ADIEU TO APOSTLE FELIX ELVIS ANTWI: A FRIEND, A COLLEAGUE

Apostle Felix Elvis Antwi

Listed among the Ministers of The Church of Pentecost (COP) to have retired from the full-time pastoral ministry in August 2013 at age sixty-five was Apostle Felix Elvis Antwi. This however was not to be for, on 2nd May, 2013 his Master, in whose Vineyard he had labored tenaciously for over three decades, decided to call him Home; an earlier celestial retirement ahead of the planned terrestrial one.

By his death, COP has lost a precious gem. Apostle Antwi was a seasoned Apostle, a gifted Evangelist and an accomplished Pastor. His powerful sermons, anointed music ministry, passionate "worship" sessions at church, and moving gospel messages with accompanying miraculous signs and wonders would be remembered for many years to come. Even when he was not the one preaching or leading the singing, Apostle Antwi's voice was not always still. "Move on, brother;" would be heard from him as a preacher would be advancing a crucial point in his homily, or "Ka--Soooo" when a particularly illuminating point was made. He was the "Platform Manager" during congregational singing sessions. He would turn around to the leaders on the dais and with clapping and singing, urge them saying, "Platform, platform, platform." Often, he would jump down from the dais and lead the leaders in dancing to the glory of God. He was always well-dressed, the "Gentleman Apostle", a connoisseur of the latest habiliments, making his young-looking frame look even younger. He knew how to socialize and appreciate the merits in others. To the well-dressed he would say, "W'asi fam" ("You have landed"); if somebody applied practical wisdom and discernment in doing something he would say. "Wonim fam" (literally, "You know how to get around") and to one who accomplished a feat, he would offer a handshake with the appellation, "Kantinka" ("Mighty one")

Apostle Antwi preaching 

Apostle Antwi's path in the COP ministry crossed mine a couple of times. We first met in the Volta Region where he was based in Kwame-Krom and I in Krachi-Nkwanta. To us younger ministers, he was (together with Apostle D. Obeng Atuah Rtd.) the "Chief Abdulai," literally, the "Defender/Encourager of the young and weak." When certain things did not go well for any of us, he would be sure to go to that person, put his arms around him and say, "Come on, move on, brother."


Next, our paths crossed at the missionary front. In the mid-1990s when he served as  National Head of COP in Sierra Leone, I was in Ivory Coast as National Head of our church. From time to time, to or from Ghana, he stopped over to visit us in Abidjan. During one of such visits, his place was etched in our family when he dedicated our new-born son, Mike in 1995.

COP Executive Council 1998-2003 with Apostle Antwi

Little did anyone of us know that three years from then, and for ten years (1998-2008), both of us were going to serve on COP's Executive Council, he as member and I as Chairman. His zeal for the LORD and the church was great. He had an over-riding desire: that believers would "dream big, think big, and act big because we serve a BIG GOD." By so doing, he aroused the faith and resolve of many, encouraging the weakling to pluck up courage, the distraught to find their bearing, and the suppliant to take hold of the inexhaustible resources of God.

COP Executive Council 2003-2008 with Apostle standing at the extreme right

When I attended our General Council Meeting in Ghana last month, among the thousands of faces I expected to see and the words I expected to hear was that of Apostle Antwi's saying, "O Chief, how the go dey go?" in typical Creole. His face was absent; his voice not heard. Then during an Executive session our Chairman made an emergency announcement, "Brothers, Apostle Antwi is in coma. Let's pray for him." The next day the inevitable followed, "Apostle Antwi is no more; he's gone to be with the Lord."

On Saturday 22nd June, 2013 as the COP family joins his family to pay him our last respects, I remember my friend and colleague with deep emotion. His was a life lived in the service of his Maker; a life well-lived, an assignment faithfully discharged, and a race fully ran.
 


On behalf of the NTUMY FAMILY, I extend our deepest condolences to Apostle Dr Opoku Onyinah Chairman of COP in his traditional capacity as "Chief Mourner,"  to the widow, Mrs Comfort Antwi and their eight marvelous children, to the bereaved family and the wider COP family.

WE KNOW HE IS RESTING IN THE BOSOM OF THE LORD WHOM HE LOVED AND SERVED

THE HIATUS IS OVER

self

IT IS ALMOST TWO MONTHS NOW SINCE YOU LAST HEARD FROM ME. MANY HAVE SENT VARIOUS MESSAGES TO ENQUIRE ABOUT ME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

BY HIS GRACE WE ARE ALL FINE HERE IN HAMBURG.

