The Wharton, New Jersey, congregation held special meetings from August 20-27, 2023. The theme of the meetings was “With One Accord,” taken from Acts 1:14. 

At the opening service, the orchestra played “Rise Up, O Church of God,” followed by the choir singing, “The Power of God.” Preceding the message was a solo titled “In the Upper Room.” The text, taken from Acts 1:13-14, described the unity and determination among the Apostles and disciples after they had previously struggled with unbelief, strife, and discouragement. James Timbilla, pastor of the Wharton congregation, intimated that wherever there is unity, miracles happen. He said a harmonious relationship can be challenging, but it is vital among believers who want to show a positive example to a world full of unbelievers. He encouraged all to make every effort to preserve the feeling of unity that David spoke about in Psalm 133.

The evening service began with a cello prelude of “Are You Washed in the Blood?” and the choir singing “Send the Fire.” Two people testified of getting saved and another of being reanointed after the morning service. “Come, Holy Spirit” was sung before a sermon by Daniel Tetteh. Reading portions of Acts chapter 5, Brother Daniel preached on how Peter was transformed after receiving the power of the Holy Ghost. He encouraged the congregation to seek the power of the Spirit in order to stand against the threats to one’s faith in these last days. A prolonged season of prayer followed the message.

Monday evening was devoted to an intercessory prayer meeting where members prayed for the outpouring of God’s blessing on the services. Requests included the salvation of souls, strength for the youth, healing, and answers to various needs.

On Tuesday evening, the first Bible Teaching, given by Robert Makasi, was on the topic of doubt. Quoting from Matthew 27:5, Jeremiah 33:3, and Proverbs 3:5-6 and other Scriptures, Brother Robert said that doubt will not lead to anything good, but faith is of inestimable value. He added that doubt can be overcome with God’s help, enabling believers to live on the victory side with confidence in God. He concluded that believers should put their trust in God, who has always proven reliable.

A visitor who had found the church online came early before the Wednesday evening service and waited until the opening of the church. During the service, a sister testified about how she and her husband were blessed after the teaching on doubt. Before the message, there was a vocal duet of “Wait and Murmur Not.” Taking his initial text from Psalm 37:7, Brother Daniel spoke about learning to wait. He did an activity demonstrating the difference between passive and active waiting, and stated that people need to do “active waiting” by busying themselves in the work of the Lord, rather than “passive waiting,” which tends to make things seem more delayed. He gave a personal testimony about how through waiting, the Lord worked out his marriage when circumstances seemed impossible. He urged all to faithfully wait for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is the ultimate expectation of every Christian.

Thursday evening was the third and final Bible teaching. After the congregational singing, there was a testimony service and one brother shared that he had been reanointed. A solo titled “Old Paths” with “Let Others See Jesus in You” was sung before Brother James brought the Bible teaching on legacy. Citing Joshua 24:15 and 1 Kings 14:16, he gave the example of the different ways Joshua and Jeroboam are remembered. He stated that while no one can change the past, people can change from what they were in the past and leave behind a good example, particularly for the youth who need faith to face the challenges of the future. 

A thanksgiving service was held on Friday evening in appreciation for God’s deliverance of the Wharton church from the coronavirus pandemic. After singing songs of praise, including “Now Thank We All Our God,” many testified of how they or their family members contracted the virus and how God delivered and protected them. A brother also testified about God reanointing him. The message was preceded by a soloist singing “My Tribute,” and “Bless His Holy Name.” Akinola Fawole, reading from Psalm 103, highlighted how the first few verses express thanksgiving. He said if people do not count their blessings, they will have nothing to be thankful for. He encouraged the congregation to thank God for whatever comes their way, believing that God is in control.

There were two concurrent seminar sessions on Saturday morning. In one session, the youth explored the topic “Majoring on Minors: Holiness in Outward Appearance.” In the other session, the adults, using an excerpt from the Apostolic Faith Ministers Manual, addressed the question, “Does a Christian have to look different from the world?” The main objective was to involve all ages in guarding against worldly dress styles. The interactions among the youth were heartwarming.

Visitors from the Philadelphia church joined the believers in Wharton on the second Sunday. At the morning service, the orchestra started by playing “Be Exalted, O God” and the choir singing “Gospel Hooked on Favorite.” Before the sermon, there was a vocal duet of “It Is No Secret.” Ene Ekpin, pastor of the Philadelphia church, took his text from Acts 1:14. He spoke on how God delivered Peter out of prison when the church came together to pray. He brought out that if families and the church will come together and pray in one accord, they will see the miracles of God.

This year’s in-house special meetings concluded with an evening youth service. The youth orchestra began by playing “No Other Name” with “The Battle Belongs to the Lord” and the youth choir singing “The Old Time Power.” A young men’s choir sang “Every Time I Feel the Spirit” to start the testimonies. Before the message was a solo titled “Together, Together.” Brother Makasi took his text from 1 Peter 1:15-16 and 2:9, challenging all present to be separate from the world to receive the Holy Spirit. He encouraged the saved to be sanctified and emphasized that sanctification fosters unity and helps the Church live according to the theme of these special meetings.