Dear Friends,
Thank you for praying with us this week for Raymond Ayayee in Ghana.
Located along the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa, Ghana has abundant natural resources, including rich reserves of minerals, precious stones, and oil. Lake Volta, the largest manmade lake in Africa, runs across the country’s eastern region. Over 70% of Ghana’s 28 million people identify as Christians and 18% as Muslims, while 5% exclusively practice traditional African religions. Ghana enjoys a relatively stable political and economic environment, as well as high religious tolerance.
Raymond is pursuing a PhD in Theology (Missions) at Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission and Culture in Ghana. His research focuses on holistic discipleship and missions. He seeks to evaluate the legacy of parachurch organizations in Ghana, and to propose a disciple-making model that could promote spiritual and sociocultural transformation in African contexts.
Since 2003, Raymond has worked with the Great Commission Movement of Ghana, a ministry of Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ International), and currently serves as the National Leader of Campus Ministries. Raymond and his wife Esther, who is also a missionary with the Great Commission, live with their son Kekeli and baby daughter Aseye in Kumasi, Ghana.
Raymond shares the following message:
Shalom!
My service has been in the area of missions and transformation, as well as missions in pluralistic religious contexts (Christianity, Islam, and traditional religions). In my 16 years of missions experience in Ghana, I have observed a phenomenal response to the gospel, as is common in some other sub-Saharan African countries. Operation World reports that “from 1900 to 2010, [African] Christian numbers grew from 9.1% of the population to 48.8%, and from 7.5 million to 504 million.”
Since growth rate and numbers are significant factors in religio-cultural influence, Africa has great potential for contributing significantly to global missions now and in the future. There are already signs of Africa’s contribution to global missions. A common concern, however, is that, generally, Christianity in Africa has yet to fully integrate the gospel into its pre-Christian cultures. In addition, Africa has yet to significantly express the sociocultural impact associated with the gospel.
Research on the understanding and practice of missions in the African context, guided by sound biblical hermeneutics and theology in general, is vital for shaping African Christianity, its significant and enduring witness, and its contribution to global missions. My research on disciple-making and transformation therefore seeks to contribute to the discourse on the above needs and possible solutions.
Prayer Needs
1) By God’s grace, we welcomed a third child, Aseye, on September 23 after the loss of our second child last year. Kindly join us in thanking the Lord for His comfort, protection, guidance, and provision for the family.
2) Kindly pray for good health for the family, especially for Kekeli, who keeps struggling with genotype-related respiratory infections. Also pray for more avenues for us toward meeting our annual budget.
3) Thank God for the good response to the gospel and pray against complacency, especially toward those who are yet to be reached.
4) Pray that the gospel would be deeply rooted and impact all aspects of life in Ghana and throughout Africa. Pray for good stewardship of our natural resources and for responsible governance.
5) Please ask for godly wisdom in my research pursuits, and blessings upon all our sponsors and others who minister with us.
Thanks for praying,
Raymond Ayayee