Former President Of Ghana Jerry John Rawlings Is Dead.
He died Thursday morning at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Accra Graphic Online has gathered.
Mr Rawlings had been on admission at Korle Bu for about a week for an undisclosed ailment.
Graphic Online gathers he felt sick after his mother’s burial about three weeks ago.
Source: Graphic.com.gh
The La Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle John Osei Amaniampong, has advised young people not to be swayed by political factions into indulging in violence in the run-up to the December 7 general polls.
Apostle Amaniampong said this when he joined the Maamobi Zone of the La Area to launch the “Agent of Peace” campaign, which was held on Sunday, November 1, 2020, at the Kotobabi SWAG Park.
The Area Head advised the youth to be mindful of the consequences of their actions during the election period. “Don’t be easily swayed when ill-meaning politicians call on you with some small financial reward to perpetrate violence, confusion, and mayhem in the 2020 electoral process.
“You have the right and responsibility to choose people into government; the decisions you take now have consequences that will last through the next four years. Therefore, do not sell your birthright just for few cedis,” he stressed.
On his part, a representative of the Kotobabi District Police Command advised Ghanaians not to feel intimidated but come out in their numbers to vote peacefully for their preferred Presidential and Parliamentary candidates.
He advised the youth not to engage in any act of violence before, during, and after the polls, saying, “Don’t attempt to indulge in violent acts because culprits will be dealt with per the law.”
In attendance were representatives from other churches, the Muslim community, among other stakeholders.
Report by Daniel Tetteh, La Area Reporter.
The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has averred that the only means by which one can be part of God’s family (the Church) is to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal Saviour.
“Anyone who accepts Jesus as Lord, no matter the background, is born into God’s family and has become a brother,” he said, adding, “Whoever believes in Christ becomes part of God’s family; they come with their nationalities; they come with their race; they come with their backgrounds; they come with their perspectives. Whether we like them or not we have become one family in Christ and then we form the temple of God in which God dwells by His Spirit.”
Apostle Nyamekye made this known in a live televised sermon on Pent TV on Sunday, November 8, 2020, as part of the Sunday Special Evening Service with Chairman series.
Speaking on the topic, “The Family of God,” the Chairman explained that the church is an extension of the family of God in heaven. He further said that the church is the house of God and it is a great house because there are all kinds of vessels.
Apostle Nyamekye noted that the church should be new humanity, God’s new community, a model of a human community, a family reconciled to God and to one another, who love their Father and love each other with whom God dwells by His Spirit and this Spirit cries in them “Abba Father!”
He added that as a new human race whose characteristics are no longer alienation but reconciliation, the church must avoid division and hostility but rather propagate peace and unity.
Reading from Galatians 3:28-29, the revered theologian established that the church is nothing short of the new creation. He stressed that if only a person belongs to Christ, then they are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise, without taking into consideration their nationality, sex, tribe, and educational level.
“Our identities have been dissolved in the blood; we have all put on Christ so Christ covers our identities,” he said.
Buttressing his assertion, Apostle Nyamekye quoted Ephesians 2:18 and Romans 8:11 to explain how Jews and Gentiles have access by one Spirit to the Father through Jesus Christ.
“Jesus’ Father is our Father; the Creator Holy Spirit lives in us. The same Spirit that was in Christ is the same in us, who are born again. By this Spirit, He cries Father and with the same Spirit we also cry Father,” he said.
Also, reading from Romans 8:29; Hebrews 2:11-12, 17; Acts 9:13, the Chairman stated: “In this family, if God is our Father, then Jesus is our big brother because we know that He is the Son of God.
“Jesus rent the curtains that separated us from God and has allowed us access to God and reconciled us to one another. We have been born into the body of Christ and God’s family.”
According to the Chairman, the power of this great family of God lies in unity (Psalm 133:1-3; Proverbs 30:29-30).
“The greatness of this family or the power of this family is not because God is our Father, No. Not because Jesus is our big brother, No. But it is in our unity; our oneness. Our unity is our beauty, our testimony, our strength that we are children of God,” he pointed out.
