The Lord’s Pentecostal Church International last Saturday launched its 60thAnniversary celebrations in Accra.
The event was to honour the founding father, Apostle John Sam Amedzro, and his successors, the achievements it had attained and to think about building on the achievements.
As a way of celebrating this anniversary, a series of activities have been drawn by the church which includes a conference, thanksgiving service which would be held on Sunday, one week prayer and fasting, donations to some schools and hospitals including the basic school which the Founder attended at Peki in the Volta region, among others. A mega convention at Peki will climax the programme.
The launch brought together other religious leaders from different Pentecostal and Charismatic churches to grace the occasion and show support.
According to the General Overseer of the church, Apostle Eric EssandohAnim, the celebration of the diamond jubilee was significant because the church, since its establishment by the founder had made a lot of positive impact in the lives of many.
Apostle Anim added that the church, despite the impact on the lives of many, was challenged to do even more as it continued to grow forming part of the vision of the Founder of the church.
The greatest achievement of the church, since its establishment had been the transformation of human lives not only through its doctrine, but the provision of other essential human needs as well, the General Overseer said.
“The greatest achievement I would say the church has made since its establishment is the transformation of human lives through the teaching and doctrines we give to our congregation and also by providing basic necessities such as schools, hospitals, financial support among others”, Apostle Anim said.
Elaborating on the growth of the church, he indicated that at the celebration of the church’s 59th Anniversary last year a projection of five hundred new branches in the next five years was made, translating into 100 branches a year.
However, he professed that out of the hundred, only sixty branches had been opened to date, but was hopeful that the target would be met before the end of the year.
Speaking as the special guest at the anniversary, the Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, admonished the congregation to exhibit good manners wherever they found themselves, in order to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
Apostle Nyamekye, referring to the scriptures, explained to the congregation the need to exhibit good manners as children of God because people who did not believe in God look up to them in order to have a change of character.
According to him, failure by Christians to exhibit good manners tended to have a negative effect not only on other people, but on the country at large, as that country becomes full of corrupt and “evil minded” people which impeded a country’s development.
FROM BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY
