The New Tafo Area of The Church of Pentecost ended this year’s Apostolisation with Apostles Samuel Ofori (Dean, Ministerial Formation & Training at the Pentecost Theological Seminary) and Gideon Obeng-Darko Debrah (Kintampo Area Head) as guest speakers.
The week-long Ministers and Officers’ Retreat which was held in four zonal centres within the Area from Monday, 12th to Sunday, 18th March, 2018, was under the theme: “Remain In Christ And His Basic Message” (1 John 2:24-25).
Opening the retreat on Monday, the Area Head, Apostle Samuel Osei Asante, who is also an Executive Council Member of the Church, called on all officers in the Area to partake fully in the retreat in order to be rooted in the basic message of Christ and enjoy the blessings of God to the fullest.
Reading from 1 John 2:24-26; Ephesians 4:11-16 among other scriptures, Apostle Osei Asante indicated that Christ has tasked Christian leaders to disciple others to be like Him (Christ).
According to him, this cause could only be pursued when Christian leaders live in the word of God and also avail themselves for the Word to have a free course in them. He further said that the kind of life one lives, the behaviour and the character he exhibits will determine whether he lives in the Word or the Word lives in him.
“Although, we did not see Jesus Christ physically as some had the opportunity to encounter Him in such manner, if only we firmly abide in His word, He will speak and we will hear and see Him as well,” he stated.
He, therefore, called on the gathering to make themselves available to be consumed by the word of God in order to enable them to effectively nurture others to be like Christ.
Giving a brief exposition on 1 John, Apostle Osei Asante noted that John wrote this epistle to expose false teachers and their kind of erroneous teachings that were prevailing at that time. He identified some of these false teachings as denial of Jesus as Christ (1 John 2:22), denial of the manifestation of Christ in the flesh (1 John 4:2-3), among others.
“In our days too, there are false teachers, and as Christians when we remain in the basic message of Christ, we would escape their deception,” he pointed out.
Expounding further, he noted that Apostle John also wrote to encourage his hearers to live in absolute righteousness and holiness as believers (1 John 2:28; 5:21). He, thus, entreated Christian leaders to hold the genuine doctrines and the gifts they received in the beginning in high regard and not to adulterate them with the erroneous teachings which are surging on the airwaves.
“This is what this year’s theme is all about. Let us as Christian leaders first ensure to know and remain in this basic message of Christ and the Bible, and then teach the members under us also to know and then encourage them to remain in them as well,” he said, adding, “Let us ensure to teach the tenets of the Church constantly, not only this year, but till Jesus returns for His Church.”
There was an intensive prayer session after the sermon which was led by Pastor Seth Dwamena-Asante (New Tafo District Minister).
Report by: Emmanuel Nana Nsiah, New Tafo Area Reporter
