Once Saved Is Not Forever Saved – Pastor Nsiah Asserts

by with No Comment Church NewsTop StoriesYouth Ministry

Pastor Stephen Safo Nsiah, the Pentecost Students and Associates (PENSA) Travelling Secretary for the Mampong Sector of The Church of Pentecost, has asserted that once saved is not forever saved as some theologians argue.

He called on Christians to expunge this false doctrine that is deceiving many and leading them out of the kingdom of God.

Pastor Nsiah made this call on Friday, June 10, 2022, at the Mamprobi Central Assembly command centre during the Pentecost Students and Associates (PENSA) Teens and Pre-Tertiary Conference, dubbed “Shekinah PENSA Conference.”

Delivering a presentation on the topic, “Basic Christian Doctrines and Contemporary Fallacies – One Saved, Forever Saved,” using 2 Corinthians 11:14 and Romans 11:19-23 as scriptural references, Pastor Nsiah cautioned Christians about mistaking the devil as Christ since he (devil) portrays himself as the angel of light.

He compared the journey of the Israelites to the church, which showed how God cherished and loved them. He, however, noted that due to their disobedience and unbelief, God cut them off.

“As believers, we have become part of the branch (people of God) because of our belief in Christ,” he said.

Throwing more light on doctrines and fallacies, he stated that doctrines are the codifications of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the essence of the teachings in a given branch of knowledge or in a belief system. He also defined fallacies as deceptive or false appearance; deceitfulness, which misleads the eye or the mind.

The PENSA Travelling Secretary further stated that Christian doctrines cover the Christian faith and are based on scriptures. He also revealed that doctrines were formulated in the early church to deal with heresies or false doctrines.

“In The Church of Pentecost, our doctrines are the Tenets of the church,” he explained, adding that Christian doctrines are in two forms, that is, true and false ones.

Pastor Nsiah, therefore, urged the youth to believe and hold fast to the Word of God, which is the truth, rather than listening to soothing messages of speakers who neglect the truth of the scriptures for their personal gains.

Expounding on the doctrine of “once saved forever saved” among other false theories on salvation, the PENSA Travelling Secretary said that some religious groups or sects assert that it is impossible for one to lose their salvation after believing in Jesus. Another school of thought, according to him, argue that ‘eternal life’ cannot be lost, or else it is never eternal. (John 3:15)

“According to them, salvation is not by works but purely by grace. So, there is no need for works after salvation,” he said.

Pastor Safo Nsiah expressed concern that some people continue to hold onto such fallacies because they have been taught to believe it as true, and are, therefore, not ready to let go. 

Another reason why some people hold on to this falsehood is perhaps because they may be living in sin or they know a loved one living in sin and are afraid of the thought of them ending up in hell, he stated.

Setting the record straight, Pastor highlighted the three phases of salvation, which he mentioned as Justification (We are saved); Sanctification (We are being saved) and Glorification (We will be saved).

He further explained that although salvation leads to eternal life, accepting Christ as Lord and Saviour whilst still on earth does not mean unconditional eternal security, rather, the believer, for as long as they remain on earth, must keep working on their salvation by leading a life of righteousness until the Lord’s return. 

He, therefore, posited that the unbeliever is saved by grace, but the new believer is to live as an expression of God’s grace by saying “NO” to sin.

“Living in un-repented sin can be disastrous for Christian salvation,” he admonished.

PENTECOST NEWS

Know God For Yourselves – Apostle Nyamekye Charges Christians

by with No Comment Church NewsTop StoriesYouth Ministry

The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has charged Christians to endeavour to know God for themselves rather than relying on others to show them who He is.

“Our greatest desire as Christians should be to have a closer relationship with God,” he said.

The Chairman said this on Saturday, June 11, 2022, during the closing session of the Pentecost Students and Associates (PENSA) Pre-Tertiary and Teens Conference at the Mamprobi Central Assembly command centre in Accra.

Speaking on the topic, “Knowing God as a Father,” Apostle Nyamekye urged Christians to relate with God as their Father and not as a distant God in the heavens.

Using John 14:1-9 as a scripture reference, the Chairman said that the disciples had questions on their minds about the Father; however, it was Philip and Thomas who asked Jesus on their behalf. As a result, Jesus invited Philip to walk closer with Him and urged the disciples to seek where the Father is and that will be enough, he stated.

According to the Chairman, Philip desired to know the Father for himself so he could connect to Him and probably be like Jesus. 

Reading from Luke 11:1-2, Apostle Nyamekye stated that the disciples were not just attracted to the prayer of Jesus but to His lifestyle too. This, he said, was evident in the lifestyle Jesus portrayed, which was influenced by how He related to the Father.

“Prayer is not just communicating with God, but the importance of prayer is to build a relationship with Him,” he stated.

He added: “The intimacy people derive from relationships causes them to share certain character traits.”

The Chairman, therefore, urged Christian youth to develop the habit of prayer since the Lord’s prayer was teaching and an encouragement to pray while being a revelation.

He advised that even though a person may have been raised in a Christian home, knowing God for themselves was a necessity, stressing that: “we all have equal access to Him just like Jesus and He dwells in heaven.”

Apostle Nyamekye indicated that all humanity is God’s creation, however, not all are part of His family. He further urged believers to draw near to God as a response to His call.

According to him, the Christian who is truly intimate with the Father never draws attention to themselves, rather, they are to only show evidence of a life where Jesus is in complete control.

“If you are closer to Christ, show by your way of life. The bearing of fruit is always shown in scripture to be a visible result of an intimate relationship with the Father God,” he further stated.

He urged believers, particularly the youth, to strive to have a deeper relationship with God because He (God) wants to relate with them not as servants but as friends. 

PENTECOST NEWS

Youth Urged To Abstain From Sports Betting And Drug Addiction

by with No Comment Church NewsTop StoriesYouth Ministry

The Pentecost Students and Associates (PENSA) Travelling Secretary for the Takoradi Sector, Pastor Emmanuel Opoku Mensah, has urged the youth to abstain from addictions, particularly sports betting and drug addictions.

According to him, addiction to sports betting and drugs has led to the destruction of many youth persons in the country.

Pastor Opoku Mensah made the call on Thursday, June 9, 2022, at the ongoing Shekinah PENSA Conference of the Youth Ministry of The Church of Pentecost. 

Speaking on the topic, “Dealing With Addictions: Sports Betting and Drug Addiction,” he stated that the Christian’s response to the grace that salvation brings is the ability to live a self-controlled life (Titus 2:11-14).

In defining addictions, he stated that it is a pattern of behaviour that causes negative consequences for the individual. He added that addiction can be a self-chosen slavery to something other than God.

“Addiction is a psychological and physical inability to stop consuming a chemical, drug, activity, or substance, even though it is causing psychological, emotional, health, spiritual, and physical harm,” he added.

He indicated that many addictions are often associated with the youth, however, the most common ones are alcohol, drugs, and sexual addictions.

“Alcohol is a substance that is widely used by people all over the world,” he noted. Nevertheless, he asserted, it is also a highly addictive substance that can cause several health problems.

Pastor Opoku Mensah mentioned that narcotic drugs are very addictive drugs that reduce the user’s perception of pain and induce euphoria (an exaggerated sense of well-being). Some of the drugs often used are marijuana, cocaine, heroin, shisha, vodka, tramadol, among others. 

He iterated that due to their adverse effects on the brain, they are either banned or used under strict regulations. He, therefore, said that the illegal use of these drugs is however common and the Christian youth must be very careful not to be lured into it.

On the part of sports betting and gambling, Pastor Opoku Mensah revealed that those who indulge in it enter in the hope of securing a ‘big win’, but as time passes by, they become obsessed with the thoughts of gambling and the anticipation of winning.

“Gambling addiction can lead to devastating consequences for the entire family,” he further said, emphasizing that as many of those affected ended up in massive debts, some even resort to crime in order to get their hands on money to continue gambling.

He noted that addictions leave dire consequences and effects, such as precious hours that can be engaged in profitable ventures being spent on addictive behaviours, leads to shame and guilt, and unnecessarily cost to individuals and the state. It is also not good for their health, he added.

He advised that in dealing with addictions, one must identify and acknowledge the source of the struggle and seek help. He further urged the addicted person to pray and confess it; confide in matured Christians like pastors, parents, youth leaders and counsellors, and develop the spirit of self-control.

“When you do not have self-control, it means you do not have protection. Hold on fast to the Word of God,” he admonished.

PENTECOST NEWS.

The Church Of Pentecost Chairman Joins President Akufo-Addo To Plant 20 Million Trees

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The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, on Friday, June 10, 2022, joined the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and other high-profile personalities to mark the ‘Green Ghana Day,’ which is targeted at planting 20 million trees across the country.

At a ceremony held at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park in Accra to mark the day, the President, some Ministers of State, Apostle Nyamekye, and the Ga Mantse, among others planted ceremonial trees to initiate this year’s project.

In an address, President Akufo-Addo called on Ghanaians to participate in the exercise to ensure a resounding success.

According to the President, the ‘Green Ghana Day’ has no political coloration as “we all agree that we must leave generations unborn no matter their political affiliation with a greener and sustainable future.”

The President said the 20million seedlings target, even though ambitious, is nowhere near what the nation has lost over the years. He explained that trees and forest are necessary for the survival of Ghana and that of the economy, since trees provide furniture, food and mitigate climate change. He added that trees prevent erosion, protect water bodies, serve as sources of medicine, habitat for wildlife and microorganisms, regulate atmospheric temperature, give clean air for good health and offer sources of livelihood for many people. 

