Be Examples of Christ In Possessing Nations – Elder Prof. Owusu Kwankye

Be Examples of Christ In Possessing Nations – Elder Prof. Owusu Kwankye

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Elder Professor Stephen Owusu Kwankye, Finance Board Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, has called on members of the church to fully emulate Christ as they equip themselves to possess the nations.

According to him, Christians should not be seen engaging in activities that taint the image of Christ. This, he said, would make it difficult for them to represent Christ in the ‘Possessing the Nations’ agenda.

Elder Prof. Owusu Kwankye was delivering the sermon on the topic: “Dress up for enlistment into the Squad to Possess the Nations” at the climax of the week-long Teshie-Nungua Area Officers’ Retreat (Apostolisation) at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC)- Sakumono, on Sunday, February 13, 2022.

Touching on the military, he said that “the military is a disciplined institution where people cannot dress anyhow for duty.

“The military man must dress fully to be counted as a member of the army of God. He must take the shield of faith, praying always, and be watchful to the end,” he stated.

He further urged Christians to live and reflect the values enshrined in the army of God, notably loyalty, dedication, discipline, and trust.

Using Ephesians 6:10-18; 2 Timothy 2:4; Proverbs 14:34, and Revelations 2:10 as scriptural references, Elder Prof. Owusu Kwankye compared the church to the army according to its structures and spiritual roles.

“In the military, when you see your superior coming, you stand to salute. Hence, in the army of God, we need to respect our superiors and see ourselves as one body,” he iterated.

He acknowledged the role of the various ministries, cell groups, and committees in the church which jointly work to make the work of God active and entreated members of the church to support the initiatives of leadership.

“When somebody comes to church and is not a member of any squad (group), it is not good. All must join the squads; be counted and when we play that role, then collectively we will be able to possess the nations,” he admonished.

The Finance Board Chairman of the Church then cautioned leaders to refrain from unnecessary competitions that come up in discharging their duties, adding, “When we come to the army of God, one may belong to the Children’s Ministry, Evangelism Ministry, Women’s Ministry, but our work should complement each other.”

He, however, urged Christians to demonstrate their righteousness and stand on the Word of God.

The Resident Minister, Pastor Anthony Owusu Sekyere Kwarteng, then expressed his gratitude to Elder Prof. Stephen Owusu-Kwankye and his wife Vida for their visit and impartation.

Report by Isabella Gyau Orhin

IMD AT PIWC ACCRA

Christians Must Strive To Be Spiritual and Blameless – IMD Declares

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Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe, International Missions Director (IMD) of The Church of Pentecost, has recommended that Christians train their souls to align with the spirit in order to become more spiritual and walk blamelessly in this perverse world.

Preaching on the theme: “The Helmet of Salvation” (Ephesians 6:17) on Sunday, February 13, 2022, at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC), Accra, located at Kokomlemle, Apostle Bekoe explained that man is a tripartite being made up of body, soul, and spirit,  emphasising that, the human spirit serves as a conduit for communication between man and God.

“A spiritual Christian has an advantage over a carnal believer because they possess Christ’s mind,” he stated.

Reading further from 1 Thessalonians 5:23 and Hebrews 4:12 to explain the need for Christians to be regenerated (born-again), the IMD stated that if a man is not born-again, his spirit, which is the communication channel between him and God, is dead, saying, “You are operating at the soulish and the bodyish level.  Your spirit, which was once dead, comes back to life the day you accept Jesus as your savior into your life.”

When discussing the human soul, Apostle Bekoe stated that the soul is man’s mind, will, and emotions/feelings.

He did, however, reveal that it is the spirit of man that is born-again, not the soul or the body (2 Corinthians 5:17).

He believes that when a person is born again, it is the spirit that is saved, explaining that,  if the soul is to be added to the new creation, it must go through discipline and training (Romans 12:2; 1 Peter 1:13). He continued: “If you are a believer, your spirit is saved so that when God speaks, you can hear, and when you speak, God can also hear.  However, even if you are a born-again believer, if you allow your soul to be aligned with your body, you will become a carnal Christian, because the soul and your body have become friends against the spirit. As a result, you will walk in the flesh.

He, however, said once the soul has been disciplined, trained, and aligned with the spirit, the spirit and soul will fight against the body, stressing that, this will enable the person to walk as a spiritual person.

The International Missions Director stated that the helmet of salvation is one of the armours of God that the believer must put on at all times because it serves two functions, namely decorative and protective.

“Because salvation is a complete package, it is beautiful.  Salvation is the line that separates you from your past and your future. Salvation is the borderline and when you put on the helmet of salvation, the world can see your awesomeness in Christ.”

