GC Secretary Offers Encouragement in Visit to West-Central Africa Division

Erton C. Köhler, secretary of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, recently visited three African countries that are part of the West-Central Africa Division (WAD) of the denomination. In his January visit Köhler met with leaders in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria as he offered words of encouragement and reflected on results, challenges, and prospects for the region.

In Köhler’s first stop he met with church leaders at the regional church headquarters in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Leaders and church members welcomed him to the regional offices for a special meeting. This gathering brought more than 300 participants, including division administrators, department heads, union and conference leaders, as well as many lay members from various regions of Côte d’Ivoire.

In his welcome speech WAD president Robert Osei-Bonsu thanked the special guest and acknowledged the presence of various dignitaries. Osei-Bonsu emphasized the work that remains to be done to fulfill the evangelical mission. “There is much to do; the level of growth we have achieved is not proportional to the population we have in our countries,” Osei-Bonsu said. “We have work to do. We must be a dynamic community committed to the salvation of souls for the Lord. We must reach new fields across the entire territory of our division using all the means available to us.”

Among the church leaders who attended the Côte d’Ivoire meeting were country church administrators from the Southeast Conference, the North-Central Mission, as well as the Southwest Mission. Also present were representatives from the Eastern Sahel Union Mission (which, besides Côte d’Ivoire, includes Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Togo) and the West African Union Mission (which includes Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone). This diversity of participants highlights the significance of the event and the unity prevailing within the church, regional church leaders said.

Beyond the speeches, this visit provided an opportunity for leaders and lay members to exchange views on the challenges and prospects of the Adventist Church across the country and the region. Moments of prayer, reflection, and sharing marked this gathering, reinforcing the cohesion and shared vision of the participants, church leaders who participated reported.

“The visit of the secretary of the General Conference leaves a significant impact on the regional Adventist Church,” regional church leaders said. “It strengthens unity, encourages missionary commitment, and gives new momentum to local actions for spiritual and institutional growth.” They added, “With this renewed momentum, church members and leaders return motivated to continue their mission with faith and determination.”

The original version of this story was posted by the West-Central Africa Division.