PIWCs are Centers of Excellence – Pentecost University Pro Vice-Chancellor

The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Ag) of Pentecost University, Aps. Dr. Emmanuel Anim has said the Pentecost International Worship Center (PIWC) of The Church of Pentecost are supposed to be places of excellence. Dr. Anim said this when he delivered the 10th anniversary public lecture of the PIWC-Odorkor, organized in collaboration with Pentecost University, on Tuesday 19th October 2021 in Odorkor in Accra.

Speaking on the theme “The impact of PIWCs on Pentecostal worship, the story so far and the way forward,” the Pro VC said culture “particularly, a culture of dominant group always has impact on Christian practices. The theologian therefore, gave historical antecedence of the internalization and cultural pluralism of the Christian faith as it spread from Jerusalem to the rest of the world. He said the first century church was largely concerned about conformance with the ethos of the preexisting Judaism and the Jewish culture.

“That is why in those days, Christianity was about what to eat, when to do what, but with little reference to the salvation message of Christ. “These he said already existed in Judaism which the early converts transported into the early church thereby made it hostile to other cultures.”

Aps. Dr. Anim continued that as the church grew, people of other cultures converted. This he said generated some clashes among cultures. He said “among other factors, the dramatic conversion of Saul, a renowned Judaist and soldier, resulted to wide spread of Christianity among many cultures.” This he said resulted to a diminish of the Jewish influence on the Church. As the gentiles became influential, they started searching for the place of Christ in the trinity instead of following Jewish norms.

He therefore, narrowed the lecture down to the Church of Pentecost and the PIWC concept. He said the PIWC concept was crafted to attract nationals of other countries and Ghanaians whose cultural identities and taste may have changed due to long stay abroad, or any other factor. He added that by and large, the concept has retained a lot of young people who were not comfortable with the early day Pentecostal mode of worship.

On the way forward, Aps. Dr. Anim urged that PIWCs should strive to be centers of excellence. By this “I mean that PIWCs should be prudent in how they manage time, type of music and ensure harmony of the diverse cultures of their members. He also added that ministers of PIWCs should be given international exposures.
In conclusion, Dr. Anim refuted claims that the concept is elitist and therefore urged ministers and PIWC congregants to protect the brand with good conduct in order to realize God’s plan for the concept.

On his part, the Chairman of the occasion Aps. Dr. Amos Jimmy Markin recounted his days as a young minister of PIWC in Kumasi and said the concept has come far. According to him, the concept initially faced opposition in the church, and serving as a PIWC minister then drew criticisms and prejudice. He concluded that “in all that the PIWC concept has grown and will be the main mode of operation in the church in the next few decades to come.” He advised that members should leverage the relative free the concept bring while observing and holding onto the basic message of the salvation for all souls.

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