He, however, stated: “Disunity renders our prayer non-effective and our fellowship unavailing. So without unity, we may have God, we may have Jesus; we may have the Holy Spirit but our prayer will not be effective. So when we gather together it will be a futile exercise, sometimes a waste of time.”
Apostle Nyamekye explained that it is against this backdrop that the devil always sows seeds of disunity among the people of God to divide them to see themselves as enemies.
The Chairman mentioned that the rule for the people in God’s family is the word of God and nothing else (Hebrews 1:5-7).
“In this family, our rule is the Word; it sets our boundaries. Our aim is His glory. Our rule is not what angels say; it doesn’t come from the dreams of people. Angels serve us; we don’t take instructions from them,” he said, whilst narrating the story of the old and the young prophets in which the latter was deceived to disobey God’s word as contained in 1 Kings 13.
Apostle Eric Nyamekye, therefore, admonished church leaders to be careful not to build what Jesus has demolished (Galatians 2:18), saying, “The Gospel has the power to equip the believer with the help of the Holy Spirit to live holy and God-honouring lives.”
Report by Emmanuel Nana Nsiah.
Pastor James W. K. Annan is a pastor of The Church of Pentecost in charge of the Ajah District in Lagos East Area in Nigeria. He narrates how he was abducted by unknown armed men who shot him in the eyes but was saved by the Lord Jesus Christ:
It all happened on Thursday, 30th July, 2020, when I left the house for lkorodu to convey my daughter who was doing a nursing internship in a hospital at lkorodu.
I set out at about 5:30 AM Nigerian time (04:30 GMT). Whilst waiting for a bus, a Toyota Camry saloon car emerged at the bus stop and the driver called the transit point I was heading to, and so I boarded the vehicle. Inside the car were four passengers, including the driver. In less than ten minutes into the journey, the man sitting beside me at the back seat pounced on me and dislodged me to the middle seat (in between them at the back).
They asked me to cooperate with them as they searched my pocket and removed all the money on me. Then they demanded my ATM card. And I told them that the card was not with me at the moment. They then asked me to give them the ATM PIN, which I did. After that, they asked me to disclose the total amount in my account, which I did. But they said that looking at my age and personality, the money I mentioned wasn’t true. They told me that since I was not forthright with them they were going to dump me at their base and my people will rather beg them to request the amount they would need to release me.
At that point, they seized my Samsung tablet phone and subjected me to severe beatings. One of them pulled a gun and targeted my right eye and fired it straight at me. All that I could remember was that I shouted JESUS! And as he fired the gun, I heard a blast in my head and slumped dead in my seat.
I did not see anything again for about twenty minutes and while the vehicle was still in motion, surprisingly I regained consciousness. They became frightened, thinking that I have extraordinary charms, so one of them asked me in pidgin English, “Baba na so you be.”
They decided that since I could not die from a gunshot, they would rather send me to their base for me to die over there. However, the one who shot me exclaimed that it was enough and that since I have survived the gunshot, if they take me to their base something strange will happen to them. He continued that this man [referring to me] has shown to be a great spiritual person and it is not every time they can succeed in their expedition.
He then ordered the driver to stop and allow me to go. At his orders, the driver stopped and they opened the door for me to alight and they sped off.
I had to trek for about 5 miles to a nearby town to see a deaconess of the church for transport support to my house. As soon as I reached home, my two eyes closed completely. I never thought that I could see with my eyes again. However, after three days, my eyes miraculously opened without any surgery of a sort. I have been certified fit by medical doctors.
Jesus Christ is truly a healer. His spiritual operation on me has been awesome. I thank Him for saving my life.
PENTECOST NEWS.
The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has entreated Christians, especially leaders to guard their hearts against harbouring bitterness which tends to destroy their physical and spiritual lives.
“Do not nurse grudges which will end up in bitterness,” he said adding, “Bitterness can destroy a person, marriage, family, friends and the church. And such bitter persons think everyone is against them.”