THIS HIATUS (BREAK IN MY REGULAR REPORTING), CAME ABOUT AS A RESULT OF A MULTITUDINOUS BUNCH OF ACTIVITIES:


1. I was working on a new book for our church and had targeted to finish it and get it out of press by the last week of April, 2013. The book, entitled TELL THE NEXT GENERATION VOLUME 3, is a compilation of topics treated on the annual themes of The Church of Pentecost. These topics were treated by various Apostles/Prophets at the annual fasting and prayer meetings of Executive Council members, Area Heads, Directors of the various Ministries of the church and others invited by the leaders. The topics cover the annual themes spanning year 2008-2012. Volumes 1 and 2 cover topics treated in 1998-2002 and 2003-2007 respectively. By the kind permission of the Chairman we reprinted the two Volumes in Germany for distribution in Europe.



I am glad to say that those 10,000 copies of the book printed here in Germany are on the way to Ghana. A further 3,000 initial copies have been ordered for distribution in Europe.

Mrs Martha Ntumy

2. On 27th April. 2013, my dear wife Martha and I, along with our two youngest children Mike and Joanna, travelled to Ghana for almost four weeks. This was our first time in almost five years. (Details later).

I attended the 40th Session of the General Council of The Church of Pentecost. A week later, our firstborn, Emmanuel got wedded. (Details later)

Combining the series of meetings entailed in the General Council Meetings of a huge church like ours, now operating in 84 countries, with organizing a son's wedding and receiving a jubilant stream of church members, family and friends who delightfully came by just to offer a hug, hand-shake, a prayer or a word of encouragement, virtually left me with little time for writing.

With wife Martha and son Mike and daughter Joanna

With pain therefore, I decided to absorb the joy of that momentous visit and all those events so that I could give you detailed news ("AMANE-BO_") later. Trusting in the grace of God, I promise you a steady flow news from us.

Thank you for your massive prayer support. May God continue to bless and prosper all your endeavors.

INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS DIRECTOR PAYS MAIDEN VISIT

Apostle Emmanuel Gyesi-Addo

Apostle Emmanuel Gyesi-Addo, the fourth International Missions Director (IMD) of The Church of Pentecost, assumed office in August 2011, taking over from Apostle Dr Stephen Kofi Baidoo who had meritoriously served for the maximum two five-year terms of office from 2001-2011.

L-R Apostles Gyesi-Addo, IMD
 and Dr  S. K Baidoo former IMD
 

Since assuming office, he said he had been longing to visit me. He therefore literally had to squeeze water out of stone to factor our visit into a two-nation duty tour of Europe. He was very grateful to God for His sustaining grace for me, and as to be expected, we spent long hours in prayer and sweet fellowship. He left Germany the next day, Friday 19th May, 2013, for Belgium and onward to Ghana.

L-R: Mrs M Yiadom, IMD, Self, Mrs Ntumy and Aps Yiadom

Apostle Gyesi-Addo and I are no strangers to each other; our paths have crossed many times. I had the privilege of being the Officiating Minister at his Welcome Service when he was newly called into the Pastoral Ministry in 1991. Later he volunteered as my French Teacher when I was being transferred to Ivory Coast as head of our church in that country. He was later transferred to Senegal as our pioneer missionary to that country. In 1996 when he gained admission to Haggai Institute in Singapore, I also volunteered to pastor his young church in Senegal for three weeks in his absence (I was then preparing to leave Ivory Coast for France as Resident Missionary). Between 1998 and 2008 when I served as Chairman of COP, he was one of our finest ministers serving in Senegal, elsewhere in Ghana and in Gabon, from where he was elected IMD.

IMD, Self, Apostle Yiadom 

 And now as a missionary, he is my Director, my Patron, my "boss". With joy, hear me addressing him as "Mon Directeur" and him responding, "Mon President."  When the two of us converse, we speak French. Is this relationship not beautiful?  
Apostle Gyesi-Addo is an accomplished bilingual scholar, administrator and a seasoned man of God. He is one of God's special gifts to COP and we trust that under his leadership, the missionary enterprise of COP will be catapulted to the next higher level.

Rev Nick and Mrs Love Siaw 

Pastor  N. Siaw, COP Head, Spain.

 Prior to the vist of the IMD, Pastor Nicholas Siaw, COP National Head of Spain, and his wife, Love, had visited us from 3rd to 4th April. That was the third time Pastor Siaw had visited, and the first for his wife. There was much to talk about and much more to be grateful for.
Under his able leadership, COP in Spain now has 10 Pastoral Districts, 42 Assemblies and 2,370 members.

As always, we are very grateful to God for the gift of friends, colleagues, brethren in Christ, professional Carers, and family. Your love and support always couple with the grace of God to make all the difference as we await my miracle at God's own time appointed.

MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU IN ALL THINGS AND AT ALL TIMES.

