The History of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana

Nov 21, 2025 0

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana (Ewe: Presbyteria Nyanyui Hame le Ghana, colloquially EP Church), is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in Ghana with strong roots in the Evangelical and Reformed traditions.

Map of Ghana highlighting the Volta Region, where the church has strong roots.

Foundation and Early Development

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana was founded by German missionaries on 14 November 1847 in Peki. These missionaries from the North German Mission Society (Norddeutsche Mission, Bremen), together with the Basel Mission, started work among the Ewe people in what is now the Volta Region of Ghana.

By the beginning of World War I, they had established two mission stations in the British colony of the Gold Coast and seven in the German protectorate of Togoland.

Post-World War I Era

After the war, the League of Nations partitioned Togoland, with the western area becoming British Transvolta Togoland and the eastern section becoming French Togoland (now Togo). Despite this division, the first synod of the mission stations in May 1922 declared itself to be the supreme governing body of the “Ewe Church” and adopted the congregational order of the Bremen Mission.

Development proceeded separately in the two territories while sharing the same constitution. The first Moderator was elected in 1922, when the Togo and Gold Coast branches of the church held their first Joint Synod.

Leadership and Governance

The overall leader of the church is known as the Moderator of the General Assembly. The previous gathering of the churches was known as the General Synod.

Since 23 August 2008, the church changed from Synod status to General Assembly status. Since then, the Moderator is now officially known as 'The Moderator of the General Assembly'. The first Moderator since this change was the Very Reverend Francis Amenu.

Moderators of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana

Here is a list of some of the recent Moderators of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana:

Very Reverend Francis Amenu
Rev. Seth Senyo Agidi (2015 - 2020)
Reverend Lt. Colonel Bliss Divine Kofi Agbeko (Current Moderator)

Educational and Health Institutions

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, has been instrumental in establishing various educational and health institutions, contributing significantly to the development of communities within Ghana. These institutions include:

Read also: Baskets from Ghana

Mawuli School, Ho
Evangelical Presbyterian University College

The Evangelical Presbyterian University College has two campuses. The church also supports various agricultural projects.

Global Impact and Partnerships

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, has established partnerships with various international organizations and churches to further its mission. These partnerships facilitate meeting medical needs, sharing stories, training leaders, and distributing scripture.

The church also engages in evangelism, disciple-making, and cross-cultural missions, seeking to make Christ known among the Akan(Twi), Ewe, and Ga-speaking people in urban, suburban, and rural areas.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG) held a special dedication event on October 4 to celebrate the translation of the Augsburg Confession into the Fanti language. The dedication of this translation into Fanti is a powerful reminder that the Augsburg Confession is not just a historical document-it is a living confession.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG) held its Delegates Conference in Bunkpurugu during the second weekend of March 2024, during which time the church elected Rev. Akoh as the new President.

The Lutheran Leadership Development Program (LLDP) celebrated its first commencement ceremony following its most recent session November 8-19, 2022 in Troy, Illinois. Four graduates were awarded the Certificate of Theology in Lutheran Leadership on behalf of the International Lutheran Council (ILC).

President/Bishop John Donkoh (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana - ELCG) wrote his thesis on “Why are Some Hermeneutical Approaches Problematic, Even When Using the Bible?: A Consideration of the Proper Principles of Biblical Interpretation.”