Retirement and thanksgiving service has been held for Rev. Thomas Ntow-Otchere to bring to an end 33 years in active pastoral ministry. The occasion was held on Sunday 2nd February 2020 at Glory Assemblies of God, Sakumono Estates, Accra in the Accra East region. Until his retirement, Rev. Ntow-Otchere was the Senior Pastor of Faith Assemblies of God, Nungua in the Accra East region. Below is the profile of Rev. Ntow-Otchere highlighting his life and contributions to AGGhana.
Profile of Reverend Thomas Ntow-Otchere
“It is the Lord’s Mercies That We Are Not Consumed, Because His Compassion Fail Not. They Are New Every Morning: Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” Lamentations 3: 22–23
Rev. Thomas Ntow Otchere was born to Mr. Aaron Otchere and Madam Felicia Amanor all of the blessed memory in Aburi in 1954. Before his call to the ministry, Rev. Otchere worked at the then Mobil Oil Ghana and Shell Ghana as a supervisor with hopes of rising to the top in that field. On one occasion of an argument about the rapture between his brother, Mr. Albert Otchere and a friend, young Thomas felt strongly convicted to give his life to Christ. Under the discipleship of Rev. Rtd. Alex K. Omane, young Thomas was led to Christ and baptized on 22nd August 1980. Since then, he had a strong desire to give his life to the honorable work of the ministry. He was instrumental in the Madina Central Assemblies of God Church as a Youth Executive, Prayer Warrior and Dawn Broadcast Evangelist in the Madina metropolis.
Under the leadership of his mentor the Late Rev. William W. Dontoh, Rev. Ntow-Otchere was recommended to enroll in the Southern Ghana Bible College (SGBC) for a 3-year Pastoral Training. After his graduation from SGBC now Assemblies of God Theological Seminary on 7th November 1987, he went on to become the pioneering Senior Pastor of the Berean Assemblies of God Church. From humble beginnings of meeting in the classrooms of Madina Primary School, God used Rev. Thomas Ntow-Otchere mightily in the deliverance ministry, crusades and zealous soul-winning which built Berean Assemblies of God from the ground up. He got married to the late Margaret Ntow-Otchere in January 1988 who also served as a Lay Pastor in support of the ministry.
Over his 19-year service at Berean Assemblies of God Church, he went on to lead, inspire and raise seasoned Christians who are still influential in their careers, business and ministry, Two of such people are Rev. and Rev. Mrs. Anthony Nyanzu, the Senior Pastor and Associate of Living Waters Assemblies of God in Edmonton and Calgary all in Canada. Another of such is Rev. Samuel Nyanzu who was raised by Rev. Otchere to be his first Associate Pastor and is currently the General Overseer of African Churches in Zaragoza-Spain.
In 2003, tragedy hit as Rev. Otchere lost his wife in a motor accident but the pain was to prepare him for a destiny helper and a new level in ministry. On 15th May 2005, Rev. Thomas Ntow-Otchere was joined to his helpmate, Mrs. Mary Ntow Otchere at the Madina Central Assemblies of God. In August of the same year, Rev Thomas Ntow Otchere was transferred by the Executive Council from Berean Assemblies of God to Pastor Faith Assemblies of God Church, Nungua which he has headed for the past 14 years by God’s grace. He took over from the late Rev. Emmanuel Adri, who had gone on retirement in Ministry. With high impetus, faith and a vision to raise zealous believers, Rev. Ntow-Otchere encouraged the congregation to relocate to its current permanent place of worship at Buade, Nungua and build a befitting temple, which is 80% complete for dedication to the Glory of God.
With the help of God, Rev. Otchere trained Rev. Emmanuel Otu Adjetey as the Senior Associate Pastor who was then a member of the Youth Ministry and now the District Treasurer of the Nungua District. He also trained the late Pastor Stephen Ampah as the Second Associate and Pastor Alfred Yawson Nanabanyin who is presently the pastor of the Teens Chapel. With God’s help and his vision of evangelism and discipleship, he rebranded and mobilized the Missions Team of the church which has planted two Assemblies of God branches in Gomoa East, Central Region and being nurtured by the Gomoa East District of the Assemblies of God. With his passion for raising the young generation to be firmly rooted in their faith and together with his supportive church leadership, a vibrant Teens Chapel was established which is growing from grace to grace. Together with his supportive Church Board, departments such as the Marriage Counseling, Ushering, Finance, Music and Children’s Departments have been revamped to actively contribute to the church’s growth.
With little basic education from childhood, Rev. Otchere has nevertheless been passionate about constant learning and thus graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from the Crenshaw Christian Center, California coupled with other courses in Church Growth, Evangelism and Capacity Building. He is also an alumnus of Haggai International which equipped him with Leadership Skills. His Ministry made room for him to bless others on international speaking appointments to South Africa and Canada on multiple occasions.
Mrs. Mary Ntow-Otchere has been a major support and driving force through all of Life and Ministry’s battles. Her contributions as an advisor to the Women’s Ministry, the lead Patron of Missionettes and a pioneering member of the Teens Chapel cannot go unnoticed. Rev. and Mrs. Ntow-Otchere are blessed with five children, Rita, Ruth, Rejoice, Obed and Ruby who have all been instrumental especially in the Music Ministry of the Church and the Children’s Ministry as well.
Today, Rev. Thomas Ntow-Otchere is grateful to God for His love and mercies, which have sustained him all these years in Ministry. Great is His Faithfulness!
