How to Start a Church

At a meeting with the Presiding Bishop of Gospel Light International Church, Bishop Matthew Addae-Mensah on Sunday, the 8th of October, 2017, the clergy present were motivated by the sound instruction from the Word of God as taught by the man of God. He stressed the need for the clergy to couple the fasting and prayers with Church planting. Adding, he emphasized that pastors should set targets of planting some Churches by the end of the duration of the prayer and fasting.

He shared four important ways to start a Church viz.:

# By faith

# By the leading of the Holy Spirit

# By accident

# By planning

Prior to his message, Bishop indicated that some young men and women have been selected and assigned to go forth to start branches after the chain prayer and fasting. He admonished the resident pastors not to hold on to them, but to see them as a seed that will yield a bountiful harvest, quoting the words of Jesus in John 12:24.  Bishop said, "If you're a farmer and you hold on to your yam, you won't get more yam. Sacrifice your seed if you want a better harvest."

Zooming into the crux of his message, Bishop Addae-Mensah enunciated that the most important thing required to start a Church is a will or a desire. He indicated, however, that Satan will definitely fight you if you try to start a Church, simply because he knows that you are a threat to his kingdom; souls will be translated from his kingdom into God's Kingdom (Matthew 16:18-19). Satan is not averse to the springing up of shops and spots in communities but he is entirely against the planting of Churches. Bishop pointed out, "Satan will fight you right from looking for a venue. You can't plant a Church with leisure! It must be done with aggressiveness!"

Reading from Acts 16, from verse 1, we identified the key ways to start a Church. The first way is by faith.

Secondly, you can start a Church by the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can lead you to plant Churches. Drawing from the experience of Paul the Apostle, who saw the vision of the man from Macedonia, we established that it is possible for the Spirit of God to inspire us to start Churches through visions and dreams.

Even though there may be many oppositions, such as battering and imprisonment (as seen in the case of Paul and Silas), we must hold on to God's Word without wavering and keep pressing!

The man of God pointed out, "If Satan is not fighting you, then it's not a Church but an 'akpeteshi' bar."

Bishop explained, "If you want to start a Church, go where you can meet people... God can give you just one key person through whom the work will spread."

Indeed, God Himself has prepared a place and the people. What we need to do is to step out there. The Church at Philippi was not in existence before Paul came there but it took a step of faith and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

On accidental Church planting, Bishop stated several examples of Gospel Light branches that have sprang up that way, including the Awoshie branch.

He explained that to start a Church by planning, a lot of financial resources are required to do so. As well, the organizing of Crusades and suchlike are important in that regard.

In closing, Bishop taught that you don't need a crowd to start a Church. You only need two or three people. You can start a Church under a tree, from a school park, or from your living room.

God can use anybody to start a Church.

God can even use unbelievers to start Churches.

The following are important announcements to take note of:

# Rev. Mrs. Dora Norteye's funeral

It is our funeral and we are all involved. If a pastor or his wife dies, we won't leave you to carry the load alone. Let's pool resources together to get it done. Your donation should come before the funeral, which takes place on Saturday, 14th October, 2017. Ordained ministers should put on their clerical. Others should wear black and white. We all should be at the park of the Kings' University College by 7 am.

Don't come alone. Come with your members. 

Branches that have not paid their Convention levies should do so.

The consecration of our highly esteemed Bishop Mrs. Naana Addae-Mensah is slated for Saturday, 11th November, 2017 from 11 am to 2 pm at the Phenomenal Faith Cathedral.

On Sunday, 12th November, 2017, we shall all gather at the Accra International Conference Centre for the Thanksgiving & Anointing Service.

Clergy were taught to encourage their members to sow the heap offerings during this 40-day fasting period; it's a spiritual instruction (2 Chronicles 31:1-10).