He called on every Ghanaian and people living in Ghana to plant at least a seedling in their locality to green the environment.

Speaking to the press, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, on his part, stressed the need to plant more trees to reclaim the lost forest and safeguard the environment.

He commended the President for leading the national crusade to make Ghana green again, having led the entire nation to plant over 5million trees on the maiden ‘Green Ghana Day’ in June 2021.

According to Apostle Nyamekye, greening Ghana will come with a lot of benefits to the nation as it would help stem climate change, improve the environment and revamp the economy.

Touching on The Church of Pentecost’s Vision 2023 concerning the environment, he said the church’s vision synchronizes with the ‘Green Ghana Agenda’ of the government of Ghana, hence the active involvement by the church.

He disclosed that The Church of Pentecost will support this year’s project by planting 1 million trees out of the targeted 20 million trees.

“We need to be thinking about the future of this country and posterity. Through our actions and inactions, we have cut down most of the trees, so we must make conscious efforts to replant them.

“God has laid it upon the heart of the President to reclaim our lost vegetation. This will help us as a people. Therefore, we need to give him our full backing as we possess the nations for Christ and reclaim our environment,” he stated.

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Samuel Abu Jinapor, said in the ministry’s bid to discharge its fiduciary duty of managing the forests and wildlife resources of the country, the ministry, and its agencies, have adopted a two-pronged approach.

The first approach, he said, is to protect the existing forests and wildlife resources by halting deforestation.

“Accordingly, we have suspended all reconnaissance, prospecting and/or exploration activities in forest reserves, except in exceptional circumstances.

“We have placed an outright ban on the harvesting, salvaging, trading, exporting, and importing of Rosewood. And effective 2nd July, 2021, we ceased the issuance of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) permits, which is required, to legally trade in Rosewood on the international market, where the cartels involved in this business ply their trade,” he said.

As part of this year’s Green Ghana Day, approximately half of the target will be implemented within degraded forest reserves across the country. Farmers will be supplied with tree seedlings to plant within and around their farms and key degraded watershed areas around communities will be targeted. Just as it was done in 2021, the citizenry from all walks of life, especially students religious bodies, traditional authorities, corporate Ghana, security agencies and the diplomatic community among others, are expected to actively participate in the exercise.

Tree seedlings to be planted will include native timber tree species, shade trees, multi-purpose leguminous trees, ornamentals and fruit trees.

The seedlings can be obtained from any Regional or District Forestry Office, MMDAs, selected shopping malls and other designated pick-up points across the country.

Report by Fred Tettey Alarti-Amoako (PENTECOST NEWS).

Apostle Fianko Larbi

“Belief In God” Hinders “National Development”: Are Secular Humanists Right?

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Overview of Secular Humanism

Secular humanism is a type of worldview. Worldview is the “lens” through which people see and interpret the world – seen and unseen – around them. The Christian Worldview is “Jesus Christ revealed in the Bible and glorified by the Holy Spirit is God, Savior and Lord over all creation”. As Christians we reflect on all issues of life through this worldview.

Each era in history has had a driving force on which the predominant worldview of the era thrives. There have been three eras to date; these include the pre-modern era, modern era, and post-modern.

Pre-modern era was up to 1800s – it was largely a wind of SUPERNATURALISM (FAITH); nearly everything was viewed from the angle of God and the supernatural. It was an era that gave a good environment for religion to thrive.

Modern era was from late 1800s to 1980s; it was an era of SCIENCE (FACTS); people began to do away with God and the supernatural; everything was viewed through science; life was all about reason, facts and logic; if something could not be proven scientifically, people would not hold it as truth. It was an era for lots of scientific discoveries.

Post-modern era is the era from 1980s to date; it is an era of SKEPTICISM (FREEDOM). It is an era where people can even doubt God and the supernatural and also doubt scientific findings. This is the era we find ourselves in, now. In this post-modern era, each person is to have their own set of truth and live by them; what is truth for you, may not be truth for another person. This is the era driving the predominant worldview of secular humanism.

Secular humanism mainly holds that, one must examine and discard religion and hold their own truth and seek their own happiness without harming others. The word “secular” means, the physical world as we see it whiles the word “humanism” means the happiness and pleasure of human being should be the purpose in all things; humans, not God, should be at the center of all aspects of life.

Thus, according to secular humanism, there is no God and no supernatural; all we have is what we see and how we can use all that we see through scientific means to reduce human pain and make humans happier. This means, as long as what you are doing breaks no law or harms no one, do it! Secular humanism says, enjoy your life for all you can, because “You Only Live Once” (YOLO). The symbol for secular humanism is the “Happy Human”.

