THE CHURCH OF PENTECOST U.S.A., INC.

The Church of Pentecost U.S.A. Inc started in the Bronx on 3487 Fish Avenue Apt. 2A, Bronx, New York as a prayer group. Initially it was Brother Eric Oppong (Now Elder Oppong) and his wife Theresa Oppong who prayed together every Saturday evening in their apartment when Sister Theresa joined her husband in April 1985. The couple was led to invite family members and friends to join them every Saturday evening to pray and read the Bible. At the outset, they had friends and family members like Ben Adjei Boakye, Mary Osei (aka Nana Akua), Victoria Opoku, Beatrice Asare, and Victoria Gyimah. Betty James (An American Lady), Nana Akosua, and Theresa Amissah participated in the prayers. By and large however, some did not continue with them. Emmanuel Brown (now Elder) was invited from their previous church where the couple fellowshipped. There were about 10 active participants in the group by the end of July 1987. Among the participants were Brother Maxwell Kusi (now Pastor Retired), Brother Ben Boakye (now Elder), and Sister Victoria Gyimah (now Deaconess).

EARLY GROWTH OF THE CHURCH

The prayer meeting on Saturdays was very successful. As the number of participants increased, Elder Oppong and his wife moved to a bigger apartment on 3469 Corsa Avenue Apt. 3B in the Bronx, NY, which is about two blocks away from Fish Avenue. By the end of the year 1987, the membership had grown to 17, among whom were Elder Festus Asare, Sister Vida Asare and Brother Dennis Ababio (now Elder). Elder Asare and Brother Charles Baah were in the same fellowship with the then Brother Kusi who joined briefly at Fish Avenue and left for Ghana. On his return, the move to Corsa had occurred. Thus, Rev. Kusi (then Brother) introduced Elder Asare as an Elder from Liberia, who assumed the reigns of leadership as an ordained officer of the church. Others who followed Brother Kusi (now Retired Pastor) to the group included Dennis Ababio (now Elder), Brother Charles Baah (now Elder) Brother Robert Ocran (now Elder), Sister Patricia Kusi and husband Mr. Kusi as well as Brother Stephen Gyimah. As the group progressed, it became apparent to the members that the Lord’s purpose for them was solid and clear. The prayer meeting was thus named "Church of Pentecost Prayer Group" and participants were encouraged to be fully committed to the prayer group. After this, an all-night prayer session was started and the last Saturday of every month was chosen as meeting days. For effective organization of the Prayer Group, officers were chosen to take responsibilities in the meetings: Leader (Elder Festus Asare), Secretary (Brother Ben Boakye), Organizing Secretary (Brother Eric Oppong), Prayer Leaders (Brother Maxwell Kusi/Bro. Emmanuel Brown) and Treasurer (Sister Victoria Gyimah).

The above formal leadership replaced a pseudo leadership that centered around the family. Programs were drawn for every meeting; a monthly three-day fasting and prayer meeting was introduced; Tithes and offering was officially adopted and the Women and Evangelistic groups were formally started. The social committee was set up also to take care of weddings, naming ceremonies and other social gatherings. Missions Fund was set up and $200.00 was agreed to be the monthly contribution to Accra for missionary work. In April 1988, the group continued to enhance the structure of its organization by reorganizing the Finance Board setup and appointing Deacon E. O. Bediako (now late Apostle) as the Financial Secretary. By the end of July 1988, membership had risen to 25 and among them were Elder Yaw Yeboah Asuamah, Brother Thomas Asamah Jr. (now Elder), Auntie Beatrice Akuamoah, Sister Georgina Boamah (now Deaconess), Sister Ruby Aryee Williams (now Deaconess), Sister Agnes Kyei and Deaconess Amanda Tenadu. Along the line, Pastor Tenadu followed his wife to the group.

The Church's general headquarters in Accra was officially informed in a letter to the then General Secretary, Apostle Rigwell Ato Addison. In a letter written in July 1988, the group solicited for the prayer support and advice from the mother church in terms of the way forward. In his reply, the General Secretary expressed the full support of the Church in Ghana. Furthermore, he encouraged them to find a place of worship, register the group as a Church and get a bank account. With the frequent communication established between New York and Accra, the group secured a place of worship and moved from Elder Eric Oppong's apartment to a rented Church premises at 137th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues in Upper Manhattan (Harlem). To the glory of God, on October 2, 1988, they ceased to exist as a prayer group and started worshiping in the new premise as a full-fledged church. Additionally, Savings and Credit Accounts were opened with Chase Manhattan Bank and a Post Office box was acquired at FDR station in Manhattan, all in an attempt to strengthen its administrative and operational structures. Two Conventions and a wedding ceremony were recorded at the 137th Street church premise.

