United Denomination: Lighthouse Group of Churches

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United Denominations Originating from the Lighthouse Group of Churches
TheologyPentecostal
LanguageMultilingual
HeadquartersQodesh, Accra, Ghana
FounderDag Heward-Mills
Origin1987
Official websitedaghewardmills.org
Location of the Qodesh in Ghana is located in Ghana
Location of the Qodesh in Ghana
Location of the Qodesh in Ghana
Location of the Qodesh in Ghana (Ghana)

Coordinates: 5°35′17″N 0°13′48″W / 5.587981°N 0.230065°W / 5.587981; -0.230065 United Denominations Originating from the Lighthouse Group of Churches (formerly Lighthouse Chapel International) is a Pentecostal Christian Denomination founded in 1987 by Dag Heward-Mills and headquartered in Accra, Ghana. It is considered to be one of the leading Pentecostal/Charismatic denominations in Ghana, and has over 3000 branches in Africa, Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, Australia, the Middle East and the Americas.

History[]

It seemed like a lonely journey devoid of success, when Bishop Dag Heward-Mills began ministering the Christian Gospel in Accra, Ghana.[citation needed] This vision seems to continue unabated. This vision has birthed Lighthouse Chapel International and many other ministries.


The Church, in 1992 then renovated and converted an old cinema in the Korle Gonno area into a large cathedral seating over 3000 people. From there Dag began to teach on church planting and sent out many missionaries to start branches of the Lighthouse Chapel in other nations, towns, and cities of the world. Korle Gonno Cathedral was considered as headquarters of LCI, from April 1993 to December 2005.[1] The building was renamed "Light of the World Cathedral" in 2010. .[2]

In January 2006, "The Qodesh" became the headquarters of LCI, in the North Kaneshie suburb of Accra, Ghana.[3] The building has a seating capacity of 10000. Two chapels are named after bishops Addy and Sackey, and a third is named after Adelaide Heward-Mills, wife of the LCI leader and now first lady and reverend minister of Lighthouse Chapel. [4] The Adelaide chapel includes a beautiful Bell Tower.

In 2011, the Qodesh had an attendance of 2,500. [4] The Qodesh holds multiple services in various chapels on the complex every day of the week. Services are conducted in Twi, French, and English. There are also separate services for youth and children, as well as meetings devoted to prayer, water baptism, and healing.

The Qodesh means "The Holy Hill" [a] and is the largest megachurch in Ghana. Led by other Bishops of LCI, from dawn to dusk and beyond their constant services and meetings. Throughout the three morning services, starting at 6.30 AM and the early evening service at 4.00 pm (for young people).

The Qodesh has hosted many renowned Christian Speakers such as Charles E. Blake, Benny Hinn, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, , Richard Roberts and .

In 2016, Lighthouse Chapel International became United Denomination Originating from the Lighthouse Group of Churches (UD-OLGC).[6]

In the World[]

In 2011, LCI claimed to have 687 churches in 79 countries, with 27,811 members in Ghana and 38,756 members worldwide.[4] [7]

Most of the members in Ghana are from urban areas, which LCI targeted first, but as of 2011, the church reported 46 rural missions in Ghana. [4]

LCI imposes strict rules and regulations on its overseas branches and requires them to follow the standard guidelines for key events such as marriages, funerals, and outdooring ceremonies.[8] LCI is concerned about the risk that members of the overseas branches may become too permissive morally, and considers it has a mission to keep them on the "narrow path of salvation."[9] LCI considers that it has the mandate to evangelize the world. For example, as of 2014, there were a few hundred members in Switzerland with church services in eleven cities led by missionaries from Ghana.[10]

Humanitarian implication[]

The denomination maintains a humanitarian ministry to widows, prisoners, the blind, and the poor in society as well as the sick.[11] It also founded an orphanage, the Lighthouse Christian Children's Home, to cater for orphans and a primary school, the Lighthouse Christian Mission School (now St. Adelaide Schools) to ensure their education.[12] There is also a hospital, The Lighthouse Mission Hospital & Fertility Center (LMHFC). These outfits are under the management of Heward-Mills' wife, Lady Rev. Adelaide Heward-Mills.