He also stated that the helmet of salvation shields the believer’s mind and thoughts from the enemy’s attack. It also prevents outside interferences, destructions, and disruptions from entering their minds and thoughts.

Touching on the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5-10), he stated that, while Jesus shared the same nature as God, he never considered equality with God. 

“The language of the world is equality. When gender equality was introduced, the divorce rate increased because a man and a woman can never be equal, but as a spouse, they can be one. When equality becomes your language (2 Corinthians 10:12), it will destroy your life because equality breeds competition, and competition breeds chaos,” he explained.

“Christ’s intention is for couples to be one and not equal. As Christians, oneness, not equality, should be the language,” he advised.

He also stated that Christ emptied himself and urged believers to do the same in order to receive the fullness of God, saying, “The day you become full of yourself, you will become empty of the Holy Spirit but when you empty yourself, you become full of the Holy Spirit.”

The IMD asked Christians to serve in whatever capacity they are assigned in the church because Christ allowed Himself to be a servant.

He also urged Christians to make humility a deliberate and intentional virtue to cultivate, as Christ was himself humble.

Among those present at the service were the IMD’s wife, Mrs. Deborah Agyemang Bekoe, and Apostle Prof. Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua (Associate Pastor of PIWC Accra and Vice-Chancellor of Pentecost University).

PENTECOST NEWS.

Let Your Righteousness Be Seen In Your Communities – Apostle Kumi-Larbi Urges Christians b

Let Your Righteousness Be Seen In Your Communities – Apostle Kumi-Larbi Urges Christians

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The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, has urged Christians to be righteous and just in their communities.

Speaking on the topic: “The Righteousness of God As it Relates to the Believer’s Salvation,” on Sunday, February 13, 2022, at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) in the Downtown-Ofaakor Area, Apostle Kumi-Larbi said humanity can only appreciate the righteousness of God by first reflecting on their depraved nature in the beginning.

“To understand God’s righteousness and how He saved and cleansed us, we must first understand where we were and how depraved humanity was,” he stated.

He revealed that the human heart was very evil before salvation, adding that, the Apostle Paul wrote Romans 1:18-32 to describe the depraved nature of the human heart before coming to know the saving knowledge of Christ.

“Before Jesus came, we were very evil,” he noted, stressing that: “Humanity had become godless and wicked and had suppressed the truth and the righteousness of God.”

He acknowledged that though God is loving, He does not spare anyone who sins but punishes anyone that engaged in any form of sin.

 “God will never apologize to anyone; He won’t spare you if you sin,” he told the congregation.

The General Secretary observed that in contemporary times, humanity has invented new ways of doing evil and cautioned that God will punish all those who engage in such acts.

He further explained that Jesus Christ is the believer’s righteousness and sanctification, and that He came to earth to restore humanity to God’s righteousness.

“Jesus came to destroy Satan’s works, sin, and the wrath and curses that come with it. God, the Father sent Jesus Christ, who knew no sin, to die for our sake so that we might be righteous before God,” he explained.

He urged unbelievers to accept Christ as their Savior, because without Christ, man is dead.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi iterated that before Jesus came to earth, humanity owed God due to numerous sins but Christ died to pay the debt freeing man from all forms of sins.

“When Jesus came to die on the tree, God accepted that sacrifice and cancelled all our debt,” he said.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi admonished believers to refrain from sin and put on the righteousness of God as a weapon against sin and be transformed into the image of Christ.

“Let’s go and exhibit the virtues of Christ. The Salvation of our society and communities is in our hands,” he charged Christians.

After the sermon, Resident Minister of PIWC- Downtown-Ofaakor Area, Pastor Isaac Annor, led the congregation in prayer.

Present at the service was Apostle Dr Benjamin Ali, the Area Head for Downtown-Ofaakor.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Mrs. Gladys Namle Noye Laid To Rest c

Mrs. Gladys Namle Noye Laid To Rest

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The remains of Mrs. Gladys Namle Noye, the late wife of Pastor Ben Noye, Centre Manager for the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC) and Resident Minister of Ghana Flag Worship Center in the Downtown-Ofaakor Area of The Church of Pentecost was laid to rest on Saturday, February 12, 2022.

Mrs. Gladys Namle Noye, 57, whose death occurred on Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at the Pentecost Hospital, Madina, after a short illness lived a life full of admiration.

The earnest funeral ceremony was officiated by the General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, with support from some Executive Council Members of the Church and Apostle Dr. Benjamin Ali, Downtown-Ofaakor Area Head.

