The All-Africa IPFBM Conference convened on Tuesday, Oct. 4 in Accra, Ghana. Representatives of seven associations from four African countries, India, and the United States gathered to hear speakers’ insight on “Equipping for the Work,” taken from Ephesians 4. Focusing on the challenge of the global assignment, speakers addressed village evangelism, church planting, and training to the group of pastors, pastors’ wives, missionaries, and church leaders gathered at the AWET Hotel in Accra.

Chris Hindal, director of GARBC International Ministries, opened the conference with a message on the Biblical basis of partnering. On Tuesday evening, Pastor MacDouglas Ampadu, president of the host association in Ghana, challenged the conferees that God alone is the source of enablement.

The major daytime session on Wednesday, led by Pastor Gbolou Mawouli from a partnering association in Togo, dealt with “Equipping for the Work of Village Evangelism.” During a breakout session, Deb Hindal gathered the ladies around the subject of the fruit of the Spirit. In addition, Nathan Babcock, an intern with techPartner, an affiliate of Baptist Church Planters, trained guests on using technology effectively and answered individuals’ questions about their specific technology needs on the mission field. Nathan also oversaw and executed the technology for each session. Rounding out the sessions on Wednesday, Pastor G. Larque Vaye, from a partnering association in Liberia, brought the evening message from Acts 1 on the priority of the Father’s business.

Pastor James Togba (pictured above) from Monrovia, Liberia, continued the theme on Thursday morning with “Equipping for the Work of Church Planting.” In the afternoon strategy session, the leaders discussed the possibility of planting churches in nearby countries. The executives of each association exchanged e-mails for the purpose of continuing the conversation.

David Osoyi, who leads the Faith Independent Baptist Churches Association of Kenya, exhorted the group on Thursday evening to walk with God following the example of Noah. David Totman, an ABWE missionary in Ho, Ghana, made a presentation on training. He used Ephesians 4:11–16 to demonstrate the purposes of teaching, which he defined as “causing the student to learn.”

The conference, which concluded on Friday, is a joint effort of the GARBC International Ministries and the Association of Fundamental Baptist Churches of Ghana. In addition to hearing the speakers’ insight, conference-goers also enjoyed two prayer meetings each day, plus rousing singing led by Pastor Alfred Adjaottor of Ghana. “Good cross-pollination of fellowship is an earmark of this kind of conference,” says Chris Hindal.