Ghana Responds to Kingdom Proclamation
IN HIS great prophecy concerning the time of the end, Jesus said: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.”—Matt. 24:14.
Ghana is part of the “inhabited earth” in which the “good news” is now being preached. As a result, many have come to benefit from the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses as they strive to reach every person with the Bible’s message. During the last decade, the work has expanded so that there are now about 21,000 Witnesses sharing regularly in proclaiming the “good news.”
To direct this activity, the first branch office of the Watch Tower Society in Ghana was established in 1947. Soon the increase of the work demanded larger facilities. These had hardly begun to be used when plans had to be made for still larger quarters, in order to serve the growing congregations. So a new building was constructed, being dedicated in 1963. Again, this facility proved to be inadequate for the increased needs, and a new site was obtained at Nungua, a suburb of Accra. Now preparations are under way there for a fine, greatly enlarged new branch office and printery.
The rapid growth of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Ghana reflects the readiness of the Ghanaian people to listen to the Bible’s message and their zeal in responding to the good things learned. A few instances will serve to demonstrate how Ghanaians are hungry for Bible truth. The following is a report from a congregation in Accra.
MANY SEEK BIBLE TRUTH
“An invitation was extended to us to speak to a group of about 60 persons who had undertaken a search of the Bible to find the true religion. Following some time of private study of the Scriptures on various doctrines, they began to invite leaders of various churches to talk to them and to discuss matters. After listening to these religious leaders and questioning them on various subjects, they asked the leader of their group to invite us also.
“The group leader said the main reason for deciding to invite us was that, after studying for some time, they found that they were obligated to preach to people. So they began going from house to house. He said the usual question people asked them was, ‘Are you Jehovah’s Witnesses?’ to which they answered, No. This experience prompted the group to invite us. They chose five subjects for discussion. After a speaker covered each subject, the group asked many questions. About a month later, we were invited to conduct a regular study of the Bible with them. When a consideration of the primary doctrines was finished, their leader told us that they had found that we have the truth and they had decided to associate with us.
“This group was affiliated with a branch group in another town. Meanwhile, word had gone to them as to what had been decided by the first group. Some of the elders of our congregation were invited over to explain matters. The final outcome was that 18 members of the group were baptized.”
A FIRM STAND FOR BIBLE TRUTH AIDS OTHERS
The village of Amanya, in the Volta Region, was visited by two Witnesses, who spoke to the residents about the Kingdom message. The Witnesses began to study the Bible with a small group of interested persons. However, no one took a firm stand for what he was learning. It so happened that a young man from the village had just completed his high-school education and had returned to teach in the Local Authority Middle School. This young man was a zealous Protestant churchman and so was assigned in his church to preach sermons. One of the Witnesses, who had been a senior of this young man in college, met and spoke to him. The Witness did not remember the young man until he introduced himself. At first the message did not impress the young man much, but he accepted the book What Has Religion Done for Mankind? After they had studied a few chapters of the book, along with the Bible, he became convinced that the teachings of his church were not in harmony with the Scriptures. He decided to quit the church.
During another visit by the two Witnesses, this young man told them that he was going to do something; but he would not tell them what it was until later. Actually, he wrote a resignation letter to the church. The minister in charge was shocked. He invited the young man to visit him and asked whether it was true that he wrote the letter. He answered in the affirmative. The minister, not being convinced, asked the young man to go and think over the matter for three days, and then come and withdraw the letter. The young man replied that he meant what he said, but would think about this since he had asked him to do so. Meanwhile, the matter was reported to the elders of the young man’s church, including the head of his family. Many were the rebukes and insults from these men. The head of his family said that if he did go so far as to withdraw from his church, they would not object if he should join any other religion, including the spiritualist churches, or return to the “mother church,” the Roman Catholic, but to become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses was unthinkable! The young man reported this to the lone Witness residing in the village. She encouraged him to remain firm in his decision to become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and not give up. She told him that for the present it would be hard on him, but that if he remained steadfast things would work out eventually and maybe some of the opposers would be helped thereby to get a clearer knowledge of Bible truth. He agreed.
Later, the young man was invited to come before the whole congregation of his church to tell them why he was resigning. He reported this to the Witnesses, who helped him to prepare a good defense. Before the congregation, he started with a discussion of the Lord’s Prayer, showing that the church’s teaching that all who ever get life are going to heaven could not be correct. Immediately, the minister jumped up and protested that he had not been invited to preach to them but to tell them why he was resigning. The young man answered that since his reason for resigning was based on the Bible he could not say anything without referring to the Bible. The minister would not allow him to continue; so he was driven out. A split then took place in the church. Some wanted to hear him, while others would not allow him to call attention to the Bible. This opened the way for a greater spreading of the “good news” in that village, with many calling on the young man to hear more.
The next development was that the young man was invited to appear at a meeting before the head of the clan. Here, the elders of the community started to rebuke him. At this point a man who had a reputation as a drunkard came into the meeting. He took his seat in the gathering with his head drooping for a while. Suddenly, he stood up and asked for an audience. He said, as all looked at him intently: “Why are you trying to stop this young man from worshiping his God? Has any of you ever seen someone who gets drunk like me who was said to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses? Or, have you ever seen any girl pregnant through fornication who was said to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses? Why make trouble for him? Fools! Leave him alone to worship his God!” With that, he sat down and no one had the courage to speak up in further opposition to the young man. That was the end of the meeting.
ASSEMBLIES HELP TO SPREAD THE “GOOD NEWS”
Theocratic assemblies have been milestones in the advancement of true worship in this land. These have broken down prejudices in the minds of even some highly placed individuals in the nation. For instance, at the “Joyful Workers” District Assembly held at Mampong, Ashanti, in December 1977, the paramount chief of the area was present on the last day and marveled at the convention arrangements and the conduct of the brothers. He could not find words adequate to express his feelings. A like attitude prevailed among many of his elders who came with him. All he could say was: “You are beautiful; you are clean!”
Under Jehovah’s loving care and protection, despite some opposition, the proclaiming of the “good news” and the making of disciples is continuing in relative peace. We look forward to many more becoming disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is so because, on April 11, 1979, at the Memorial celebration of our Lord’s death, there were more than 70,000 persons in attendance throughout Ghana.
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