During a recent visit to Ghana, Erton Köhler, Adventist General Conference (GC) Secretary of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, emphasized the collective responsibility of mission work and urged church leaders and members to unite in global evangelism. This key message was delivered at a special mid-week prayer service held at Prince Emmanuel Adventist Church in Accra.
Köhler praised the Ghanaian church for its commitment to engaging every member in the mission of God.
“The church is God’s planted vineyard, and each of us—leaders and members alike—must actively nurture it,” he emphasized.
Köhler arrived in Ghana on February 5, 2025, and was welcomed by a group of Pathfinders. He was accompanied by a delegation from the West-Central Africa Division (WAD), including WAD President Robert Osei-Bonsu and Pastors Sessou Selom and Markus M. Dangana. The delegation was received by Ghana Union Conference (SGUC) leaders, including President Thomas Techie Ocran and Kwame Annor-Boahen of the Mid-Ghana Union Conference (NOGH).
His visit is part of an ongoing tour of countries in the WAD in efforts to strengthen collaboration between the GC and regional churches.
On February 6, 2025, Köhler met with over 300 church leaders from across the country at the Valley View University and shared messages on evangelism, nurturing, and retention strategies for effective ministry. He urged the leaders to see ministry as a miracle.
Köhler presented the GC’s global mission strategy, underscoring the importance of innovative approaches to support underserved regions.
“Mission is God’s work—divine, urgent, and miraculous,” he affirmed. “Where there are no workers, we must send them; where resources are scarce, we innovate. The harvest is waiting,” he said.
Other presenters included the WAD President, Osei-Bonsu, who used the opportunity to unveil the “WAD Impact 2025” initiative, which aims to accelerate church growth through evangelism and total member involvement.
"Our goal is soul-winning," he said, urging leaders to engage every member in the mission.
Sessou Selom, WAD executive secretary, followed with a statistical overview of the WAD, highlighting key membership trends and milestones for 2025.
In a gesture reflecting Ghana's rich cultural heritage, the Seventh-day Adventist Church presented Köhler with a culturally significant gift: the Fugu, a male costume, and eight local Ghanaian-language Bibles.
The visit concluded with a renewed commitment to unity and mission, echoing Köhler’s final words: “Let us not just go to church—let us be the church in every corner of the world.”
The article was provided by the West-Central Africa Division.
