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Asamankese Area Holds 2018 Lay Leadership School

Leadership

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April 28, 2018

Asamankese Area Holds 2018 Lay Leadership School

The Asamankese Area of The Church of Pentecost has ended this year’s training programme for Lay Leadership School Coordinators in the Area.

Addressing the participants on behalf of the Area Head, Apostle Moses Ayitey, at the closing session of the event which took place at Kade in the Eastern Region, the Kade District Minister, Pastor Victor Devon, expressed his gratitude to the participants for attending the programme in their numbers.

He entreated them to take the home cell concept seriously, because when the cells are active, the church stays alive.

Pastor Frank Akonnor and Pastor Boamah were among the facilitators.

Report by Oliver Samuel Larbi

Idol Worshipper Finds Freedom In Christ

Evangelism

William Wagner

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April 23, 2018

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Nbiti Elijah, an idol worshipper, turned to Christ after receiving his healing. Elijah, a native of Prognando, has been an idol worshiper since childhood. He had always believed and thought that his idols could save him from every misfortune and calamity until he was taken ill by a strange illness.

Gradually he lost all consciousness of himself. This became protracted and his health deteriorated. Not even the ‘idol water’ and other fetish substances administered by his family members could cure him. His own two idols and the “dwarf” he had committed his life to serving faithfully could also not cure him.

All attempts at healing him had failed until he encountered the healing power of Jesus Christ on 25^thMarch, 2018, when the Jou-Nadundo District Minister in the Yendi Area of The Church of Pentecost, Overseer Samuel Amponsah Mensah, came to the Prognando community for a pastoral visit.

As soon as they heard that a pastor had arrived in the village, his family members requested for prayers for Nbiti. Overseer Amponsah Mensah prayed for him and he received his healing some days later without the administration of any orthodox or traditional medicine.

Nbiti Elijah has given up his two idols and all the other fetish items to be destroyed and burnt. He has since been baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit.

Together with his family, they are now serving the Lord with gladness and continue to testify of their new found freedom in Christ.

SOURCE: PENTECOST NEWS

Highly Flammable

Life

Admin

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April 20, 2018

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I felt so miserable that morning as I dragged myself to the office. I kept wondering when I would hear good news again. My colleagues took note of my forlorn demeanor but shifted their gaze on something else as I looked back and dared not to inquire what the problem was.

I took a break around midday to pray. I normally take a stroll along a favourite path nearby praying under my breath. In actual fact I did not feel like praying but that was all I was left to do. I barely had the strength to weep.

It was quite windy that day as I looked down the cobbled pathway winding down with dead leaves rolling helter-skelter. Kicking imaginary stones along the way I looked up and saw a gentleman whom I knew coming towards me. He greeted me in a shy manner and I asked where he was going. He said he was seeing a food vender nearby to ask her for something. From experience I noticed that he did not have money. We spoke for awhile and then I gave him some money.

Six days later I heard a beep alerting me of an incoming text. Hurriedly I punched the phone to see what the message was. It read, “Good day LP. This is Jorge. Your decision to counsel me the day I spoke with you has affected me greatly. It has given me a reason to continue to live. Life was meaningless, I just wanted to die. Thank you for your help. Love you.’ Spitting almost half of the water I was sipping in my mouth as I stared at the text. I plucked my glasses off my sweaty face, screwed my eyes and read carefully again hoping I had misread the text. Shockingly I realized it was not a mistake. I feverishly typed, “kindly see me around five in the evening.’

I sat staring at the phone on my desk because it had just dawned on me that I was handling something highly flammable. A gentle voice stroke my heart saying,’ you see, people need help and you were engrossed with your pity party”. I do not know what I would have done if Jorge had passed by me that day along the path with me in high spirits. I may have been scrolling on my phone and muttered a cold hello and not paid attention to him.

2 Corinthians 1:4 (Message Bible)

Well, we met after work and we had a sobering chat. His mother got pregnant out of wedlock and her lover disappeared when he got wind of his mischief. Jorge grew up with his stepfather, mother and siblings. When he was a teenager he recalled his younger brother falling ill and became paralyzed on one side of his body. He died after a short while. His mother, who was selflessly taking care of him also got ill some weeks later. One morning, he bade his mother farewell lovingly but took note of how frail she had become on her sick bed. He was not surprised when he came to meet relatives wailing in the compound of his house when he came back from school. Mummy was gone!

Mummy left behind an eight month old lovely baby girl. Amidst the confusion he lifted up his head and enquired under his breath, “who would take care of this baby.” His baby sister was buried a few days after mummy died.

Jorge’s step father who had not shown him much love did his best now to be nice to him, teaching him how to drive etc. At least light had begun flickering on his path of life. His step father also became unwell and went to his grave shortly after. In a span of four months his future had been scrambled by the icy fingers of death. His family members rubbed it in by branding him a bastard.

This was how he came to know the Lord Jesus Christ. His pastor recommended a seminary and helped him to attend in order to become a priest. Jorge had many questions on his mind and struggled to take care of himself in the seminary. One day he got fed up with asking his mates for food etc and for three days he had neither drunk water nor eaten food. On the fourth day he woke up from his sleep feeling extremely thirsty and saw his roommate who was also a part of the leaders of the student body and well respected in the seminary holding two bottles of water and drinking one. With a patchy throat he asked for some and Ben said “I do not share water with people” nonchalantly.

(Job)(Jorge) grimaced and told me how he had a friend who was not a Christian and would share any food he had scavenged. They ate happily and gratefully be it rotten or good. He wondered why a Christian leader could be heartless in that manner.

In November that year, he decided to end it all. He thought of many ways of doing it and resorted to hanging himself behind one of the buildings in the seminary. As he hung there with six neck ties in place the branch of the tree gave in and broke. With a loud thump, he crushed unto the ground like a bruised fruit. He wept for about two hours as he lay there. Having no more tears to shed on an empty stomach, he pulled himself together and headed to his room. I wondered why no one saw him.

I asked why he never sought for help but he said he felt the lecturing priests seemed too distant and always busy.

This event took place five months before I met him along the path.

Lessons I gleaned from this experience:

People I term highly flammable may be walking around us ready to explode and we need to be extremely sensitive to help them and ignore our petty issues.

Like the priest and levites (Luke 10:30- 37) who kept the sacred utensils and the temple of God, provided sacred loaves, opened and shut the gates of the temple, sang hymns and offered sacrifices etc, we can bypass the neighbour in need to do our work which we feel is important.

The Samaritans of our day are still busy doing our main work for us, obeying the main commandment which is; loving your neighbour, like Job’s unbeliever friend. I believe if he were to be at the seminary, Job would not have thought of committing suicide.

For those of us busy in church our Lord may say “….depart from me, YE ACCURSED, INTO EVERLASTING FIRE, PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS: …..” Mathew 25: 34-46

This stands to reason that for not giving those who are thirsty water, the hungry food, not taking in strangers etc we are likened to the devil and his angels ready for hell!

In conclusion those in need may be difficult to detect if we are engrossed in ourselves and are highly flammable to do outrageous things which we can prevent and can at the same time cause us to land in hell!

Jorge is stable now, currently undergoing counselling and would be finishing his course in the seminary next year by the grace of God.

Inhisparlour.wordpress.com

Don’t Stop Planting Seeds!

Admin

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April 20, 2018

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Missions comes with so many diverse experiences! But If you have been involved in outreach and invitation to an extent, one of the things you can’t extricate yourself from is the need of the people especially in Africa.

The story was no different for me when I was sent to start a church in Elmina, a coastal town in the Central region of Ghana. The church started in a cinema hall after a crusade. I started with about 5 or 6 young men and most of them complained that they did not have clothes for Sunday services. Thankfully I had some clothes to spare so I gave it to them.

Believe it or not, I would see them wearing the clothes I gave them on Saturday evenings when I went out on outreaches. Definitely not in preparation for Sunday service. No. They were hanging out with girls in the area! My heart broke many times. I got upset countless times. I seemed to have sown seeds in the wrong places.

A few years down the line, I was transferred from that mission. I was attending a major conference in Accra (about 11 years down the line) and to my surprise here they were. The same guys I started the church with in Elmina, attending the conference! Even more shocking, they had become shepherds taking care of sheep! Amazing!