In 1989, others including Madam Akuamoah from Brooklyn, Sister Sarah, Brothers Kwadede Rockson, Theophilus Maranga (now Elder), Deacon Alexander Obeng (now Elder) and Mrs. Georgina Obeng (Deaconess) also joined the church as full members. Within that year, the regular church attendance rose to over thirty-five (35) members. Deacon Emmanuel Owusu Bediako became very instrumental in the growth of the Church at this point. Others included Brothers John Kwame Appiah (now apostle), Joseph Atuah, and John Ofori (now Apostle).

In April 4, 1989, the Church was officially registered and provided with a Federal Employer Identification Number and New York City Tax Exemption to operate as a church in New York City, New York. Recognizing the need to begin on a sound financial footing, the first special offering was organized which had Charles Baah (now Elder) contributing the highest amount of $3,000.00.

FORMATIVE CHALLENGES

As the Church continued to grow numerically and spiritually, certain problems were identified that put a burden on the heart of the leaders to embark on the process for the immediate purchase of a permanent place of worship.

1. The Chapel was too small to contain the growing number of members (35) on Sundays.

2. The neighborhood was unsafe for members. For instance, a thug confronted a member one Wednesday evening as she waited in front of the building for the evening service.

3. The landlord of the church changed the locks on the church building without notice. Members present that evening prayed in front of the church and asked God to intervene. Series of meetings were held following the encounter with the landlord to discuss the future of the assembly and to intensify the search for a better place of worship. In one such meetings, it was suggested by Elder Festus Asare to extend an invitation to Accra entreating them to visit the New Assembly and to perform important Pastoral duties.

While the Presbytery was debating on the appropriate time for such a visit, the General Secretary in Accra sent a letter to express the desire of the Head Office to touch base with the Branches of the Church abroad, including New York. Such visits, according to the letter were to be planned with Rev. Samuel Asante of Church of Living God in Pasadena, California where the Executive planned to visit also.

SUPPORT FROM INTERNATIONAL HEAD OFFICE

In December 1989, the Chairman, Prophet M. K. Yeboah and the General Secretary Rev. Ato Addison visited New York City. Their visit coincided with the acquisition of a place of worship on Third Avenue. The New Assembly at that point moved from 137th Street in Manhattan to Third Avenue and 165th Street in the Bronx. The first worship at the Third Avenue building was held in December 1989 with the church fathers from Ghana. During the visit, which was characterized by meetings, the following steps were taken to advance the Church in New York.

1. The Presbytery agreed to sell cassettes and church materials to be sent from Ghana to raise money for missionary work.

2. The decision to send a Resident Missionary, his remunerations and others were discussed and adopted.

3. Rev. Asante of California was to perform pastoral duties in New York Assembly instead of Rev. Blankson of London as suggested by the Presbytery.

4. Teachings on Tithes and Offerings were to be intensified.

5. Three Elders, Three Deacons and Two Deaconesses were ordained.

6. The Building Committee headed by Elder Alex Obeng was empowered to negotiate and buy a building for the church. Leaders of the New York Assembly were inspired and motivated to work hard to meet the challenges of the time. As the search for a place of worship continued, three potential properties were identified and after inspecting the building on 242nd street, the group came over to 216th street, where in the corner of 216 and Bronx Blvd, Chairman Yeboah requested Apostle Opoku Onyinah, the then IMD to pray over the building and settle the church according to God’s will. So, it was, when the third place was visited it was a mere formality.

AFTERMATH OF THE VISIT AND THE SPREAD OF THE PENTECOSTAL FIRE

Some brethren from other states who came to New York to meet the Chairman and the General Secretary during their visit were stirred up. They went back to their states spiritually charged to start new assemblies in their respective areas. Brothers Peter Amponsah (now apostle), Samuel Ebow Quaye (now elder) upon hearing of the visit of the Chairman and his entourage joined the 1989 meetings to introduce themselves as church of Pentecost members from Washington. When they returned after the meeting, in consultation with like-minded people including Paul Osei, Nack Opoku Yeboah, Ohene Krapah, Robert Akuamoah Boateng, Tweneboah Koduah, Dan Toffey, Atta Baffour, Grace Amponsah, Margaret Krapah, Victoria Osei, Elizabeth Eno Aborah, Cecilia Opoku and Deaconess Grace Mensah of Edumfa prayer camp, a church was started in the basement of Brother Emmanuel Asabre (now an elder). Pastor Mantey lent a great hand in building the Washington church which had Silver Spring (Maryland) and Alexandria (Virginia) assemblies. The Chairman who knew Elder Amoo very well back home, it is believed, made a call to him informing the latter of the move of the Lord and the obedience of the brethren in the North East. Hence, after contacting Pastor Samuel Asante, Elder Amoo with his wife, six children, brother Fred Addo (now Elder), Fred’s wife, and mother-in-law started the California church at 6933 Belhrst Avenue, Longbeach, California. Elders Eliam, Atefa and Assibey joined along the line. The impact was so greatly felt such that in 1992, Pastor Awuah was transferred to California.

