Candidacy Journey with the ELCA
My encounter with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) marked the beginning of a new chapter in my vocational journey. Having been formed by Messianic Judaism, Pentecostalism, and years of theological exploration, I arrived at Luther Seminary expecting to deepen my theological education. Instead, I found myself discerning a pastoral calling within a tradition I had never imagined would become my ecclesial home. What first drew me to the ELCA was not its institutional structure but its theological vision. Its proclamation of salvation by grace through faith in Christ, its theology of the cross, its reverence for Word and Sacrament, and its conviction that the Church is called to participate in God’s work of justice, reconciliation, and service resonated deeply with convictions that had already been taking shape throughout my journey. Rather than abandoning my previous experiences, I found the Lutheran tradition giving them greater theological coherence and grounding.
I began my studies at Luther Seminary in 2022 in the Master of Arts program with a concentration in Leadership and Innovation for Ministry. As I continued my studies, however, it became increasingly clear that God was calling me not only to study theology but to serve as a pastor. That conviction led me to enter the ELCA’s candidacy process and to transition into the Master of Divinity program, embracing the formation required for ordained ministry. Looking back, I now see this decision not simply as a change in academic direction but as an act of faithful discernment—a response to God’s continuing call upon my life.
Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)
One of the defining moments in my ELCA candidacy journey came through Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), which I completed between January and May 2023. Serving at the Volunteers of America High School in St. Paul through the Social Justice CPE program expanded my understanding of pastoral ministry beyond the walls of the church. I discovered that spiritual care is not confined to the sanctuary but is exercised wherever people carry wounds, seek hope, and long to encounter God’s presence. As part of the St. Paul Social Justice Unit, I also had the unique opportunity to minister alongside incarcerated individuals at the Minnesota Correctional Facility–Stillwater. Those encounters profoundly shaped my pastoral imagination. They challenged me to see every person through the lens of God’s grace and dignity, while deepening my commitment to restorative justice, reconciliation, and the Church’s public witness. Rather than viewing pastoral care and social justice as separate callings, I came to understand them as inseparable expressions of the gospel. CPE became a place where theology met lived experience. It taught me to listen before speaking, to accompany people in suffering without rushing to provide answers, and to trust that God’s Spirit is already present in the lives of those I serve. Looking back, I see this season not merely as a requirement for candidacy but as a profound season of pastoral formation that affirmed my calling to Word and Sacrament ministry within the ELCA.
the Church Triumphant
While my candidacy journey was marked by profound theological and pastoral formation, it was also shaped by deep personal loss. During this season, my beloved mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Walking alongside her through illness while continuing my studies and ministry taught me that the pastoral care I was learning in classrooms and Clinical Pastoral Education was no longer theoretical—it had become deeply personal. When she entered the Church Triumphant on October 31, 2024, I returned to Ghana to celebrate her life and lay her to rest. In that season, I experienced the gospel not only as something I proclaimed but as the hope that sustained me in grief. My mother’s faith, resilience, and sacrificial love continue to shape my understanding of ministry, reminding me that pastors are first disciples who themselves depend upon the grace they proclaim to others.
Internship and Graduation
My pastoral internship at Augustana Lutheran Church has become one of the most meaningful chapters in my formation for ordained ministry. More than a requirement in the ELCA candidacy process, Augustana has been a community where theology, worship, pastoral care, and congregational life have come together to shape me as a pastor. At Augustana, I have been entrusted with preaching, teaching, leading worship, offering pastoral care, participating in Confirmation, Life Groups, Kids Kingdom, Bible studies, and walking with people across generations. These experiences have taught me that ministry is not merely exercised from the pulpit; it is lived through presence, listening, prayer, and faithful companionship in both joy and sorrow. One of the most formative aspects of my internship has been leading a project to strengthen Augustana’s contemporary worship ministry while piloting many of my learnings through a monthly midweek gathering I developed called Hour of Hope. Centered on creative expression, contemporary music, storytelling, prayer, and Spirit-led preaching, this gathering has allowed me to bring together the gifts of my Pentecostal and Lutheran formation in what I often describe as Luthercostal worship—a ministry that seeks to unite Lutheran liturgical depth with Pentecostal attentiveness to the Holy Spirit. Alongside my internship, I also completed studies in stewardship and fundraising through Luther Seminary and the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at Indiana University. These experiences broadened my understanding of stewardship, helping me see fundraising not simply as meeting financial needs but as cultivating generosity, discipleship, and faithful participation in God’s mission. On June 25, 2026, my ELCA candidacy journey reached an important milestone when the Saint Paul Area Synod approved my candidacy for ordained ministry. Looking back, I see Augustana as the place where many streams of my journey converged: my love for Scripture, my attentiveness to the Holy Spirit, my commitment to worship, my passion for teaching, and my calling to shepherd God’s people. It deepened my understanding of the Church as a living community called to worship, witness, serve, and love beyond itself. Perhaps the greatest gift Augustana has given me has been its remarkable love and investment in my family and me. The congregation welcomed us not merely as interns but as fellow pilgrims in Christ, generously encouraging, supporting, and believing in God’s work among us. Their willingness to invest in my pastoral formation has reminded me that the Church forms pastors not only through classrooms and supervision but through communities that embody the grace, generosity, and hospitality of Jesus Christ. For that gift, I will always remain deeply grateful.
