Africa to lead Baptist World Fraternity

Reverend Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, President of the Ghana Baptist Convention, said the Baptist fraternity all over the world has given Africa the mandate to lead the Baptist World from 2015 to 2020.

He said Ghana and Nigeria are the lead Conventions with the resources to support this move, and therefore called Baptist Churches to mobilize resources to prove to the rest of the world that Africa is capable of providing leadership. Rev Adu-Gyamfi was speaking at the opening of the 51st Annual Session of the Ghana Baptist Convention (GBC) in Accra on Thursday.

The session was to discuss the way forward for the Convention and the final activity to climax the 50th Anniversary of the Convention on the theme: “Celebrating the Past and Embracing the Future for Greater Kingdom Impact.” He said the Convention boasts of a single Church which started at Boaman, in the Ashanti Region to over 2,000 churches across the country, with a remarkable delivery of religious service.

Rev Adu-Gyamfi said the Convention has from one Ghanaian Minister trained, licensed, recognized and ordained over 800 ministers working across Ghana and beyond. He said an additional eight ministers would be ordained.

He said on assumption of office in February this year, as President of the Convention, a seven-strategic point vision was put in place for the Re-branding and visibility of the Convention, enhancing ownership of the Convention by member churches and increasing the financial base of the Convention.

He said: “The other points were Human Resource Development (Staff, Ministers and greater participation of lay Professionals within member Churches), Supporting Pastors in rural and deprived areas and retirement benefits for Ministers, deepening the Spiritual base of the Convention and Evangelism and Mission.”

The President noted that to achieve this vision, there was the need for support from all Senior Pastors, Reverend Ministers, Staff and all member-Churches of the Convention.

Rev Fred Deegbe, Senior Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, in his welcome address tasked members of the Convention to be up and doing to up-lift the standards and image of the Convention.