APOSTOLIC FAITH CHURCH

WECA DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS

MISSIONS DEPARTMENT

3^rd October 2023

2023  GHANA CAMP MEETING REPORT

Introduction

The 2023 Ghana Camp meeting, was held from 17th September – 1st October 2023. It was preceded by two weeks of prayer meetings in all the branch churches in Accra to get maximum blessings from the LORD during the convention. As usual, we had to get the Campground ready, so maintenance repairs and construction were carried out while the multipurpose three-storey building was made ready to accommodate delegates from parts of Ghana.

Before the Camp meeting, the Director of Africa work at the Portland International Headquarters, Rev. John Musgrave and his wife, Sister Rodica Musgrave, as well as the West and Central Africa (WECA) District Superintendent (DS), Rev. Isaac Adigun, and his wife, Sister Stella Adigun, visited Ghana between 31 August and 4 September 2023, to review the progress of work in the country. The visit took them to branch churches in Ada and Accra. Rev. Musgrave dedicated the Children’s Hall, and the Prayer Room of the Abossey-Okai branch church on Sunday, 3rd September 2023.

Attendance

We were privileged to have the DS participate in the first week of the Camp meeting and Rev. Titus Itanola, the Head of the Publishing and Printing Department at the WECA Headquarters represented him for the second week. We also had delegates from Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo, La Cote d’Ivoire, and all the 56 branches in the six zones of Ghana.

Workers Conference

The 2023 Camp meeting Ministers and Workers Conference Lesson was on the theme; Pure Religion, which was delivered by the DS, based on the Bible Teaching on the subject by our former General Overseer, Rev. Loyce Carver, at the Apostolic Faith Church Portland Camp meeting in 1970. Reading from James 1: 22-27 workers were admonished that to spread the good news of the Gospel effectively, they must live the Gospel. 

Christian men and women are expected to dress to honour and glorify God in their attire, and put on the inward adorning of submission, teachability, and humility.

Workers from all the six administrative zones (Accra; Ada; Western; Northern; Eastern; and Central), as well as those from Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo, and  La Cote d’Ivoire, participated in the event.

Camp meeting Teachings and Sermons

The Camp meeting was held under the theme: I Will Do Marvels (Exodus 34: 10) and in line with the theme, Rev. Isaac Adigun chose as his topic for the First Sunday Devotional Service sermon of the convention, God of Wonders. Based on Exodus 15: 11, 1, 20, 2, the congregants were reminded that God does what anyone cannot do. As He gave the Children of Israel resounding victory resulting in songs of praise and adoration from Moses and Miriam, so would He do for all of us in Jesus’ name. As the sermon ended, there was a rush to the altars of prayer.

The following topics were taught during the Camp meeting: The Sin Question (Key texts: 1 John 3: 5, 8;  Mat 1: 21.; Rom 6: 23); Gospel Landmarks (Key texts: Deut 19: 14; Prov 22: 28; Gal 1: 6-8; Rev 22: 18, 19); God’s Promise to Heal the Sick (Key text: James 5: 13-15); The Value of Complete Consecration (Key texts: James 4: 8; Psalms 24: 3,4; 2 Corinth 6: 17,18); Joint Heirs With Christ (Key text: Rom 8: 10-17); Christian Fellowship (Key texts: 1 Corinth 1: 9, 10; Eph 3: 9); Tithing and Church Policy (Key texts: Mal 3: 6-10; Mat 23:23); and Gospel of Certainty (Key texts: Rom 7: 18; 8: 13).

Last Sunday Devotional Service message was delivered by Rev. John Bekoe on the topic: “A Charge to Go Out and Do Marvels with, and for God” based on Rom 10: 13-17, and Mat 28: 20. The congregation was admonished to go back to their respective stations and implement all the teachings and sermons they have heard, and in the process, do exploits for the Lord. There were fervent prayers at the altars after the service.

Revival and Evangelistic Services were held on Sunday – Friday. Youth Services were held on the first Sunday, Wednesday and Friday, while Children’s Services were held on Tuesday and Thursday.

The teachings and sermons were inspiring and challenging, and many worshippers prayed after each service. Generally, all the services and teachings were streamed live on the internet, and the Lord blessed in a special way.

Ordination of Nine Ministers

As the Gospel work continued to expand in Ghana, it was necessary to have more ministers who were legally and officially qualified to represent the Church in secular, and administrative issues. To this end, a recommendation was sent to the DS for the ordination of more ministers from Ghana. We are happy to state that during the Camp meeting, the DS ordained Nine Ministers to support the work of the Gospel in the country:

Camp meeting Music Concert

The Camp meeting Music Concert was held on Saturday, 23 September 2023 at 3.00 p.m. on the theme God’s Marvellous Works. Also, the Children and Youth Concert were held on Sunday, 24 September 2023 at 5.00 p.m. This was preceded by a Marriage Seminar designed to remind our young people of the church policy and tradition with regard to marriage procedure.

The Camp Meeting Music Concert featured works from the music masters including Symphony No. 94 2^nd Movement by J. Haydn; It’s Just Like Heaven by Oliver W. Cooper; The Heavens Are Telling by J. Haydn; Concerto in C Major by Antonio Vivaldi; I Can Tell You the Time by Adgar M. Pace; And God Made the Firmament by J. Haydn; Colonel Bogey by Kenneth J. Alford; and Excerpts from Creation and The Marvellous Work by J. Haydn. Local Airs were also presented during the concert, which included Sinatse by Michael Teye Namor; and Zodede by Ken Kafui. Dignitaries were invited to this year’s music concert including the former President of Ghana (His Excellency John Mahama) who was represented by a former Minister of Education, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman; religious leaders; traditional rulers and government functionaries.

Ordinances

The Baptismal Service was held in the morning of Friday, 29 September 2023 and congregants were admonished based upon the following scriptural passages: Mat 28: 19, 20; Rom 6: 3, 4. Thankfully a total of 131 saints, comprising 53 sisters and 78 brothers, were immersed in water. We give God all the glory!

The Ordinances of Lord’s Supper and Washing of Saints’ Feet were held in the evening of the same Friday. The Ordinance of the Lord’s Supper Service was based on Mat 26: 26-29; 1 Corinth 11: 24-29, while that of the Washing of Saints’ Feet was drawn from John 13: 4-17. Both ordinances were well attended - 233 brothers and 230 sisters.

The presence of God was felt during these meetings as the saints sang joyfully in praise and adoration of the Lord who has done so much for us.

Children’s Programmes

The Sunday School children from Accra Zone presented a skit on Windows in Heaven on the First Sunday of the Camp meeting as a rebuttal to the unbelieving official of the king who doubted the power of God to provide for the famine-stricken children of Israel.  The Sunday School children from Western Zone presented another sketch on the Second Sunday of the Camp meeting on the Pool of Bethesda that demonstrated the love and concern of the Lord Jesus for the sick and afflicted. On the last Sunday of the Camp meeting, the Sunday School children from Ada Zone presented a programme on the Helm of His Garment, which showed what faith and determination can do in the life of the believer.

Testimony Service

Testimony Service is an important feature of our services as it provides an opportunity to hear what the Lord has done in the lives of those who trust Him. A brother praised God for miraculously getting his heavy-duty printing machine to start working again after it was declared out of service, and needing essential repairs. Another brother who visited from Australia praised God for His faithfulness as he related how God asked him to apply for a certain job, which he did. After the interview, he thought he would be called to start work in no distant time. However, he received a call from the organization informing him that he was not selected for the job. He went to God in prayer and prayed for the Lord’s intervention. He later received another call from the same organization informing him that the previous call was a mistake and that he had indeed been selected for the position.

A sister testified to God’s power to heal. She said her leg was aching and becoming rotten. The physician told her she would need to be amputated. She prayed and decided to trust the Lord for her healing, and today she is walking on both legs.

A brother testified that he travelled to his village during bereavement and the food he was given to eat was poisoned. He realized this only after he ate the food because of intense stomach pain and suffering. But the children of God prayed fervently for him, and he was miraculously healed. Another brother said that the Overseer called him to inform him that he would like him to drive visitors from the USA and Nigeria for the duration of their stay in Kumasi, to which he wholeheartedly agreed. Soon after that, a Member of the Parliament of Ghana called him for temporary employment that would conflict with the assignment given to him by the Overseer, which he declined. As soon as he finished the assignment given by the Overseer, the Lord miraculously provided him with a four-year contract job after a futile search for employment.

Other Activities

All free periods were occupied with useful activities for the Camp meeting delegates to build them up spiritually and equip them with secular skills. Accordingly, there was the Success Pack for Teens meeting on Monday, 18 September 2023. Also, we held the Pastors and Wives Conference on the same day. Similarly, there was a Health Talk and Film Show held separately on Monday, 25 September 2023, while the Fish Farming Seminar was held on Saturday 30th September 2023 after the Sunday School Teachers’ Conference. The Teenage Challenge / Variety Show was held in the evening of Saturday, 30 September 2023.

Camp meeting Statistics

We thank God that our meetings were well attended. Peak attendance was on the last Sunday, 1 October 2023, with 1,846 persons (consisting of 864 males and 982 females) attending the Devotional Service. This number excludes the internet audience.

Table 2: 2023 Ghana Camp meeting Blessings

Conclusion

We are eternally thankful to the LORD for making it possible for us to hold the 2023 Camp Meeting Convention and for the numerous blessings, He bestowed upon us. May His holy name be praised.

Thank you for praying for the success of the Camp meeting. From the record of the blessings, God indeed answered your prayers. May the LORD richly bless you and count you worthy of eternal life.

As we wait for the soon blast of the Trump of God, do pray for us that the LORD will prepare all of us and our family members for the rapture.

God bless you.                                                                                   

Rev. John Bekoe (Country Overseer).