Delivering a sermon at the well-attended burial and memorial service held in her honour at Kasoa Amanfrom School Park, Pastor Kwasi Afoakwa-Duah, Galilea District Minister of the church, said that Jesus is the solid foundation of the life of the believer.

With scripture references from John 11:25; Isaiah 43:1-2, Pastor Afoakwa-Duah revealed that since the physical and spiritual life of Christians are rooted in Jesus, it is important to be appreciative of life, which he described as a “gift” that must be used graciously. “You can only get life in Jesus when you believe in him. Even when you die, you will live again,” he stated, adding, “In Jesus, we do not pass away, but pass on to eternal life. Therefore, our sister Gladys Namle Noye has passed on to a better land.”

Survived by a husband and three children, Mrs. Gladys Noye, together with her husband, Pastor Ben Noye, accepted the call to join full-time ministry of The Church of Pentecost in 2003. They served in the following stations: Prang, Essarkyir, Takoradi, Koforidua, Merry Villas (Accra), Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC) as the Centre Manager, as well as the Resident Minister for the Ghana Flag Worship Centre in the Downtown-Ofaakor Area, before her call into eternity.

A tribute by the General Council of The Church of Pentecost read by Prophet David Kankam Beditor (Ashaiman Area Head and Coordinator of the Greater Accra Coordinating Committee) described Mrs. Gladys Noye as “a woman of outstanding qualities.” It added that her contributions to the church and to the Lord were admirable, saying, “It was not surprising to note that she won the Best Teacher awards at various levels due to her zeal and dedication to her profession and the things of God.”

According to the General Council, the late Mrs. Noye’s excellent life served as a role model for both children and adults, both inside and outside the church. “Certainly, she was a proud ambassador of the church in the possessing the nations’ agenda, as she was able to use her godly character and values to brighten her sphere of life and thus, turned many to Christ,” it added.

Her uprightness, submissiveness, selflessness, devotion, hospitality, hard work, among others, aided in bringing stability to her home, as recalled by her husband and children.

Mrs. Gladys Namle Noye was born on Tuesday, February 16, 1965, at Agogo, Ashanti-Akim, to the late Seth Odonkor Nyavor and Lily Koryoe Nyavor, both from Odumase-Krobo. She was the third of six children.
Her marriage to Pastor Ben Noye on October 31, 1998, transitioned her to The Church of Pentecost, where she underwent baptism by immersion at Abelenkpe District after her previous baptism in the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, at Agogo on April 18, 1965.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Teshie-Nungua Area 2022 Apostolisation Ends

Teshie-Nungua Area 2022 Apostolisation Ends

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The Teshie-Nungua Area of The Church of Pentecost annual All Officers’ Retreat dubbed “Apostolisation” has ended at the Fred Safo Memorial Temple, Nungua. It was attended by over 1,200 officers and lay leaders from the 26 districts of the Area.

This year’s programme was under the theme, “Equipping the Church as an Army to Possess the Nations.” The meetings which started on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, ended on Friday, February 11, 2022.
Welcoming participants to the meetings, the Area Head for Teshie-Nungua, Apostle Wilberforce Nkrumah-Agyeman, urged the officers and lay leaders to commit themselves to the teachings and training at the meetings in order to equip themselves to take care of the flock in their respective districts and local assemblies.

He said that leaders should be filled with the Holy Spirit to be able to handle the spiritual needs of the members. “Our members should not be combing one area to another looking for spiritual solutions when we are on fire for the Lord. We only need to avail ourselves and the Lord will use us mightily to support our church members and to promote the Kingdom business,” he said.

He added: “As church leaders, we must engage our members, visit them, give them the support they need and always preach the gospel to bring in new members.”

The event was addressed by various speakers such as Apostle David Tettey Tekper (Achimota Area Head), Elder Prof. Stephen Owusu Kwankye (Finance Board Chairman of The Church of Pentecost), and Apostle Michael M. Kopah (rtd).
Topics treated include: The Church as an Equipping Centre in carrying out the Great Commission; The Possessing the Nations Agenda; Mobilizing the Squads for Effective Impact in the World; Righteousness, the Authority of the Kingdom; The New Creation and the Possessing the Nations Agenda; The Power of the Gospel of Salvation, and The Ministry of Intercessory Prayers.”

Other topics were, “Equipping the Church to put on the Belt of Truth,” and “The Power of Faith in Possessing the Nations.”

There were workshops for minsters and their wives as well as morning meetings.

Report by Isabella Gyau Orhin.