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. (1 Corinthians 3:6).

How alive this scripture became to me!

The work of a missionary involves a lot of ‘planting’.

Sometimes we get weary because we do not see the results the way we expect. But I have learnt that there is always a harvest in due season!

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season, we shall reap if we faint not. (Galatians 6:9).

I was listening to a message about the anointing and mantles recently. I suddenly realized that perhaps those clothes I gave to those ordinary young men maybe changed something in their lives!

Let’s keep planting seeds!

Emmanuel K. Yeboah

Delaware District Completes Mission House

Missions

William Wagner

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April 17, 2018

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Delaware District Completes Mission House

The Delaware District of The Church of Pentecost in the United States of America (USA) has dedicated its newly constructed ultra-modern mission house.

The mission house is a 4000 sq. ft. five-bedroom house with toilet and bath in each bedroom, a family room, living room, study/library, first-class kitchen, a powder room, and a two-car garage with a large basement. It sits on a ½ acre plot of land.

The sod-cutting ceremony to commence the construction of the building was performed in June 2017, and finally completed in April 2018.

The Delaware District was officially created in 2014 with Pastor Samuel Sackey-Hughes as the first Resident Minister, who stayed in a rented apartment. As a result, there was an urgent need to acquire a permanent mission house with enough rooms to accommodate the district pastor and his family, and future guests.

By the grace of God, the search led us to a new housing development that was being constructed in Middletown, a fast-growing town in Delaware. The leadership of the church decided that Middletown was a good location for a mission house because it was a central location to Bear Central, New Castle PIWC, and Dover PIWC assemblies.

To God be the glory for the successful completion of the project.

Report From Dennis Asubonteng, Delaware, USA

Ready Hearts

Admin

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April 15, 2018

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Their lives, a stirring testament to God’s sustaining grace!

(Steve Green)

From a young Nigerian missionary to Cape Verde Islands – a nation on a volcanic archipelago off the North west coast of Africa:

Being a missionary has been a great experience! I remember when I got to Morocco (on my way to Cape Verde), I just couldn’t help but sob like a baby, thinking of the unknown.

The mission field can be like an action movie!
One Wednesday I went out to call some church members for a church service. From no where, a police van appeared and we were rounded up like criminals.
They started searching us, almost stripping us naked.
I was in a state of complete shock and fear, all sorts of thoughts running through my head at top speed.
They kept saying something in Portuguese I couldn’t quite understand.
‘What if they are asking me a question I can’t answer to vindicate myself’ i thought to myself.
Apparently, there had been a robbery in that area and we had been rounded up as suspects!
Thankfully after a while of searching they let us go. Sweet relief!

But witnessing to my first convert (who is now a shepherd), Dorival Miguel was one of my greatest and most fulfilling experiences!
It was another beautiful Wednesday evening. After going to a church member’s house 3 times and not meeting him, I met Dorival sitting outside his porch in the dark doing nothing.
I walked past him to church, coming back the same route to get someone else. Dorival was still there. I said to myself, ‘if on my return, this guy is still here, I’ll preach to him’.
And there he was on my return! I approached him and asked in Portuguese ‘voce fala inglis’? (translated: ‘do you speak English’?) ‘Mais ou menos’ he responded meaning ‘more or less’.
What a relief this was for a very green Portuguese speaker.
So I shared the gospel with him and He gave his life to Christ! The feeling, inexplicable!
I invited him for a service that evening.
I asked Dorival to wait for me and I’d be back in 5 mins to pick him up.
He said something you’ll hardly hear in Cape Verde when you invite anyone to church.
He said ‘I’ll be here waiting for you’. On my return to pick him up, to my surprise he was there!

Today, through Dorival, 2 other people are in church, and he is now a translator of English to kriolo and Portuguese.
He travels 2 hours from home to church when he is on vacation from the university!

The fields are indeed white! Many hearts ready for the gospel. Just waiting for that one person to share with them.
Nothing compares to the joy of seeing a soul saved and established in the kingdom! Nothing! Not even the joy from the relief of release after an arrest.
If I came to Cape Verde so this one soul could come into the kingdom, it’s been worth every bit! Let’s keep preaching!!!