Apostle Nyamekye said these when he interacted with officers in the Teshie-Nungua Area of the Church at the Fred Stephen Safo Memorial Temple at Nshorna, Nungua on Wednesday and Thursday, November 4 & 5, 2020.
According to the Chairman, “if you open your heart to anything, not of God, you invite evil to enter your heart and when you nurse it, it germinates into other vices such as bitterness, anger, rancour, among others.”
Reading from Hebrews 4:12; 3:12-13; 12:14-16, Matthew 12:35, among other scriptures, Apostle Nyamekye encouraged Christians not to harbour bitterness in their hearts against one another since offenses are inevitable.
“No one is born with bitterness but through what one hears and what people say to them, one is exposed and may harbour bitterness in their hearts which destroys the body,” he pointed out.
According to him, bitter persons normally portray a level of shyness, keep records of grudges (Leviticus 19:18, Deuteronomy 32:35), and nurse grudges (Genesis 27:41, Genesis 4:5-6, Mark 4:13), very unforgiving, and sometimes have sleepless nights.
Apostle Nyamekye stated that when one is bitter, he or she is likely to express it (1 Samuel 25: 12-13), suppress it (2 Samuel 13:22-23), repress it (2 Samuel 3: 26-27) and confess it (1 Samuel 1: 15-16, Mathew 18:15). He advised Christians not to be bitter or angry about things of this world and not to let the sun go down upon their wrath as Apostle Paul admonished Christians in Ephesians 4:26.
He further urged officers of the church to always check their motives and be mindful of the heart with which they serve in the house of the Lord, saying, “Do not glorify yourself in the position as a church leader but be mindful of the heart with which you serve the Lord and others.”
“If your heart is clean and that of mine is also clean, then God will come and reside in us and the church will be prosperous,” he concluded.
The meeting was also attended by some Executive Council Members of the Chruch, the Pastorate and their wives, among others.
The Area Head, Apostle Dr. Alfred Koduah, was grateful to the Chairman for the visit to the Area.
Report by Yaa Asantewaah Adu Boahene.
The Wa Area of The Church of Pentecost has dedicated 13 projects. The dedication ceremonies, which took place separately from Tuesday, October 27, to Saturday, October 31, 2020, were officiated by the Wa Area Head, Apostle Daniel Nii Tetteh Tackie, assisted by the Area Pastorate.
The projects include nine (9) Community Based Church Buildings (CBCBs), two (2) Mission Houses, and two (2) mechanized boreholes.
Delivering the sermon on the topic, “You Are the Glorious Temple of God To Possess The Nations,” based on Exodus 29:44, Revelations 21:3, and 1 Corinthians 3:16, Apostle Tackie stated: “God through His Spirit has made the believer’s body His dwelling place such that wherever the believer goes, God’s presence goes with him.”
He added: “In the Old Testament, God dwelt amongst His people in the temple made by human hands but in the new dispensation, God, through His Spirit, dwells in the believer, making the believer’s body His temple. With this knowledge, we must all endeavour to live holy lives by eschewing all forms of evil so we can possess the nations for Christ.”
The colourful service was well attended by members of the church and key stakeholders including chiefs, landlords, and Assemblymen in the beneficiary communities.
In a remark, the Chief of Dapouri lauded The Church of Pentecost for citing the project in his community and promised to support the church in any way possible. At Bulenga, the Bulenga Chief donated GH¢1,000.00 in support of the Bulenga Central Church building.
The dedicated CBCB projects were Loho Assembly of Wapani District, Kumbiehe Assembly (Kumbiehe District), Dapouri Assembly (Bamahu/Blue Hill District), Bulenga Central and Danyokura Assembly both of Bulenga District, Nanvilli Assembly (Nator District), Buli Assembly (Lassie Tuolo District), Lambussie Central Assembly in the newly created Lambussie District and Kalsagri Assembly of Lawra District. Also, the mission houses of newly created Sabuli and Lambussie districts which were carved out of Jirapa and Nandom districts respectively were dedicated.
