In contemporary times, many people profess to be serving God. However, if the service so rendered is viewed under a critical lens, one can conclude that the service they profess is linked to a perceived or expected benefit. God is YAHWEH, the Almighty, and all-knowing who is invincible, how then can mortals serve this invisibly great God in truth and sincerity?
This question begs for answers because we live in an era where most people profess faith in God and pursue religion yet, our society is bedeviled with social vices and keeps increasing at an alarming rate every day. So, in the face of this bleak picture, do we still have men who serve God regardless of their circumstances?
I was inspired to write this article when I attended the Memorial and Burial Service for the late Elder Sam -Boaz, in Suhum in the Eastern region of Ghana on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Sam -Boaz nicknamed “the fine boy” had one of his legs amputated at age five. Elder Sam – Boaz, “Chairman” as I affectionately called him, defied his disability at this tender age to, against all odds, succeed in life by pursuing God and serving Him till his last breath.
This article, therefore, explores what it means to serve God, the life, service, and commitment of Elder Sam- Boaz to the work and things of God, the impact he made on others in the process, and how his life could be studied as a model of service in contemporary times when sincere service without string benefits is running down the abyss.
SERVICE TO GOD
The Lord God Almighty, the Elohim lives in unapproachable light. Therefore, the physical service of man to the Almighty is utterly impossible. However, Jesus Christ whiles on earth by His example showed the way to serve God, which was to serve fellow man. Any time we render sincere service to our fellow man, it is regarded as a service offered to God. Jesus used many parables to prove this to the disciples and moved on to set them an example.
“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”- John 13:3-8 (NIV)
The condition attached to service in the Kingdom of God according to the passage above was for the disciples to do the same. This means that all believers must render unquestionable service to one another in the kingdom while on earth as proof of their earned place and portion in heaven by their faith in Christ. It is regrettable, however, that many contemporary Christians seem to have lost sight of this. Many Christians today are selective in their service and consider the reward attached to a service before they offer and this has led to a decline in selfless service in the body of Christ today.
Elder Sam-Boaz, however, in this bleak picture chose to be a shining example of sincere service in contemporary times in the Lord’s vineyard by serving and impacting lives to the final ambers of his life. Even on his sick bed at the hospital, he led people to Christ and prayed for others to be healed of their infirmities.
PROFILE OF ELDER SAM-BOAZ EYABE TEMBENDANN
EARLY LIFE
Sam-Boaz affectionately called “fine boy” by his family and relatives was the 6th of nine siblings born on Saturday, March 23, 1957, to Escort Sgt. Mensah Bassare and Madam Rebecca Abena Baadeini all of blessed memory at the Cape Coast General Hospital.
As fate would have it, “fine boy” had one of his legs amputated at the knee level in 1962 at the tender age of 5 at the 37 Military Hospital when he got knocked down by a loaded tipper truck during a clay fetching expedition whiles staying in Accra.
Sam-Boaz defied all odds right from the hospital where nurses were amazed at his courage in the face of his pain to divulge information about his parents. This caused the nurses to nickname him “Samson”. Indeed nothing in life deterred “Samson Boaz” from reaching the top in life.
EDUCATION AND WORK
“Fine boy” pursued formal education from Anloga to Peki, and New Juaben Secondary School (NJUASCO), where he sat and passed his “Ordinary Level Certificate Exams” in 1979. It is recorded that Sam-Boaz caught the revival in (NJUASCO) around 1977/78 and was on fire since then till his final call to rest.
Sam-Boaz gained admission to the then Accra Polytechnic now Accra Technical University to read Accounting in 1981 and graduated successfully in 1984. It is said that, in his schooling days, he was a brilliant, principled young man who was on fire for God. His passion and love for God and the things of God were unquestionable.
“Fine Boy” though challenged physically, was never timid or sad but was always full of life and praised God for everything. Through his hard work and faith in God, he got employed at the then Ghana Commercial Bank Ltd, now GCB Bank, in 1988 where he worked until his voluntary retirement in 2015.
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY LIFE
Sam-Boaz met and married Madam Janet Kyei on June 8, 1986, with whom he had three children. Their marriage life was an example to many for theirs was a pillar of support and help for each other since you couldn’t see one without the other. His wife described him as her best friend who made her life so beautiful – a great giver, and an intercessor who provided everything she needed. The children noted that his love for their Mum was like the one Christ have for the church and described their father as a man of faith and prayer who delved deeper into the word of God like no other.
CHURCH LIFE
The church described him as an Elder with an Apostolic calling. Elder Sam-Boaz was baptized in water by Pastor Offei Badu and was later ordained as an Elder by Aps. Prof. Opoku Onyinah (Rtd.) after he led a prayer against a windstorm that was threatening to destroy their convention. He went on to preside over many assemblies in Peki and Suhum when he was transferred there in 1994. Key among the positions held in the church were District executive committee member, and the Board Chairman for Suhum Pentecost Credit Union (SUPENCU) until his home calling.
The church leadership described him as a pillar and a philanthropist who supported the church in every way.
IMPACT ON OTHERS
His year group in Scripture Union from Peki said he was a great leader who practically raised people like Apostle Dr. Dela Quampah, the Area Head for Ho and an International Executive Member of The Church of Pentecost (CoP), Apostle Seth Fianko-Larbi, National Head, CoP, Kenya, ArchBishop Brans-Inno Harrison of Fire Eagles Ministries International, Rev. Cephas Asigbetse of Assemblies of God, Rt. Rev. Prosper Dzormeku, Moderator of the Global Evangelical Church of Ghana among others who are ministers wives, Doctors, Professors, etc.
Until his demise, he was a member of a prayer group led by Overseer Jones Dwomoh Amankwah (the author of this article) who prays weekly for the church and the work of missions and missionaries together with Overseer Philemon Amoani and other Elders, Deacons, and Deaconesses. His passion for souls led him to evangelize to everyone at the least opportunity and that influenced his dedicated life of intercession.
SINCERE SERVICE IN ADVERSITY BRINGS HONOUR EVEN IN DEATH
It is worth reminiscing, how dedicated Elder Sam-Boaz was to the work of God even with his disability. Elder Boaz’s passionate, selfless and committed life has thrown a challenge to us, and to generations unborn that indeed “where there is a will, there is a way”, and “disability is not inability”. Even on retirement, Elder Boaz worked to help raise SUPENCO to enviable feet without any remuneration or allowance. If in his condition as a physically challenged person he could serve God and impact life this much, then those of us fully functional have no excuse not to give our all to God.
It is, therefore, not surprising that Executive Council Members could not hold themselves but to dance to the glory of God at the Spirit-filled memorial and Burial Service which was held in his honor at Suhum. It is a testament to the fact that they that serve the Lord well are rewarded and glorified even in their death.
The implication of the life of Elder Sam-Boaz, as a man who lived with disability and yet served God with fire, is that ministry to “Persons Living with Disability” (PLwD) as enshrined in the Church of Pentecost Vision 2023 and beyond is a timely call – for God, can raise many “Sam-Boazs” through this ministry.
CONCLUSION
It is appointed unto man to die once, however, the value of one’s life is determined by the lives he transforms whiles he had the opportunity to do so. Elder Boaz never blamed God for his predicament but served Him nonetheless, to the best of his ability to the end. May the spirit of Elder Sam-Boaz be poured on us even as he marches on to glory. Amen!
Written by:
Jones Dwomoh Amankwah (Ovr.)
- Mail: amarcus09@gmail.com
Tel. 0243881408
© October 2022