Early Faith Formation And Ministry
My earliest theological and spiritual formation took place within the Seventh Day Congregation of Theocracy under the guidance of my foster father and other rabbis. There, I developed a deep reverence for Scripture, a disciplined life of prayer, and a profound appreciation for the holiness of God. The rhythms of Sabbath observance, the study of prophecy, the sanctuary tradition, and a commitment to faithful living shaped my early understanding of Christian discipleship and continue to influence my ministry today. At the age of sixteen, I entered the School of Prophetic Studies, where I received rigorous formation in biblical interpretation, prophetic theology, and spiritual leadership. The program challenged me intellectually and spiritually, helping to cultivate a lifelong love for Scripture and theological inquiry. After completing my studies, I was baptized by immersion on April 4, 2010, marking a significant milestone in my faith journey. My formation also entrusted me with leadership in the Messianic Young Jews Association (MYJA) and opportunities to participate in ministries that were typically reserved for pastors and deacons. Looking back, I recognize that this season of formation gave me gifts that continue to shape my ministry today: a deep respect for Scripture, a commitment to disciplined spiritual formation, an appreciation for the Jewish roots of the Christian faith, and an attentiveness to God’s ongoing work among God’s people. Although my theological journey later led me through Pentecostalism and into the Lutheran tradition, these early foundations remain an enduring part of my pastoral identity.
The Enduring Gifts of My Early Formation
At the heart of the Seventh Day Congregation of Theocracy was a deep commitment to the Ten Commandments, particularly the observance of the Sabbath, together with a rich appreciation for the sanctuary service, biblical festivals, and the rhythms of prayer described throughout Scripture. The community sought to recover the Jewish roots of the Christian faith by observing the seventh-day Sabbath, regular hours of prayer, the New Moon Sabbaths, and the biblical feasts of Passover, Pentecost, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. These practices were understood not merely as religious observances but as ways of participating in God’s unfolding story of redemption and cultivating a life ordered around worship, holiness, and devotion. Looking back, I am especially grateful for the way this tradition taught me to wrestle deeply with Scripture. Its emphasis on the unity of the Old and New Testaments, the biblical calendar, and the sanctuary shaped my love for biblical theology and gave me a deep appreciation for the continuity of God’s redemptive work throughout Scripture. Although my theological convictions have continued to develop through Pentecostalism and, later, the Lutheran tradition, I still value the biblical depth and intentionality that characterized my early formation. Today, those early experiences continue to enrich my ministry in unexpected ways. They have deepened my appreciation for the liturgical calendar, the structure and rhythm of Lutheran worship, and the Church’s historic practices of gathering around Scripture, prayer, and the sacraments. While I no longer understand Sabbath observance, the biblical festivals, or the commandments as means of earning righteousness before God, I continue to see them as important witnesses to God’s covenant faithfulness and as valuable hermeneutical lenses for reading both the Old and New Testaments. They remind me that Christian worship is rooted in God’s story with Israel and finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
One of the enduring gifts of my early formation was learning to see spirituality as embracing the whole person—body, mind, and soul. The Seventh Day Congregation of Theocracy emphasized both physical and spiritual discipline through its interpretation of the dietary laws in Leviticus 11 and its sustained study of the prophetic books of Daniel and Revelation. Together, these practices cultivated a way of life that sought to honor God through both faithful living and faithful interpretation of Scripture. For sixteen years, from 2001 to 2017, I practiced a vegetarian lifestyle as part of this spiritual discipline. Looking back, I no longer understand dietary practices as a measure of spiritual standing before God. Yet I remain grateful for the values they instilled—intentionality, self-discipline, stewardship of the body, and the conviction that faith is lived out through everyday habits as well as worship. One phrase that has remained with me over the years is, “We eat to live; we do not live to eat.” It continues to remind me that Christian freedom is not opposed to discipline, but is often expressed through wise and faithful stewardship. Likewise, the church’s rigorous engagement with biblical prophecy profoundly shaped my theological imagination. The careful study of Daniel, Revelation, and the relationship between biblical and world history taught me to wrestle deeply with Scripture, to appreciate the complexity of biblical interpretation, and to recognize God’s faithfulness throughout history. While my theological approach has continued to mature through Pentecostal and Lutheran traditions, that early love for prophecy continues to inform my preaching, biblical interpretation, and hope in God’s coming kingdom. Today, I see these practices not as ends in themselves but as gifts that formed a disciplined life of discipleship, nurtured a lifelong love for Scripture, and strengthened my confidence that all of history ultimately finds its meaning and fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
Society of Young Messanic Jews (Myjains)
During my senior high school years, while living in the village of Homedakrom near Pokuasi in Accra, I first sensed God’s call to ministry. That calling found expression in the founding of the Messianic Young Jews Association (MYJA), later known as the Society of Young Messianic Jews. What began as a small gathering of young people with a shared desire to know Yeshua (Jesus) grew into a vibrant community committed to discipleship, leadership development, and service. Looking back, I now recognize that MYJA was more than a youth ministry—it was my first experience of pastoral leadership. Through weekly Bible studies, prayer gatherings, leadership formation, and community outreach, I learned that the gospel is not only proclaimed through words but also embodied through faithful service. Whether organizing community clean-up campaigns, fetching water for vulnerable neighbors, supporting orphans through agricultural projects, or creating small businesses to sustain our mission, we sought to demonstrate the love of Christ in practical and transformative ways. Our evangelistic work eventually extended beyond our local community into surrounding towns and schools, where we shared the gospel, collaborated with Christian media ministries, and encouraged young people to embrace lives of faith and service. Those early experiences taught me that Christian leadership is not measured by the size of a ministry but by the willingness to faithfully steward God’s call, invest in others, and cultivate communities where people can grow in Christ together. Many of the convictions that continue to shape my pastoral ministry today—discipleship, leadership development, community engagement, and holistic mission—were first nurtured through this season of ministry.