HISTORY
OF THE CHURCH
Apostolic Temple Of
Christ of today has gone through a series of ups and downs over the years. It
all started from the year 1986 when there was a breakaway from the united
Pentecostal church international –Ghana (UPCI-Ghana) with the reasons of
perceived bad administration, financial
malfeasance, overburdening of local assemblies and the neglect of duty of the
national headquarters.
This breakaway from the
mother church became successful following the earlier resignation of Reverend
Andrew K. Mensah from UPCI-Ghana who was the regional presbyter and overseer of
the bibiani assembly.
Rev. Andrew K. Mensah founded
the Bonkrong assembly and he was very instrumental and influential in most
assemblies of UPCI-Ghana. His resignation was cited on personal grounds. It was
later on established, when he was invited by the elders of bonkrong and asuafu
assemblies that, he was been maltreated, there was disregard for his ministry
and undue favouritism on the part of the national quarters.
The Bonkrong and Asuafu
assembies by then wrote to the national board on their intention to break away
from the UPCI-Ghana. The national board delegated the then general secretary
Rev.E. N Apemah and Rev. Owusu Ansah to address the issue they admonished the
assemblies to resent to their decision as they were going to make ammends, but
the problems were rather too much to overlook them.
On these grounds, Bonkrong
and Asuafu assemblies formed the united Pentecostal church of Christ in
December 1986. Brother Alexander Opoku was a teacher in new Koforidua near Samproso.
He helped rekindled the fire in Samproso assembly which was at the verge of
collapse and thus assembly became part of the new church.
Shortly in the same
year, Pastor John Karikari Asiamah who was a police officer and a pastor in the
Tema assembly of the UPCI-Ghana introduced to the new church, another church
based in the USA by name United Pentecostal Church of God for partnership but
the merger could not hold since he realized some doctrinal differences.
In the year 1987, some
UPCI assemblies in solidarity to Pastor Andrew K. Mensah, left the UPCI-Ghana. All
the breakaway churches came together under the name, Christ Pentecostal ministry (CPM). The likes of Rev. Asare, brother
Agamah, brother Amoako who were very vibrant in UPCI-Ghana with the Tema
assembly had joined. The Tema assembly was headed by Rev Nartey. Dc Aboagye
Dakosta was the overseer of obuasi assembly.Edubase assembly was headed by Rev
Aidoo, Brother Charles Donkor was took charge of samproso and abrokyire
assemblies, Ejisu assembly was manned by Rev Antwi Boasiako,Elder Alexander
Opoku, Elder Mensah , Brother Peprah and Dc Samuel Owusu Achiaw were also
instrumental in Bonkrong and Asuafu assemblies.
One pastor Amo Boateng
from Effiduase had heard of the oneness of God faith from Pastor Antwi Boasiako,
joined the church. Pastor Amo Boateng later was made to head the Samproso
assembly.
Rev. Asare (late)
became the president of CPM. Brother Amoako was the general secretary and brother
Agamah, the treasurer and Pastor Andrew K. Mensah was in charge of Ashanti
region. In the event,Pastor Antwi Boasiako took the Edubisae assembly back to
UPCI. Ps Aidoo also took the obuasi assembly back to the UPCI and likewise The
Ejisu assembly.
Even though Pastor John
Karikari Asiamah was a pastor in UPCI, he paid visit to Bonkrong assembly
frequently since his heart was with the assembly. He introduced Holy temple
church of the lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith based in the United
States of America, which was on a mission to Ghana, to the CPM for a merger in
1989. At this time, a controversy on the use of ornaments and the hair do had
arisen between churches in greater Accra and Ashanti. Assemblies in Ashanti
Region believed that the Christian mode of dressing is modesty and not the use
of ornaments and hairdo.The merger between the Holy Temple church and CPM
became fruitful since there was conformity of belief.
Pastor Karikari who had
left the UPCI was a pastor in the new assembly in Tema. One Rev. Dapaah from Asesewa
became the president of Holy temple church, Ghana. Rev. D.K Ansah of Samproso
was made the vice president and Pastor Andrew K. Mensah, the general secretary
and Dc. Amoako, the treasurer. Since Pastor Karikari was preparing for his
retirement from the police service, Pastor Andrew K. Mensah was made to oversee
the Tema assembly in his stead.
Dc Owusu Kwabena , a
teacher was transferred from Samproso school to Nkenkaasu Methodist School. He helped to plant an
assembly there and later pastor Amo Boateng was made to oversee the assembly.
The church had another
preaching point at Offinso and so Pastor Amo Boateng went there to help plant
another church, since Samproso and Nkenkaasu assemblies were doing well.
In the year 1992, Rev.
Dapah and Rev. K Ansah left Holy Temple with the reason that, they were
disappointed with the merger. They said they were not receiving the necessary
help from the international quarters. The general secretary became the
president.
In the year 1993, the
brother of Pastor Andrew K. Mensah who had returned from abroad convinced him
to go back to UPCI-Ghana. He left Holy Temple with the Tema members to UPCI-Ghana.
Same time in the year, Pastor Karikari had retired from the police service. He
came to Kumasi and planted a church( with his family) at Atonsu (nyame wo
baabia junction) with the help of the then Elder Agyemeng(now Pastor Agyemang)
and Elder George Addai(pastor Addai)He assumed the position of the president of
the church. The Atonsu assembly was moved to its current place in Adum in the
year 1996.
By this time the church
could boast of Adum ,Bonkrong,Asuafu,Nsuta,Offinso, Samproso and Nkenkaasu
assemblies.
Sometime in the year
1994, a church was started at trede to the credit of Mr Paul Ackah , ably aided
Mr Addai(late), , Auntie Ama and Dc. Asamoah .Elder George Addai and Rev Andrew
K. Mensah( who had come back from UPCI-Ghana) were made to oversee the assembly at different
times but several factors including
personal challenges and the demise of Mr Addai led to the collapse of the
assembly.
The current name of the
church, APOSTOLIC TEMPLE OF CHRIST, was adopted by the leadership of the church
at a board meeting in 1997 held at Trede. The church even though has been
registered under the name Holy Temple church, the adoption was made So that the
church would not be mistaken for one spiritual church called Holy Temple Church.
In the year 2005, Pastor
Amo Boateng initiated a breakaway from the church with the aid of some members
of the seven men prayer warriors of the church. (Pastor Anthony Agyapong,
Pastor Owusu Kwabena, Pastor Jacob Sarkodie and Elder George Addai) Their concern
was that, the name of the church be changed to apostolic Living Ministry. This
issue brought about the breakaway of some assemblies like Nsuta,Offinso, and
some members of the Nkenkaasu assembly.
The church however
gathered itself by organizing retreats, conventions, youth campings and the
likes. In the process, same year 2005, Elder mark agyemang (who was assisting
Bishop John Karikari Asiamah) and Elder Samuel Owusu Achiaw( the national
secretary) were ordained pastors . Some vaunt members were also elevated as
Deacons to help the cause of the work of God.
Afterwards, a long
lasting controversy on the covering of the Christian woman deepened given rise
to the present state of the church.
At a board meeting held
in Adum, in December 2007, it was concluded that, the covering of the woman be
maintained with the artificial veil rather than the natural hair during church
meeting. During an annual convention in Bonkrong same month, the national
president of the women’s fellowship was made to step down since she came to
church with her natural hair and not putting on a veil through an announcement
by the national secretary.
It was later on agreed
in another board meeting that the assemblies shall fellowship under the same
name APOSTOLIC TEMPLE OF CHRIST such that programmes will be organized
differently among assemblies with different views.
Elder Atta Boadi also
left the church with some members to plant the BODY OF CHRIST MINISTRY even
though he sometimes visits APOSTOLIC TEMPLE OF CHRIST with his members. All
attempts to merge with his church have proved futile.
Today, Bonkrong, Asuafu, Samproso, Nkenkaasu
and Anomangye assemblies believe that the covering of the Christian woman
during church meetings is a material veil and thus practice so and fellowship
together. Adum, Ejisu and Ashanti Mampong assemblies also fellowship together
with the belief that, the covering of the Christian woman is the natural
unshaven, unshorn long hair at all times.
We know that, this
controversy shall be over someday, for it is divinely orchestrated for the
expansion of the body of Christ.