The glowing splint of the Pentecostal fervor spread over the North American continent, brethren in Canada gathered themselves and support was lent through constant visits led by late Apostle Bediako, then an elder. Elder Peter Oppong volunteered to help the Boston church, where Elder Eric Oppong was later posted to be the Presiding Elder. About 10 members who were commuting from Worcester got the nod to start their own where Pastor Peter Amponsah was later to be stationed. During this period, the only church that had a woman leader was Rhode Island. Sister Akua Druwah led the church until Elder Emmanuel Brown was posted as the Presiding Elder, commuting from New York for five years until Elder Dennis Ababio moved to Rhode Island and was asked to take over.

Subsequently, in December 1991, a four-member Executive Council team, led by Chairman Yeboah again visited the USA and Canada. This time, the visit was due to a call made by the Presbytery asking the International Executive Council to come and help resolve some differences in the Church for fear of disintegration. The forty-four days of their stay in the United States and Canada was a turning point for the Church's upliftment and victory over trials. The new policies the Church instituted coupled with constructive spiritual advice from the church fathers, healed all wounds and gave vision and direction to the Church. Officers were appointed to take leadership positions in the church. During the visit, Elder Owusu Bediako (now an Apostle of blessed memory) was ordained an overseer of the church.

EARLY MINISTERIAL OVERSIGHT

Sequel to the visit of the Chairman and General Secretary, Pastor A. K. Awuah was appointed missionary to take charge of the USA and Canada assemblies. Before his arrival in August 1990, Elder Emmanuel Owusu Bediako (now late Apostle) replaced Elder Asare as Presiding Elder. Elder Ben Boakye and Deaconess Victoria Gyimah were both re-elected Secretary and Treasurer respectively. In February 1991, Pastor Alfred K. Awuah and family arrived in New York as the first Resident Missionary. The Pentecostal fire continued to burn rapidly in North America under the supervision of Ps. A. K. Awuah. The Church witnessed a remarkable growth in North America which led to the calling of Elder Emmanuel Owusu Bediako (now late Apostle) into fulltime Ministry in January 1992. At this time, the Third Avenue Church building became unsuitable for the fast-growing New York assembly. A search for a bigger place was undertaken by the leadership. However, Pastor Awuah was transferred to California in 1992.

In October 1992, Apostle S.K. Ansong (an Executive Member of The Church of Pentecost International) and family were welcomed to New York as the second National Head. During the latter part of 1992, the proposed church building at 216th Street in the Bronx was finally purchased for $710,000.00. The Church provided a down payment of $210,000.00 and Elder Yaw Yeboah Asuamah was the signer for the closing. Under the able leadership of Apostle Ansong, the church continued to grow spiritually and numerically. In 1994, Elders Maxwell Kusi (now Rtd. Pastor) and Stephen Omane-Yeboah (now Evangelist) were called into full-time ministry and posted to California and New York, respectively. In the same year, Pastor Alfred K. Awuah was recalled from missions (California his last station). Apostle Samuel K. Ansong finished his missionary tour in 1997 when the church total membership was 3,808 from three regions, namely California, New York, and Washington.

In November 1997, Apostle Dr. Alex Osei Bonsu took over from Apostle Ansong as National Head. With inspiring messages on "Giving" during his tenure of office, the building committee raised $300,000.00 to help renovate the 216th Street church building. Under the supervision and hard work of Rev. Omane-Yeboah, Rev. Andrew Donkor and Rev. David Tekper, the Bronx church building was dedicated in 2003. Also in 2001 Apostle Dr. Osei-Bonsu took a bold initiative and implemented the centralization of funds policy at the National Office. At the end of his tenure of office in 2003, thirteen districts had been created with a total of thirteen pastors. With a solid foundation laid and the right tone set, exponential growth was imminent.

