The President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, has officially opened the 10th Triennial World Assemblies of God Congress in Accra, marking the first time in the 115-year history of the Fellowship that the global gathering is being held on African soil.
The opening ceremony, held this morning at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), brought together more than 1,000 delegates from over 100 countries, with over 10,000 participants registered for the morning sessions.
President Mahama, who is a member of Assemblies of God, Ghana, together with First Lady Lordina Mahama, joined global leaders of the Fellowship to commission the three-day Congress, being held under the theme “COMMISSIONED: One Mandate, Every Nation.”
Mahama Urges Church to Turn Faith into Practical Service
Addressing delegates, President Mahama urged the church to go beyond preaching and translate faith into practical community service.
“The lasting story of this conference, this congress, will be written in the lives that we touch after the closing prayer,” he said.
According to the President, faith becomes real when it meets human need.
“Faith becomes tangible when a hungry child receives a meal, a patient is treated with compassion, a young person acquires a skill, a widow finds companionship and a struggling family receives support from its community,” he stated.
He charged delegates to return home with practical plans to mentor young people, support schools, strengthen health ministries and stand beside congregations serving under difficult conditions.
Ghana’s Religious Diversity is Our Most Precious Possession
President Mahama also reaffirmed his commitment to religious inclusivity, describing Ghana’s religious diversity as a national asset that must be protected.
“As President, I’ve sworn duty to serve every Ghanaian: Christians of every denomination, Muslims, adherents of traditional religion, and even our citizens who profess no faith,” he said.
“Ghana’s religious diversity is our most precious possession, and we must continue to nurture the relationships that enable neighbours of different faiths to live, work and care for one another,” he added.
The President revealed that his insistence on fairness to all faiths has sometimes led to questions about his own Christian faith.
“There are times when some Christian leaders have questioned my faith because I’ve insisted on actions that are fair to those who profess a faith that is different from mine,” he disclosed, citing his own multi-faith family background where different religions have not affected love and affection among siblings.
Call to Mentor the Next Generation
On the youth, President Mahama said young people today face extraordinary pressures from misinformation, social comparisons and competing expectations.
“Our young people are growing up in a world that is completely different from the world we grew up in. Their world offers extraordinary possibilities, but it also brings on them intense pressures,” he noted.
He urged churches and households to create safe spaces where young people can ask questions freely and develop their gifts.
Africa Now a Mission Force
Speaking at the ceremony, the Global Chairman of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, Rev. Dominic Yeo, described Ghana’s hosting as both historic and prophetic, saying it signals a major shift in global Christianity.
“For many years, missions largely moved from the global north to the global south. Today, we are seeing and setting that shift. The global south no longer simply receives missionaries. In fact, it is raising and sending missionaries. And Africa has a significant part to play in this global shift,” Rev. Yeo declared.
He said Africa is no longer just a mission field but has emerged as a major mission force.
The host, General Superintendent of Assemblies of God, Ghana, Rev. Dr. Stephen Yenusom Wengam, said the Congress coincides with a significant moment in Ghana’s history, with President Mahama being the first member of Assemblies of God to ascend to the highest office of the land.
He also explained that the change of venue from the Black Star Square to the AICC was due to technical challenges with the arrival of the 10,000-seater dome ordered from Dubai, which has now arrived at the port and will be loaned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Ghana at 70 celebrations.
The Congress will focus on church health, empowering the next generation, global revival and the MM33 Agenda to plant one million additional churches by 2033.
Evening gospel revival rallies are being held at the Accra Sports Stadium from 5 p.m. daily until Friday, October 16, and are open to the public free of charge, featuring Joe Mettle, Sinach, Dunsin Oyekan and Rev. Angela Donadio.
By Robert Dela Mawuenyegah