Meanwhile, the foundation stones for the first-ever church building among the Chakali people (Gurumbelle Assembly) and the Bulenga mission house have been laid. The project is being funded by the Pentecost International Worship Centre, Dansoman through the Home and Urban Missions (HUM) of the Church.
The mechanised borehole projects commissioned by the Area Head at Babile and Eremon were funded by the Suhum Area and the Headquarters of the Church respectively through the Pentecost Social Services (PENTSOS) Directorate.
Fundings for the remaining projects were secured from the Headquarters with support from the Wa Area, District, Local, and individuals freewill offerings.
Report by Pastors Gordon Ansah & Nathaniel Adjei Okpoti.
The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, today (Tuesday, November 10, 2020), hosted the winning team of the 2020 National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) in his office at the church’s Headquarters in Accra.
The winning team, Isaac Gyamfi and Benjamin Nketsia, both members of the Olebu and Korle Bu Districts of The Church of Pentecost, respectively, together with the indefatigable Daniel Kekeli Gakpetor, represented the Presbyterian Boys Senior High School (PRESEC) in this year’s NSMQ and emerged victorious after beating their counterparts from the Adisadel College (ADISCO) and Opoku Ware Senior High School (OWASS) to the ultimate prize of the competition.
The celebrated trio, who came in the company of Apostle Samuel Gakpetor (Anyaa-Ablekuma Area Head,), Pastor Stephen Ewusie-Ocran (Olebu District Minister) and Mrs Diana Gakpetor (mother of Daniel Gakpetor), were warmly received on arrival by the Chairman and the General Secretary, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, who is himself a past student of PRESEC.
Interacting with them, Apostle Eric Nyamekye said that, just like most people in the country, he followed the competition with keen interest through to the end.
According to the Chairman, the decision to invite them came about after he was informed by Apostle Samuel Gakpetor, that two of the three-member winning team were members of the Church. He said that the meeting is, thus, to congratulate them for the extraordinary feat and to applaud them for making their school, parents and the church proud.
The Chairman explained that it is God who grants individuals talents and abilities to enable them manage the earth and its resources. He, however, stressed that although abilities differ, human beings need each other to thrive. Hence, no ability should be seen as more important than the other because everyone depends on the other to survive.
“The doctor may be intelligent, but for him to sit comfortably to do his work, he will depend on the skills of the carpenter who is skilled in crafting furniture. In the same way, the carpenter also depends on the caterer to cook sumptuous meals for him to eat. This means that we all need each other,” he elaborated.
Reading from 1 Corinthians 4:7, Apostle Nyamekye urged the gentlemen to be humble and not allow the attention they have received, following their feat, get into their heads but to be motivated to work even harder to do more exploits. He advised them to be always mindful that it is the Lord who has granted them the intelligence with which they were able to emerge victorious.
The Chairman revealed that, in recognition of their outstanding performance, The Church of Pentecost is offering all three of them, a full-tuition scholarship to pursue higher learning at the Pentecost University.
Speaking to PENTECOST NEWS after the meeting, the gentlemen expressed their gratitude to the Chairman for the noble invitation. They were particularly grateful for the great advice they received from the Chairman and the generous educational scholarship offered them by the church.
Mrs Diana Gakpetor, who was visibly elated by the visit, commended the church for extending the invitation and scholarship to her son although he is not a member of the church.
After the interaction, the Chairman prayed for them and joined them in a group photograph session. They also received brief tour of the Pent TV studios located at the Headquarters premises.
PENTECOST NEWS
The immediate past Youth Ministry Director of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle David Nyansah Hayfron, has said that the trajectory of the life of the ministers of the gospel and believers, in general, is fraught with opportunities and challenges although God is always on the move with his people.
He said these opportunities and challenges in a given generation are linked intimately to the divine call of God and that God makes infinite provision at all times.
