The Evangelism Ministry of The Church of Pentecost has organised the 2018 Trainers Consult to equip the members to take up the mantle of soul winning.

The Trainers Consult emerged from the ‘Operation One Member, One Discipled Soul’ which is meant to get every member of the Church involved in the soul winning business.

The three-day training programme which took place at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh, was attended by the ministry leaders and some members from across the country.

The facilitators included Apostle Dr. Amos Jimmy Markin (Evangelism Director), Pastor Ohene Asa-Otu (Deputy Director), Pastor Percy Nii Tackie Otoo (National Secretary), Elder Dr. Ken Aboah, Elder Kwame Ayim, Elder Dr. and Mrs. Sepenu, Pastor Frank Awuah Fordjour, Pastor Victor K. Asamoah and Deacon Gideon Darko Peasa.

Opening the event on Tuesday, November 20, 2018, Apostle Dr. Amos Jimmy Markin stated the need for the training. This, he said, is because evangelism is seen as the core value and practice of the Church.

“The Church exists more or less to continue with the work of the great harvest left by the saviour Jesus Christ,” he said, adding, “It has been observed that, in effective church work, everything centres or revolves around evangelism and its associates. For instance, it takes an evangelistic inclined person to be prayerful, holy, and a good team player. Evangelism is the essence for the baptism in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) and the giving of the Spiritual gifts (Ephesians 4:11).”

The Evangelism Director indicated that the changing face of the world today and its demands require that the gospel and its proclamation be looked at from different perspectives. Explaining to the participants the need for the training, he stated: “You must know the way before you can show others the way.”

The second session was handled by Pastor Ohene Asa-Otu on the topic, “Christian Evangelism.” Christian evangelism, he said, involves the spreading of the good news that Jesus Christ died for the sins of mankind and was raised from the dead, and that as a reigning Lord, He offers forgiveness of sins and the liberation of gifts of the Spirit to all who repent and believe.

He called on believers to cling to the New Testament gospel which gives in detail all about salvation.

The third session was taken by Pastor Victor Asamoah on the topic, “Types of Evangelism.” He stated: “The Church of Jesus Christ, beginning from the New Testament, has over a period of time identified various methods for evangelising or communicating the Good News of Jesus Christ.

“The methods used had varied for specific places, people and purposes. These types of evangelism include Personal, Mass, Media, Cinema, Tracts, Social Media, Sports-Induced, Specialised Outreach to specific Groups and Social Action-Induced Evangelism, and other innovative approaches to proclaim and win souls for the kingdom of God.”

Speaking on the topic, “The Message of Christian Evangelism,” Elder Kwame Ayim (a National Executive Member of the Ministry), took the participants through the Gospel and its content, the Good News of today’s world, the message to be carried, running without a message, relevance of the gospel message, among others.

Elder Dr. Perez Sepenu also took the trainees through “Contemporary Methods And Models For Effective Evangelism” which deals with using the unchanging or non-negotiable message or contents of the gospel to affect change or contemporary situations.

He said, “The gospel must be adopted into different cultures, contemporary emerging cultures, contemporary situations and emerging groups with the same message of the gospel. And the purpose is to adopt effective strategies for all seasons, at different places and towards different groups of people.”

His wife, Dr. Mrs. Naa Akushia Sepenu also spoke on “Social Intervention.” She urged the church to use social services such as relieving human need, philanthropic activity, and works of mercy, among others to win them for Christ. She also touched on other social actions like removing the causes of human need, political and economic activity, seeking to transform the structures of society, the quest for justice which can be used as social interventions to evangelise the world.

Deacon Gideon Darko Peasah, on his part, took the participants through “Evangelism and Social Media.” He stated that the world is moving toward technology, and that the church of God must also use the same technology to spread the gospel, winning souls for Christ.

Treating the topic, “Effective Follow Up,” Elder Henry B. Sam noted that one of the important tools missing in contemporary evangelism is follow up, thus retaining the souls won.

Meanwhile, the Evangelism Ministry has scheduled Friday, 30^th November, 2018, for all-night services in the regions.

Reported by Gideon Darko Peasa