Apostle Albert Amoah was transferred from Ghana to assume the National Headship from October 2003 to September 2009. Key characteristics that marked Apostle Amoah’s tenure were his administrative ingenuity and tenacious leadership demeanor. It was not surprising that he spearheaded the drafting and promulgation of the National constitution, which has been the working document of the church in the United States to date. It is worthy of mention that he initiated the documentation of modalities for the financial administration of the church, culminating in the production of the “Blue Book”; this increased the sense of financial accountability and discipline in the church. To further strengthen and clarify the roles, responsibilities and privileges of the clergy, lay employees and the entire church populace, respective handbooks were penned. During this period membership rose to 16,121 within 29 Districts in 4 Regions, which were overseen by 35 ministers and the first missionary, Apostle Emmanuel Bediako of blessed memory was sent to Germany as National Head. The period marked the historic transition of the church’s administrative structure at the regional level from coordinating bodies to full-fledged Regions. A national parsonage was mortgaged, a training school acquired and the church owned edifices totaled 39 with 14 parsonages by the end of this period.

In October 2009, Apostle Dr. Emmanuel Anthony Owusu arrived from France to take over the leadership of the Nation. The major feats that characterized his administration were extraordinary growth of the church and financial austerity. During his tenure, membership rose from 16,121 to 25,038 within 58 districts in 7 regions with 65 ministers working full-time. The regionalization concept was deepened where Regional Heads were relieved of Districts duties. Three additional Regions were added making it a total of seven regions. His administration ensured that prudent financial policies were implemented to help grow and secure a good financial standing. The concept of spiral borrowing that left the church in a cyclical debt has been abolished so that there is no re-mortgaging of loans to reap equities. In its place, a mortgage buy-back program has been implemented to own mortgages.

This novel initiative has resulted in increased financial security of the church.With regards to administrative acumen, his administration oversaw the successful review and reprint of the church’s constitution to ensure the document is abreast with time. Also, the National Executive Council is now made of members from the clergy akin to that of the International Executive Council. In the full spirit of the vision and commitment of the church to train and equip the pastorate/laity, the Pentecost Leadership and Theological Institute (Pentecost Bible College) offers ministerial formation courses, STEE, advance ministers training, and lay leadership training. Apostle Mbanyane Socrates Mhango is the current principal of the college. By the grace of God, a minister (Rev. Maxwell Kusi) retired from active service in 2015 under this administration. Finally, the church which hitherto was highly dependent on missionaries now has three ministers at post as missionaries, namely Apostle John Ofori (Japan/Korea), Pastor Isaac Anane Sarfo (Argentina) and Pastor Frank Asirifi (Guyana). Apostles Sampson Ofori Yiadom (Germany/Canada), Andy Donkor (Norway) and Pastor Joseph Gyamfi (Japan) were recalled home from missions after serving meritoriously.

In 2016, the number of “home-grown” Apostles in the United States having increased, the International Executives saw it fit to appoint Apostle Agyemang-Amoako of the USA as the National Head to succeed Apostle (Dr.) Emmanuel Owusu who was originally from Canada. Since taking over, membership has risen from 25,038 to 26, 229 within 60 districts in 8 regions with 70 ministers working full-time. Also under his able leadership, a new state of the art National office building has been acquired in New Jersey at a purchase price of $2,700,000. This new building will house the National Office, Pentecost Bible College, a TV & Radio Studio, and a Model PIWC church. In addition to these is the creation of a Pent Media department with the capability of streaming all functions live, even on Pent TV in Ghana and worldwide. The acquisition of the office building has necessitated the relocation of the Bible school from Leominster to Wayne, NJ. The school has been registered in the State of New Jersey, with its main campus now in Wayne and has a strong online cohort.

REGIONALIZATION

As the Lord of the harvest continued to grow His church and with the widespread geographical land coverage of the church, there was the need for a strategy to enhance effective pastoring and sustained church growth. With this view in mind, the regionalization concept was initiated by Apostle (Dr.) Osei-Bonsu with the creation of zones headed by coordinators. Under this initial arrangement, some District Pastors doubled as zonal coordinators. Apostle Bediako of blessed memory was the first to be appointed Coordinator/District Pastor (Washington District) and served in the Washington Region until his transfer in 1999 to the California Region as the first Area Head/District Pastor (LA District). The then California Region covered an area spanning Texas to California. Pastor Maxwell Kusi (Rtd. Pastor) was then appointed Washington Regional Coordinator/District Pastor (Washington District) to replace Apostle Bediako in 1999. Apostle Emmanuel Bediako was later transferred in 2001 as the first missionary from the USA to serve as National Head in Germany. Evangelist Stephen Omane-Yeboah was subsequently appointed as Coordinator/District Pastor (LA District) in 2001 for the California Region. After Apostle Albert Amoah took over as National Head in 2003 from Apostle Osei-Bonsu, he began to strengthen the Regionalization concept by appointing then Pastor David Tekper (now an Apostle) in 2004 as the Coordinator/District Pastor (New York District). At the same time, the Washington Region was split into two zones namely, Washington zone headed by then Pastor Sampson Yiadom as Coordinator/District Pastor (Washington District) and Chicago zone headed by Pastor Maxwell Kusi as Coordinator/District Pastor (Chicago District).

