HISTORY, AIMS AND

OBJECTIVES OF PENSA GHANA

COMPILED BY:

NATIONAL COORDINATING TEAM OF PENSA

GHANA
 OUTLINE
 Emergency of PENSA
 The reality of the problem
 The mitigating strategies
 The birth of PENSA
 Challenges encountered
 Conferences
 Progress of PENSA
 National Coordinating Body
 Present day PENSA
 The impact of PENSA in the Church and Society
 Aims of PENSA Ghana
 Objectives of PENSA Ghana
 THE EMERGENCE OF PENSA

 In the 1970s more and more sons and daughters of the

Church entered into secondary and tertiary institutions for
higher education. This brought both positive and negative
impact on some of the members of the church.

 The unfortunate side effects that secular education had had

on the spiritual standing of the so-called elite members of our
churches was enormous.
 THE EMERGENCE OF PENSA Cont’d

 Teenagers who had just passed through the Sunday School

system of the church into secondary schools were confronted
with the realities of the freedom of being away from home and
out of the supervision of parents.
 THE REALITY OF THE PROBLEM

 Though Pentecostalism was producing a healthy influence over

the less educated segment of the population, it virtually had no
impact on the higher institutions of learning.
 Up to about 1976, for example, there was no Pentecostal
Fellowship in any of the three Universities of the country.
 Pentecostalism by then was probably unattractive to the elite .
 THE MITIGATINNG STRATEGIES

 In Kumasi Apostle J. C Quaye of blessed memory from about 1969

started gathering students and inspiring them to keep to the faith.

 In 1974, the late Apostle A. T. Nartey also started organizing the students
at Cape Coast especially during vacations and gave them fatherly
encouragement to keep the faith.
 It was like God was dehusking the seed in the fathers till PENSA would
be born.
 THE MITIGATING STRATEGIES Cont’d


,
The need for students’ wing of the Church was therefore somehow born in the minds of many.
 In 1976, the campus of the University of Ghana Legon, witnessed the formation of the Legon
Pentecostals Union (LPU) as the first ever Pentecostal Fellowship on any University campus
(Spearheaded by Bro. Larkai, Kyei etc.)
 In 1978 some members of the Church at the University of Science and Technology organized
themselves into The Church of Pentecost Students Group which adopted the name ‘Pentecost
Students Association’ whereas the Legon Pentecostals Union embraced members of other
churches of the Ghana Pentecostal Council.
 That same year it was firmly decided after some discussions between Brothers J. S. Gyimah,
Peter Ohene Kyei & J. A. Larkai that concrete steps should be taken to establish a students’
movement within the church.
 THE MITIGATING STRATEGIES Cont’d

 The first General Secretary of the Church, Reverend J. Egyir-Paintsil who had
actively followed the work of the Legon Fellowship (Legon Pentecostals
Union), was contacted by the three brothers and the idea was fully discussed
with him.
 Rev. Egyir-Paintsil carried the discussion further on the need for the
establishment of the student movement in the Church and the Greater Accra
regional Presbytery accepted the idea at one of its meetings held at Abossey
Okai, Accra.
 The presbytery readily agreed to finance a Delegates meeting estimated to cost
Two thousand five hundred cedis (¢2,500).
 THE MITIGATING STRATEGIES Cont’d

 Elder J. E. K. Antiri, an educationist who proved a real life wire for

PENSA was by the grace of God appointed as a Mentor and Leader.
 A delegates meeting was thus convened at Accra Academy on 21st to
23rd August 1979 under the chairmanship of Elder J E. K Antiri .
 At this meeting PENSA was formalized and an interim National
Committee was set up to plan a National Conference in 1980 where
PENSA would be formally inaugurated and a National Executive
elected.
 THE MITIGATING STRATEGIES Cont’d

 TheGeneral Conference was held at Prempeh College, Kumasi

from 22nd to 25th August, 1980.
 About800 participants were in attendance, a constitution was
promulgated and PENSA formally inaugurated.
 Atthe 18th session of the General Council(1981), the Church
unanimously accepted the movement.
 THE BIRTH OF PENSA

 Interest in the movement spread throughout the country

with the active support and participation of many pastors
and elders.
 Fortunately or unfortunately for PENSA, and for the
Church within a year of its formation, there was a new
directive.
 CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED

 The directive was to bring the then Witness Movement and PENSA (at
home) under one umbrella called PENTYEM with Apostle Peter
Ayerakwa (rtd) as the first director because PENSA (at home) and her
activities affected the then Witness Movement.
 This directive however did not fully affect PENSA in the institutions.
 However, in the unfortunate ensuing situation many of the Associate
members lost interest in the group and never returned to the fold of
PENSA.
 CONFERENCES

The hallmark of PENSA activities were the biennial regional and national conferences
which were characterised by spiritually edifying programmes.
The following National Conferences have been held:
 1980 Prempeh College, Kumasi
 1982 Ghana Secondary School, Koforidua
 1985 Wesley College, Kumasi, Theme: Come, Go and Tell
 1987 University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Theme: The Holy Spirit and You
 1990 Aburi Girls Secondary School, Aburi; Theme: The Unchanging God
 By 1990 the records indicated that almost every secondary school in the country has
been visited by PENSA at least once.
 CONFERENCES Cont’d


After 1992, national conferences were held every year.
 The conference was dubbed the I.T.I PENSA Conference since it was mainly patronized by tertiary
students
 However, between the year 2011 and 2013, the number of Pre-Tertiary (senior High school) students who
attended the I.T.I PENSA conference was steadily increasing.
 This informed leadership to reconsider the name I.T.I PENSA to PENSA Ghana, in order to capture all
students at the various levels of education.
 In the advent of the creation of more sectors, the leadership at the national level is rotated among sectors
instead of institutions.
 Venue for hosting the conference in 2014 was permanently moved from the campuses to the Pentecost
Convention Centre due to difficulties in getting venues to host the conference.
 PROGRESS OF PENSA

 Literacy classes were organized by PENSA on a very modest

scale and it yielded many graduates who were now able to read
the Bible on their own.
• Hundreds of students and associates of the church who would have
been lost either to the world or to false doctrines have been retained
in the faith.
• Many overseas branches of the church were pioneered and actively
supported by PENSA brethren abroad .
 NATIONAL COORDINATING BODY

 Vibrant PENSA groups began to spring up in several tertiary institutions

including Polytechnics, Teacher/Nursing Training colleges, etc.
 Therefore,
there was the need to have leadership to spearhead activities of
all PENSA groups at the national level.
 The Coordinating Team System was then implemented. The team had the
responsibility of planning and organizing regional and national
conferences.
 The national leadership and host institution rotated between the then three
traditional universities i.e. University of Ghana, KNUST and UCC.
 PRESENT DAY PENSA

 Currently, PENSA is active in more than 166 Tertiary institutions in

Ghana and 541 Pre-Tertiary institutions and has an estimated
membership of 113,158.
 The ‘PENSA idea’ has spread from Ghana to many countries in the
world where it continues to impact the lives of young people, keeping
them on fire for the Lord.
 Thus, PENSA has become an active and cherished wing of The Church
of Pentecost.
 PRESENT DAY PENSA

 Due to the increasing numbers, PENSA Ghana has been divided into
18 sectors, each with a Travelling Secretary, for effective
administration. This was not so in the early days, and we give glory to
the Lord for what He is doing.
 The 18 sectors: Madina, Kaneshie, Upper Volta, Lower Volta, Central,
Winneba, Takoradi, Tarkwa, Koforidua, Suhum, Asokwa, Kwadaso,
Mampong, Brong Ahafo, Northern, Upper East and Upper West
sectors.
 THE IMPACT OF PENSA IN THE CHURCH
AND SOCIETY

 By the grace of God, PENSA is not only impacting lives in the church, it is also
touching lives in our societies as well. These are being done in numerous ways:
 Massive evangelism, with signs and wonders, winning souls whose lives are made
better and beneficial to the church and the community. With this, many Assemblies
in CoP have been opened.
 The transforming of many young people’s spiritual lives through effective teaching,
prayers and discipleship and the raising of leaders who continue to raise high the
banner of Christ and the church. This is evident by the numerous officers and
Ministers of the church who have had training in PENSA.
 THE IMPACT OF PENSA IN THE CHURCH
AND SOCIETY

 The organization of the PENSA conference is one of the biggest youth

gatherings in Ghana, at which many people’s lives are made better.

 Seminars and sessions where PENSA members are empowered for

business. This is evident by the numerous PENSA alumni who are making
giant strides in the corporate world.

 Visits and donations to needy people, e.g., prisoners and orphanages.

 AIMS OF PENSA GHANA

 To foster interaction among members within and outside the various campuses.
 To deepen and strengthen personal faith in Christ Jesus, and to enhance the mutual growth of
members through the study of the Bible, prayer and fellowship.
 For proper integration of students and alumni into the Church of Pentecost (The Church).
 To help establish PENSA in all Pre-Tertiary (Senior High, Vocational, Technical, etc.) and Tertiary
Institutions.
 To curb the drift of students and ALUMNI into other churches.
 To help gather resources for field and missionary work.
 To ensure effective communication between the Church and the Group, as well as within the Group.
 OBJECTIVES OF PENSA GHANA
 To organize programmes to meet the needs of members in the Tertiary institutions, such as
Conferences, Joint Evangelistic Crusades, Seminars, Workshops, Orientation for National
Service Personnel.
 To promote the establishment of the Alumni body for effective integration into the Church
and to help finance programmes.
 To provide assistance to members of the Church in second cycle institutions in the form of
Seminars, Crusade, Vacation Classes, and Career Guidance etc. to inspire, motivate and
encourage such members.
 To inculcate into the membership a lifestyle of modesty and decency.
 To help members identify and develop their ministries and leadership potentials.
 To coordinate the activities of PENSA in other institutions within designated Zones