians, especially church leaders, to conduct themselves well at all times so that their actions do not adversely affect their names and bring the name of the Lord into disrepute.

PENTECOST NEWS.

2022 National Prayer Conference Underway

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After two years of COVID-19 disruptions, the National Prayer Conference of The Church of Pentecost, a gathering of Prayer Centre Leaders of the Church, is underway at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh.

The three-day event was officially opened today by the Chairman of the Church, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, and is under the theme: “Equipping the Church as an Army to Possess the Nations” (Ephesians 4:11-12; 6:10-11; Hebrews 13:20-21).

Participating in the event are 119 church leaders, including ministers and officers of the Church, drawn from the 34 prayer centres approved by The Church of Pentecost.

In his opening message to participants, the Chairman stressed that beyond the grace and gifts of God, the ultimate goal of every Church leader must be to have their names written in the Book of Life.

Reading from 1 Corinthians 12:7, Apostle Nyamekye said that God gave giftings for the common good of the Church and for this reason those who are gifted should not seek to use it for their gain.

He indicated that, although the gifts may vary, they are given by the same Spirit. He said that since everyone has been endowed with a gift (or gifts) in the Church, Church leaders ought to be humble and not pride themselves in a particular gift they have received.

Expounding further, the Chairman said that no one gift is enough to build a Church of God, rather, there must be the manifestation of multiple giftings for a church to thrive.

“The gift of healing is not enough to build the Church of God because it takes other gifts to disciple members and lead them to heaven. So, you cannot build a church with one gift,” he said

He further noted that the gifts are given to bring glory to God, as a result, recipients of these giftings must ensure that they project Christ and not draw praise to themselves.

Apostle Nyamekye, therefore, urged church leaders not to only rely on their gifts, saying: “You are greater than your gifts because all gifts will pass.”

The National Prayer Conference is an annual event of The Church of Pentecost aimed at equipping Prayer Centre leaders and orienting them on the Church’s guidelines for operating such centres.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Be Agents Of Change – Apostle Kumi-Larbi Charges Clergy

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The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kum-Larbi, has charged the clergy to be agents of change in society.

He has also charged ministers and leaders of the church to make time to read the Constitution of the church, the Ministers’ Manual, and the Ministerial Handbook in addition to the Bible.

“These books have all that it takes to make us perform as good ministers of this great church,” he added.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi was addressing ministers and wives of the church who have been called to the external and internal missions field during an orientation course held at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa-Fetteh, near Kasoa on Tuesday, July 5, 2022.

In a presentation on the topic, “The Church Leader and Church Policies and Practices,” Apostle Kumi-Larbi stated that in The Church Of Pentecost, policies and practices provide the framework within which leaders and members operate, saying, “They define what we do and how we do it.”

He admonished the clergy who constitute the ‘governing authority’ of the church to know and understand the rules and principles of the church.

He noted that this would help them perform and manage their affairs decently and orderly.

The General Secretary also said that the primary motivation, as Christians in all things, is to please the Lord. However, he said that God’s will for the church is revealed to His servants through visions, dreams, prophesies, and intuitions.

“We are called to respond by receiving, understanding and following through with near perfection with the objective to influence the multitude of believers to catch the vision, and help in its effective operationalisation and actualisation,” he iterated.

Making scriptural reference to Leviticus 10:1, Apostle Kumi-Larbi explained that the case of Nadab and Abihu is a reminder that the will and instructions of God are to be carried out exactly as they are received to avoid the Lord’s wrath.

He urged leadership of the church, who are both stakeholders and stewards, to formulate policies from time to time to direct the actions of the church towards the attainment of God’s will for the church enshrined in the vision and mission of the church.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi explained that policies serve as internal controls, help attain efficiency of procedures and processes, help maintain a degree of accountability in the eyes of internal and external stakeholders (Godhead), and help to build continuous learning culture as they are reviewed periodically.

He entreated ministers to wholeheartedly embrace every policy instituted by the leadership of the church.

The General Secretary encouraged ministers, officers, and members of the church to learn and implement the core practices, rules of conduct, and culture of the church.

These are Evangelism, Discipleship, Ministry Excellence, Prayer, Ministry of the Holy Spirit, Leadership and Church Culture.

“Remain loyal to the leadership of the church and to God. Work as faithful colleagues we can count on,” Apostle Kumi-Larbi further stressed.

PENTECOST NEWS