Impact Project’s Evolution: A Voice Of Contemporary Gospel Music

For George Brenya, it was one of those times that he could no longer run away from the divine direction to form a musical group with an evangelism essence in order that he might impact his immediate surroundings, and having followed the vision, little did he know that the music group will today evolved into one of the finest and vibrant youthful music ministries in Ghana; the Impact Project Ministry (IPM) with rare musical breeds.

Impact Project, may not readily ring in your mind as a household name across the Ghanaian gospel music circuit, particularly the mainstream circuit, the group is part of the notable few that are presently leading the revolutionary gospel music genre- Contemporary (Urban) Ghanaian Gospel Music- in the country with a strong drive for soul winning.

Today, in its eight year, the 100-man group is a non-denominational Christian music ministry centred on impacting lives for the kingdom of God. The group comprises rare youthful music geniuses mainly from the tertiary institutions in the country who have all come under one umbrella with a strong love for evangelism through their creatively written and arranged music. Having headlined major gospel concerts in the country and toured many schools as well as churches, the group has been identified as a leading ministry in the Contemporary Ghanaian Gospel Music circuit and future of Ghanaian gospel. Their unique music ministration and the constant quest to provide the best in music makes a strong case of the quality desired from gospel groups.

So much is soul winning very important to them that it led to the ministry’s planning and staging of its own first Evolution Concert’ five years ago which is now a yearly affair. The yearly Evolution Musical Concert is musical concept adopted by the ministry to provide a platform for a Christ-centred praise and worship experience in an enabling environment where every kindred, tribe and tongue (saved or unsaved) can experience the power of God no matter the diversities that fraught mankind. The concert itself spans a total of four hours with captivating live music presented in the most creative form at top level quality; in the sense of instrumentation and ministrations sandwiched between inspirational footnotes and time for individual worship from time to time before the most important part, the altar call for salvation and rededication purposes.

It therefore with much anticipation that the ministry’s fans and members are projecting the year’s concert, the fifth edition of Evolution, which is scheduled for Sunday, 7th February, 4pm at the National Theatre. Having recently returned from Nigeria after honouring a programme there, the ministry is presently in the latter stages of their preparations for the event which promises to be one the best gospel events of the decade. ‘If last year’s event full of rare innovations and a charged atmosphere was anything to go by then this year’s should the unexpected because preparations so far though challenging have been great,’ Paa Kofi Agyei, a member reiterated.

Speaking to the current President of the ministry, Sena Adzam, he was full of excitement about the concert. ‘This year will mark the fifth edition of Evolution and what to expect than incorporation of elements of the past events and adding a few innovations to create the requisite platform of praise and worship to God. We are expecting God’s divine touch for everyone who will be there and a new direction for our lives,’ he said.

Come Sunday, February 7, 2010 at the National Theatre, 4pm, as part of the Contemporary Gospel Music revolution in Ghana, Impact Project is staging the fifth edition of its annual Evolution Concert which features gospel greats such as Ps. Helen Yawson, Soul Winners, Daughters of Glorious Jesus, Cwasi Oteng and Worshippers International Ministry. With GHc 10.00 as gate fee patrons should expect exceptional live ministrations with quality instrumentation and sounds laced with inspirational messages. February 7, 4pm at the National Theatre is a divine date promised to present a great worship and praise experience.

Contemporary gospel is today the most commercial variation of gospel music worldwide and rather than rehashing the well known elements of traditional gospel music, contemporary gospel has modernised it with elementary fusions of crossover ‘R&B’, Soul and hip rhythms laced with dynamic vocals. In Ghana, this brand of gospel is characterised by a blend of foreign gospel rhythms, choral compositions and vocal patterns as well occasional tap into the country’s native rhythms of adowa, kpanlogo and traditional hi-life. Aside the messages being well packaged and revered, strictly biblical and inspirational, the quality and creativity of musical compositions, instrumentation and live ministrations are of high standards.