Secular humanism positions human being as their own “god” to be served and made happy. Paul in 1st Corinthians 15:32 says, “…if there is no resurrection of the dead, then, let is live and eat for tomorrow we die”. Paul’s point is that, the hope of the reality of the resurrection is the reason Christians reject secular humanism; nothing more, nothing less. We believe, the resurrection (which I define as “heavenly realities replacing earthly things”) is the reason for our rejection of secular humanism and for our faith in Christ.

It is worth noting that, in principle, secular humanism began in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3) when Satan succeeded in convincing Eve to reject and ignore God, free herself from God’s commands and rather focus on fulfilling her won pleasures. At the core of secular humanism is the efforts to “free” people from what they call, the “control” of all organized social systems such as family, church, religion and the state.

Secular humanists, therefore, seeks to stand against religion (belief in God) of any shape and form especially in public life; if for nothing at all, to them, be religious in your private life but never in public, else, you will be discriminated against and cancelled. Secular humanists are political since they seek numbers to make their beliefs into laws so as to dominant the whole world in their dire desire to stand against the Almighty God and His Son, Jesus Christ. (I have an eschatological dimension to this aspect, but it is beyond the scope of this article).

Secular humanism is not just against Christianity, but against all forms of Christianity. However, their main target is Christianity because to them, Christians hold that there is only one way to salvation, namely Jesus Christ. Secular humanists therefore try to create enmity between Christians and other religious people in a “divide and rule manner” so as to dominate. For them, if they cannot do away with all religions at all, then there should be inter-religious factions then they come in with counterfeit unity approaches such as inter-faith movements.

Secular humanism holds that one does not need a God or belief in the supernatural external force in order to be virtuous; that, human beings are inherently good. Thus, secular humanism upholds many noble expressions in this world, such as cooperation, reason, education, science, humor, inquiry, democracy, compassion, tolerance, imagination, open debate, human rights and spirituality (connecting with one’s inner self through yoga, meditation etc.). According to secular humanism, vice or “sin” is only when you break national laws and/or prevent others from living to please their pleasure and happiness when they do not contradict any national law or global conventions. Hence if someone is chastised for say, having a side chic, secular humanists will ask, “Why are you against it? Does it contradict any law? Is it a crime? As long as they are happy, who am I to judge?”

As stated, this worldview further posits that humans can express all virtues without God. Christians believe that, we can be virtuous not based on the good in us but by the power of the Holy Spirit and with the sole purpose to glorifying Christ. It is important to note that secular humanism creates their own versions of Judaism and Christianity by taking away all the God factor and the supernatural from the bible. It might interest readers to know that since Thomas Fredrick in 1974, there has been secular humanistic chaplains in various universities in the West – notably, Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  In fact, we have to restate that, there are people who go to church and claim to be Christians and yet in their hearts, they deny the power of God and the supernatural; they even speak against “fellow Christians” who spend time to pray – even if, they are getting miraculous results and transformation.

Alice Bailey, one of the key proponents of secular humanism, who lived from 1880 to 1949 propounded a 10-point plan for the destruction of Judeo-Christian systems with the aim to establishing a New World Order through the spread of secular humanism ideologies on the wings of postmodernism. These 10-points are as follows:

  1. Take God and prayer out of the education system
  2. Reduce parental authority over the children
  3. Destroy the Judeo-Christian family structure or the traditional Christian family structure
  4. Make sex free and if sex is free, then make abortion legal and make it easy
  5. Make divorce easy and legal; free people from the concept of marriage for life
  6. Make homosexuality an alternative lifestyle
  7. Debase art; make it run mad through obscenity
  8. Use media to promote and change mindset
  9. Create interfaith movements so as to water down the exclusive claim of Christianity as the only way for salvation
  10. Get governments to make all these into laws and get the church to endorse these changes

The False of the Secular Humanist Postulation on the Link between Belief on God and Development of a Nation

As we stated earlier, as part of their broader agenda to stifle Christianity and the “God factor”, secular humanists often say that, nations develop better when they do not believe in God or in the supernatural. This postulation is falsehood, at least for two factual reasons as follows.

