Sunday Service 2/21

The Sunday morning service at Grace Bible Church - Kumasi marked the start of our three-week ministry in Ghana & Ivory Coast. The church building was packed when we arrived; grace believers had come from near and far for the meeting.

We were introduced and we each gave short greetings and words of encouragement to the congregation who all wished us "AKWAABA" (‘welcome’ in the Akan language). The service was filled with beautiful singing, drumming and dancing.

Members of the church's Women's Fellowship wear matching dresses. One of these women generously sewed dresses for Chris and Liz so that they would also match.


Pastor Dennis preached on four things we learn from Ephesians 1:13-14 and 4:30. These are familiar passages to every grace believer, teaching about the sealing of the Holy Spirit in this dispensation of grace. First, we need to hear the gospel of the grace of God -- that Jesus died for our sins. Second, we have to believe in Him, not just about Him, but trust in Him as our Savior. Third, when we do that, God the Holy Spirit seals us into the Body of Christ until He comes to redeem those whom he has purchased with His blood. And fourth, the application of this truth, "do not grieve the Holy Spirit" – Paul will always remind us, who have been saved as a gift by God's grace, of our responsibility to live a life pleasing to the Lord.

Pastor Dennis referred to the many young men who were in attendance, whose ancestors were the world famous Ashanti nation who fought valiantly against the British colonizers, and later won their independence from Britain in 1957, becoming the first sub-Saharan nation to break free from colonialism.

"Your ancestors were heroes who won world-wide fame on the battlefield. Today, we are in the battle for souls and for the truth, and we need heroes again today, men and women who will say, as Paul wrote in Acts 20:24, “I don't care what it costs me, I will finish the ministry that God has given me to preach the gospel of the grace of God."

Reminding them of their history as the proud nation of the Ashanti people and challenging them to be "lights shining the darkness" as in Philippians, seemed to touch their hearts and many spontaneously broke into cheers and clapping. We pray they will respond to God's challenge to them for their lives.