McKeown's Blog

Paying The Price Of Sowing Scripture Reference: 1 Samuel 2:12-18 EXPOSITION: Undoubtedly, through Christ Jesus, we are restored to the glorious place of sonship with the potential for leadership. Nevertheless, the potential for leadership that lies within us requires some personal commitment for it to manifest. Leadership is like a seed, it needs nurturing to blossom into a full plant. And so, there must be a deliberate effort to graduate the potential into reality. In the course of this week’s devotion, we shall take strides in the farmer’s field to draw some relevant lessons from his various disciplines. We will closely examine the efforts the farmer exerts into nurturing a seed into a tree – beginning with sowing today. Sowing plays an important role in farming because sowing provides the foundation of a successful crop. The farmer always endeavours to till the ground – through the loosening and ploughing of the soil. – to provide a conducive environment suitable for...

Equipping The Church Through Ministries 17 Feb 2022 Scripture Reference: 1 Corinthians 12:1-26 EXPOSITION: As in the army, The Church of Pentecost has gender-based and age-related ministries to equip the members on specific issues that relate to the group. One of the ways of equipping the Church is by getting each member actively involved in ministry activities. The more involved a person becomes in the ministry work, the more important the Church becomes in their life. A church which offers people opportunities to be involved in ministry activities would be more successful in winning and retaining converts than those which do not. If the church does not effectively use her members, she will lose them. In this vein, there are diverse interdependent ministries in the church. There is no place for independence among members of the body of Christ. Since there should be diversity of function in the body of Christ, there are different ministries and groups in the Church for the...

Individual Responsibility In The Squad 18 Feb 2022 Scripture Reference: 2 Samuel 10:9-14 EXPOSITION: The soldiers in battle do not fight for themselves but for a kingdom, and the desire is to return home in one piece. This is the driving force of the individual soldier. The army stands as one body but it is made up of individuals. Thus, apart from the collective responsibilities, the individual has roles to play. These include, readiness for battle in terms of fitness, preparedness for role play, personal development and commitment to the cause of the army. When the battle against Israel became fierce, Joab, the commander of the army of Israel counted on the individuals who were best fit for specific tasks and assigned special roles to them. In doing this, he was performing an individual mandate himself. It takes individual responsibilities as members of a squad to achieve the overarching mission of the army of God. Taking up individual responsibilities is key in ensuring the...

The Church As An Army Of God SCRIPTURE REFERENCE: 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 EXPOSITION: An army can be defined as a group of people selected and equipped to advance the cause of a nation or kingdom. Thus, to liken the church to an army depicts the church as God’s primary instrument of combat against systems of the world which militate against the reign of godly principles and values. Like an army, the Church exists for both defensive and offensive operations. The offensive operation does not suggest violence, but underscores the constant and needful warfare the church must wage to ‘take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ’. To see the Church as an Army of God is crucial in these times. It projects the primary mission of the Church and appeals to the battle sense of the Church Militant. It is a wake-up call to the reality of the continuous battle against powers of this dark world, spirit of deception and spiritual forces of evil that cause humanity to rebel against G...

The Power Of God’s Word SCRIPTURE REFERENCE: 2 Peter 1:20, 21 EXPOSITION: The phrase, ‘the Word of God’ is used in different ways. It refers to any word that God has inspired. It is also used for the actual spoken words of God. In the New Testament, logos and rhema are two primary Greek words meaning the written word and the spoken word, respectively. Both refer to the word of God. The phrase ‘the word of God’ is also used to refer to God’s written word, the Holy Scriptures. As we are being ‘equipped as a church to transform every sphere of society with values and principles of the Kingdom of God’, it brings to the fore the importance of the knowledge and understanding of the word of God. It is important to understand that the ‘Word of God’ is the Bible in various forms print and electronic. It is a collection of God’s inspired words spoken or written by human authors as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit. In His dealings with humanity, God made His character, mind, ...