Activities[]

LCI began as a student evangelistic ministry. It has developed into a transnational church with members mainly from the professional classes but still draws its strength from student evangelism on the campus of the University of Ghana. The Campus Church branch owns buses and banners and organizes crusades.[13] Elders and shepherds are selected from born-again students in this branch, and the founder holds an annual meeting with the elders, shepherds, and members of the branch.[13] Ministers and missionaries are trained at the Anagkazo Bible and Ministry Training Center and the Christ Mission Academy. [14] LCI organizes youth camps that teach Christianity and also include leadership workshops. [15] LCI emphasizes church planting and lay leadership, with lower importance given to healing compared to other churches in the region. [16] Heward-Mills has written that to succeed a church must be run strictly and hierarchically, with rebels quickly identified and ejected.[17]

LCI depends on tithes to cover expenses. As Dag Heward-Mills has written, "Prosperity in its most basic form consists of someone sowing a seed and later harvesting the returns. Not paying your tithes separates you from this most basic principle of sowing and reaping. When you do not pay your tithes you harm your finances because you take away the foundations of prosperity. [18] However, although Pentecostals often say that wealth is a sign of divine prosperity, the problem of extravagant lifestyles of Pentecostal leaders is recognized, and LCI has instituted a code of conduct for its pastors.[19] Heward-Mills wrote the LCI code of ethics, published as Ministerial Ethics: Practical Wisdom for Christian Ministers. In it, he recognizes the social pressure felt by ministers. [20] In the case of misbehavior by a minister, such as an embezzlement or sexual misconduct, LCI attempts to rehabilitate the offender. After complying with the sanction they are encouraged to resume or continue their ministry.[21]

Healing Jesus Campaign in Ganta Liberia, 2013

The church evangelizes through Healing Jesus Crusades and Lighthouse Media. .[4] He describes "soaking" in taped messages as a way to allow the Spirit to enter the body.[22] Heward-Mills publishes the quarterly magazine A Healing Jesus and broadcasts The Mega Word.[14] In July 2009 Heward-Mills conducted a five-day crusade in Obuasi, a decaying gold-mining town, attended by over 280,000 people.[23] In June 2012 Heward-Mills consecrated three ministers of the church as bishops at the Qodesh, the headquarters of the church. [24] A service held on Good Friday in April 2015 in Independence Square, Accra included songs by a 5,000 member mass choir and a sermon by Bishop Dag Heward-Mills. With "tens of thousands" of attendees, the event may have been the largest ever to be held in the city. [25]

[26] The LCI orphanage at Aburi in Ghana's Eastern Region was founded in 2006 and was soon caring for four boys and fifteen girls, with ages ranging from infants to eleven-year-olds. The administrator of the orphanage is the resident pastor of the local Lighthouse branch. There are five caregivers, known as mothers, and a primary school.[27] In 2013 the orphanage received a donation from members of Action Chapel International, Adenta.[28]

LCI plays an active role when a couple indicates that they are considering marriage, with the pastor sometimes taking part in the negotiations between the families and making every effort to ensure that the "white" wedding is seen as the main ceremony.[29] LCI operates a basic school in Accra teaching to the junior secondary level, and in 2006 founded a 40-bed hospital at its Qodesh complex in Accra. The hospital in 2006 had four medical doctors, nine nurses, and five paramedics, and included an X-ray department, eye clinic, laboratory, and pharmacy. Patients of all faiths were admitted and were expected to pay if they were able.[30]

Mission[]

UD-OLDC's mission statement lists the following:

1. To build 25,000 churches

2. To have Churches in 190 countries

3. To fight fiercely and relentlessly in all battles for the advancement of the churches and the Gospel

4. To produce radical Christians who work for God

5. To go to heaven and to hear Jesus say - "Well done, good and faithful servant"

6. To build 7 cathedrals in 7 major cities in each nation as part of the 190 nations campaign.

Beliefs[]

