LEOMINISTER, Mass. (BP) — Before leaving Ghana, Ghanaian Baptists learn in their church covenant that wherever they go, they should join a Baptist church and if there isn’t one, then they should plant one.

Charles Owusu, who coordinates church planting and leadership training for the North America Baptist Association (NABA) of the Ghana Baptist Convention, said the mandate drives a focus on church planting as prioritized at NABA’s 2025 Annual Renewal Convention on July 25-28 in Leominister, Mass.

“Our churches back home were planted by IMB (International Mission Board) missionaries,” said Owusu, senior pastor of Word of Life Baptist Church in Lithia Springs, Ga. “And now we are here and we see ourselves as missionaries to evangelize and plant churches among not just our people, but the people within our communities.”

With 22 churches in nine U.S. states and Canada, NABA has identified Ghanaian communities in seven cities and states for new church plants, Owusu said, including Charlotte, N.C.; Nashville, Tenn.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Los Angeles; South Jersey; and Delaware.

North American Mission Board (NAMB) church planting catalysts assist NABA in planting churches, with 15 of the church plants having been supported by NAMB, Owusu said.

We appreciate “their vision to plant churches in the U.S. and Canada,” Owusu said of NAMB, “and their willingness to support us in church planting. We really appreciate (that) they are always ready to support any church planter we bring, and to support the church. NAMB also provides training for the new church planters.”

More than 200 Ghanaian Southern Baptists attended the 19th annual NABA convention, which also focused on leadership training and encouraged members to sacrificially support the work of churches just as God sacrificed His son, and as first century Christians sacrificially supported the work of the early church.

“Charitable generosity is at the heart of missions,” Owusu said, emphasizing the meeting’s theme “Cheerful Generosity: The Heart of Missions,” based on 2 Corinthians 9:5-15. “Apart from that, we take our inspiration from God’s generosity when He wanted to save us. He gave His only begotten Son, He was so generous. And Jesus also laid down His life. I mean, he gave up everything just for our sake. And then, the women supported the work.”

Samuel Nana Opoku, senior pastor of Abundant Life Baptist Church in the Bronx, N.Y., and president of the NABA Ministers Fellowship, was the convention guest speaker. Charles Grant, associate vice president for convention partnerships with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Executive Committee, was among special guests.

NABA ordained four ministers, received two ordained ministers in the fellowship and licensed another, Owusu said, helping ensure leaders are in place to plant churches in the targeted areas, beginning with Delaware, South Jersey and Charlotte.

In addition to Opoku, NABA officers are President John Bio Asante, lead pastor of New Creation Baptist Church in Millbury, Mass.; Vice President Theophilus Isaac Arthur, pastor of Revival Baptist Ministries International, Woodbridge, Va.; Stampley Asamoah-Ampofo, secretary and national youth and young adults coordinator; Vera Schandorf, vice secretary; Kwadwo Yeboah, financial officer; Eric Odoi Ansah, assistant chief financial officer; Philip Oheneba Amofah, missions and church planting committee chairman, who also serves as lead pastor of Royal Missionary Baptist Church in Engleside, Va.; Kwabena Nuamah, men’s ministry president; and Patience Asomaning, NABA Woman’s Missionary Union president. 

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Diana Chandler is Baptist Press’ senior writer.)