Christians celebrate death, resurrection of Jesus Christ

Christians across the country climaxed the Easter celebrations with church services last Sunday.

Easter is a Christian event meant to remember the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Congregants, dressed predominantly in white apparels of different shades, sang hymns and praised and worshipped God with joy over the resurrection of Jesus Christ who, according to Christian teaching, laid down His life in atonement for the sins of mankind.

Among the themes that characterised last Sunday’s church services were: “He’s Risen”, “He’s Alive”, “Jesus, the Reason for the Season” and “The Power of His Resurrection”.

Many churches could not hold their usual Easter conventions because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to avoid large gatherings, as well as adhere to safety protocols on the disease.

Last Friday was Good Friday and Christians all over the country held church services in a sombre mood to commemorate the death of Jesus Christ.

On Sunday, which was Easter Sunday, again church services were held, but this time in a joyous mood in celebration of Christ’s resurrection from the dead.

Last Sunday, members of the Lighthouse Group of Churches converged on the church’s spacious Anagkazo Bible and Ministry Training Campus located in Akuapem Mampong for its service, which was carried live on its social media handles and the Healing Jesus Television channel.

The Anagkazo Bible and Ministry Training Camp is set in a spectacular view of mountain scenery, with a boulder-strewn compound. Both the altar and the podium at the camp are built from packed rocks, in imitation of Golgotha, the place where Jesus Christ was crucified.

The Founder and General Overseer of the Lighthouse Group of Churches, Rev. Dag Heward-Mills. said just as the resurrection of Christ was a turnaround period for the people of yore that believed in Him, so also would there be a turnaround for those who believed in God’s Word in this present day.

Daily Graphic reporters in the regions have filed the following reports on the Easter celebrations.

In-house celebrations

Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah & Biiya Mukusah Ali report from Sunyani in the Bono Region that the municipality was plastered with all manner of adverts announcing the Easter programmes of the various churches.

Some of the churches visited included the Prevailers Chapel International (PCI) at Asufufu, the Liberty Centre of the Church of Pentecost at Sunyani Newtown, the Heaven Minded Chapel and the Cavalry Deliverance Ministry.

Others were the Peace Temple of Christ, the True Faith Church International, the Church of God Ghana and the Sunyani Newtown Assemblies of God.

In order to ensure effective social distancing among congregants, the Cavalry Deliverance Ministry held its Easter church service under trees on the church’s premises.

All the churches the Daily Graphic visited were found to be observing the preventive protocols on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fake preachers

At the PCI, the Founder of the church, Apostle Patrick Amoateng, advised Christians to beware of fake preachers in this end time.

He encouraged Christians to focus on their salvation, explaining that Jesus’ resurrection had given Christians the power and authority to do everything that seemed impossible.

Apostle Amoateng explained that the power to overcome the impossible was manifested in Christ’s resurrection.

"He is the only person who had died and resurrected," he said.

At the Glory Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana at Dr Berko, a suburb of Sunyani, the Catechist, Mr J.B. Nyamekye, urged Christians to use the Easter period to mend their relationship with God and their neighbours.

Dwelling on the significance of Easter, he asked Christians to be humble and be dedicated to doing good jobs at their workplaces, since they would give account of their stewardship to their Maker one day.

Emulate Jesus’ example

In Bolgatanga, the Daily Graphic’s Vincent Amenuveve visited the Sacred Heart Cathedral, the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and the Fountain Gate Chapel.

At the Sacred Heart Cathedral, the Catholic Bishop of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese, the Most Rev. Alfred Agyenta, entreated Ghanaian leaders to emulate Jesus Christ’s model of dedicated and selfless service to serve the country well and receive the blessings of God.

He said even though Jesus Christ was the Son of God, while on earth, He humbled Himself to serve and teach His disciples and encouraged leaders of the country and the people to emulate Jesus’ example.

Foundation of the Christian faith

In the Wa municipality, the Daily Graphic’s Emmanuel Modey visited three churches, namely, the Rev. Paul Adu Methodist Church, the Roman Catholic Cathedral and the Fountain of Favour Church.

The preachers — Rev. Father Barnabas Duorinaah of the Roman Catholic Cathedral, the Very Rev. Amos Hawthorn Kyere of the Rev. Paul Adu Methodist Church and Pastor Pius Dumba of the Fountain of Favour Church — all identified the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as being the foundation of the Christian faith.

Although they gave different messages, the common theme that run through their sermons was that there would be no salvation for mankind without believing and having faith in Jesus Christ.

They called on Christians to live by faith in the Lord, so that on judgment day, Christians would receive salvation and eternal life.