“God is always on the move. He is always doing a new thing. It is important to follow God with the right spirit in the right direction in order to excel,” Apostle Hayfron stated.
Speaking at the farewell service held in honour of Pastor Isaac and Mrs. Beatrice Annor and family at the Born Again Worship Centre (BAWC) in Dome on Sunday, November 8, 2020, on the theme “Moving with the Fiery Cloud of God’s Glory,” Apostle Hayfron explained that God took the Israelites through the journey in the desert for several years for reasons best known to Himself.
“The path to the Promised Land was not straight and the weather not constant,” he said, adding, “Your path may not be short and the weather not stable; the reason is only in the hands of God. As a Chirstian, you must never run a race or thread a path that has not been marked for you.”
Reading from Exodus 13:17-21, Apostle Nyansah Hayfron explained that God became a pillar of cloud to provide rest and coll them from the sun and also a pillar of fire to provide light for their path and warm them up in the course of their 40-year journey.
He gave the assurance that with the right spirit, motivation and energy, Christians should be able to follow God’s leadings and directions in their life journey to the end as God has ordained for every individual.
Pastor Annor, who is the Publications Manager at the Headquarters of the Church, has served as the Resident Minister of the Born Again Worship Centre (BAWC) in the Achimota Area for three years. Within the three years at the helm of affairs, he transformed the BAWC to a ‘Champion and Digital Church’ with state-of-the-art digital facilities. He is on transfer to the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC), Downtown Ofaakor Area, near Kasoa.
Testimony from the District Presbytery described Pastor Annor as a minister who is passionate about prayers with a Christ-centred sound teaching ministry which touches on faith-building, encouraging and the prophetic. “As a development-oriented and digital media savvy pastor, it is not surprising that the Born Again TV, an online television channel, was established during his brief stint providing services to the Achimota Area and beyond,” it stated.
The Women’s Ministry also described his wife, Mrs. Beatrice Annor, as a “Woman In Full Effect” who complemented the successful ministry of her husband with her tenacity, drive and enthusiasm which contributed to the healthy organisation of BAWC as a Champion Church.
The Personal Assistant to the Chairman of the Church, Pastor Benedict Eghan, on behalf of the Achimota Area pastorate described Pastor Annor as one “empowered by the Holy Spirit, passionate about his calling and undeniably, a minister of the gospel who so earnestly serves the Lord with all his heart and might.”
In attendance were Pastor Emmanuel K. Dana (Media Ministry Pastor, Headquarters), Pastor James McKeown (Kwabenya Point 1 District), and Pastor Emmanuel Agyekum (UK), as well as family members, some staff from the Headquarters and the Pentecost Press Ltd, among others.
Report by Samuel Owusu Amofa.
A couple, Elder Kenneth Nana Amoateng and Mrs. Vera Nana Yaa Amoateng, of Tema Community 1 Assembly of The Church of Pentecost, has given birth to a set of five children after enduring eight (8) years of a childless marriage.
The quintuplet is made up of four beautiful girls and a bouncing baby boy. They are Kezia, Kendalyn, Kenia, Kendra, and Kenaniah. They were named and dedicated on Sunday, November 8, 2020, by the Tema Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Matthew Larbi Wettey, assisted by Pastor John Mensah Yanney of Tema Community 1 District.
Elder Nana Amoateng, who is currently the Presiding Elder of the Community 1 Assembly, expressed his immense joy and gratitude to God for the miracle he and his wife have received.
Speaking to PENTECOST NEWS, Elder Nana Amoateng who works with a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), said he got married to Vera in October 2013 full of expectations to be blessed with the seed of the womb. However, they kept on counting the days and the years but without any sign of conception.
He said that though it was not easy they trusted and believed God for a miracle. In October 2019, his wife conceived and gave birth to the quintuplet in May 2020.
To God be the Glory.
PENTECOST NEWS
The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, has panegyrized the outgoing Finance and Administration Director (FAD) of The Church of Pentecost, Pastor Dr Nicholas Darko, describing him as an institutional memory of the Church.