Equipping The Church Through New Converts And New Members Classes 08 Feb 2022 SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 9:26-29. EXPOSITION: The major focus of Vision 2023 is premised on the understanding that the local church is the focal point for most of the church’s spiritual life and developmental activities. Thus, it serves as a training centre for Christians who are discipled to project Christ to the world. Jesus commanded us to go, preach, baptise and to teach the new converts: this is the main source of enlisting people into the Church army of God. Another form of enlistment is through holding the new members class. This is for members who join the church from other denominations or from other locals or districts of CoP. How such members are handled from the onset is very crucial to equipping them as a military squad, small group in possessing the nations. Our text in Acts reveals how Paul, who could be likened to a new member, was rightly assigned to a squa...

The Church As An Equipping Centre SCRIPTURE REFERENCE: Hebrews 12:18-24. EXPOSITION: Every army has a training ground, where the soldiers are trained for battle. The army of God; the Church is no different. The Church is an equipping center where members are equipped as ‘deliverers and saviors ‘of their spheres of influence. In the Old Testament, God revealed himself on Mount Sinai in fearful ways, and the Israelites could not approach Him. However, in the New Testament, God reveals himself on Mount Zion the Church. According to the main text, the Church is now where God dwells, making it a seat of power. In the Church, God equips His people and releases them as ‘deliverers and saviors’ to possess and transform ungodly societies likened to Mount Esau for Christ. In this lesson, we aim to explore this theme in the light of Hebrews 12:22-24. Hebrews 12: 22 -24 reveals that the church gathering, Mount Zion is the city of the Living God; the heavenly Jerusalem; innumerable ang...

Equipping The Church As An Army SCRIPTURE REFERENCE: Ephesians 4:10-14. EXPOSITION: Equipping is a fundamental requirement for battle. It covers the totality of doctrine, principles, values, and physical resources necessary for combat against opposing forces. An equipped soldier is confident of success on the battlefield. This confidence stems from knowledge and faith in the resources they have been endowed with to confront the enemy effectively. Against this backdrop, the Church as an institution is a rallying point and equipping centre where people are made ready for service through purposive teaching and sharing of experience. God has made provisions for the Church to fulfil the equipping mandate. He has endowed her with gifts to equip members with giftings of believers known as the ascension gifts. Our discussion today will help us identify and make optimal use of the resources at our disposal for the equipping mandate. To equip is to make a person adequate, ready, fit, ...

Full-Time Christian 31 Jan Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:30-33 Exposition: A Christian is one who has come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and is living his or her life to please the Master. Christianity is the life of Christ which transforms a person inwardly and manifests outwardly in the clear view of everybody. The one who has come to Christ is a new creation. He must no longer live like he used to but rather depict the new kind of life he has received. The Christian life must be lived 24/7. There should be no segregation between the sacred and the secular. The way a person lives his or her life outside the four walls of the church tells to a large extent the true identity of that person. Our Scripture reading for today admonishes us to do everything to the glory of God. This means that God is interested in all that concerns us. Since our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and God dwells in us, we must make sure that if God were physically present, He...

CoP-Liberia Holds National Prayer Summit 26 Jan 2022 A national prayer summit is underway in Clara Town - Monrovia, Liberia at The Church of Pentecost, FD Walker Temple. The prayer summit is an annual event organized by The Church of Pentecost - Liberia. This year's summit is the fifth since the return of the national head, Apostle Massaboi Zuwu, to Liberia. Over five hundred officers including national executives, all seven area heads, elders, deacons and deaconesses are attending the summit, which was officially opened on Monday by the National Head of the church in Liberia, Apostle Massaboi Zuwu. Speaking on the theme: "Equipping the church as an army to possess the nations", Apostle Zuwu underscored the need for the officers of the church to play their respective roles in equipping the church to possess the nations. "The Church is an equipping centre and therefore our task is to equip the church for the work of the ministry. Everyone has a role to ...

