"THE IMPACT OF YOUR LEADERSHIP IS GREAT"

Bishop S. N. Mensah (left) standing beside me.

The LORD continues to gladden our hearts through the visit of friends and gallant colleague ministers with whom we did Kingdom Business in Ghana and across the world. One of such Pentecostal stalwarts to visit us in Hamburg recently was Bishop Samuel N Mensah, President of FULL GOSPEL CHURCH with headquarters in Tema, Ghana. His historic visit was from 19th to 21st April, 2012

Bishop S. N. Mensah with me in the Standing Machine.

Rt Rev S N. Mensah is an Executive Council member of Ghana Pentecostal Council(G P C), the largest Christian fraternity in the country. It is composed of over 250 different Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches in Ghana and accounts for over 25% of the country's population. I had the godly privilege of serving as President of G. P C from 1998 to 2008.

 Like many other visitors, Bishop S N. Mensah expressed great joy at seeing me, thanking God for all that He had done for me and, by extension, the entire Christian body in Ghana. He thanked God for the opportunity of being able to visit me, adding that it had allayed all his worries and inquietude about me since the condition in which he had come to find me was far better than the assumptions he had gathered through various sources.

 As could be expected when old-time friends meet, we conversed about various issues late into the night. He brought me warm greetings of the Council and specially of the G. P. C President, Apostle Dr Opoku Onyinah, and Apostle S. Y Antwi, the General Secretary.

 At various points Bishop S N Mensah interpolated his conversation with expressions like, "Apostle, Ghanaians still love you very much" and "The impact of your leadership is great, it goes far beyond The Church of Pentecost"

Rt  Rev S. N. Mensah, beaming with smiles, standing with me.

We are eternally grateful to God and to our colleagues for the great love they continue to show us as we travel this difficult phase of our life. The testimony is around the corner and great shall the celebration be!

THREE GHANAIAN GIANTS VISIT

THREE GHANAIAN GIANTS VISIT

The past four weeks have been very busy times for us.

1. On 16^th March, 2012, my elder brother, Joseph Adade passed away in Brussels, Belgium. “Daddy Joe” as we affectionately called him, was a Lecturer at Jasikan College of Education. Four years ago he moved to Belgium to join his wife. After a protracted illness, he passed away peacefully at age 62. He was interred in Brussels on 31^st March.

Some COP National and Area Heads in Europe. On behalf of our Family Head, Abusuapanin EKT Dofuor and myself, we express our gratitude to these gallant men of God and the congregations they represent for the great assistance they extended to us during my brother's funeral.

 In typical Church of Pentecost solidarity, all our National Heads and friends in Europe rallied around us and did what I could not do to give my brother a fitting farewell. We are grateful to them all, especially Evangelist Samuel Asiamah, COP National Head of Belgium who hosted the ceremony.  

Mrs Martha Ntumy, left, being interviewed by Sister Peggy Donkor

Rev Ntumy, flanked by Sis Peggy Donkor, left and Mrs Martha Ntumy

2. Between 15^th March and 4^th April, we were delighted to host the nationally renowned Peggy Ama Donkor, the Southern Ghana News Coordinator of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation who now doubles as Acting Manager of PENTMEDIA. Peggy is doing a documentary on all COP Chairmen and she traveled here to interview me, my wife and our young children, Mike and Joanna, for that purpose. 

Rev Ntumy and Sis Peggy Donkor in an interview session

Sister Peggy Donkor in an interview session with Dns Grace Sanders.

She took advantage of the visit and also interviewed Apostle Sampson Ofori Yiadom and Pastor Eben Quaye, National Head and Secretary respectively of Germany as well as Dns Grace Sanders, Deputy Women's Movement National Leader for an in-depth focus on the church in this nation. 

Elder Nana K Gyasi, left, with Rev Ntumy

3. Our blessings continued to overflow as we joyously welcomed Elder Nana K. Gyasi, Ghana’s famous “King of Iron Rods” who visited us between 4^th and 10^th April.

Nana, an old friend of mine, had kept in constant touch with me and nursed the desire to see me. Like many others, he expressed great joy at seeing me, insisting that my condition was far better than they had imagined. He helped in any way he could---with my standing, bicycle riding and pulling exercises, constantly reminding us that he had come to serve.

Elder Nana K. Gyasi, right, seated with Rev Ntumy in Hamburg Central Assembly

Rev Ntumy, left, with Elder Gibson Annor Antwi, Registrar of Pentecost University College, Accra, Ghana

4. Currently visiting is Elder Gibson Annor Antwi, Registrar of Pentecost University College and first Chairmanship of the Committees of Registrars and Finance Officers of Private Universities in Ghana. Elder Annor Antwi, who arrived on 15^th April, also came to interview me for a book-writing project he is currently undertaking.

We cannot fully express the level of our gratitude for such visits or our sentiments of camaraderie from the sweet fellowship renewed in us. We are more than grateful.