Pastor Nicolas Siaw delightfully helping me in my Standing Machine

BREAKING NEWS---GET MY BOOKS ONLINE

Many people have asked how they could get my books to buy.

They have heard of :

1. My best bestseller, FLAMINGO, THE CAMP OF NO RETURN: A MISSIONARY'S ACCOUNT OF GOD'S LIBERATION DURING THE CIVIL WAR IN LIBERIA;

2. My award-winning autobiography, COMING WITH FIRE: AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF APOSTLE DR MICHAEL NTUMY;;

3. The eye-opening FINANCIAL BREAKTHROUGH: DISCOVERING GOD'S SECRETS TO PROSPERITY;

4. The theological/devotionals, THE GLORIOUS RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST and
5. THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF GOD;

My latest books written either wholly or partly from hospital---
6. The poetic REFLECTIONS: TAKING A SECOND LOOK AT LIFE;

7. The thriller which recounts the events leading to my present paralyzed condition, NO EASY ROAD, A PASTOR'S JOURNEY INTO PARALYSIS;

8. The classic inspirational, ACHIEVING YOUR DREAMS: SECRETS TO HELP TURN YOUR DREAMS INTO REALITY.
(NB: Some of the books are yet to be formatted into eBooks)

THE NEWS: Now by the grace of God the books have been formatted into eBooks. You can buy these books online and start reading immediately without any postage costs or undue waiting.

ACTION: Please visit: WWW.GLOBALCHRISTIANEBOOKSHOP.COM 

Buy and download onto your computer, iPad or any smartphone and enjoy reading from the man you have fervently prayed for and supported over the years. It is a secure website which means your card details cannot be fraudulently used.

I sincerely believe you will not consider the prices of the books as a cost, but as a gift of love.
One other way you can help is to forward the link to your friends.

Please VISIT the website, CLICK, BUY, READ and let me hear your comments.

GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU AND YOURS

Please click on the link below to visit now.

WWW.GLOBALCHRISTIANEBOOKSHOP.COM

WITH FRAGRANCE FROM FRANCE AND INTIMACY FROM ITALY

With Apostle Osei Owusu Afriyie

The love of family and friends is one of God's greatest gifts to people. In my case, I am blessed to have been surrounded by a lovely family and very supportive ministry colleagues and friends. At the start of this year, the fraterntity of The Church of Pentecost ministers in Europe, have continued to demonstrate exceptional love and support to us.

On Thursday 21st February Apostle Osei Owusu Afriyie, COP National Head of France. paid us a visit with two of his ministers, Pastors Andrews Gyamfi of Paris District and Obeng Asante of Mantes La Jolie District.

Standing L-R, Apostle Osei Owusu Afriyie, Pastors Andrews Gyamfi, Obeng Asante and Mrs Martha Ntumy

Although they travelled overnight for about ten hours through Belgium and Holland, the joy of seeing me was enough to dissipate their fatigue. We prayed, conversed and shared reminiscences of France and about the church in that country. (I was the first National Head of COP France, 1996-1998. It was from there I was elected Chairman of the church and so had to leave for Ghana to assume office.) The fellowship was fragrant and it was with much difficulty that they bid us goodbye.

Following at their heels were Apostle Dr Daniel Prince Wiafe and his wife, Faustina, National Head of COP Italy. Apostle Dr Wiafe and his wife visited from Tuesday 26th to Thursday 28th February.

Apostle and Mrs Wiafe with me in the standing machine

They brought us the love and greetings from the Area Heads, Pastors, Officers and members of the church in Italy. Apostle Wiafe who doubles as one of COP "Euro Executives" also brought us the love and felicitations of all the ministers and membership of the church in Europe.

Dr Wiafe is COP's first minister to be ordained Apostle in Europe. After a successful missionary assignment in Belgium, he returned to Italy in 2001 to assume headship of the church.  

Dr Wiafe helping me do my standing exercise

All our visitors usually give thanks to God, not only for my life and recovery but also for what they describe as my unshakable faith in God. "We came to strengthen and encourage you in the LORD but we have ended up being rather strengthened and encouraged by you," they would say. I would always tell them, "My philosophy is simple, 'God gives grace to be healed or to go through'. I apply both---positive, daily expectation of my miraculous healing and also an ardent knowledge of the sovereignty of God---He has a time for everything. This gives me inner peace."

Although one should be careful about "mass prescriptions" certain spiritual principles could be prescribed for all. Here is one for you. In all things, maintain a tenacious faith as you plead with God at the Throne of Grace. But remember also that He is God; He has a time for everything. Since we do not always know WHEN God will do what He says He will do, have the patience to wait for Him. He will give you the grace you need to go through till the time comes. Until then, you can relax in Him. Your ability to do this shows your maturity.

