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The Resident Minister of Burma Camp Worship Centre of The Church Of Pentecost and Chaplain of the Ghana Armed Forces, Apostle (Lt. Col.) Major Benjamin Kumi-Woode, has urged church leaders to organise members into small groups in order to make a them more effective.

Speaking on the topic: “Mobilising Squads for Effective Impact in the World,” Apostle (Lt. Col.) Kumi-Woode stated: “The church’s Army imagery should not be lost to unbelievers. An army cannot be formed by a single person, but only by many people. As a result, when we say we have an army, we need more people who have been called out.”

He then reiterated that the church exists as God’s army to take territory (offensive operation) and to protect their own (defensive operation).

“You cannot talk about the Kingdom of God without the warfare aspect of its being,” said Apostle (Lt. Col.) Kumi-Woode, charging ministers to capture the minds of unbelievers for Christ as the mission of God’s army.

“Every soldier or army serves a single purpose: to conquer nations for Christ and save humanity.”

He emphasised that, as one of the several components of an army, the morale of the team, which includes fellowship, unity, and a sense of a common purpose, plays a role in the possession of nations.

Apostle (Lt. Col.) Kumi-Woode directed church leaders to enlist (preach the salvation message), train (teach converts Kingdom topics), integrate (have time to interact individually), and deploy members on the verge of forming squads (small groups) in the Church.

“Unless the people are enlisted in Christ, there will be no loyalty among them. New converts must be taught to appreciate the call,” he said, admonishing ministers to perform proper membership registration and to incorporate technological means where possible.

Ushering, Home Cells, Praise and Worship, Video and Photography, Follow-up, Placard Evangelism, Souls Counselling, Medical Outreaches, and House-to-House teams are examples of possible mobilisation areas, he added.

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Apostle Mike Etrue, Kaneshie Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, has urged Christians all over the world to eschew sin and lead righteous lives.

According to Apostle Etrue, who is also a member of the Church’s Executive Council, righteousness is the authority that every Christian must possess, adding that, without it, they cannot impose any power over their people.

Apostle Etrue, speaking to ministers and their wives at the opening session of the 2022 Ministers and Wives’ Conference yesterday at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC) at Gomoa-Fetteh, indicated that as people in constant relationship with God, Christians are expected to live lives that conform to God’s standards. God’s law, according to the Kaneshie Area Head, is the yardstick for measuring man’s righteous nature.

In explaining the biblical perspective of righteousness, Apostle Etrue stated that the Breastplate of Righteousness, a key component of the Armour of God, symbolises man’s moral character, which serves as the believer’s defence and protects their hearts from evil.

“We can protect our hearts by wearing the breastplate. Jesus Christ, our righteousness and sanctification, came to die as a sacrifice for our sins. Through Christ’s finished work, we have become righteous and have His righteousness and power,” he said.

He also stated that God’s Righteousness is derived from imputation, which occurs during one’s acceptance of Christ, and through impartation, stressing that, “One cannot claim to have God’s imputed righteousness if one is not living according to God’s standards.”

Apostle Etrue urged Church members and leaders to exhibit these three Kingdom of God values: Righteousness, Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost, in order to help them live righteous and upright lives in accordance with the principles of the Kingdom of God.

“The role of righteousness in transforming society is a matter of dying to one’s self-life,” he said while urging Christians to oppose morally wrong activities and lifestyles that contradict God’s laws.

Furthermore, while discussing the values of Noah, Daniel, and Job, who were all righteous men in the Bible, Apostle Etrue emphasised that righteousness is the authority that can set Christians apart in these modern times.

According to Apostle Etrue, Noah was a righteous man who lived in harmony with God despite the canker in society during his time.

“Also, as an administrator, Daniel distinguished himself in a foreign land, was faithful, and faced a great deal of opposition and persecution; as Christians, we must strive to distinguish ourselves and be found blameless,” he stated.

Apostle Etrue described Job as a good man who feared God. God, he stated stamped His authority on Job and challenged the devil about him.

“The Lord will stand for us if we have lived right with Him, and the tool required in working in God’s Power is Righteousness, which is our authority. If you can’t dispose of your way of life, you’ll never be able to possess,” he concluded.

This year’s gathering of Ministers and their Wives is being held at eight regional levels, with all 13 Areas in Accra meeting at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh.

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Apostle Yaw Adjei Kwarteng, an Executive Council member and Bompata Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, has called on Christians to have commending faith.

He made this call during the 2022 Ministers and Wives’ Conference for the Ashanti Region at PIWC-Asokwa when he spoke on the theme, “The Power of Faith in Possessing the Nations.”

Reading from Hebrews 11:32-40, he defined faith as a firm conviction or absolute persuasion of what God has said.

Throwing more light on the statement by Peter in Luke 5:5, he mentioned that “faith gives tangibility of the things we have not seen.”

He indicated further that if Christians could possess active faith, God can make sweeter things emerge from treacherous events as Samson obtained honey from the carcass of a lion.

“The power of faith has tenacity to subdue, vanquish and conquer kingdoms & nations”, he intimated.

Apostle Adjei Kwarteng, however, mentioned that some men of faith received their dead back to life, others were also tortured and jeered at. They went through difficulties yet remained resolute in God.

“Sometimes, our prayers may not be answered nonetheless we must hold on to God no matter the consequences,” he added.