Jesus Focused On The Future Scripture Readings: Luke 22:66-69; Romans 8:18 Exposition: In the midst of affliction and troubling times, Jesus focused on the future, so should we. It is important you do not miss what Jesus says in Luke 22:69. Remember, He was being tortured, about to be crucified and facing the wrath of God that is going to be poured upon Him for the sins of humanity, but He was focused on what this would provide for the future. Jesus focused on the future glory. Though He was mocked, tortured and crucified, these turned out to be a great victory. A great victory that gave all believe in Him the opportunity to have their sins forgiven and live at peace with God. A great victory that was demonstrated by His victorious resurrection over death, hell and the grave! A great victory that gives YOU and I the awesome privilege to one-day gather around His throne and forever worship and praise the Lamb that was slain that we might have life and have it more abundantly...

430 Ministers And Wives Participate In Northern Ghana Conference 28 Jan 2022 A total of 430 ministers and their wives of The Church of Pentecost in Northern Ghana converged at Tamale to participate in the 2022 Ministers and Wives Conference. The four-day prayer and fasting conference which was officially opened on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, at the Radach Lodge & Conference Centre in Tamale, was hosted by Apostle Sylvester Arhin (Chairman of the Northern Regional Coordinating Committee and Executive Council Member, who also doubles as the Tamale Area Head). It had the General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, as the special guest. Ministers and their wives were drawn from the church’s eight administrative Areas in the Northern Sector, namely Tamale Area, Walewale Area, Yendi Area, Sawla Area, Bolgatanga Area, Bawku Area, Wa Area, and Tumu Area, which constitutes the five political regions in the North – the Northern Region, Savann...

Own, Teach and Live By 2022 Theme – General Secretary Tells Ministers 27 Jan 2022 Ministers of The Church of Pentecost have been admonished to assimilate the church's 2022 theme by absorbing, teaching, and living by it. Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, made the call on Wednesday while speaking to ministers and their wives in the Eastern Region at the Koforidua Central Tabernacle as part of the Eastern Regional Ministers and Wives' Conference. The General Secretary believes that if ministers own and teach the theme at the local level, members would be better positioned to make a positive impact in society. The Church of Pentecost's theme for this year: "Equipping the Church As An Army to Possess the Nations," among other things, seeks to fully equip members with Kingdom values and principles in order for them to possess their spheres of life with godly lifestyles. The thematic areas are as follows: T...

Responding Positvely to a Crisis The Lord is in Control of all things Scripture Readings: 2 Corinthians 12:9; James 1:2-4; Psalm 107:28-33 Exposition: Every one of us will have some kind of affliction we will need to face; many of us will have to live with a specific “thorn in the flesh.” Paul asked God to remove his. God said “No.” Paul’s conclusion, “His grace is sufficient for me” (2 Corinthians 12:9). It’s not wrong to ask God to remove the pains of affliction. We see Job crying out to God, especially in the fear and anguish of night (Job 7:4). The rest of the book reveals that Job was able to say and demonstrate, “Though he slays me, yet will I hope in him” President J.F. Kennedy once remarked that ‘when written in Chinese, the word “crisis” is composed of two characters. One represents danger, and the other represents opportunity”. Every crisis is at the same time an opportunity. Crises are often caused by unexpected difficulties but within them are opportunities that c...

Remain Calm, Crises Move Us Toward Christ-Likeness Scripture Reading: Luke 22:66-69; Psalm 131:2; Proverbs 17:22 Exposition: David had to do this on multiple occasions. In Psalm 131:2 we read, “Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul…” In the New Testament, Apostle Paul tells the church in Colossae to let the “peace of God” rule in their hearts. Whether the crisis is completely out of our hands or some portion is marginally under our control, we need to remember that ultimately, we must trust God to show up. The Holy Spirit is called, “The Comforter.” There is a real, supernatural ministry of encouragement that the third person of the Trinity gives to the New Testament believer that surpasses understanding. Some of the most intense affliction is when God permits a challenge into our lives and Satan uses that as an opportunity to bring discouragement and doubt. We read in Proverbs 17:22, “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.” Our afflic...