 

Elder Annor Antwi, left, with Rev and Mrs Ntumy

Please,

Keep praying for us;

Keep calling whenever you have time;

Keep coming if you are able.

God bless you again and again.

EASTER MESSAGE: BALANCING THE EQUATION OF GOD'S LOVE

One of my classmates in College hated Mathematics like Hell. Topics like Simultaneous and Quadratic Equations often sent him running wild. The usual task was “balance the equation” with the right side of the equation being equal to the left. Anytime my friend could not solve an equation he would throw his hands up and say, “O boy; an unknown variable has entered the equation, making it difficult to be balanced.”

Admittedly some Lecturers and Professors set questions which are so difficult that students wonder whether such teachers expect those questions to be answered. The good news is that God’s equations are not difficult to answer; in fact He provides the answer and explains the rationale.

Consider this: “…We are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” (2Cor. 5:14, 15 NIV)

The issue was that ALL of us were condemned to die. In the sight of God we were already dead. Jesus however stepped forward and offered to die in our place. His death was actually our own death; we should have died and He should have been physically alive. Instead we are now alive and He was the One who rather physically died

On the equation scale, there is a clear imbalance. The scale has tilted too much towards the divine side. The Substitutionary nature of Christ's death has proved to be a kind of love far above our comprehension. There is nothing we, as Christians, can do to balance the scale. In fact, God does not require us to do anything extraordinary to balance this scale of love.  

Whereas nothing great we do can balance the equation, God has ordained that it should be balanced by one simple requirement: that we, who are alive, SHOULD LIVE FOR HIM ALONE.

Well, I hope I did not bore you in trying to explain theological issues in mathematical terms.

Living for Jesus---in holiness and righteousness, and being involved in Kingdom business---should not depend on what He does for us or any such thing. We live for Him because it is the right thing to do; because He died for us; because it is the only thing to balance the equation of love.

As we celebrate Easter, may we always remember this equation: Jesus died in my place that I should live. As I now live, I must live for Him ONLY.

I WISH YOU A BLESSED EASTER CELEBRATION FILLED WITH THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION.

"A LOADED AND LAUDABLE BOOK"

My beloved in Christ Jesus,

A few weeks ago, I received a comment about my latest book, NO EASY ROAD. I was so touched y it that I requested the permission of the author to publish it on my blog for the benefit of my cherished readers. The author, Venerable Nathaniel Nartey, is a high-profile personality in United States of America. Please enjoy reading:

Venerable Nathaniel Nartey, The Author

"Dear Doctor Ntumy,
Sir, I got two copies of your book this afternoon and began reading same time, because it was so impulsive and very juicy for me to finish reading all the 238 pages, after reading its Forward by Chairman Opoku Onyinah.What a book??

In my Hamburg Office, about four years ago

  

"This book defines your character, mind and personality more than your inexplicable experience in the wheel chair. You are not only an Hebrew Prophet or Zealot Preacher, but also Chaste Christian Writer with passion for righteousness, one who glorifies in his cross and afflictions than his personal achievements.

"Sir, I realized from the beginning pages of this book " No Easy Road" that, you decreased the Self and increased thy spirit, making Satan the greatest fool and us see the ointment of grace constantly numbing your pain and discouragement, while injecting fresh energy and pleasantness to your spirit man.
Your take on social benefit and disability laws, will help people with disabilities find happiness in their own homes, offices, their personal relationships and as contributing members in their community.
 

Venerable Nartey near his home

"Your book is a lesser light after the biggest light known as "The Bible", for fellow ministers in hardships, people caught up in the middle, saints drowned in the sea of frustration and those casualties of the storms who think it's over, that all is not yet over and the best is yet to come.

Front and Back covers of my latest book

 
"Again, I thank my God for the "Spiritual and Civic Civilization" that through your experiential knowledge He is bringing to the minds of His church and the nations to correct the errors in spiritual formation, associated with political incorrectness of our times.
 

My wife and I in the back garden of our house in Hamburg

That is not all, also in this book, I saw the brevity of your weakness and strength as human, and bravery in feminism at its finest, when Mama Martha did not only use her blessed caring hands, but for her quick spiritual senses and instinctive intervention, you would have asked God to call you home untimely; which would also have been fatal blow to the Church at large. Because of her today, you have amplified weightier issues in this book to make the way, " So Easy Road " 

Mrs Martha Ntumy, A Pillar of Intercessory Prayer and An Icon of Dedication

"What a loaded and laudable Book!!!!!!! Everything you said in the pages I have so far read, are very important and you said them well. I know by tomorrow when I shall end on the last chapter, a lengthened pause of silence will be my best response. Because it may seem foolish for one to say "excellent" to a work which is much better than an excellent academic work.

For now, my writings would go where my feet cannot go

" I can't believe that in your "ability" you touched us greatly and in your disability you could touch us so immeasurably!"  (VENERABLE NATHANIEL NARTEY, 16th March, 2012)

 NB: READERS IN EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA MAY CONTACT THEIR COP PASTORS FOR THEIR COPIES OF THE BOOK