WhatsApp Image 2022-02-12 at 3.59.46 PM

La Area Climaxes 2022 Apostolisation With Communion, Impartation Service

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The La Area of The Church of Pentecost climaxed this year’s All Officers’ Retreat dubbed ‘Apostolisation’ on Friday, February 11, 2022, with communion and impartation service.

The Area Head, Apostle John Osei Amaniampong, officiated the communion service assisted by Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe (International Missions Director), Apostle Emmanuel Ofei Ankra-Badu (Tema Area Head), and Apostle Rigwell Ato Addison (former General Secretary of the church) who were the guest speakers for the retreat.
The magnificent Dr. Thomas Wyatt Memorial Temple located at Accra Newtown which hosted the programme was filled with officers made up of elders, deacons, and deaconesses as well as ministers and wives in the area.

After delivering a short sermon for the night, the International Missions Director, Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe, led a powerful impartation session to revitalise the officers and increase their unction to be able to effectively carry out the task at hand.

Some of the topics treated during the week-long programme are: “The Church as the Equipping Centre in Carrying out the Great Commission; The Possessing the Nations Agenda,” “The New Creation and the Possessing the Nations Agenda,” “Righteousness; the Authority of the Kingdom,” “The Power of Gospel of Salvation,” “Equipping the Church with the Word of God as the Sword of the Spirit,” and “Mobilising the Squads for Effective Impact in the World.”

PENTECOST NEWS.

Every Enlisted Soldier Of Christ Must Be Given A Role To Play - IMD

Every Enlisted Soldier Of Christ Must Be Given A Role To Play – IMD

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“Every believer has been enlisted as a soldier in the army of God and has a role to play in the church. Therefore, as a church, we do not want any member to be idle; everyone must be trained and assigned responsibility.”

These were the words of the International Missions Director (IMD) of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe, as he spoke on “Mobilising the Squads” at the climax of the La Area Officers Retreat (Apostolisation) on Friday, February 11, 2022, at the Dr. Thomas Wyatt Memorial Temple, Accra Newtown.

He indicated that Jesus Christ is the Commander of the army of God. Listing some of the components of a fighting force, the IMD said that the fighting army has its concept of operation which includes its doctrines, principles, and values. In the same manner, the church has its doctrines, tenets, values, principles, and practices which guide the members in their conduct and operations.
There are also physical factors that the army employs when going to war. These include manpower, equipment, performance, sustainability, and readiness. According to him, soldiers who lack this equipment cannot fight and win a battle.

He also touched on moral factors such as unity, loyalty, and morale of the army. Relating it to Christian warfare, the IMD said that believers need unity to win the battle against the devil. They also have to be loyal to the Commander-in-Chief (Jesus Christ), the structures, and the leadership of the church which give directions to the troops, saying, “As an officer, your loyalty to the church should be absolute.”

Stressing on the importance of morale at the camp of the army, he admonished believers to support one another in the work of God so that the Master’s business will not suffer loss.
Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe further mentioned three levels as strategies in organising the army for battle. These are strategic level, operational level, and tactical level.
Dwelling on the tactical level of mobilisation, he said that it is broken down into sections, then to squads and teams with leaders.

“The squads and the teams which are smaller groups help to make the soldiers active and responsible to one another,” he explained.
Likewise, in the church, squads and teams help to engage members in the church. He advised presiding elders and ministry leaders at the local level which is the equipping centre to endeavour to assign every member to a specific team and squad so that no one will remain reductant in the church. This, he said, will help make every member responsible to someone.

Quoting Nehemiah 3:1-32, he disclosed some areas in the church where members can be assigned to operate in. This includes Bible study facilitators, prayer warriors, mission partners, welcoming committees/ushers, house-to-house evangelism squads, schools evangelism teams, follow-up teams, hospital evangelism teams, Children’s Ministry workers, videographers, instrumentalists, dawn preachers, and community development teams.

He identified some five strategies in mobilising the squads. These are enlistments (going out for the souls); training them through the new converts/new members classes; registration (taking the biodata of members and knowing every detail information about them); integration (through interaction, discipleship and mentoring them to ground them in the faith), and deployment which emphasizes on equipping the members to go out and bring in souls.

The International Missions Director noted that if members are not properly trained, they cannot be deployed to make an impact in society, hence the need for intentional discipleship and mentoring to fully equip the members to be agents of transformation.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Couple Gives Birth To Baby Girl After 25 Years Of Childlessness

Couple Gives Birth To Baby Girl After 25 Years Of Childlessness

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“And she said, “O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the Lord. For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him.” – 1 Samuel 1:26-27

After 25 years of marriage, the Lord miraculously visited Elder David Abuguri and his wife Deaconess Emilia of Zebilla District of The Church of Pentecost with a baby girl.

Elder David Abuguri who doubles as the District PEMEM Leader and his wife earnestly prayed to the Lord for a child having married for the past 25 years (1996-2021).

After several prayers and continuous dependence on the Lord, Deaconess Emilia conceived and has delivered a bouncing baby girl. The child was dedicated recently and named after Sophia McKeown, the late wife of the Founder of The Church of Pentecost.

Elder David and Deaconess Abuguri are eternally grateful to God for such a miraculous visitation. They also expressed their utmost gratitude to the Bawku Area Head, Apostle Eric Gyambibi Boateng, and his wife Mrs. Vivian Adomah Boateng for their prayer support and encouragement, as well as the Zebilla District Minister, Overseer Michael Kudodzi, and the entire Presbytery, for their prayers and support in various forms.

To God be the glory for the great thing He has done.

Report by Zebilla District Media Committee.

Salvation Is Significant In Equipping The Church – IMD Declares

Salvation Is Significant In Equipping The Church – IMD Declares

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The International Missions Director of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Emmanuel Agyeman Bekoe, has indicated that salvation of the believer is critical in equipping the church for battles.

“One of the weapons in the Christian journey is the helmet of salvation,” he said during the opening session of the La Area Officers’ Retreat (Apostolisation), on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, at Dr. Thomas Wyatt Temple.

Delivering a sermon on the topic, “Significance of the Helmet of Salvation,” Apostle Agyeman Bekoe defined salvation as, “being saved or delivered from sin through Jesus Christ.”

Using scriptural references from Ephesians 6:17 and 2 Corinthians 5:17, he revealed that the new creation or new birth of a believer comes with the acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and personal Saviour.

“Not until one accepts Christ as Lord and personal Saviour, they are dead and have no connection with God,” he stated.

Quoting from 1 Thessalonians 5:23 and Hebrews 4:12, he noted that man, being tripartite, is made up of body, soul, and spirit. He also said that the spirit of man serves as the communication channel between God and man.

“If anyone is not in Christ, their spirit is dead, hence, there is no communication network between them and God,” he declared.

He further added: “The moment one comes to accept Christ as their Lord and personal Saviour, that communication channel is opened, and they can talk to God, hear from Him, and be able to wear the helmet of salvation.”

Describing the soul of man, Apostle Agyeman Bekoe said that the mind, will, and emotions, are trained and disciplined to align themselves with the spirit of man when one becomes born again. This, he said, makes the individual spiritual again.

“If the soul aligns itself with the body instead of the spirit, they fight against the spirit, and the individual behaves carnally even though they have accepted Christ,” he noted.

He urged ministers and officers of the church to strive to put on the helmet of salvation which will push them from the past into the future.

The IMD revealed that the helmet of salvation also has a decorative purpose which beautifies and announces the presence of a true born-again Christian after every battle.

He then encouraged the Church to always work at their salvation to help protect their minds from the disruptions and interferences of this world, especially with new converts who need to be focused, determined, and resolute in their faith.

“The battlefield is the mind of the believer. The devil or enemy will throw many negative thoughts in the mind of the Christian, but with the help of the helmet of salvation, they can withstand all the devices of the devil and the pressures of life,” he emphasised while entreating the members of the church to understand the worth of their salvation.

Concluding his sermon, Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe asked members of The Church of Pentecost to be agents and ambassadors of Christ.

The four-day teaching and prayers retreat for ministers and their wives as well as officers of the church will end on February 11, 2022.

Report by Gina Akua Padi.

Twifo Agona District Fetes 70 Widows, Aged, PWDs

Twifo Agona District Fetes 70 Widows, Aged, PWDs

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The Twifo Agona District of The Church of Pentecost has organised a gathering for widows, the elderly, and some people with disabilities (PWDs).

The event which was a brainchild of the District Minister, Pastor Sampson Dzefe, and his wife, Mrs. Evelyn Dzefe, was held at the Central assembly auditorium.

The event, according to Pastor Dzefe, was held as part of the Church’s Vision 2023 agenda, which focuses on bringing people from all walks of life together regardless of their state.

The 70 participants, who included widows, the elderly, and people with disabilities (PWDs), were given free medical screenings, food, drinks, and gifts. The participants expressed their gratitude to Pastor Sampson and Mrs. Evelyn Dzefe for their enormous and incredible support.

Some members of the District Executive Committee were also present for the festivities.

Report by Joseph Smiles Adu.