When the Head of the Pentecost Church visited Finland

• A section of the audience at the event

Three weeks ago, on Friday, September 30, 2022, the Global Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye visited Finland.

It was a visit to acquaint himself with thec in Finland and a mission to spread the message of God.

He was accompanied by Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe, the International Missions Director of the church.

They were hosted by the Church of Pentecost Finland (COP Finland), led by its National Head, Rev. Francis Owusu Kwaah.

Powerful ministration,inspiring experience

It was an unforgettable experience. Despite the fact that the event took place on a Friday, a working day, it was attended by an impressive number of people.

In attendance were other religious leaders from various churches or missions and dignitaries. 

Organised under the theme, “Equipping the church as an army to possess the nation”, it was, indeed, an occasion of powerful worship and ministration with spirit-filled songs of praise.

Apostle Nyamekye preached a powerful message on the need to work hard to draw closer to God and win more souls for Him.

The Church of Pentecost, he said, would strive to become a church whose members go to possess or take nations by promoting values and lifestyles that would turn many people to Christ. “The church is for whosoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ”, he sermonised.

The Church of Pentecost in Finland

The Church of Pentecost in Finland was established about 20 years ago. It started in September 2000 as a prayer group with a small number of devoted persons in Helsinki (see www.copfinland.fi).  

With time, following the growth of the group there was the need to secure a place of meeting in the Helsinki area. The church has grown and spread to other towns and cities in Finland.

Today, in Helsinki alone, there are two branches of the church. There is the Akan Assembly where worship is done mostly in the Twi language. The other branch is the English Assembly (or the PIWC) which is attended by other nationalities and African immigrants aside Ghanaian immigrants.

In addition to the two Assemblies, the COP Finland has branches in cities such as Turku, Tampere, and Vaasa. There are other branches in Oulu and Kuopio, according to Elder Samuel Yaw Anni, who is the National Secretary of COP Finland.

The National Executives of COP Finland, Elders, Deacons and Deaconesses were introduced to Apostle Nyamekye.

Growth

Soon after its inception, COP Finland established contact with Ghana, and it has since grown increasingly both in numbers and in spirit.

It has received countless visitations from representatives of other Church of Pentecost missions around Europe, including UK, Italy, and Norway.

In 2013, Apostle Edmund Appiah was posted to Finland as the National Head of COP Finland and there was growth during his term, including re-organising the Vaasa branch.

The growth of the church has continued under Pastor Francis Owusu Kwaah, who took over from Apostle Appiah as the National Head of the Church in Finland a few years ago. And there is every indication that the church would grow to more places in Finland.

COP Finland has been one of the major channels through which the Ghana Union Finland (GUF), an association of Ghanaian immigrants in Finland, has made more contacts with members of the Ghanaian immigrant community.

Thus, it is one of the major Pentecostal or Charismatic churches dominated by Ghanaian immigrants which has been of immense benefit to GUF.

Previously, before the COVID-19 pandemic from March 2020 and its attendant restrictions, newly-elected executives of GUF got the chance to introduce themselves to other Ghanaian immigrants by visiting them at church sessions. This boosted easy interaction. Thank you! 

[The writer is a Ghanaian lecturer at the University of Helsinki, Finland]

Email: perpetualcrentsil@yahoo.com

By Perpetual Crentsil