Diaspora News of Thursday, 8 May 2014

Source: Karen Essiful-Ansah

Ghanaian Methodist Church featured on TBN

.....World's largest Christian Broadcasting Network

Christ the King Ghana Methodist Church, Bethlehem, GA, may be only a couple of years old but as one member confessed concerning its activities and accomplishments, 'God is taking us places'.

One such being a visit to and being featured on renowned Christian broadcasting Network, Trinity Broadcasting Network on May 6th 2014. The 2- hour long program saw the leaders and members of the Church proudly clad in the 'official' uniform of The Methodist Church Ghana. If their numbers didn't catch an eye, the bright Ghanaian garb did for the host, Pastor John Gray of Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church, could not but comment on how beautiful the members looked.

When the program began members shouted enthusiastically 'Y3y3 adehye' when Caretaker Joseph Essiful-Ansah, while being introduced along with other Church leaders present cried out the Society's slogan "Christ ntsi". He then introduced his spouse and the congregation and the Church's location as was protocol. Members joined several others in the Atlanta Metropolitan area who had come to witness what happened to be the first program recorded in TBN 'S plush Decatur studios after the Resurrection of our Lord. The main theme for the programme bordered enhancing the Kingdom of God.

Established by the late Rev. Paul and Jan Crouch some 40 years ago, TBN, is currently the world's largest Christian television network. TBN is carried by TV stations and cable systems, across America and around the world to millions of homes. As a matter of fact, TBN is featured on over 5,000 television stations, over 70 satellites, the Internet and thousands of cable systems around the world. It is worthy of note that TBN is at the moment carried on over 70 international satellites making it possible for any Ghanaian awake at 2am Greenwich Mean time to have seen the young Society make history.

Gospel Artist Isaac Carrie was on hand to give the audience a time of their lives in song and dance. Members of Christ The King sometimes forgetting they were being recorded danced their hearts and sang along as they joined others present "PRAISE THE LORD in keeping with the name of the program on which they made history. Some songs he ministered from his new Album were 'Redeemed", "Lifestyle" and " But God".

Guests Speakers on the show coming from as far west as Texas and north as New York included Pastors James McMenis, Reginald Steele and Carl Lentz. When the program was telecast young and old members of the Society stayed up late to see what God had been able to do in their lives, vowing like the Israelites of old to tell their children and grandchildren how on one fine day members of so young a Church made history on Trinity Broadcasting Network. Brother Evangelist Nana Abrefa, Society Steward of Ghana Wesley Methodist Church, Newark, Delaware was elated ' while watching', he told this Reporter, 'I saw all my brothers and sisters all looking gorgeous in Methodist 'uniform'. I hope all will see it.' He said he was touched by the Speakers. One said JESUS' love is for everyone. His blood was she'd so that all could be saved.

Sis. Josephine Quartey, President of Women Fellowship of Ghana Wesley, Newark, Delaware was also a viewer of the Program and was happy to see a Ghanaian Methodist Church featured on TBN for the first time and thanked God for the exposure given the Mother Church thereby. In her view this had in a way propelled the Mother Church and congratulated the leadership of Christ The King Ghana Methodist Church. This signified working hard in the Lord's vineyard, she added.

For Sis .Doris Mantey, resident of Lawrenceville and member of the Church, watching the Church on no mean a station as TBN brought to mind a Scripture that seemed fulfilled: "He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him." [Psalm 40:3] For members of Christ The King Ghana Methodist Church, who recently moved into a new place of Worship at 208C North Broad Street, Winder, GA, this epic but humbling experience was another way of emphasizing and fulfilling its theme for the year 2014 as found in Daniel 11:32,, "... The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits."