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Evangelism in Ghana — The Presbyterian Church of Ghana: 1942 – 1954
First published in Twi in 1965
Author’s note about the Book
This book is the translation of an account of the last 12 years of the work of my father, the Rev. Emmanuel Victor Asihene in the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.
It refers to his work as the First Evangelist Minister appointed by the Church at a critical time in its history. He wrote the book deliberately in Twi to make the story of the Evangelism Mission that he undertook readily accessible to all members of the Church.
He was grateful to be assigned to carry out the Mission of Evangelism. In his own words, he explains:
“On the day of my ordination in 1960, this verse, ‘I will tell of thy name to my brethren; in the midst of the congregation, I shall praise you,’ Psalm 22, verse 22 was my major vow and promise. With great joy therefore, I thank God that I have been chosen and given the chance to spread the word of the Lord, through Evangelism, here , in my own land, and among my own people.”
At the time of his appointment, he had no doubt that “what was needed most was the grace and guidance of God and a great infusion with a personal spiritual strength.”
The journeys that Rev. Asihene made, most of them on foot, to distant areas of the country were extensive — as can be seen from the list of places that he visited.
Many of the difficult-to-read areas where he took the message of God are, even today, not readily identified on the map of Ghana. Accounts of his easy engagements with Church members, non-Christians and even with fetish priests are as fascinating as the return of backsliders, by the grace of God, into the Church.
When I received and read my signed copy of the book 47 years ago in 1965, I knew that I would one day translate this unique record of extensive Evangelism by a local member of the Presbyterian Church in our own country, from Twi into a wider read language. I am glad and I consider it a great honour that I have been able to translate, into English, this important piece of history of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.
During this 125th Anniversary of his birth, this Translation of this book also marks the Dedication of the commemorative building, “The Rev. E.V. Asihene Quiet Room” at the Anum Presbyterian Secondary School, where he was Headmaster, about 90 years ago.
— Letitia Eva Obeng (nee Asihene), January 2012
₵40.00 -
Women Do More Work than Men: Birifor Women as Change Agents in the Mission and Expansion of the Church in West Africa (Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, and Ghana)
Foreword by Mercy Amba OduyoyeThe author was the first woman in Burkina to receive her Ph.D. in Theology, with research on the contributions of Birifor women to the growth of the Church in West Africa. Her work, which includes fascinating in-depth ethnographic research, has recently been published as Women Do More Work Than Men: Birifor Women as Change Agents in the Mission and Expansion of the Church in West Africa (Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana)In the book’s Foreword, Ghanaian feminist theologian Mercy Amba Oduyoye shares these thoughts: “If you have not heard of Birifor women, this is your opportunity to read about them. You are not alone, for before I read the thesis that preceded this book, I had no idea there was a people in West Africa called the Birifor. It is a fact that even among Africans, the neighbour is hardly known. The continent is so vast. This book is therefore a special treat as it is a lens into the lives of a minority among minorities. The marginalised of this minority are women.”
Addressing this marginalisation further, Oduyoye notes that Dorcas’ book “demonstrates the two-edged sword that westernisation has been, especially in women’s lives. Specifically, Western education led families to privilege boys and thereby aggravated the inferior position of women among the Birifor, who are formally matrilineal but in practice extremely patriarchal and androcentric.”
“Dorcas’ book is important for several reasons. Firstly, as Oduyoye notes, it sheds light on a people group many of us have never heard of, and within that context, draws attention to the important but very overlooked roles that women play. As Dorcas boldly states, ‘women do more work than men!’ Yet they more often receive ridicule, or face added obstacles, rather than respect, for such contributions. Dorcas’ work is also important for scholars of religion in Africa, with large sections of history and ethnographic research providing a comprehensive picture of the religious cosmology of the Birifor. Her treatment of funeral rites is fascinating!” — Dr. Sara Fretheim, Postdoctoral Researcher in World Christianity and African Christianity
₵65.00 -
Operation Rescue (The ABCs of the Christian, Volume 1)
This is the first in the 6-part series called The ABCs of the Christian. This volume deals with the theme of SALVATION.
Why are we adopted children of God? What is justification? How does Jesus Christ fulfill the role of the Messiah? What is the essence of Jesus’ sacrifice, substitution, atonement, redemption? This book explains such key topics and other related matters under the general theme of our Salvation.
The book is a collection of essays, written in clear easy step-by-step expositions to help the reader understand and appreciate the fullness of our salvation in Christ Jesus and the love of God which made it all possible.
The contents are carefully selected and traced to their Old Testament origins to bring out the full meaning and the message of the subject under discussion. In the process, the book seeks to answer some questions frequently asked and clarify some confusing issues.
₵30.00 -
Christians And Churches Of Africa: Salvation In Christ And Building A New African Society
Ka Mana’s book revolves around the experience that Jesus as Christ and Savior comes into the heart of men and women to transform them from within and make them agents for the transformation of the continent.₵25.00 -
Seeing New Facets of the Diamond: Christianity as a Universal Faith – Essays in Honor of Kwame Bediako
In the five years since Kwame Bediako passed away there has been a growing desire among colleagues and friends to put together a book that would honour his memory.
The title has been chosen to reflect the range of interests and concerns that motivated Bediako’s scholarly work, including his founding and nurturing of ACI, originally named Akrofi-Christaller Memorial Centre for Mission Research and Applied Theology (ACMC), located at Akropong-Akuapem in Ghana. His vision was for the renewal of Christianity as a universal faith, not just in Africa, but also in the non-Western world generally, and with a long-term view to a renewal of the faith in the West. The image of facets of the diamond was his way of describing his vision of the unity-in-diversity that is the biblical mandate for the world church.
Thus, Bediako’s interpretation of the African Christian story, to which he devoted so much of his time and energy – ‘the surprise story of the modern missionary movement’ – was always in relation to the wider Christian story, whether of earlier periods or of other contemporary settings around the world.
This collection of essays has sought to achieve a good representation of mentors, colleagues and disciples from around the world. The contributions come from a variety of countries, theological disciplines and perspectives, and represent either a direct outworking of his vision and initiatives or a connection with them. Taken together, they demonstrate Bediako’s conviction that the theological creativity emerging in Africa is also for the benefit of the mission of the world church. All the essays key into the general theme from contributors’ own particular perspectives and areas of specialisation and capture something of the vision that inspired Kwame Bediako, which he shared, and the legacy he has bequeathed.
In addition, they make a contribution to a deeper understanding of world Christianity in our time and provide pointers to the ongoing scholarly task in the service of the church in mission. For it is vital that we continue to see new facets of the diamond that is the universality of the Gospel, as lived and proclaimed through the world church.
₵90.00