The Dunkwa Area of The Church of Pentecost, under the leadership of Apostle Jones Awuah Afrifa, has organised a three-day retreat for ministers and their wives, as well as officers in the Area.
The well-attended event was under the theme: “A Glorious Church Leader: Are You Revived to Possess the Nations?”
The event, which took place from October 12-15, 2021 at the zonal level aims to renew the spiritual strength of the church leaders in the Area and also to whip up their passion towards the work of God.
Preaching on the topic: “Beware of Shishak as we possess the nations,” Apostle Afrifa admonished ministers and their wives to do their best to maintain the glory of the Lord in the Church.
According to him, when the reign of Rehoboam was established, he abandoned the law of the Lord in his fifth year, adding that, because he was unfaithful to the Lord, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem and took away all the treasures of the house of God. He said King Rehoboam replaced these treasures of gold that were in the house of the Lord with bronze and committed them into the hands of the officers of the guard, who kept the door of the king’s house.
He explained that Rehoboam started well as a good and faithful king who sought the face of the Lord but later became unfaithful and complacent and turned from the Lord.
Apostle Afrifa, quoting from 2 Chronicles 12:1-4 and 1 Kings 14:25, advised pastors not to turn away from God but stay connected to Him and be obedient to His word.
“Most ministers start well but relax later on and become complacent and unfaithful as they journey in ministry,” he said while advising them to maintain a pure life and heart before God and seek Him wholeheartedly.
“Rehoboams’ unfaithfulness opened the door for Shishak to come for the gold in the temple. Gold represents glory and honour and must not be replaced with bronze,” he said.
He advised Christian leaders to beware of things that take away the glory of God in the Church, since they are the gatekeepers that God has placed in His Church to guard the gate and maintain the glory of the Church.
He cautioned church leaders against power struggle, sin, and idolatry and advised them to be united in the work of the Lord.
Apostle Afrifa pointed out that Shishak is not just a name of a person, but represents any character, policy, laws, and government that will take away the glory of God in the Church and cautioned Church leaders to be on high alert against the glorification of immorality, deviant and fake lifestyles, LGBTQI+, and the notion that the current generation lives in the post-Christian era.
Apostle Afrifa charged church leaders to fast and pray, preach the tenets and doctrines of the Church so that the members will be grounded in Christ. He also admonished the officers to remain in the four square gospel and hold fast to the core values of the Church, while dwelling on the Holy Spirit and staying in Pentecostal worship. The session ended with intercessory prayer for the church and the nation.
Report by Pastor Twene Adane Justice, Dunkwa Atechem District.