Pentecost University Matriculates 127 Ministerial Students

The School of Theology, Mission and Leadership (STML) of the Pentecost Univesity has held a matriculation ceremony to officially admit 127 newly called ministers of The Church of Pentecost to undertake their four-year ministerial training and formation at the university.

One hundred and fourteen (114) of the students are Ghanaians while 13 of them are international students drawn from various parts of Africa.

The special event took place at the STML Campus at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh, on September 30, 2022.

Addressing the students, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Apostle Professor Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua, said that the event marked the beginning of a life-long learning experience and the beginning of a great journey in the life of the students.

He charged them to take the matriculation oath seriously and endeavour to live in accordance with the rules and regulations of the University while pursuing their programme.

Touching on the importance of university education to society, Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua indicated that universities have contributed significantly to the spiritual dimensions of life, shaped the socio-economic landscape, influenced political and environmental discussions, and ultimately provided the human resource for enterprise.

“Today, you have joined a vibrant university, the University A+ Institution. We have identified ourselves as University A+ in that we identify all other universities as University A, doing extremely well, but we do not want to become just like any of them,” he stated.

According to the VC, the University A+ agenda of the Pentecost University seeks to provide a new educational model that bridges the spiritual and intellectual gap to produce a fresh generation of morally, ethically and intellectually outstanding graduates who solve problems.

He, therefore, urged them to take intellectuality seriously as much as their spirituality. He stressed that by creating an exceptional balance between these two, they will become truly spiritual, intellectually outstanding and recognised problem solvers; ministers replicating Christ in his fullness, and will be able to possess every sphere of life and truly reclaim the world for Christ.

“Intellectually, we have positioned ourselves as front runners in the educational system winning the African International award of merit for our innovation in education, digitisation, projects, research initiatives, social and community impact and the creation of student job opportunities on campus,” he disclosed.

The Special Guest of Honour, Apostle Samuel Osei Asante, who stood in for the Chancellor of the University, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, congratulated the students on their selection to serve in the full-time ministry of the church.

“Being a minister in The Church of Pentecost demands hard work. You must make yourself always available so that God will equip you to do what he wants to be done in his church,” he stated.

Speaking on the topic, “The Seminary: A Place of Refreshment to Become a Better Minister,” he entreated the newly called ministers to endeavour to encounter God in a special way as they begin ministry.

Apostle Asante asked the students to see their time at the seminary as an incubation period and allow themselves to go through rigorous training for God to work on them so that they would go to the field as better ministers.

Citing the calls of several persons in the Bible such as Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, he revealed that they went through some period of incubation to prepare them for the task God had for them.

He advised them to use the period to reflect on the call of God, where they were and where God has brought them to, and how they can become better Christians.

He further admonished them to use their training period to develop their spiritual gifts, seek and know God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and also understand the work of ministry.

Present at the ceremony were key officers of the university such as Deans and Directors, Heads of Department, Faculty and Staff.

Among the top management members present were the Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor, Apostle Dr. Emmanuel Kwesi Anim, and the Registrar, Mr Foster Kobina Amoani.

Pentecost News.(HQ)

Officers ordination at COP, Lesotho

The following 23 honorable members of COP Lesotho were ordained as elders, deacons and deaconesses. The ordination was gracefully made by Apostle Dr. Dela Quampah during the just ended National Fasting and Prayer Conference dubbed Direction 2019. We give thanks and glory be to God Almighty for the growth of the church. His name be praised forever Amen!

The National head’s Christmas message

The Unlikely Choice

Introduction

Surprise! Human beings are excited about surprises, especially when it is a pleasant one. It is one reason the Father Christmas tradition is still active and relevant in many cultures, because he is believed to have been going about and giving out gifts that take us by surprise. It is my prayer that God will visit you with a pleasant surprise this Christmas and in the New Year! May divine selection affect someone this Christmas, and may his or her position, title, residence, car, attitude, family situation etc change miraculously! We will soon discover that the Christmas narrative (Nativity story) is full of unlikely choices.
Occasionally you receive gifts you hardly expected or donations that you think you didn’t deserve. And this makes you the unlikely choice or the unexpected recipient. It could also come in the form of an appointment, a promotion, a business deal, a marriage proposal, or a child birth that you think you were not qualified for. Human beings observe certain protocols when giving gifts or selecting people for certain offers, appointments and positions. They might consider your family background to find out if you are a Mandela or a Sisulu. Your level of education could be a factor, as you don’t stand a chance to be selected over a professor. Your financial capacity could be a catalyst for selection; the richer you are, the better your chances. Beauty pageants look for the most beautiful, in boxing the referee selects the stronger of the two combatants, judges in track athletics pick the fastest, and the best performer is always located in competitions to carry the much-coveted prize.
Thankfully God’s standards are different because, “His ways are not our ways” (Isa 55:8). God’s criterion for selection is grace or underserved favour. God will rather qualify those disqualified by human standards. According to the Preacher, “the race is not to the swift, and the battle is not for the strong …” (Eccle 9:11). With God, the less qualified you are, the better are your chances of winning the contest. Paul states categorically, “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Cor 1:26-27).
The Christmas story is full of unlikely choices. Ultimately God’s gift to humanity in Christ Jesus is the most amazing surprise anyone can imagine. No wonder His birth occurred among people, at a place, and in circumstances that were rather unexpected. In deed there were many unlikely choices connected to the birth of Christ, the following are just a few:
– The choice of Mary as mother of God
– The choice of Bethlehem as the place for the most famous birth
– The choice of a manger for the site of birth Christ’s birth
– The choice of the shepherds as the first audience to the news of His birth.
Let’s now consider them individually.

By Apostle Dr. Dela Quampah

Profile of Apostle Eric Nyamekye

Apostle Eric Kwabena Nyamekye was born on October 21, 1965, to Mr Stephen Antiedu Nyamekye (late) and Agnes Owusu in Asokore-Ashanti.

He completed Tema Secondary School in 1983 and proceeded to Nyankpala Agric College in the Northern Region, where he obtained a certificate in General Agriculture in 1986.

He also holds a diploma in Human Resource Management from the Institute of Commercial Management, U.K., a post-graduate Diploma in Applied Theology from the University of Manchester, U.K., and a Master of Arts Degree in Religious Studies from the University of Ghana, Legon.

He is currently a PhD student at the Stellenbosch University, South Africa.

Apostle Nyamekye worked with Technology Consultancy Center, KNUST, for three (3) years before he was called into the full-time ministry of The Church of Pentecost in 1991 and stationed at Daboase in the Western Region between 1991 and 1995.

He was later transferred to Agona Nsaba in the Central Region (1995- 1999), where he was ordained as a Pastor in 1996.

Between 1999 and 2005, he was sent on missions to the Republic of South Africa. He was recalled home in 2005 and stationed at East Legon, where he served as a District Pastor till 2008.

He also became the Resident Minister of Atomic branch of the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) from 2008 to 2011. He was later called into the Office of Apostle and transferred to Tamale as Area Head from 2011 to 2015. Until his election, he served as the Koforidua Area Head of the Church.

He is married to Mary and are blessed with six children.