Apostolic Church-Ghana launches 80th milestone
The Apostolic Church-Ghana has launched its 80th anniversary with a resolve to celebrate the goodness of Jesus Christ, whose consistent companionship has brought the church this far, in spite of the challenges that it has faced.
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The history of Christianity in Ghana, the church said, had revealed that the Apostolic Church, the mother of Pentecostalism in Ghana, had experienced many breakaways and “challenges which are sufficient to quench the Apostolic fire but Christ has been our consistent companion”.
Celebrating Christ
For this reason, the church chose the theme, “Celebrating Christ; Our Consistent Companion”, as the theme for the anniversary.
The President of the Apostolic Church, Apostle Ebenezer Abebrese, assisted by the Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Mr Alfred Vanderpuije, and Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee of the Salt and Light Ministry, unveiled the anniversary logo.
“As a church, we have a great cause to celebrate Christ, our consistent companion in this land of the living. This is due to His unfailing love and faithfulness to us. We trust that in view of the fact that His mercies never come to an end, He will continue to remain faithful to us,” Apostle Jonas Philip Offei, the Chairman of the 80th Anniversary Planning Committee, said in his welcome address.
He said Jesus Christ was the owner and builder of the church and had been its consistent companion who had guided the church through turbulent times to its present day.
Significant role
Delivering an address as the guest speaker, the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church, Rev Dr Paul Frimpong-Manso, said the Apostolic Church had played a significant role in shaping the Christian faith in the country.
The church, he observed, had reached out to remote villages and cottages that were difficult to reach and had succeeded in planting churches there.
“You have served the body of Christ and the nation very well and your service is very commendable,” he said.
Rev Dr Frimpong-Manso observed that it was important that the church reflect on where it had come from, where it was and where it intended going in the future.
Remember the zeal of the founding fathers
He urged the church’s leadership to remember the zeal, efforts and selflessness of the early fathers of the church in the days when Pentecostalism was regarded with some level of disdain.
Even with a history made up of a mix of bitter and positive experiences, he said, it was imperative that the church wasted no time dwelling on the pain of the past but endeavour to focus more on connecting to God because He had remained faithful through the demonstration of His power.
Rev Dr Frimpong-Manso said the church had a task to prosper, adding that it was regrettable that some churches were only engaging in entertaining theatrics.
“We should not rest on our laurels and be entertaining ourselves in Accra and other big cities. Let us reach out to the hinterlands. Let us live up to the great commission,” he advised.
Church under scrutiny
Mr Vanderpuije, who represented President Mahama, said Christianity and the church in Ghana had come under public scrutiny in recent times, a situation which required the church to do a re-examination of its spiritual role and contribution to national life.
More than ever, he said, the public expected more from the church in the area of moral transformation, adding that transformational expectations must start from the church through its messages to the congregation..
In her message, Ms Aryee, who represented the Para-churches Group, said God was about to bring about a new wave of revival in Ghana that would begin from the Apostolic Church.
She said God had seen what was happening in Ghana and expressed the hope that that revival would start with the launch of the anniversary.
“We are not old yet. Greater things are about to start,” she added.
Writer’s email: victor.kwawukume@graphic.com.gh
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