Glory Okokon

Missionary Work In Asia

Admin

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April 15, 2018

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From the outside, there is nothing to suggest that Christianity has developed at all in North Korea. But many missionaries risk their lives every day to spread the gospel in North Korea. Most of these missionaries ethnic Korean who have lived in China for generations.

Their lives are permanently at risk. In recent years, many missionaries have died under mysterious circumstances. Hundreds more, have been imprisoned in or expelled from China, which bans proselytizing by foreigners.

Some converts go back to North Korea to share what they have learnt, sometimes bringing Bibles with them; however no one can tell what happens to these people.

Officially, North Korea says it guarantees freedom of religion to its 24 million people. In reality, anyone involved in Bible distribution, secret prayer services or underground church networks are put in prison or executed.

Five government-sanctioned churches exist in Pyongyang, showpiece facilities open only for foreign visitors.

But for the work of these unknown missionaries the gospel would not spread in North Korea. As you pray for salvation in the world do not forget North Korea, especially the missionaries who risk their very lives to preach and convert one soul for Jesus.

He Knows How It Feels

Faith

Admin

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April 15, 2018

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For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. – Heb 4:15

It was about half a decade ago when a close friend travelled to the West in pursuit of higher education and better opportunities. The positive excitement I felt for them was tainted by a tinge of green envy (but that is a story for another day). Everything was going perfectly for them, or at least so I thought and I looked forward to my own exodus. Days turned into weeks, months and finally years and the story began to unfold.

Yaa, as we will call this friend of mine, seemed to be going through the blues and I could not quite understand what there was to be blue about living in the West, specifically the United States. Public transport worked, you got paid in much-coveted dollars, you travelled during vacations to all sorts of exotic places, you ate pizza, etc. How could that be depressing or not want God wanted for you? (Your best life now?) On most of the infrequent occasions we spoke, I could pick up exhaustion in her voice, a sense of bewilderment and a longing for home. Maybe her heart was elsewhere and Ghana was truly home.

Did all the “boggers” lie? Wasn’t the grass entirely green and the sun golden beyond the airspace of Accra, Ghana where my home was? In 2017, nearly a decade later, I made my own exodus to a different western country to pursue higher education and whatever opportunities that might bring. It was here that I began to grapple with the stark realities I lived vicariously nearly a decade ago through my friend. She wasn’t kidding and the stories that had been told were only half true. This isn’t a lament, so I urge you to read on. While I pondered these things I read something in the Bible and this experience put it in perspective for me.

It was on the cold wintry morning of January 12th, 2017 as I read from Hebrews 4:12-16 that all this began to really sink in. In verse 15, quoted above, the Scripture says that we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weakness because he has been tempted in every way, just as we are but did not sin. It all started to make sense. I could empathize afresh with my friend and with every other person, known or unknown who had made this journey. Although ipso facto, it made real, practical sense to me.

So Jesus understands when an impure sight captures my attention and consequently my imagination? He understands that great physique and skimpy clothing can create a problem? He knows that telling that white lie or bragging is something that is easy to do? He knows when power, fame and money tug at my heart and I respond? The answer? A resounding yes!

While those thoughts did not blow my winter blues or new reality away, they gave me a new perspective. We can can come frankly to Jesus and tell Him about all those things that we are failing at (I know mine and you know yours). We can in fact have an open discussion with Him and He truly understands. There is no need to hide. And because He knows and understand, He can better help us. The thought was so comforting. He had walked this earth too!

But, for me, there is another side to the story and that is to be able to help others who might be on that same path. What have you walked through that Jesus has helped you through? You have empathy that others who have not walked your path cannot have. They have vicarious empathy but you have tangible, real, lived and experienced empathy. Just as Jesus empathizes with us, let Him work through you so that empathy brings hope, strength and ultimately His healing to others.

It’s a long road ahead of me through winter and some more seasons until I graduate but life for you and others (particularly younger) believers is longer than my studies. Let’s come boldly to Him remembering that He is not speaking from a place of “theory” but from a place of experience. He understands and can empower us and He can empower us to empathize with and be a channel of blessing to others.