The Bompata Area Head concluded that the men of faith who escaped the edge of the sword and those were jeered and killed were all commended for their faith.

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The Winneba Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Samuel Otu-Appiah, has called on the clergy to work at enhancing the home cell system in the Church for the effective equipping of the members. 

Speaking on the topic: “Equipping the Church with the Word of God as the Sword of the Spirit” at the ongoing Central Regional Ministers and Wives Conference yesterday, Apostle Otu-Appiah emphasised that the Home Cell concept affords the church members a golden opportunity to influence their spheres. 

“It is the place where the community can join us and see the Christ in us,” he stated.

He explained that Home Cells grant members the opportunity to truly show that they are transformed beings and share their beliefs with others in their communities. 

“It is a great avenue to influence our spheres with values and principles of the kingdom of God. Let us go back and take particular interest in reorganising the Home Cells,” he advised.

He identified Bible Study groups, New Converts and New Members classes as well as encouraging personal devotions (Joshua 1:8) as the other unique platforms within the church for studying the word of God and equipping members. 

He added that memorisations of Scripture, recitals, quizzes and meditations are also ways to instil the word of God in the members.

“Equipping is about spending time with people in the Word. Let us make time for this in our churches and communities,” he encouraged.

Report by Pastor George Osei-Asiedu

Prophet Ebenezer Appiah, the Dansoman Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, has urged Christians to arm themselves with the Sword of the Spirit (Word of God) to fight all battles.

Speaking on the topic: “Equipping the Church with the Sword of the Spirit,” at the ongoing 2022 Ministers and Wives Conference at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa-Fetteh, near Kasoa in the Central Region, Prophet Appiah said the Word of God has always been known as a defensive weapon for Christians, but it is also an offensive weapon that is used through word of mouth.

Prophet Appiah emphasised that the Bible is the manual given by God to direct man’s thoughts and intents, reveal God’s intents, and outline the records of the past for references, and should thus be used daily in all activities.

“Even though the Bible is full of histories, it also contains inspirations written by God to man,” he stated.

He described the nature of the Sword of the Spirit as having the ability to pierce the heart of man and having an influential nature that turns sinners towards God while charging the clergy to fight the devil’s efforts against them with the Bible.

Prophet Ebenezer Appiah disclosed that the Sword of the Spirit exists to remind Christians that they are in a fierce battle with the world. He urged that in equipping the Church with the Sword of the Spirit, members of the Church must make efforts to be trained and skilled in the use of the Sword of the Spirit, learn as much as they can about the Sword, and ask God to expose Himself to them through His Word, which will aid in the protection of their minds.

Church leaders, according to Prophet Ebenezer Appiah, are supposed to be equipped in all areas because they are the key frontiers before bringing members on board the equipping agenda.

“The Bible contains God’s mind, way of salvation. Read it to become wise and practice it to become holy. It contains light to guide us and food to nourish us. This is the Soldier’s sword,” he concluded.

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The Church of Pentecost’s 2022 Ministers and Wives Conference has begun in all the eight regional centres across the country with a call on the clergy, as well as officers to intentionally equip the members with the amour of God.

The full armour of God comprises the Belt of Truth, the Breastplate of Righteousness, the Gospel of Peace, the Shield of Faith, the Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit.

The annual prayer and teaching conference which is under the main theme of the year, “Equipping the Church As An Army to Possess the Nations” (Heb. 13:20-21; Eph. 4:11-12; 6:10-11), was officially opened by the Chairman of the Church, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa-Fetteh, near Kasoa in the Central Region. It is expected to end on Friday, January 28, 2022, at all centres.

In his opening remarks, Apostle Nyamekye said the overall goal of Vision 2023 is to create a church where members go to possess their nations by transforming all worldviews and behaviours with Kingdom values, principles, and lifestyles.

“The goal is to transform individuals and societies by instilling godly principles and values in them. When society is corrupt, we should not be satisfied with so many churches. The church should be the salt of the earth, transforming society’s decay,” he stated.

According to Apostle Nyamekye, the focus of the 2022 theme is not to take up arms to overthrow any government, but rather to replace world systems with Kingdom values and principles.

The church’s 2022 theme, he further explained, calls for a vigorous and intentional equipping of the church in order to have every single member assume the posture of an army of the Lord, taking nations for Christ.

“The church has always been at odds with the world, but the focus of the theme 2022 would be on defensive mechanisms. We want every member of the church to understand that we are equipping them in everything we do,” he stressed.

The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost believes that when the church members are fully equipped, they will be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power, able to stand up to the devil’s schemes.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, this year’s conference is being held at the regional level. More than 500 ministers and their wives in all the 13 administrative areas in the Greater Accra Region, comprising La, Kaneshie, Teshie-Nungua, Achimota, Madina, Dansoman, Odorkor, Tema, Ashaiman, Haatso, Anyaa-Ablekuma, Kasoa, and Downtown-Ofaakor are meeting at the PCC.

On Wednesday, the Chairman will attend the Volta and Oti Regions conference in Ho, which will be followed by the Central Regional bloc, which will be held in Winneba.

On the other hand, the General Secretary, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, will attend the Eastern Regional Conference in Koforidua on Wednesday before departing for Tamale on Thursday to attend the session of the five Northern Regions, namely the Northern, Upper East, Upper West, North-East, and Savanna.

The International Missions Director, Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe, will also be in the Ashanti and the Bono-Ahafo regions.

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