History

 

The International Central Gospel Church – ICGC – is an Evangelical, Charismatic Christian Church. It was officially inaugurated as a church on the 26 th of February 1984, in Accra, Ghana. The first meeting was held in a small classroom with an initial membership of just about twenty people.

From February 1984 to April 1986, the membership grew about one hundred and eighty(180) adults in regular attendance. The early meetings of the church were held in several facilities which included classrooms, a private residence, a public hall, a science laboratory, a mechanical workshop and a cinema theatre. In May 1986, the church settled in a rented scout hall – the Baden Powell Memorial Hall – which became its home for the next ten years. This hall was renovated to enable it to accommodate the fast-growing membership of the church. During this ten-year period the membership rose to over 4,000. This period also saw aggressive missionary church planting activities with local assemblies established in almost all the major towns and cities of Ghana. Several other churches were also planted in cities in Europe and the United States.
 
The first congregation which was established in February 1984, now designated as the Christ Temple assembly, has directly planted about forty other churches out of the original congregation in the Accra - Tema metropolis of Ghana alone.
 
In 1988 the ICGC established a ministerial institute to train a new generation of leaders to carry out its vision. From the initial six-month certificate in ministry, the college has developed into the premier private-owned University in Ghana known as the Central University College.
 
Again in 1988, the church instituted an educational scholarship scheme, known as Central Aid, to finance the education of selected needy students in pre-tertiary educational institutions. This scheme is now considered the largest non-governmental scholarship programme for students in pre-tertiary education in Ghana.

The International Central Gospel Church is a socially conscious Christian church with upholds the philosophy of Human dignity and Excellence. It engages in promoting and staging events whose impact have reached to the depths of the Ghanaian society and brought Christ to the doorsteps of the people.

 

 

Our Message

 

The I.C.G.C. is committed to the holistic preaching and demonstration of God's plans and purposes for all mankind as revealed in the Holy Scriptures. This plan is set out in Genesis 1:26-28.
Then God said, "Let Us make man in our image, according to our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
It is a purpose that was lost through the fall but restored through the conception, birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through the gospel of His Kingdom, God has made available to mankind -
ICGC believes that God is the God of the Natural, the spiritual as well as the visible and the invisible. In man, God joined together the spirit and the body to create the manifestation of His likeness and image. If God is comfortable joining the natural and spiritual together, then we believe that "What God has joined together, let no man (or church) put asunder."
We believe Christianity is not a myth or fable but a practical, pragmatic and enjoyable life ordained by God for all mankind to experience His goodness. As such we seek to make our life in Christ a living reality.

 

 

Mission Statement

 

The Mission Statement of the International Central Gospel Church is: "Raising leaders, shaping vision and influencing society through Christ."



It is our purpose and desire to constantly challenge the world through our life and conduct, to live closer to God's ideal.
As salt of the earth, we are committed to the preservation of Godliness.
As light of the world we must transform the society through the challenge of a Christ-centered life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Statement of Faith

 

We believe... that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.


We believe... in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, and in His bodily resurrection.


We believe... the Bible to be the inspired and infallible Word of God. We believe... in salvation by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.


We believe... in the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues as a subsequent gift to salvation.


We believe... in the provision of bodily healing in the atoning work of Jesus our Saviour.


We believe... in the return of the Lord Jesus Christ and the resurrection of the saved and the lost; the saved unto eternal life, living eternally in the presence of God, and the unsaved unto eternal damnation.

 

 

 

Organization & Structure

 

General Church Council
The General Church Council is the highest policy making body in the church. It acts at the highest policy making body in the church and has the power to approve the appointments of the General Overseer, Deputy General Overseer and Secretary General. Its membership includes Ministers of ICGC and the Legal Advisor of the Church.

 

      

The Presbytery
The Presbytery, also referred to as the Executive Board, deals with matters requiring attention between the meetings of the General Church Council and, in general, administer the spiritual and temporal affairs of the church. It is the highest Executive body of the Church.



      

Ministerial Association
The Ministerial Association is responsible for the selection of candidates (ICGC or non-ICGC) for ordination for approval by the Executive Board. It disciplines Ministers as well as promotes the welfare of Ministers.

 

      

Regional Church Council
For administrative convenience, a Regional Church Council shall be established in each region which shall not necessarily coincide with the political Region. The Council shall be composed of a Regional Overseer and all the District Supervising Ministers in that region. It shall have the power to review the decisions of the District Committee, co-ordinate and plan strategies for the growth of the Church in the Region.

 

      

District Church Council
This shall be established in every District and shall be composed of a number of Local Assemblies in the same area as the General Church Council. It shall advise and assist the District Supervising Minister in the administration of the district and the development of the work of God through the Local Assemblies in the district. The District shall not necessarily coincide with the political administrative districts of the country.

 

      

Local Church Council
This is made up of the Pastor(s) and duly elected Deacons of the Local Assembly. The Council is the policy formulating organ of the Local Church.

 

      

The General Overseer
Dr. Mensa Otabil is a Pastor, Lecturer, Author, Consultant and a motivational speaker. He is the Founder and General Overseer of the International Central Gospel churches which has a network of local assemblies in Ghana, Europe, the United States and other parts of Africa. He also serves as Senior Pastor of Christ Temple in Accra.

 

      

The General Secretary
Rev. Edwin Obeng Donkor attended Mfantsipim School, Cape Coast from 1966 to 1971 and continued at the University of Science and Technology for six years graduating with 1st Class Honors in Graphic Design in 1977.

 

      

The Deputy General Secretary
Rev. Morris Appiah has been a Christian since 1976 and was called into full time ministry as a pastor in 1987. His commitment to service and the things of God has offered him an opportunity for such great experience in all walks of the pastoral ministry. This is evidenced in the various responsibilities he oversees in ICGC Christ Temple.

 

      

Members of the Presbytery
There are eleven (11) different powerful men of God who constitute the members of the presbytery. They are also the heads of some ICGC churches. This is the highest policy making and decision making group for the church.

 

      

Director of Administration
Mrs. Lily Bonney is the new Director of Administration. She has many years of experience in Human Resource Management and oversees the affairs of all the ICGC churches.

 

      

Pastoral & Support Staff
In all, Christ Temple is run by a team of dynamic and dedicated pastoral and support staff numbering 46.