Investigation on the effectiveness of the ministry of deliverance in the life of a Christian
CHAPTER ONE
Objective of the study
The objectives of the study are;
- To discuss the concepts of ill-health, healing and deliverance as well as church growth
- To examine the belief and practice of healing and deliverance in Christian life
- To ascertain the relationship between healing and deliverance and church growth in Christian life
- To ascertain the effect of ministry of deliverance and Christian life
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Introduction
Healing, deliverance and church growth are major themes considered very central to this research. These main themes have received scholarly discussions in their distinctive senses but not in how they relate with each other into details. For the purpose of this thesis, literature on general and specific areas of healing, deliverance, church growth and the history of Charismatic Pentecostal Churches in Ghana are considered for review. Allan Anderson’s work is considered one of the fundamental works which provides historical background to understanding the origin of the Charismatic Pentecostal phenomenon in Christianity. It also illustrates how the movements started and their subsequent development into distinctive new Christian religious movements and independent churches worldwide. He asserts that the contemporary Charismatic Pentecostal phenomena defeats universally acceptable definition due to the diversity in the seemingly common Charismatic Pentecostal practices. However, he defines the Charismatic Pentecostal phenomenon broadly as one that describes ‘globally all churches and movements that emphasize the working in of the gift of the Spirit, both on phenomenological and theological grounds’. Asamoah-Gyadu uses organizational structures to identify three categories of Charismatic Pentecostal churches in Ghana. These include the non-denominational groups which comprise individuals who belong to other established churches, the renewal movements that exist and operate within their mother churches, and the independently established Charismatic churches. Despite the diversity of their organizational status, these Charismatic Pentecostal religious groups, according to Anderson, have common practices and are similar in their approaches to religious activities. Among these practices are emphasis on the reliance on the Holy Spirit and the demonstration of his eminence in the activities of believers. Such activities include spontaneous praying, joyful singing, handclapping and dancing, periodic Bible study meeting, fast, public evangelistic crusades, healing and deliverance, prophesying, testimonies, and speaking in tongues.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to investigation on the effectiveness of the ministry of deliverance in the life of a Christian
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain Investigation on the effectiveness of the ministry of deliverance in the life of a Christian. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of the ministry of deliverance in the life of a Christian
Summary
This study was on investigation on the effectiveness of the ministry of deliverance in the life of a Christian. Four objectives were raised which included: To discuss the concepts of ill-health, healing and deliverance as well as church growth, to examine the belief and practice of healing and deliverance in Christian life, to ascertain the relationship between healing and deliverance and church growth in Christian life and to ascertain the effect of ministry of deliverance and Christian life. In line with these objectives, two research hypotheses were formulated and two null hypotheses were posited. The total population for the study is 200 members of selected churches in Uyo. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made pastors, elders, deacons and members were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
This research about the investigation on the effectiveness of the ministry of deliverance in the life of a Christian. The deliverance practice, which started concurrently with the church after its split with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, forms an integral part of the church’s regular religious activities especially during crusades and other evangelistic programmes. The GEC continuously explore the deliverance practice as an evangelistic tool in winning many coverts and strengthening the faith and commitment of existing members. Consequently, the deliverance practice is discovered as one of the major contributing factors to the rapid growth of the church. This is indicated in several impacts the practice had on the growth of the church. Thus through the various activities constituting the deliverance practice, (counselling, discussing the word of God, singing and praying for deliverance) numerical, conceptual, organic progress has been made in the church in addition to the physical wealth (financial and infrastructural growth) of the GEC
Recommendation
Healing and deliverance in this study is identified as an evangelism tool meant for winning people to faith in Christ. As a result, the research highly recommends that the practitioners employ biblical principles and ensure that activities constituting the practice do not defeat the purpose for its incorporation into the church. It is against this background that it is recommended that any initiative of such nature takes into consideration the tendencies for excesses and irregularities involving human right abuses. This will ensure that health and wellbeing is restored and the dignity of the Christian and his or her faith is promoted. This will enable many people to seek the truth about Christianity and finally long to be part of it.
References
- Amoah, Elizabeth, African Traditional Religion and the Concept of poverty in Peter J. Paris, (ed.), Religion and Poverty: Pan- African Perspective (Durham & London: Duke University Press, 2009). Anderson, Allan, An Introduction to Pentecostalism: Global Charismatic Christianity (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004).
- Appiah-Kubi, Kofi, Man Cures, God Heals: Religion and Medical Practice among the Akans of Ghana (New York: Friendship Press, 1981).
- Asamoah-Gyadu, Kwabena, J., African Charismatics: Current Developments within Independent Indigenous Pentecostalism in Ghana (Leiden: Koninklijke Brill NV, 2005).
- Asamoah-Gyadu Kwabena, J., Contemporary Pentecostal Christianity: interpreting from An African Context (Oxford: Regnum Books International, 2013). Ashigbie W. E., (ed), The History of the Global Evangelical Church- 1847-2011 (Accra Global Evangelical Publishing Services, 2012).
- Awolalu, Omosade J., & Dopamu, Adelumo P., West African Traditional Religion (Ibadan: Onibonoje Press & Books Limited, 1979).
- Baeta, C. G., Prophetism in Ghana: A Study of Some ‘Spiritual’ Churches (London: SCM Press Ltd, 1962). Bosch, David, Transforming Missions: Paradigm in Theology of Missions (Mary Knoll: Orbits Books, 1991).
- Craig Ott & Gene Wilson in, Global Church Planting: Biblical Principles and best practices for Multiplication (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2011). Emmanuel Kingsley Larbi, Pentecostalism; the Eddies of Ghanaian Christianity (Accra: Centre for Pentecostal and Charismatic Studies, 2001).
- Engel, G. ‘The Need for a New Medical Model: A Challenge for Biomedicine’ in A. Caplan et. al. (eds), Concepts of Health and Disease (Town unknown: Addison Wesley Co, 1981). Ferguson, Sinclair B., et. al. (ed), New Dictionary of Theology, (Leicester: Intervarsity Press, 1988).
