The Closing Work in Ghana

“Among earth’s inhabitants, scattered in every land, there are those who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Like the stars of heaven, which appear only at night, these faithful ones will shine forth when darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the people. In heathen Africa, in the Catholic lands of Europe and of South America, in China, in India, in the islands of the sea, and in the dark corners of the earth, God has in reserve a firmament of chosen ones that will yet shine forth amidst the darkness, revealing clearly to an apostate world the transforming of obedience to His law.” Prophets and Kings, 188. In our part of the Lord’s vineyard, Ghana, in West Africa, (In fact heathenism is now a thing of the past here) the Historic Adventist Group has always sought to maintain primitive godliness, and to be a part of faithful ones proclaiming the message of the third angel. What methods do they use?

In 1991 I had a chance to attend a Bible Workers’ Seminar in Canada. In the process, it came out that there are various means of reaching the world with the gospel: Tracts, pamphlets, books, Bible studies, magazines, loaf of bread, cooking classes, letters, a telephone ministry, Sabbath schools, character building stories, a prison ministry; the list can go on and on. A good emphasis was put on acquisition of training before one can work effectively in any of these areas.

The Ghanaian group lacks most of these logistics, though good in themselves. But with the assurance that “The Lord will work through humble instruments leading the minds of those who consecrate themselves to His service. The laborers will be qualified rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the training of literary institutions. Men of faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth with holy zeal, declaring the words which God gives them.” Evangelism, 699. His members and workers are fully engaged in the proclamation of the Third Angels’ Message. In this article, I want to share with you some of the unique experiences we have had during the past year.

General profile of work in the churches

Every individual is involved in the house-to-house work especially on Sabbath afternoons.

Volunteer groups like “Christ Support Groups” in Kumasi and Accra are seriously complementing the efforts of ministers.

During the last Easter holidays the youth wing of the church had a 4-day fasting and prayer session, with the view of getting the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Third Angel’s Message.

Efforts in the Gold Mining City

Prominent among the strategies used here are door-to-door evangelism, open air crusades, and preaching on the streets. In February 1995, our Mobile Gospel Team (comprising Pastor Sam Bempong, and Evangelists Boakye, Kusj and Anning) embarked on a four week open air crusade at Obuasi (a gold mining town). Apart from going from house to house, they also sold 1080 cassette tapes. These tapes have the following messages recorded on them in the local language: Christian marriage; In the Days of Noah; Who is a Christian?; The Judgment; Health Reform Principles; Prophecy (Daniel 2, 7 and Revelation 13) ; and Is Rapture Real? The interest was indescribable. One hundred and nine persons are receiving Bible studies, and thirty-five souls joined the local church. An interested individual sold his old 15-seater Volkswagen bus to the group. The bus is now running on a second-hand Toyota Carina engine.

The Tema Crusade

Between late June and early August 1995 (4 weeks), the mobile team moved to Tema, an industrial city near Accra, the capital of Ghana. Fifteen souls were won to the Lord and 78 others are receiving Bible lessons. Here too, 430 tapes were sold.

Dunkirk Street Preaching

Dunkirk is a spot close to the center of Kumasi, the city where we have the church headquarters. At this spot daytime street preaching has been going on since July 1993. On a typical day the mobile team and/or some lay members will mount platforms and use the prophecy series in Daniel and Revelation printed on cloths to warn passers-by who are easily attracted to the spot. In fact, many souls have joined our various churches through this effort. Notably, the Tema church was started around an individual who first heard of the message at Dunkirk. Recently, the emphasis has shifted to medical evangelism, where Evangelist Adu Poku (Head of our Sanitorium Unit) and his group are doing the work of the mobile team, whereas the original mobile team has moved into the districts to help for a time.

Now and Beyond

This year, with the establishment of Steps to Life Bible Correspondence School in Accra, more souls are being reached. The lessons are structured in such a way that, midway, the students would be approached by contact persons from the church. Everyone is busy doing his or her part. Dear reader, this is a group that has little, but offers all. Why don’t you get on board?

The End