The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG) turns 60 years old next year.
LCMS Missions has, over the years, invested heavily in the establishment and growth of the ELCG. All over the country LCMS Missions built Mission Houses. These are three bedroom homes built on land leased from the tribal elders so that the missionaries could establish a church. Once established, a Ghanaian pastor would be brought in and the missionary and his family would move on to another area. LCMS Missions would build another Mission House and the process would start again. This is a great untold story and American Lutherans can stand in awe of the sacrifice and dedication these men and women and their families gave to the Kingdom of God.
Unfortunately, not all of these Mission Houses led to thriving congregations. Some of the buildings have fallen into disrepair and some of the property and the buildings have been appropriated by the tribal elders to be used for other purposes. This “encroachment” is a sad testimony to a lost opportunity. One of John Donkoh’s goals is to establish thriving faith communities again in these locations and rebuild and repair these mission houses.
John Donkoh is only the second leader of the ELCG. At the last church council, pastors voted on a new constitution and in March 2018 John was voted as its first President. The previous Bishop Paul Fynn graciously stepped down and President Donkoh was installed on July 1, 2018. The new constitution favors a congregational model of church governance which is a departure from the previous ecclesiastical model. This brings a high level of accountability to bear on the leadership and involves a large body of pastors to oversee activities as well as vision creation. As President, per the constitution, John Donkoh receives no salary.
So, this truly is a new ELCG. It will build on the legacy of God’s blessings from the LCMS. Individual LCMS congregations have in the past contributed mightily to God’s work in Ghana. For instance, Trinity, Lisle was instrumental in building the ELCG Seminary in Accra.
The vision that John Donkoh casts for the next six years focuses on regaining lost ground and establishing new churches in new Districts in Ghana. Districts might be equated to counties here in the US. In Ghana, out of 119 or so Districts the ELCG is present in only 10. President Donkoh’s vision is One District, One school, One church, One community development program. He hopes to expand into 10 new Districts in the next 6 years. Ambitious? Yes. But with adequate resources this is entirely possible. The pastors and the people are fired up!
The southern expansion of Islam into Sub Saharan African is real. It threatens gains made for the Kingdom, gains made by the sacrifice and dedication of Ghanaian pastors, LCMS Missionaries, and LCMS Congregations. The ELCG is on the front lines asking for your prayers, fellow workers and resources.
Gary Kessler
Mission Advocate for the ELCG
LCMS Missions has, over the years, invested heavily in the establishment and growth of the ELCG. All over the country LCMS Missions built Mission Houses. These are three bedroom homes built on land leased from the tribal elders so that the missionaries could establish a church. Once established, a Ghanaian pastor would be brought in and the missionary and his family would move on to another area. LCMS Missions would build another Mission House and the process would start again. This is a great untold story and American Lutherans can stand in awe of the sacrifice and dedication these men and women and their families gave to the Kingdom of God.
Unfortunately, not all of these Mission Houses led to thriving congregations. Some of the buildings have fallen into disrepair and some of the property and the buildings have been appropriated by the tribal elders to be used for other purposes. This “encroachment” is a sad testimony to a lost opportunity. One of John Donkoh’s goals is to establish thriving faith communities again in these locations and rebuild and repair these mission houses.
John Donkoh is only the second leader of the ELCG. At the last church council, pastors voted on a new constitution and in March 2018 John was voted as its first President. The previous Bishop Paul Fynn graciously stepped down and President Donkoh was installed on July 1, 2018. The new constitution favors a congregational model of church governance which is a departure from the previous ecclesiastical model. This brings a high level of accountability to bear on the leadership and involves a large body of pastors to oversee activities as well as vision creation. As President, per the constitution, John Donkoh receives no salary.
So, this truly is a new ELCG. It will build on the legacy of God’s blessings from the LCMS. Individual LCMS congregations have in the past contributed mightily to God’s work in Ghana. For instance, Trinity, Lisle was instrumental in building the ELCG Seminary in Accra.
The vision that John Donkoh casts for the next six years focuses on regaining lost ground and establishing new churches in new Districts in Ghana. Districts might be equated to counties here in the US. In Ghana, out of 119 or so Districts the ELCG is present in only 10. President Donkoh’s vision is One District, One school, One church, One community development program. He hopes to expand into 10 new Districts in the next 6 years. Ambitious? Yes. But with adequate resources this is entirely possible. The pastors and the people are fired up!
The southern expansion of Islam into Sub Saharan African is real. It threatens gains made for the Kingdom, gains made by the sacrifice and dedication of Ghanaian pastors, LCMS Missionaries, and LCMS Congregations. The ELCG is on the front lines asking for your prayers, fellow workers and resources.
Gary Kessler
Mission Advocate for the ELCG