Which experience are you wasting?

Article by Sidney Nii Sai Schandorf

Teenager Wins 7 Souls

Evangelism

William Wagner

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April 9, 2018

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The Konongo Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Frederick K. Andoh, has presented a special award to Master Yaw Boateng, the 14-year-old boy from Amoa Assembly of Dampong District who won seven souls for Christ.

The teenager is on record to have won a total of seven adults into Christianity during the Church’s “Operation One Member One Discipled Soul” launched last year. After preaching the gospel to the seven, Yaw Boateng brought them to church for baptism.

During the 2018 Easter convention, Apostle Frederick Andoh prayed for Yaw and presented the parcel to him. The Area Head used the opportunity to encourage Christians to take soul-winning seriously to expand the Lord’s kingdom on earth.

Apostle Andoh challenged the members to win at least a soul before the first half of the year ends.

He indicated that the Lord is able to use every vessel that avails themselves to be used for His glory.

The District Minister, Overseer Yahaya Musa, revealed that Yaw Boateng was baptised exactly three months ago.

Meanwhile, the Dampong District has also honored the young boy for his exploits during the recently held district revival week dubbed “Filling Station.” The move was to motivate him and to encourage others to do more for the Lord.

Present at the service were Pastor Ebenezer Nketsia of Asankare District, Pastor J. B. Akomea of Juaso District, and their wives.

Report by Overseer Yahaya Musa, Dampong District

Accra Newtown Zone Climaxes Easter Convention With 87 Souls

Evangelism

William Wagner

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April 3, 2018

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Accra Newtown Zone Climaxes Easter Convention With 87 Souls

The Accra Newtown Zone in La Area of The Church of Pentecost on Sunday, April 1, 2018, crowned the 2018 Easter Convention in an enthusiastic, joyful and colourful atmosphere at the Accra Technical Training Centre (ATTC).

The convention which started on Wednesday evening and climaxed on Sunday morning, recorded a total attendance of 10,993, with 87 souls being won to the glory of the Lord. 51 persons were baptized in the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues.

The convention was on the theme, “Jesus Christ, Our Sacrificial Passover Lamb” taken from 1 Corinthians 5:7b.

The Zonal Chairman, Pastor Kenneth Arthur, who also doubles as the Nima District Minister, delivered the sermon on Sunday to climax the convention on title: “Sacrifice that is a Fragrant Offering to God.”

In attendance were the Deputy Director of the Women’s Ministry, Deaconess Margaret Osei, ministers in the Area and their wives, among others.

The Accra Newtown Zone consists of eight districts, namely Accra Newtown, Kokomlemle, Caprice Worship Centre, Adabraka, Merry Villas, Kanda, Nima and Nima Alaska.

SOURCE: PENTECOST NEWS

I felt so miserable that morning as I dragged myself to the office. I kept wondering when I would hear good news again. My colleagues took note of my forlorn demeanor but shifted their gaze on something else as I looked back and dared not to inquire what the problem was.

Missions comes with so many diverse experiences! But If you have been involved in outreach and invitation to an extent, one of the things you can’t extricate yourself from is the need of the people especially in Africa.

Report From Dennis Asubonteng, Delaware, USA

Their lives, a stirring testament to God’s sustaining grace!

(Steve Green)

From the outside, there is nothing to suggest that Christianity has developed at all in North Korea. But many missionaries risk their lives every day to spread the gospel in North Korea. Most of these missionaries ethnic Korean who have lived in China for generations.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. – Heb 4:15

The Konongo Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Frederick K. Andoh, has presented a special award to Master Yaw Boateng, the 14-year-old boy from Amoa Assembly of Dampong District who won seven souls for Christ.

Report by Overseer Yahaya Musa, Dampong District

The Accra Newtown Zone in La Area of The Church of Pentecost on Sunday, April 1, 2018, crowned the 2018 Easter Convention in an enthusiastic, joyful and colourful atmosphere at the Accra Technical Training Centre (ATTC).

Report By: La Area Reporters

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