Leslie and Brenda Asare-Akoto, Ghana National Youth Pastors
Youth Ministry in GCI Ghana is a vibrant and Spirit-led movement rooted in biblical truth and shaped by our rich cultural heritage. Our heartbeat is to see the youth not just attend church but become living expressions of Christ’s love, hope, and power in their families, schools, and communities.
Best Practices
- Spirit-led Structure and Annual Rhythm
We prayerfully plan a calendar that includes quarterly youth retreats across all congregations, two national youth camps, weekly Zoom fellowships, and Saturday evening discipleship classes. These activities provide consistency and spiritual rhythm, like how the early church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42 NIV).
- Cultural Relevance with a Gospel Lens
Each local youth coordinator is encouraged to innovate under the Spirit’s guidance, tailoring ministry efforts to the context of their congregation. We intentionally incorporate Ghanaian languages (Twi, Ewe, Ga, Hausa) into our songs, prayers, and teachings — especially during retreats in different regions. For instance, when we minister in the Volta region, we use both Ewe and English and have witnessed hearts opened and lives transformed by the good news.
We also honor traditional values such as respect, community, and family — echoing God’s design for interdependence (Romans 12:5). In the Ashanti Region, we adapt Western models to fit local realities, creating ministry that is both biblically faithful and culturally meaningful.
- Youth Ownership and Expression
We equip young leaders to own their faith through training, leadership opportunities, and creative ministry expressions. Our youth lead praise sessions, teach Bible studies, and engage in spoken word, dance, and drama. We also implement a train-the-trainer model. Many youths now serve as deacons and Avenue leaders, mentoring others just as they were once and are still being mentored.
- Holistic Discipleship
Our retreats and camps address spiritual and practical needs. Workshops include vocational skills (e.g., soap making, mushroom farming), financial literacy, relationships, and faith-based mental health discussions. During “fireside chats,” we tackle sensitive topics like sex, depression, and addiction. We create safe spaces to process these issues through a biblical lens (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The greatest joy is witnessing baptisms during our camps by the grace of God. As heaven rejoiced, so did we when 15 youths were baptized last year.
- Celebrating Faith and Culture
We celebrate Ghanaian holidays such as Independence Day with month-long cultural festivals in our congregations. Youth dress in traditional attire, perform historical recitals, and express faith through Afrobeat praise songs and choreography. These events inspire unity and joy, reminding us that we are “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9).
- Digital Discipleship and Media Ministry
We leverage WhatsApp and Facebook to share devotionals, testimonies, and Christian content. Youth are encouraged to create skits, music, and online teaching. This not only promotes digital evangelism but also builds their confidence as gospel messengers in a tech-savvy world (Matthew 5:14-16).
- Family and Church Integration
We invite pastors, parents, and elders into youth events to foster intergenerational faith. Two of our emeritus pastors, Emmanuel Okai and Solomon Ayitey, lead biblical discussions on creation, relationships, and God’s faithfulness across generations (Hebrews 13:8). These moments affirm the youths’ value in the broader body of Christ.
- Outreach and Kingdom Mission
Every retreat includes evangelism in communities, marketplaces, and schools. During our 50th anniversary, youth conducted a sports outreach — sharing Christ through joyful service and authentic love. This fulfills our calling to “go and make disciples of all nations.”
- Persistent Prayer and Spiritual Discipline
Weekly Zoom prayers, dawn meetings, and all-night gatherings nurture our youth in deep, Spirit-led worship. Our discipleship class equips youth leaders to study the word and model godly leadership. These practices form the spiritual core of our ministry (Colossians 2:6-7).
Some of the challenges we face at times are:
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- Lack of local congregational follow-up: Youth touched during retreats or camps may fall back into old patterns without intentional mentoring or local discipleship structures. Seeds sown sometimes are lost.
- Leadership gaps and lack of succession planning: Without intentional development, the next generation of youth leaders may not be ready to take over. Key youth leaders moving away or getting married may leave a vacuum.
- Disconnection between evangelism and discipleship: Outreach events may win souls, but without systems to disciple and integrate them, converts may fall away quickly.
Rooted in Christ, flourishing in Ghana
Youth ministry in GCI Ghana is flourishing because it is anchored in Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and expressed within our Ghanaian context. By honoring both Scripture and culture, we’re raising a generation that loves God, loves people, and walks in kingdom purpose. With intentionality and dependence on the Holy Spirit, we proclaim confidently: the best is yet to come (Jeremiah 29:11).