The Church is against prosperity theology. [31]

UD-OLDC is a member of the National Association of Charismatic and Christian Churches (NACCC)[32] and the Pentecostal World Fellowship. [33]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ The Hebrew word qodesh means holy, hallowed, or sanctified. [5]
  1. ^ LCI Korle Gonno, Light of the World Cathedral Archived 2016-08-04 at the Wayback Machine, LCI Korle Gonno's website, Ghana, retrieved June 22, 2016,
  2. ^ Gifford 2004, p. 25.
  3. ^ LCI Korle Gonno, Light of the World Cathedral Archived 2016-08-04 at the Wayback Machine, LCI Korle Gonno's website, Ghana, retrieved June 22, 2016,
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Englund 2011, p. 208.
  5. ^ Englund 2011, p. 215.
  6. ^ UD-OLGC, Event Landmarks for The UD-OLGC, daghewardmills.org, USA, retrieved May 8, 2021
  7. ^ LCI, Worldwide Missions Archived 2016-06-28 at the Wayback Machine, LCI's website, Ghana, retrieved June 22, 2016
  8. ^ Rijk Van Dijk 2004, p. 458.
  9. ^ Rijk Van Dijk 2004, p. 460.
  10. ^ Samuel Schlaefli 2014.
  11. ^ LCI, Help the helpless, Help the helpless's website, Ghana, retrieved June 22, 2016,
  12. ^ F.A.W. Cofie, Public Relations Practice in the Lighthouse Chapel International and the International Central Gospel Church Archived 2016-08-06 at the Wayback Machine, a Doctorate thesis, University of Ghana, Ghana, 2013, page 61
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b Englund 2011, p. 206.
  14. ^ Jump up to: a b Englund 2011, p. 209.
  15. ^ Englund 2011, p. 212.
  16. ^ Sanneh & Carpenter 2005, p. 84.
  17. ^ Yemisi Ogbe 2014.
  18. ^ Thomas 2012, p. 139.
  19. ^ Quampah 2014, p. xi.
  20. ^ Quampah 2014, p. 144.
  21. ^ Quampah 2014, p. 143.
  22. ^ Marleen De Witte 2003, p. 196.
  23. ^ Good leadership can restore … Obuasi.
  24. ^ Rev. Fabin consecrated at Lighthouse Chapel International.
  25. ^ The largest gathering in Accra? 2015.
  26. ^ Englund 2011, p. 205.
  27. ^ Englund 2011, p. 210.
  28. ^ Obour K. Samuel 2013.
  29. ^ Rijk Van Dijk 2004, p. 446.
  30. ^ Englund 2011, p. 211.
  31. ^ Samuel Nii Narku Dowuona, Prosperity preaching is 'nonsense' - Bishop Dag, modernghana.com, Ghana, April 6, 2015
  32. ^ Quampah 2014, p. 4.
  33. ^ Pentecostal World Fellowship, Membership, pentecostalworldfellowship.org, Malaysia, retrieved January 15, 2020

Sources[]

Further reading[]

  • Nterful, Emmanuel Louis (2013). Church Expansion Through Church Planting in Ghana: A Case Study of the Lighthouse Chapel International Model. North-West University (South Africa). Potchefstroom Campus.
  • Dag Heward-Mills (2008-06-04). Ministerial Ethics. Lux Verbi – BM. ISBN 978-0-7963-0808-5.
  • Kweku Okyerefo, Michael Perry (2014). "African Churches in Europe. Transnational Dynamics in African Christianity: How Global Is The Lighthouse Chapel International Missionary Mandate?". Journal of African Religions. Penn State University Press. 2 (1): 95–124. doi:10.5325/jafrireli.2.1.0095. JSTOR 10.5325/jafrireli.2.1.0095.
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