We left Sunyani on Monday morning and retraced our route southeast to Kumasi. Kumasi is the second largest city in Ghana, with a population of 2 ½ million. It is also a center for Christian activity within the country, with churches everywhere. It is difficult for us Americans to grasp the kind of religious freedom that exists in Ghana. Almost 2/3 of the population consists of practicing Christians, and the country has not experienced the secular backlash America has. Consequently, such things as prayer and chapel in the public schools, public displays of faith and Christian involvement in society and culture are quite commonplace. The taxis have slogans on them like, “By Grace” or “Tell Jesus” and you often see the Jehovah Jireh Hair Salon or the Almighty God Building Supplies. Christian music blares from huge loudspeakers on many street corners and there are at least 2 or 3 religious programming channels on the TV. Ghanaian Christians are quite open about their faith, but by their own admission, they don’t know much about the Bible. That is where EPI comes in: training pastors to build up their people in the faith.
Once in Kumasi, our team divided forces: Ken and John continued on with Sam Oppong to teach a conference in Sefwi Bekwai, while I remained in Kumasi as the main speaker for a pastors’ conference that is held each year for graduates of the Bible Training Centre for Pastors (BTCP). Bishop Samuel organizes this conference every year, and it attracts pastors from many different denominations – many of them Pentecostal in their leaning – for three days of seminars and workshops. I had committed to this venue when I was in country in February, but I had no idea at the time what it would involve. I was given only about 1 ½ hours each day on Tuesday through Thursday, so I had to edit the curriculum rather severely. However, the editing was well worth it, because I was privileged to teach on Biblical Holiness to about 400 pastors!
Each morning, Rev. John would come to pick me up at the hotel, and we would begin our adventure with Kumasi traffic. The morning rush hour was incredible, with traffic jammed into every “roundabout” and for ½ a mile on each side. Rather than waste the gas, he would often just turn the car off until he could creep forward a bit. All around us were street vendors, knocking on the windows and hawking their wares: plastic bags of drinking water, gum, loaves of bread, sunglasses, popcorn, newspapers, bagged apples, dish towels, cookies, etc. Why go to a store when they will bring whatever you need right to your car? Wednesday morning, we were sitting at one of the intersections – pedestrians threading their way between the bumper-to-bumper traffic – when two policemen stepped up to the car. After looking at the expired insurance sticker on the windshield, they both climbed into our back seat! They insisted that Rev. John drive to the police station to pay a fine. (I found out later that this is common practice in Ghana, since otherwise people will simply drive off and never show up at the station. I was also told that he could have simply paid a bribe right on the spot and they would have left him alone, but because I was in the car, they were reluctant to shake him down.) He finally convinced them to allow him to drop me off at the conference first and then he went to pay his “fine.”
I spoke in the mornings for the first two days, coming to the podium after they had prayed and worshiped for two hours. This preparation made them very ready to hear the Word. On Tuesday, I demonstrated from Ephesians 2:8-10 about how holiness is a natural outworking of the gospel of grace. I defined Biblical holiness and warned them against the two extremes, perfectionism and legalism. We then considered the main obstacle to personal holiness – our sinful hearts. Wednesday, we looked at Biblical descriptions of the battle for holiness, specifically Paul’s recurring theme of “put off/put on.” I reminded them that we must pursue holiness together; each of us using the spiritual gifts God has given us. The text was Ephesians 4. On Thursday, the Ghanaian Minister for Chieftaincy and Culture was the keynote speaker for the “opening ceremony.” This is a cabinet-level position that has responsibility over all religious activity in the country – and the man is an outspoken evangelical Christian! He encouraged these pastors to actively use their influence to change the culture of Ghana, so that the country will move in a more Biblical direction. His presence gave an excuse for all of the attendees to dress in their finest church attire. Everyone wore their clerical collars while the bishops and senior pastors were in full regalia: robes, stoles and caps. In the midst of such sartorial splendor, I – with my dress shirt and tie – looked like a mud hen at a peacock convention!
I was given the final word of the conference on Thursday evening. As we approached the venue, lightning was flashing; and a heavy rain began just as I took the microphone. But it passed quickly and God gave me grace to take them through Romans 6, explaining how our union with Christ gives us a new identity that has died to sin. Then I spoke from Romans 8, describing the new power that is ours through the Holy Spirit – a power that enables us “to put to death the deeds of the body.” We closed with the truth that God is for us (Rom. 8:31) and that nothing – not even our own sin – can separate us from the love of God in Christ. (8:39) As the sermon drew to a close, I could sense a huge wave of response building: people were shouting “hallelujah,” jumping in their seats, raising hands and clapping. At the close, they spontaneously broke into song; singing (as I learned later) about how nothing can separate them from God’s love. (The bishop said afterward, “We have sung this song many times, but now we truly understand it!”) And as they sang, they literally danced for joy, twirling their handkerchiefs in the air and shouting. I have never witnessed such an outpouring of joy in love for God. It was overwhelming! And all I could do was stand (I wanted to dance, but I’m just too white!) in awe of the amazing grace and goodness of God. O that God would give His church in the U.S. such a deep joy and love for Him! While we might express that joy differently, it would certainly transform our worship.
What an incredible ending to a most satisfying month in Africa! God has truly blessed my time here and has blessed me as well. I am so thankful for the privilege of teaching His truth. And to see the impact of Biblical truth on God’s people here only adds to my determination to continue in and to expand this ministry. Thank you for the indispensable part you have played in this work – your prayers and generosity have made it possible. May the Lord bless you for your faithfulness to Him.
I wrote most this from Accra as I prepared to return home. God graciously provided a new passport to replace the one that was stolen two weeks ago, so I was able to fly home. And, on Saturday, the manager of the hotel where the theft occurred simply gave me the laptop I have been using while in country! It’s not equivalent to what I lost, but it has enabled me to continue working since I’ve returned home. The flights on Saturday and Sunday were unremarkable (that’s good!) and it was wonderful to see Susan and the family again. We are jumping right back into the work here with presentations on Friday and Sunday.
There is so much that remains to be done. As God provides, I hope to return to Ghana in February or March and again in July of 2008. We are also looking to Him to guide me as I consider other opportunities for ministry that He has opened both in West Africa and elsewhere. I will explain more about some these opportunities and will give a summary of what God has done through this month of ministry in the September newsletter.
Grace and peace,
Dan.
