PUC Evangelism Touches Over 3,000 in Ghana

Have you ever wanted to do something big for Jesus, but didn’t know where to start? Several PUC students found their starting point this summer during a three-week mission trip to Ghana from August 26-September 18.

Led by Dr. Warren Ashworth, professor of religion at PUC, nine students found out what it was like to preach to the masses—through a translator, that is. Their destination city of Kumasi in Ghana, West Africa, is the center of the Ashanti Nation, whose people speak Twi.

The group’s mission was to present a total of 170 sermons in 10 different locations throughout the city. This meant that each team member would be responsible for 17 sermons, each aided by PowerPoint presentations and pictures—courtesy of Elder Bob Folkenberg, Global Mission Coordinator for the North Carolina Conference.

“I was so proud of my students,” exclaimed Ashworth. “Each student on the team was able to get up and preach to their own ‘congregation’ with no formal training.” As a bonus, the daily presentations included segments from a video called "Jesus," that was actually in Twi!

The PUC team had an unforgettable last Sabbath there as they witnessed 1,300 newborn Christians being baptized in a lake. Local pastors and lay people have continued Bible studies, and the total number of baptisms so far is 3,393 people.

Ashworth credits the financial support from generous church members, Pacific Union College, the Northern California Conference, and The Quiet Hour, for making the trip possible. Next summer’s team is already being formed to evangelize in the city of Manado in Eastern Indonesia.