REPORT OF EVENTS BY REV. DEZIRE DOTSE
SOUL WINNING CRUSADE ORGANIZED BY THE LIVING WORD HOUSEHOLD CHURCH, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COVENANT MESSENGERS MINISTRIES OUTREACH TEAM
A team made up of seven evangelists, arrived at the church’s premises on Tuesday 3rd August 2004 at about 6:30 pm. They include brother Isaac Kurankyi, Odame Williams, Samuel Asare and Elder Amoako Boateng Sister Fusena, Moses and Isaac Afful.
Adequate accommodation arrangement had already been put in place by the church. The majority of their feeding cost had been made available by the Director of CMM- Accra, Brother Boachie – Danquah.
Plans were made for a house to house evangelism to start in the community, early the following morning, 4th to Saturday 7th of August at 6:00 pm each night. During day time evangelism from house to house was to be undertaken by the team every morning 4th August.
The early morning evangelism planned for the first day could not come on because the team has to assist in taking a soul who is slowly being destroyed by the spirit of alcoholism to the psychiatrist hospital for treatment after an intervention prayer and deliverance session. We came back late in the afternoon and had to prepare for the crusade grounds.
Because my church has not yet acquired the necessary equipment for an outdoor crusade and the ones brought by the outreach team was not enough, I invited another church in the area who brought their equipment to join us.
That first day, on the crusade grounds, we had the usual crowd, but none came forward to receive Christ, though the message was powerful, it’s success came to light the following day when the team went out for the house-to-house evangelism. According to their report, most of the people they met testified that they were on the crusading grounds, they were moved to come forward but could not because of shyness. After further teaching, they gave their lives to Christ.
5th August
The second day of the crusade was better with the crowd increasing in number, but no one came forward. Once again the team had to go out and fish out those who wanted to come forward but could not do so on the crusading grounds.
6th August
The third day followed the same pattern of the two previous days, the outreach team had to go to them in their houses, but this time they extended their visitation to members of the church, many of whom had not been attending church services for same time now and gave them encouragement. I am sure the team would be able to testify better to what happened in the field.
On this particular day, instead of the usual outing in the morning, we had a session of prayers and deliverance service, which took place at the church’s auditorium, from 9:00 am – 12:30 pm. This service was conducted by the outreach team.. The sick were prayed for and counselling for people who had various kinds of problems and needed advice was ministered to. The sick were also prayed for in the evening crusade
7th August
On the fourth day, as usual, the team went out to the house to house evangelism and many more people gave their lives to Christ.
The program for the evening crusade was a video film show. There was a power hitch when the power amplifier belonging to the church blew up when the speakers were being connected so we could neither use our loudspeakers nor the horn speakers belonging to the outreach team, but they had a battery-operated megaphone. The title of the film was “The pPassionof the Christ”. This was the final day of the crusade.
At the end of the film an altar call was made again, suddenly this young lady we had never seen before jumped and rushed forward.
I had strong feelings of relief, at last for four long nights of preaching the gospel on the crusade grounds, to hundreds of people, who to my knowledge were all not born again Christians, one person stepped forward. When I voiced my feelings out, Brother Isaac remarked that, who knows, it might have been because of this single soul, that the Lord caused this crusade to be held.
This lady gave her life to Christ after telling us about what she has been going through. She followed us after the meeting to go personally to the church premises, that night before going home, a place where she is being rejected and presently being ejected. I gave her the time for our Sunday service which was the following day. True to her word she was in the church service even earlier than the time I gave her.
During the time of the general introduction to the church, she gave her name as Sister ‘Dinah Nana Owusua’ and in her own words (and I quote) “I have come to be with this church and serve the Lord until his second coming”.
Fortunately, the direction of CMM- Accra, Brother Boachie, conducted the Sunday service. I introduced the new converts and what he told me concerning this lady means a prophecy has come true that the Lord is particularly interested in this soul for greater works.
To conclude, this crusade would not have been effective if the outreach team had not joined in the house-to-house evangelism. After the end of everything, they were able to fish out more than 25 souls, who gave their lives to Christ. The follow-up would be done by the church‘s own team who usually go out with them for more training in the field.
I have had discussions with the leader of the team, Brother Isaac Kurankyi, concerning their participation in a “one-week revival meeting once in every month until December”.
Also, the team would be able to give my team the opportunity to gain more experience in the field.
I have plans for the Bible School students who will be passing through the CMM Bible School to also go through a practical experience in the field, an area where the outreach team will be an excellent instrument
Meanwhile the director, after listening to the plight and the predicament of the lady’s present situation, donated an amount of money to her. He has asked me to bring the lady to the office. As I sit here concluding this report, she is here waiting for me, arriving earlier than the time I gave her to report to this office.
On our way to the CMM office I, Ps Dotse, found out from my conversation with her that, she had been passing by the crusade grounds during the past three days and never bothered to stop and listen but the fourth day as she was passing by, she thought there was an entertainment film show going on, she did not think it was the Word of God that had been going on all the time, so she decided to draw near to see if whether the film can divert her mind from the agony and sorrow which she was feeling at that particular time, and she met the picture of Jesus Christ being whipped and tortured, and that is what arrested her. She decided then and there, to give her life to Christ, and in her own words and I quote again “I did not know until now, that there is so much joy in being a Christian”.
Ps. Dotse (Reporter)
Glory!!!
The photos will follow soon. Brother, may I suggest that special attention be given to this lady. She is 31 years old. I invited her to the office this morning, encouraged and prayed for her. I gave her about $20 to buy some used clothes and $10 to the Pastor to buy her some medicine, as she was not feeling well. I believe from my heart that it was because of this lady that God organised the crusade. I again believe that God has a special assignment for her.
Will let you hear more about her later.
Glory!!!!!