1. Nations who believe in God are the most developed: Human Development Index (HDI) is the indicator that tells us how developed a nation is; it measures health (long & healthy life); education (level of knowledge); and income (decent living). It is worth noting that, the top ten developed nations in the world as at now are Norway; Ireland; Switzerland; Hong Kong; Iceland; Germany; Sweden; Australia; The Netherlands; and Denmark. The average population of these nations who are Christians is 61.33% (that is above 50%) whiles their average HDI score of these ten nations is 95%. On the other hands, the bottom ten (least developed) nations are Eritrea; Mozambique; Burkina Faso; Sierra Leone; Mali; Burundi; South Sudan; Chad; CAR; and Niger. The average population of these nations who are Christians is 39.65% (that is below 50%) and their average HDI score of these ten nations is 45%. This shows that, contrary to secular humanistic postulation, high Christian population percentage is positively correlated or associated with development

2. Most Nobel Prize winners are Christians: Nobel Prize is given annually to people who distinguish themselves in science, advancement and development on the global scale. Since 1901, 65.4% of winners have been Christians; and 21.4% are Jews. This means 86.8% of Nobel Prize winners in science etc. since 1901 are from the Judeo-Christian stock

Christian Response to Secular Humanism

Finally, in this article, I wish to discuss some practical ways Christians can respond to the attacks of secular humanism on the Christian faith, in their sphere of life and to possess that sphere for Christ.

  1. Christians should know why they are Christians not just because their parents taught them or the church says so or because the bible say so. The scientific methodology for knowing God/Christ is to “Taste and See”. Christians should have REASON – catalogue of testimonies – that shows that, indeed they have tasted, tested, trusted and tried the Lord Jesus Christ and seen Him to be God, Savior and Lord who indeed redeems our hearts from bondage to sins, addictions, inordinate lusts & affections, shame, guilt, condemnation, witchcraft manipulation, anxiety, stress and fear of the unknown. Secular humanism has no solution to these existential challenges of humanity; the solution is only in a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ and we encounter Him through the study of the Word of God and sincere outpouring of the content of our hearts to Him in prayer.
  • Christians should know that, secular humanism is another anti-Christ “religion” seeking to enslave people with the pretense of giving them freedom. How does, living by the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life set one free? Never! Rather, it enslaves one into various forms of addictions to materialism and the ego leading to all forms of bondages, in the quest for “freedom” that is only a mirage outside of Christ. To this end, we need to see the double standard of secular humanism. Secular humanism stands against organized religion but secular humanism itself is an organized religion that has tenets, groups, rules etc. with the aim to promote sense of belonging as well. In American laws, secular humanism is considered a religion.
  • Christians should understand the global impact of Christianity on national development and use that to debunk the false postulation by secular humanists that, when a nation believes in God and the supernatural, they become least developed. At least, in this article, in the immediate paragraphs above, we have established two facts that debunks this notion. There are even more facts; not to talk about the impact of Christianity on healthcare, education and other sectors of various national economy for many years to date.
  • Christians respond to flood of secular humanism in the hearts of the unsaved through reaching out to engaged the unsaved through listening to their perspectives, intentional intercessory prayers, demonstrating the fruit and power of Christ in our space, sharing the gospel without manipulation or castigation of the “religious” positions of the unsaved and ensuring their discipleship by studying the Word of God with them, praying with them and responding to the issues in their hearts with the Word of God. It is the Holy Spirit who breaks down these worldview – strongholds, high things, arguments, and imaginations – that exalts itself against the knowledge of Christ, in the hearts of the unsaved when we respond in the godly ways discussed
  • Secular humanism thrives when Christians create a mutually-exclusive situation between Common Grace and Redemptive Grace. Common Grace involves all the physical resources God has given us on earth to make life on earth decent. Redemptive Grace is faith in Christ that brings about forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit into the heart of a person. Receiving Christ does not mean shutting our minds from critical thinking, innovation, creativity etc. so as to maximize Coon Grace. In fact, having the Holy Spirit rather should make us like “Bezalel and Oholiab” – people who are given to excellence, integrity and sincerity. Christians must demonstrate excellence in their spheres of influence to show that, the Holy Spirit living in us is the Spirit of Excellence. Building systems to maximize Common Grace is not opposed to digging deep in spirituality to maximize eternal life. The Holy Spirit has given us divine power to harness resources to build excellence whiles also enjoying eternal life (life in God’s presence for all eternity). On this note, we need to thank Chairman Eric Nyamekye and the Executive Council of the Church of Pentecost (CoP) for recognizing CoP members who excel in their fields at Opening Ceremony of every Council Meeting.

Concluding Remark

Let me conclude this article by saying that, secular humanism is not new; as we have discussed earlier, it started in principle from the Garden of Eden. There is no need to panic or be overwhelmed by secular humanism as a Christian. Secular humanism is like “Goliath” and “the Image in Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream” representing any ideology that stands against God and the Lord Jesus Christ. We have the power to bring down secular humanism with THE STONE – the Lord Jesus Christ!

As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him (1 Samuel 17:48-50, NIV).

In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces (Daniel 2:44-45, NIV).

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete (2 Corinthians 10:3-6, NIV).

Written by Aps S. K. Fianko-Larbi (Kenya National Head, The Church of Pentecost)

The Church of Pentecost Media Pastor Addresses Top US Government Officials

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By Jeffrey Smith, Washington DC

The Head of the Media Department of The Church of Pentecost, Pastor (Dr) Felix Dela Klutse, has urged public affairs professionals and lobbyists in the United States of America and other parts of the world to be circumspect in their professional duties and also influence their spheres with godly values and principles.

