On a recent Sunday, I found myself at a church in Gaani, Ghana. Before arriving that morning, I hadn't known there was such a place. Of course, with a population of about 3,200 people, I'm not sure if many Ghanaians are even aware there is a Gaani. However—and fortunately for the residents of that small town—two of TLI's graduates, Anthony and Dominic, knew about it. And they saw the need for a church plant in Gaani.
They saw how the town was full of homes headed by men who would come together to get drunk, then return home and abuse their families. They saw wives and children in need of good leaders and safe spaces. They saw citizens who trusted in rocks and iron which they fashioned into amulets to protect themselves from evil powers and ensure their prosperity.
In April of 2018, with a clear vision of Gaani's need, Anthony and Dominic moved into an abandoned building there and started preaching the gospel. In November of that year, they baptized 44 people. Currently, in a building that could hold 50 congregants comfortably (and 75 people uncomfortably), they now have 106 regular attenders. Despite being in a culture which cares far less than Americans about personal space, they simply can't fit any more people inside the building. The only solution is for church members and visitors to crowd around the windows outside to hear a word from the preacher.
“In April of 2018, with a clear vision of Gaani's need, Anthony and Dominic moved into an abandoned building there and started preaching the gospel.”
This is one reason why TLI exists. We may not be working directly in pioneer evangelism or church planting. But many of our students are. And many of them will. As they study the scriptures and recognize their responsibility to steward the gospel, those we train are better equipped to reach communities with that gospel. Even an unreached and unheard-of place like Gaani.