In 2005 Evangelist Stephen Omane-Yeboah was transferred from the California Region to the National Office as a Missionary Attaché to the Latin America countries. The California Region was subsequently divided into two zones namely LA zone headed by Pastor Peter Willie as Coordinator/District Pastor (LA District) and the Texas zone headed by Pastor Peter Amponsah as Coordinator/District Pastor (Dallas District).

In 2006, the Washington zone assumed a full-fledged Area status and Pastor Sampson Yiadom was appointed the first Area Head thus transitioning from a zonal Coordinator to an Area Head. Similarly, in the same year, Pastor David Tekper (now Apostle) was appointed the first Area Head of the New York Area.

In 2008, the Chicago zone also achieved a full-fledged Area status and Pastor Maxwell Kusi (Rtd) was appointed the first Area Head. In the same year, the LA and Dallas zones were joined together to form the Western region and granted a full-fledged Area status with Houston as the Area seat. Apostle Sampson Yiadom was transferred from Washington to Houston as the first Area Head. During this same year, the plan to keep faith with the regionalization strategy in consonance with the COP International’s ecclesiastical administrative set up whereby Regional Heads are relieved of Districts duties began. In 2009, Apostle Dr. Emmanuel Owusu took over as National Head and continued the expansion of the Regions with a Niagara Falls-like rapidity. Regional Heads who had District responsibilities were relieved of their District responsibilities and more ministers were called into the ministry to augment the work at the District level. In 2012, the New Jersey Region was also created out of the New York Region with Apostle Dr. John K. Appiah as its first Regional Head. In 2016, The Texas and California Regions were created after the then Western Region was split into two and Apostles Samuel Kwesi Arthur and Andy Donkor appointed as first Regional Heads respectively. Apostle Michael Agyemang-Amoako took over as the National Head in 2016, spearheading a comprehensive and a far-sighted vision for an accelerated growth. In May of 2017, the New England Region was created out of the New York Region and Apostle Peter Amponsah was stationed as the new Regional Head. By the grace of God, eight (8) full-fledged regions have thus far been created since the year 2004.

MISSIONARY FRONTIER

In keeping with the International Missions Board’s aim of spreading the gospel to the entire world, the Church of Pentecost USA, under Apostle Albert Amoah, launched an evangelism drive into the Latin America countries and the Caribbean Nations. Apostle Albert Amoah showed his commitment to this missionary enterprise by immediately withdrawing Evangelist Stephen Omane-Yeboah (who had already started some evangelistic work in Belize in 2004) from California in 2005 and assigned him as the missionary attaché to the Latin America and the Caribbean. Subsequent upon this move, the Church of Pentecost was planted in the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Belize, Haiti, Costa Rica, Argentina and Trinidad and Tobago. However, due to some challenges, the Church has lost some grounds in Belize, Trinidad and Tobago. At the last reporting, there were17 assemblies in four countries and a total membership exceeding 1,500. Since July of this year, Guatemala and Honduras have also been added to the COP-USA missions map.

CONCLUSION

We give God all the glory for how far He has brought His Church! Also, we would like to express our sincerest appreciation to the Chairman, Apostle Professor Opoku Onyinah and the entire International Executive Council for their direction, support and astute leadership. Furthermore, to all the past and present International Missions Directors, all past National Heads of the USA, National Executive Council members in the USA as well as the pastorate and leaders at all levels for the immense support and self-sacrifice which has brought the church thus far. The sacrifices of the Evangelism Directorate led by Evangelist Stephen Omane-Yeboah and assisted by Brother Rafael Espaillat in the foundational work done in the Latin America deserves mention. Indeed, God has set the footing of the church on the path of growth and glory! Our prayer and our aim is to do our part as no gate of hell shall ever prevail against the blessed church of God. Onward we march, trudging along from victory to victory, from one state of maturity on to another, declaring the glory of the wonderful name of Jesus!