He said as more wealth and political power is amassed, many public affairs professionals and various lobbying groups are being influenced to an ever-greater extent by ‘big players’ across the globe to do their bidding in an unprofessional manner.

“The situation is denting the good image of the public affairs and lobbying profession. But I charge you never to be part of the bad ones but rather aspire to be catalyst for change. There are good folks working in the public affairs and lobbying industry, who are serving a very useful purpose. You must be counted among the righteous ones and not the miscreants.”

Pastor (Dr) Klutse, who is also the Resident Minister of Mount Olives Worship Centre, a branch of The Church of Pentecost at Odorkor Area in Accra, made the clarion call yesterday when he addressed Members of the International Governmental Affairs Professionals Association at its 6th Annual General Meetings in the capital city of the United States of America, Washington DC.

International Governmental Affairs Professionals Association is the largest communications platform for governments, industry, and society in the world. Over 700 prominent firms, non-profits organisations, consultancies, and universities, as well as over 10,000 public relations professionals, international lobbyists and top politicians are members of the association.

The event, which is being attended by top US Government officials, politicians, business tycoons, international public or governmental affairs professionals and lobbyists across the globe aims to provide a western insight into the global public affairs marketplace, among other things. 

Pastor (Dr) Klutse said the governmental relations environment in the United States remained one of the most vibrant in the world, adding that, “public affairs or governmental relations practitioners and lobbyists ought to adhere to the highest standards of accuracy and truth in advancing the interests of those they represent.”

“As governmental or public relations professionals and lobbyists, you serve the public interests by acting as responsible advocates for those you represent. You are expected to provide a voice in the marketplace of ideas, facts, and viewpoints to aid informed public debate. Consequently, you must adhere to ethical procedures that preserve free and open competition among government enterprises without degrading the profession.”

Pastor (Dr) Klutse told the gathering that political scientists have long recognised the legitimate uses of lobbying in a democracy as it allows the voice of citizen groups, associations, labour unions, corporations and others to be heard in the political arena.

According to him, the first set of global lobbying guidelines were created in 2010 following the 2008-2009 global financial crisis.  A decade on, many countries, he noted, have made progress, but others still have no framework for addressing lobbying risks, lamenting that, where regulations do exist, the rules leave too many grey areas and loopholes. 

“Lobbying remains, in many cases, too open to abuse. Where guidelines are in place, they do not cover all levels of government. Too often, information on who is lobbying and how they influence government decisions is incomplete or subject to insufficient scrutiny. Rules on conflict of interest and “revolving door” practices still exist in most settings,” he noted.

The Head of Media Department of The Church of Pentecost therefore advised public affair professionals and lobbyists to avoid corrupting their actions and instead utilise them as a legitimate and good force conducted with integrity and transparency.

He noted: “Your activities should enable interest groups to understand, track and shape the development of legislation and regulation. Your efforts must be seen as an integral part of the public decision-making process.”

He warned that if lobbying and public affairs activities continue to be opaque and disproportionate, it can lead to administrative bribery and political corruption.

“When such disproportionate influence is leveraged on behalf of a particular set of interests, the decisions that ensue do not necessarily uphold the public interest. In fact, where the influence of business groups becomes excessive, it may result in policy capture or even state capture,” he explained.

Pastor (Dr) Klutse called on the various governments across the globe to develop more tougher integrity rules for public affairs officials and lobbyists to ensure integrity in influencing public decisions.

He said the world has over the years, witnessed an increased concern around the influence of foreign governments in domestic life, as they rely more on lobbyists and other methods to promote their goals, stressing that, in most countries, there is no transparency on influence by foreign governments.

“We need greater transparency on who lobbies, how and why. More transparency is needed on all forms of influence,” he stressed, adding that, our citizens are gradually losing trust in our institutions, and we need to restore that trust.

Pastor (Dr) Klutse is also calling for criminal charges against governmental public affairs professionals and lobbyists who engage in corrupt practices.

“And they should be prosecuted in a very public way to serve as a deterrent to others who may be willing to do the same,” he stated, adding that, this would reinforce the confidence of the people in the fact that the system itself could weed out miscreants from within itself.

Pastor (Dr) Klutse further called for a broader stakeholders’ engagement to ensuring that influence is not concentrated in the hands of the powerful as it is the case in some countries where spending on lobbying in some industries remains highly concentrated on only a few big players.

He said his church (The Church of Pentecost) is spearheading a massive campaign where its members go to their various institutions and communities to become an agent of transformation by influencing their spheres with godly values and principles. He therefore made a passionate appeal on the various governments across the globe to partner the church in  their respective countries to make the campaign an impactful one.

“Let’s all come together to spearhead the change we want to see in our society,” he concluded.

The event, which is underway at the National Press Club in Washington DC, started on June 9, 2022 and it is expected to end on June 19, 2022.  Other speakers at the event include Mr. Kendall Coffey (former U.S Attorney), Ms. Dina EllisRochkind (Lobbyist at the Capitol Hill, USA), Ms. Kateryna Odarchenko(Founder of Ukrainian government professional relations association), Mr. Sergey Stanovkin (BBC World News), Mr. Cigler Mihael (CEO of MC Public Affairs and a member of the Advisory Board of the Global FIPRA Network), among other seasoned speakers.

Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Donates To The Church Of Pentecost In Ho

by with No Comment Church NewsTop Stories

Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Limited has donated 50 cartons of hand sanitizers to the Ho Area of The Church of Pentecost.

The donation took place recently at the El-Bethel Prayer Centre of The Church of Pentecost in Ho during the ordination service of six overseers who were ordained as pastors of the church.

Handing over the items to the church, the Volta and Oti Regional Manager of the company, Mrs Abigail Mireku, said that Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Limited, a major producer of health products in Ghana, decided to donate the items to the church as part of their corporate social responsibility.

She called on Ghanaians to continue to sanitize their hands whenever necessary to avoid being infected by the COVID-19 disease.

Receiving the donation, the Ho Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Dr Dela Quampah, who is also the Co-ordinator of the Volta and Oti Regional Co-ordinating Committee and an Executive Council member of the church, thanked Elder Dr Samuel Amo Tobbin, the Chief Executive Officer of Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Limited, and his staff for their kind gesture towards the Ho Area of the church. He prayed for the growth of the company.

Report by Enyomedia, Ho.

Shekinah PENSA Conference Kicks-Off Nationwide

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The Pentecost Students and Associates (PENSA) Pre-Tertiary and Teens Conference of the Youth Ministry of The Church of Pentecost dubbed, ‘Shekinah PENSA Conference 2022,’ has kicked off in a grand style.

The divine experience and encounter conference, which started on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, at the command centre at the Mamprobi Central auditorium in the Dansoman Area of the church, is being held virtually with 520 satellite centres across the country, from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm each day. Being streamed live on Pent TV and the social media platforms of the church, the event is expected to end on Saturday, June 11, 2022.

The Shekinah PENSA Conference is under the theme, “Equipping Young People As God’s Army To Possess the Nations,” – Hebrews 13:20-21; Ephesians 4:11-12, 6:10-11.

In his welcome address, the Youth Director of The Church of Pentecost, Pastor Ebenezer Hagan, pointed out that the conference was initiated to help minister to the teens in the church.

He encouraged the youth to be expectant of massive transformation in their lives as they patronise the conference.

Speaking on the theme of the conference, Apostle Professor Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua, Vice-Chancellor of the Pentecost University, outlined that the theme brings out three major areas, namely a certain group (young people); who need to be equipped (army), and for a reason (possessing the nations).

Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua urged the youth to engage God and have a purpose that will lead them to the right destination.

“The ultimate purpose for all Christian activities is to facilitate the reclaiming of the kingdoms of the world back to God,” he stated, stressing that young people should not miss the agenda for what they were called to do on earth.

The Vice-Chancellor added that the purpose of the crucifixion of Christ and his resurrection was to purchase for himself a people who would facilitate the reclaiming of the world for God.

“To possess the nations, the Lord needs an army,” he said, adding, “The greatest legacy of any young person is to leave a mark of trust, faithfulness and determination to stand for the Lord anywhere.”

Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua further indicated that the baptism of the Holy Spirit brings empowerment and transformation. Therefore, it is imperative to be ‘crazily’ in love with the Holy Spirit.

He also urged Christian youth to be equipped with the knowledge of God, and be prayerful and determined as Daniel and his friends portrayed in Babylon.

Notable among the speakers for this year’s conference are Apostle Eric Nyamekye (Chairman of the church), Apostle Samuel Osei Asante (Patron of the Youth Ministry and Koforidua Area Head of the church), and Apostle Emmanuel Agyei Kwafo (National Co-ordinator of the Home and Urban Missions).

Others are Pastor Ebenezer Hagan (Youth Ministry Director), Pastor Emmanuel Opoku Mensah (PENSA Travelling Secretary, Takoradi Sector), Pastor Stephen Safo Nsiah (PENSA Travelling Secretary, Mampong Sector), Papa Kyere Nyamekye, Elder Samuel Nkansah (PENSA Ghana Co-ordinator), and Mrs. Theodora Oduro.