The Shoes Of The Gospel Of Peace And The Shield Of Faith 07 Jan 2022 EXPOSITION:  As part of equipping the militant church, yesterday, we began looking at the whole armour of God. Today, we’re looking at two other parts of the armour. These are the footwear/shoes and the shield. In a general sense, good footwear protects your feet from thorns, rocks, and insects. It gives you the confidence to stand, walk and run without concerning yourself with what is on the ground because you know you are protected. The shield also gives protection from objects that are thrown at the warrior. For the Christian soldier, the shoes signify the message of the gospel of peace. When a believer comes to Christ, he has peace with God. Having this knowledge helps in overcoming the deceits of the devil. The devil plays on the ignorance of Christians by letting them feel even after coming to Christ, God still holds their previous sins against them. However, God reconciled us to Himself immediately after we...

Jesus, Our Source of Power 21 Jan 2022 SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Acts CHAPTER 1 VERSE 1 TO 8; SECOND Peter CHAPTER 1 VERSE 3. EXPOSITION: Aside all the physical reality we see, the world is a spiritual place and we need spiritual power to survive and make impact. In our reading for today, we have been assured that His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them we may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. The assurance we have is that God’s provision meets every need of ours. This actually includes our need for spiritual power. The Acts chapter 1 verse 8 account assures us that when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we shall receive power. Today many young people are searching for power in many wrong places like the cults, yoga, transcendent meditation...

Building Your Body 22 Jan 2022 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE: 1 Timothy 4:1-8 EXPOSITION Our bodies are the vessels through which we manifest God’s glory. There cannot be a human being without a body. As young people, our bodies grow with significant changes. A predictable sequence of physical changes occurs both in males and females transiting from childhood to youth age. This includes changes in body proportions, rapid skeletal growth and appearance of hairs in the under arm, on the chest, and private parts. At this time, boys widen in the shoulders and develop thicker muscles, they begin to experience break in voice. Girls expand in the hips and experience enlargement of breast with the onset of menstruation. All these changes come with the need to give special attention to the body such as eating well, sleeping well, etc. so we can grow healthily. Physical exercise also helps us immensely in our quest for healthy growth. In 1 Timothy 4:7-8 Paul reveals that physical exercise is of some val...

The Power of Personal Decisions 17 Jan 2022 EXPOSITION: Whether we believe in the reality or not, the decisions we take affect us; they make us or break us. It is therefore very important to consider the decisions we take in life. Decisions are the conclusions or resolutions reached after careful consideration. Daniel 1 teaches about the power of personal decisions. We see young men from Judah taken to Babylon as captives and selected to be trained so they can serve in the King’s palace. Daniel decided not to defile himself with the King’s food which had been sacrificed to idols. “The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom” (Dan, 1:19-20). Entering into the King’s service and being found ten times better is an achievement any young...

The Power of Personal Decisions 2 18 Jan 2022 EXPOSITION: The Preacher admonishes the young person to take a critical decision during his/her youth. He or she is to ‘remember his or her Creator’ during this stage of life. Failure to do so, will lead to consequences in the latter days, which the Bible refers to as evil days. Thus, failure to take the critical decision to ‘remember’ God in one’s youth will lead to regrets. Healthy personal development requires that we learn to avoid taking hasty and immoral decisions in life since our decisions have repercussions. Life is in three stages – learning (formal/informal), working, and retiring years. The young person falls within the learning and working years. The three stages of life are however so interconnected that failure to take the right decisions in one affects the other stages. In light of this, care must be taken in the choices and decisions one makes with the course of study, type of work one engages in and the relationships one e...