The Victory Bible Church International (VBCI) has held a grand national thanksgiving service at the Independence Square in Accra to climax its 40th anniversary celebrations.
The service, hosted by the General Overseer of the VBCI, Bishop Nii Tackie-Yarboi, and his wife, Rev. Mrs Dora Tackie-Yarboi, brought together thousands of members of the church from across the country.
The service climaxed the four decades’ anniversary of the charismatic church, held on the theme: “40 Years of Raising the Foundations of Many Generations", as a reflection of its commitment to evangelism, discipleship and community transformation.
The thanksgiving service aimed to celebrate and render gratitude to God for the many years of impact of the church and its contribution to Christianity in the country and the world at large.
The celebration was also attended by prominent personalities, including the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah; the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim; and his deputy, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah; and the Presidential Envoy in charge of Interfaith and Ecumenical Bodies, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah.
Founded in 1985, the Victory Bible Church International has grown from humble beginnings to a global church network with over 500 branches across Africa, Europe, the Americas and Asia.
The colourful ceremony saw members dressed in the 40th anniversary commemorative cloth and branded shirts for the occasion as they sang and danced to worship and praise the Lord for His faithfulness in their attainment of 40 years.
Inspiring Sermon, atmosphere
Delivering his sermon titled: “Your Will Be Done” at the service, Bishop Tackie-Yarboi said it was important that believers aligned their life with God's will, and encouraged the congregation to seek divine guidance and wisdom.
Some members of the congregation singing joyfully during the service
The General Overseer urged Christians to endeavour to do only the will of God no matter their status in the country since all good gifts came from God.
He also urged believers not to undermine anyone and to ensure that they always represented the nature of Jesus Christ.
Bishop Tackie-Yarboi further called on Christians to continue to pray for the country in order that its leadership would reflect the will of God and bring prosperity that the country deserved.
Commitment
The Chief of Staff, in his address, expressed the government’s commitment to partnering with the faith-based organisations to pursue entrepreneurial and development agenda in the country.
He indicated that the President's vision for resetting the nation's development trajectory aimed at equipping and empowering Ghanaians to become entrepreneurs and business owners who could contribute to the country's social and economic development.
Mr Debrah encouraged religious leaders to establish a Business Development Desk, headed by one of their pastors, to guide members with entrepreneurial spirit and to provide support when needed.
The Chief of Staff gave an assurance that the government would be willing to lend a hand to those with innovative ideas and desire to contribute to the nation's development.
Mr Debrah said the church’s 40th anniversary represented a new beginning as referenced by the popular phrase: "life begins at 40", and encouraged the church members to see their current efforts as a starting point for greater things to come.
Holistic ministry
Mr Afriyie Ankrah, in a statement delivered on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, lauded the VBCI’s holistic approach to ministry, which combined evangelism, education, community outreach and social impact.
The President commended the church's leadership, particularly Bishop Tackie-Yarboi, for raising the foundations of many generations.
He stated that the church’s health outreaches, youth development programmes and music and arts ministries had made it a light on a hill, a church continent, parading God's glory across nations.
He assured the church of the government's commitment to working with faith-based institutions in nation-building, education, healthcare, social welfare and youth empowerment, underscoring the importance of moral foundation, integrity and trust in sustainable development.
He encouraged the church on its 40th anniversary to expand its influence in governance, technology, education and entrepreneurship.
He prayed for the church's continued growth and impact, declaring greatness, productivity and righteousness over the nation.
