Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana (Ewe: Presbyteria Nyanyui Hame le Ghana, colloquially EP Church) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in Ghana. It follows strong beliefs from the Evangelical and Reformed traditions. This church works closely with its sister church, the Presbyterian Church of Ghana. The EP Church serves many people in Ghana, offering spiritual guidance and community support through its teachings and activities.

History

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana was started by German missionaries on 14 November 1847 in Peki. These missionaries from the North German Mission Society and the Basel Mission worked among the Ewe people in what is now the Volta Region of Ghana. By the start of World War I, they had set up two mission stations in the British colony of the Gold Coast and seven in the German protectorate of Togoland.

After the war, the League of Nations split Togoland, with the western part becoming British Transvolta Togoland, and the eastern part becoming French Togoland (now Togo). Even with this split, the first synod of the mission stations in May 1922 decided to be the main governing body of the “Ewe Church,” and they adopted the congregational order of the Bremen Mission. In 1923, Scottish missionaries started working in British Togoland, while the church in French Togoland was led by the Paris Mission.

Because of the split, the church developed separately in the two areas but shared the same constitution. They still hold a joint synod every four years.

Governance

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Ghana is led by a person called the Moderator of the General Assembly. The current leader is Reverend Lt. Colonel Bliss Divine Kofi Agbeko, who began his role in January 2021 at the Dela Chapel in Ho.

Before 2008, the church was led by a group called the General Synod. The first leader of this group was chosen in 1922. The church later changed to a General Assembly system, and the leader’s title became "The Moderator of the General Assembly." The first leader under this new system was Very Reverend Francis Amenu.

Here are some past leaders of the church:

Past Moderators of the General Synod

• Very Rev. Andreas Aku - (1922)
• Very Rev. David Bensah (1923 – 1926)
• Very Rev. E. Awuma (1927 – 1939)
• Very Rev. B.S. Amegashie (1940 – 1951)
• Very Rev. M.W. Akama (1952 – 1956)
• Very Rev. E.K. Galevo (1957 – 1968)
• Very Rev. A.K. Abutiate (1969 – 1972)
• Very Rev. C.K. Dovlo (1969 – 1972)
• Very Rev. Noah Komla Dzobo (1981 – 1993)
• Very Rev. Japhet Ledo (1993 – 2001)
• Very Rev. Livingstone Komla Buama (2001 – 2009)

Past Moderators of the General Assembly

• Very Rev. Francis Amenu (2009 – 2015)
• Very Rev. Seth Senyo Agidi (2015 – 2020)

Past Synod Clerks

• Rev. Prof. Christian Gonçalves Kwami Baëta (1945–1949)
• Rev. E.Y. Forson (1960 - 1980)

Education

The church plays an important role in education. It has helped start many primary and secondary schools, as well as a university college. One of the main schools is the Evangelical Presbyterian University College, which opened in 2008 and has campuses in Ho and Peki in the Volta Region.

Other schools include the E. P. Church Seminary in Peki, founded in 1864, and several colleges of education and high schools across different towns.

Health

The EP Church helps people stay healthy by running several hospitals and clinics. Some of these places are in towns like Adidome, Worawora, and Dambai. They also have pharmacies and special healing centers to care for people.

Associations

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Ghana is part of two important groups. It is a member of the Christian Council of Ghana, which brings together many Christian churches in the country. It is also a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches, a global group of churches that share similar beliefs and traditions.

Missionaries

One of the last missionaries to help the Presbyterian church was Ian Strachan from the Church of Scotland. He was also the first headmaster of the E. P. Senior High School in Hohoe.

Partner churches

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana has several partner churches around the world. These include the Eglise Évangélique Presbytérienne du Togo, the Church of Scotland, the Evangelical Church of Bremen, the Presbyterian Church of Korea (TongHap), and the United Reformed Church. A Ghanaian minister works with the United Reformed Church in London for four years, alternating between the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.