“When you come to the Head Office, FAD [Pastor Dr Nicholas Darko] is institutional memory. Having served as a Deputy Accounts Manager for the Pentecost Press Limited for seven years, an Internal Auditor at the Headquarters for one year, and Finance and Administration Director (FAD) for 19 years, he knows everything about the church, especially the finance and administrative policies. To work at one place for 27 years and rise through the ranks to the top is no mean achievement,” the General Secretary said this in a sermon he delivered at the farewell service held on Sunday, November 8, 2020, in honour of Pastor Dr Darko and his family at the D. K. Arnan Worship Centre in Teshie.
Pastor Dr Nicholas Darko has been transferred from the Headquarters to the Twereboa District in the Dansoman Area after serving as the financial controller of the Church for 19 good years, serving under three Chairmen of the Church, namely Apostles Dr Michael Ntumy, Prof. Opoku Onyinah, and currently Eric Nyamekye. He also worked with three General Secretaries – Apostles Albert Amoah, Dr Alfred Koduah and Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, while working with four International Missions Directors, namely Apostles Prof. Opoku Onyinah, B. K. Arthur (of blessed memory), Dr S. K. Baidoo (of blessed memory), and Emmanuel Gyesi-Addo.
The send-off service which was officiated by the General Secretary, assisted by the International Missions Director (IMD), Apostle Emmanuel Gyesi-Addo, and the Teshie-Nungua Area Head, Apostle Dr Alfred Koduah, was graced by Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah (former Chairman), Apostle Ridgwell Ato Addison (former General Secretary), Elder Prof. Stephen Owusu Kwankye (Finance Board Chairman), Mrs. Mary Nyamekye (wife of the Chairman), and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Lodzokuku and Deputy Minister of Health, Hon. Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, among others.
Speaking at the service on the topic, “What Do You Want To Be Remembered For” taken from Proverbs 22: 1, 1 Samuel 16:7c, Apostle Alexander Nana Kumi-Larbi noted that anyone who occupies a position and leaves the scene will be remembered by the impact they make in the lives of the people.
“When you leave a community or die, some people will remember you by the imprint you have left in their lives, hearts, and minds. People shape their perceptions of you through your interactions with them. Sometimes, the way you affect others is based on things that you may never be aware of,” he said.
According to him, how one’s legacy or life’s story is remembered can be up to them, saying, “It’s made up of a combination of your successes, failures, contributions, words, actions, or inactions, and other ways you have made a lasting impression on others.
“Your successes are measured by others based on the external things they place the greatest value on. Sometimes it has nothing to do with what you consider a success or failure in life.
“For example, the simplest act of kindness on your part might have changed someone’s life for the better without you ever knowing.”
Quoting from Romans 16:1-16, he said that Apostle Paul remembered and eulogized some 29 persons who played vital roles in his ministry.
The General Secretary further read from Luke 7:1-5 stated that sharing one’s time, talent, and treasure, are some of the ways to live a life of significance and make an impact on others.
The former Chairman, Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah, touted the indispensable roles that Pastor Dr Darko played at the Headquarters which consolidated the financial gains of the church. He noted that Pastor Dr Darko did not use his privileged position to manipulate the finances of the church for his personal gains, but rather managed it with all faithfulness and diligence.
The MP for Lodzokuku who also doubles as the Deputy Minister of Health, Hon, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, who described himself as an associate member of The Church of Pentecost due to the unique relationship he has developed with the church over the years, extolled the personality of Pastor Dr. Darko, describing him as a knowledgeable man of God with impeccable integrity.
The MP, who presented some PPEs to the church, commended The Church of Pentecost for being one of the most COVID-19 compliant churches in the country. He advised the members to continue to observe the safety protocols since the disease is still around.
Various testimonies were read to acknowledge the impact Pastor Dr Darko and his wife Mabel have made in the district, Teshie-Nungua, and The Church of Pentecost as a whole.
PENTECOST NEWS.