Present at the opening session was Prophet Ebenezer Kofi Appiah, the Dansoman Area Head of the church, who chaired the occasion. Others were PENSA Travelling Secretaries from the various sectors of the country.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Christians Advised To Keep A Close Marking With The Holy Spirit

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The Pentecost Students and Associates (PENSA) Travelling Secretary for the Takoradi Sector, Pastor Emmanuel Opoku Mensah, has advised Christians to forge a closer relationship with the Holy Spirit.

“As Christians, we need to walk with the Holy Spirit and give Him a close marking. If we want to succeed in this Christian journey and possess the nations, we need to cling to the Holy Spirit at all times because we cannot do without His help,” he said during the climax of the global celebration of the Pentecost Week at the auditorium of PENSA-Takoradi Technical University last Sunday.

Speaking on the topic: “Keep A Close Marking With The Holy Spirit,” the Travelling Secretary said that the Holy Spirit has been given to every Christian to prepare and present them to Christ Jesus Christ, who is the bridegroom. 

Using 2 Kings 2:1-15 as scripture reference, he said that the final moments before Elisha inherited a double portion of his master Elijah’s mantle was recorded in the Bible to teach believers how to walk closely with the Holy Spirt in this generation. 

“Mantles are not needed in Heaven; rather, they are needed to serve here on earth. Before Elisha got Elisha’s mantle, he had to do some things and these are the things we must also seek to do today in order to catch the mantles of our forbearers,” he said.

To receive the mantle, Pastor Mensah noted, Elisha had to consistently and persistently follow the master to the end with undivided attention. 

He said that, although Elijah tried to stop him at Gilgal, Elisha persisted and followed him to Bethel, Jericho and finally to Jordan, where he received what he desired. 

Pastor Mensah, therefore, urged Christians to endeavour to walk closely with the Holy Spirit at all cost just as Elisha walked closely with his master.

Expounding further, the Travelling Secretary said that all the towns that Elisha followed Elijah to had biblical and spiritual connotations for the believer,

According to him, Gilgal, which means rolling away the reproach of sin, is the first step of every believers walk with the Holy Spirit. He said that to walk with the Spirit, one must be prepared to put to death all the things of the flesh and be ready to please God at all times.

He further explained that Bethel, which is the next destination, is the stage of the journey where one puts their trust in God and depend on him alone for divine providence.

“After dealing with the flesh, you will no longer have confidence in the flesh, but rather you put all your hope and trust in the Lord to see you through the Christian journey,” he said.

Jericho, on the other hand, he explained, is the stage where God opens a new chapter for the believer. It is the stage where God begins to transform the believer’s life, he added.

Pastor Mensah said that, at Jordan, the final stage of the walk with the Holy Spirit, the believer would now receive the double portion of the anointing of the Holy Spirit to do exploits in His name.

He, therefore, urged Christians to strive to go through all the stages of the walk with the Holy Spirit so as to catch the mantle needed to possess the nations for the Lord.

“I pray that the Lord will lead us through all these stages and help us to catch the mantel. We need to deal with the flesh, trust in God, get our spiritual amour for battle and embrace the new chapter the Lord will open for us. That is when we can possess the nations,” he charged.

PENTECOST NEWS

PENSA International Lights Torch Of Revival With 24-Hour Global Prayer Marathon 

by with No Comment Church NewsTop StoriesYouth Ministry

In line with the 2022 theme of The Church of Pentecost, which seeks to mobilise and equip church members to possess the nations, PENSA International, a global-focused ministry of The Church of Pentecost, has organised a 24-hour prayer marathon, dubbed “Covered ‘22.”

The event, which took place from May 27 to 28, 2022, was under the theme: ‘Unleashed’. It was a virtual experience broadcasted from 25 command centres around the world. The prayer sessions were led at various centres and in various languages with tens of thousands joining via social media. 

Addressing the youth, the International Missions Director (IMD) of the Church, Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe, advised the youth to be mindful of their character and form ones that are worthy of emulation. He added that spiritual gifts alone could not build a successful Christian ministry.

In the opening session, PENSA International Coordinator, Elder Dr Patrick Adonoo, urged the youth to serve the Lord fervently. According to him, the youthful days of any individual affords them more time to worship God. 

The event featured renowned gospel musicians, including MOG, Siisi Baidoo, Yaw Boadu Jnr, Voice of Praise Choir, Team Eternity, Altar of Praise (ALTOP), and Ghana’s gospel music sensation, Christiana Attafuah. 

Apostle Alexander Kumi-Larbi, the General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, in his closing message, reiterated the essence of revival and urged the youth to continuously keep an active prayer life, saying that revival has an organic growth. 

The Youth Director of The Church of Pentecost, Pastor Ebenezer Hagan, ended the session with a prayer after which the Chairman of the Church, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, pronounced blessings on the global congregation.

Covered’22 ended with fire rekindled in the hearts of the youth of the Church across the globe.

Report by PENSA International Media Team