Thank you for standing with me as I travel this interesting phase of my journey. We will have every cause to celebrate the miracle together when He brings it to pass.  

FROM AUSTRIA AND UNITED KINGDOM WITH LOVE

Apostle Newton O Nyarko

Ap. Nyarko, self, Ps Odei and Mrs Ntumy

The Ntumy Family continues to be blessed and refreshed by the love and camaraderie shown us by the entire church membership and Christian friends across the globe. These are expressed through their fervent prayer support, phone-calls, emails, and visits to us. To you all we are eternally grateful.

Last week-end and in the middle of this week, we were blessed to play host to two apostles. On Saturday 19th January 2013, Apostle Newton Ofosuhene Nyarko, National Head of The Church of Pentecost, U.K, paid us a one-day visit with Pastor Raymond Odei, his National Secretary.

We had wonderful moments of prayer, conversations over a wide range of topics, and reminiscences of our last year's vacation in UK. The fellowship was so great that their moment of departure was like a virtual tearing apart.

Ap and Mrs Obeng (left) Mrs Ntumy and I

Following in their heels from 22nd-24th January were Apostle Samuel Obeng, COP National Head, Austria, and his wife, Patience who was seeing me for the first time since I got into this new condition. The emotions oscillated between tearful and joyful moments, and sometimes just plain silence.

Apostle Sammy Obeng

Their three-day visit was a delightful one. It was a pleasure listening to this youngest COP Apostle in Europe sharing about the progress of the church in Austria and their vision for the future. We had much to be thankful to the LORD. Like all others, their prayer was for my early recovery, to the glory of God.

 Such visits, coupled with the massive prayer support and other aspects by which you express your love to us, lighten the weight we bear and brighten the path we travel during this phase of our life. As you remain resolute with us in prayer, it would not be long before we see the miracle we are awaiting. BLESSINGS.

Apostle Sammy Obeng helping with my standing exercise to the admiration of his wife, Pat

A HEARTY WAY TO BEGIN THE NEW YEAR

Ap. S. Yiadom, National Head, Germany  

For us in Germany 2012 ended in a grand style. The last to visit us were Apostle Godwin Osei Bonsu, the COP Head of Nkawkaw Area in Ghana, Pastor Emmanuel Quaye, National Head, Ukraine and his wife, Matilda, and Pastor Samuel Nana Yaw Agyei, National Head, Cape Verde and his wife Nora. Coinciding with their visit was our National Prayer Conference, in which they were greatly used by the LORD to bless the church.

L-R Mrs Matilda Quaye, Aps G Osei Bonsu, Mrs Nora Agyei, Ps S. N Y Agyei, Aps S. O Yiadom, Ps E. A Quaye and I

A section of members at the N. P. C

A section of members at the N/P. C

The LORD, by His grace, has ushered us into another brand new year 2013. All of us really do understand that our lives are "kept by the power of God."

Drawing from King David who said as he faced Goliath, "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine"(1 Sam. 17:37 NIV), our confidence is that the same LORD who saw us throughout 2012 will also see us throughout 2013.

Mrs Martha Ntumy

Some members of the Ntumy Family

For the Ntumy family in particular and COP, Germany in general, we were privileged to have the CHAIRMAN of our church, Apostle Dr Opoku Onyinah, paying us a visit on the 3rd and 4th January. "Apostle, it has been a while since I last visited you. I miss you and would like to squeeze some time to visit you at the beginning of the year." That was the Chairman to me in December last year.

Apostle Dr Opoku Onyinah, Chairman, COP

True to his promise, he came. His visit was a refreshing to us. He brought us greetings from the church, from certain individuals and from many others outside the COP fraternity. We conversed for hours, with the Chairman defying the somnolence from his overnight flight. We were blessed. We were encouraged. We were inspired.
A thought flashed my mind and I said to him: "During incapacitation one of the greatest things that friends can give is the assurance that all is not over yet; that one is still needed and cherished. And that is what the entire church and thousands of others continue to demonstrate to me,"

May the LORD lead us every step along the way throughout 2013, even when we do not see our guiding STAR;
May HE, the Great Shepherd of our souls, bear us up in His arms all along the way;
May He provide our every need, or trust Him as we go through times of need;
May He cause all our dreams to be fulfilled, or grant us the grace to gather the pieces of our shattered dreams and the determination to start all over again until we succeed;
May this year see the end of your trials, testings, and tribulations or may He increase your dose of endurance to the appointed time;
May your miracle, in whatever form or shape, come in overflowing measure.

BELOVED, I WISH YOU EVERY BLESSING IN 2013 AND IN THE YEARS TO COME