By Nii Martey M. Botchway
Ejura, ( A/R) Sept. 01,GNA-The Ghana Baptist Convention (GBC) has ordained 92 ministers, including eight women, with a charge to uphold integrity, demonstrate exemplary conduct and remain faithful stewards of God’s flock.
The ordination ceremony, held on Saturday, August 29, 2026, formed part of the Convention’s 63rd Annual Session at the Baptist Women’s Retreat and Resource Centre at Ejura in the Ejura Sekyedumase Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
The five-day session was held on the theme: “Revived to Reach Out: Proclaiming Christ in Every Community” (Romans 10:14-15).
Rev. Charles Oppong-Poku, the Vice President of the GBC, who outlined the ministerial journey of the Convention, said candidates who received the calling into ministry and were affirmed by their respective local churches underwent theological training at institutions approved by the Convention.
He said after the training, candidates went through interview and endorsement processes, including a formal interview conducted by the Ministers’ Conference on behalf of the Convention’s Presidency to ascertain their readiness and doctrinal soundness.
Rev. Oppong-Poku said the ministerial journey comprised three main stages: licensing, endorsement for full membership of the Ministers’ Conference, and ordination, which set candidates apart for full and lifelong ministerial functions.
Rev. Enoch Nii Narh Thompson, the Executive President of the GBC, assisted by Rev. Oppong-Poku and the Rev. Victor Brew, President of the Ministers’ Conference, laid hands on the candidates, prayed and anointed them before presenting certificates to each of them to complete the ordination process.
Charge to ministers
Delivering the sermon on the topic, “Be a Faithful Steward of God’s Flock” (Acts 20:28), the Accra Coordinator of the Ghana Baptist University College (GBUC), Rev. Dr Felix Owusu, charged the newly ordained ministers to ensure that their churches remained open to both believers and non-believers.
He urged them to work towards reducing the attrition rate in the churches while paying particular attention to their personal spirituality in the discharge of their ministerial responsibilities.
“You must take the Word of God and all spiritual disciplines of your faith seriously to the glory of God,” he said.
Rev. Dr Owusu said maintaining a habitual relationship with God through prayer and the study of Scripture was essential to effective ministry.
He said the purpose of such a relationship was to enable ministers to learn from Christ, live like Him and represent Him effectively in their ministry.
Live above reproach
Rev. Dr Owusu also cautioned the ministers to be mindful of their personal conduct and guard their integrity at all times.
“As ministers of God, you must always ensure that you live above reproach towards the growth of ministry,” he said.
He urged them to lead by example and serve as positive moral and spiritual models for both the church and the wider community.
“Whatever positive attitude you exhibit in the church must reflect in the home and workplace,” he added.
He further advised the ministers to pay attention to their health because of the demanding nature of ministry and cautioned them against trying to carry every responsibility alone.
“Do not try to be Messiah but rather delegate others to assist you in your ministry,” he said.
Remain connected to God
For his part, Rev. Thompson urged the newly ordained ministers to remain conscious of their personal relationship with God and make the study of Scripture central to their Christian lives.
He said Christianity could not be practised based merely on feelings but must be grounded in the teachings of God.
“I charge you to love everyone who is seeking to know Christ and to follow Him and the larger community because we believe that the gospel of our Lord Jesus is the answer to the world’s problems,” he said.
Rev. Thompson said although governments would continue to do their best to address societal challenges, the life-transforming gospel of Jesus Christ could provide young people with hope and discourage them from turning to drugs, alcoholism, corruption and other harmful activities.
Some of the newly ordained ministers, in an interview, expressed gratitude for the honour and pledged to justify the confidence reposed in them by working effectively to advance God’s ministry.
“This is a great honour done to us and we pledge to justify the confidence reposed in us by working effectively to advance God’s ministry,” they said.
GNA
Nii Martey M. Botchway
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong