The history of the New Apostolic Church in Ghana

Creation of congregations in Ghana

In the end of the 1960s the creation of congregations in Ghana began. District Apostle Kraus (Canada) looked after the Volta region in the eastern part of the country and the north. District Apostle Rockenfelder did missionary work in the western part and the centre of the country.

„Papa Ghana“

As of 1969, Rudolf Schilling from Hesse who was to become Apostle and whom the brothers and sisters called lovingly and thankfully „Papa Ghana“, worked in the central part of the country. The Apostles Erwin Wagner, Gottfried Schwarzer, Georges Van der Ploeg and Nelson Kraus from the District Church Canada worked in Ghana.

The first Apostle from Ghana

On 11.12.1983 Ghana received the first local messenger for Christ with Apostle I.N. Kankam (District Church Hesse). He served and worked as a blessing as a "prime mover" for almost 21 years being an apostle until his retirement on 11.07.2004.

More church districts are created

Till 1984 three, and in the neighboring country Nigeria two church districts with a total of 124 congregations and 8,000 believers were created. In April 1984, District Apostle Klaus Saur took over as a successor of District Apostle Gottfried Rockenfelder the soul care of the congregations in Ghana which were entrusted to Hesse.

Church dedication in Accra

In October 1988, District Apostle Klaus Saur dedicated a new church in Accra, which has room for more than 1,400 people. The construction of this imposing place of worship was made possible by a special offering of the youth from Baden, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland.

Apostle Guenter Beck takes over the work in Ghana

After the retirement of Apostle Schilling, Apostle Guenter Beck was entrusted with the brothers and sisters of the western and the central part of Ghana.

First visit of a Chief Apostle

In 1994, Chief Apostle Richard Fehr visited Ghana. This was the first visit of a Chief Apostle there. Divine services in Accra on 04.06.1994 and in Kumasi on 05.06.1994 took place.

Transmission from Accra

In 1998, Chief Apostle Richard Fehr visited Ghana again. The divine service in Accra was transmitted to Europe for the first time.

Assignment to District Church of Southern Germany

In 2001, the District Church of Southern Germany was totally entrusted with the soul care and administration work of the whole country. At that time, there were about 190,000 church members. Apostle Wolfgang Eckhardt took over the responsibility for Ghana.

Chief Apostle Fehr again in Ghana

In 2004, Chief Apostle Richard Fehr served not only in Accra, but also in Ho (Volta-Region) for the first time, the former area entrusted to Canada. For the first time, there was a seminar with all Apostles and Bishops from the African countries, entrusted to District Apostle Klaus Saur, in the presence of the Chief Apostle.

Chief Apostle Leber in Accra

During his stay in Ghana, Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber conducted a divine service in Accra on 16 November 2008.

Visit of Chief Apostle Helper Jean-Luc Schneider

In February 2013, Chief Apostle Helper Jean-Luc Schneider visited the country and held a divine service in Kumasi on 17.02.2013. Almost 10,000 brothers and sisters experienced his service.

New responsible Apostle

In September 2013, Apostle Wolfgang Eckhardt went into retirement. Apostle Samuel Oppong-Brenya from Ghana took over this task.

Divine Service in Accra with the Chief Apostle

On 12 January 2014, Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider served in the central church in Accra. In this divine service Apostle Jantuah and Bishop Ampadu went into retirement. A new Apostle and two new Bishops were ordained. Inside and outside the church about 3,200 participants experienced the divine service which was transmitted in completely Ghana by a television broadcasting station.

New Apostles ordained for Ghana

In January 2016, five more Apostles were ordained for Ghana in Yamoussoukro (Ivory Coast). So the 174 districts with about 3,000 congregations in 15 Apostle areas could be restructured.