Serving humanity: Hallmark of Most Rev. Dr Richard J.D. Ahiagbedey
Determination, hard work, and dedication to serve humanity has been his focus throughout his life. This he has done by ensuring that the lives of people who come into contact with him are either improved or turned around.
That is the story of Most Rev. Dr Richard J.D. Ahiagbedey, founder and presiding bishop of Adonai International Ministries, headquartered at Tema Community 12 in the Greater Accra Region.
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Rev. Dr Ahiagbedey comes across as a very simple, humble, calm and well composed man full of knowledge, wisdom and deep understanding of matters of life.
Throughout the conversation with The Mirror at his office in Tema, Rev. Dr Ahiagbedey demonstrated deep and clear understanding of all the issues discussed including politics, health, environment, attitude, Christianity, and homosexuality.
Every minute spent with him was pleasing and memorable, due to his level of politeness and deep appreciation of issues.
Service for God
According to him, at the age of 18, he had a clear plan about what God wanted to use his life for; to touch lives and improve the living standards of humanity. It was for that reason that just after completing Akatsi College of Education in the Volta Region as a trained teacher and agriculturalist, he served for three years and made himself available to be used by God.
“Since I knew I had passion for the ministry, I left the teaching profession after three years. Before I went to school, I was in ministry, and that was where my Bible school training started. I did a lot of my training on the job with World Missionary and Ghana Evangelical Society.
“It was through that I started the End-time Ministry, now Adonai International Ministries, on April 23, 1989, as an evangelistic ministry,” he told The Mirror.
A father and true statesman
Having spent 39 years in the ministry, Rev. Dr Ahiagbedey, teaches people by feeding their body, soul and spirit.
His passion and love for humanity has made him set up an educational fund the Bishop Richard Ahiagbedey Educational Fund to promote education for the girl child.
He personally provides for the upkeep and school fees of some children in different communities in Ghana, and has ensured that some of these children have pursued education to the highest level.
“I am mindful of the next generation, and doing my best to give what I have to society through the little I can. I don’t only teach the Word of God but ensure those I preach to live dignified lives,” he stated.
Rev. Dr Ahiagbedey believes that as pastors, “our assignment is to be the salt of the earth, and teach our members to stand out. Personally, I have raised and ministered to many pastors across the globe who are also transforming lives into legacies.
“No matter what you have acquired, if your life cannot improve that of others, then you are not successful; this is what I have dedicated my life to throughout the 39 years in ministry’’.
He advised leaders to ensure that their members lived good and responsible lives in society. “For instance, we, as parents, must help our children right from the day they are born by giving them the right kind of education and moral upbringing so they become responsible citizens.
“Parenting is paramount, but it is something we must continuously teach people to observe.
“Before the baby is born, relationship with the child must start. That is how true leadership starts. At Adonai International, we teach parents how to be responsible parents,” he said.
• Despite his busy schedules, Rev Dr Richard Ahiagbedey makes time to share in the special moments of his children
Societal problems
Rev. Dr Ahiagbedey believes that the problems society is encountering today can be attributed to poor upbringing; people lack adequate values.
He said the issue of development of man had nothing to do with biological location—it is all about values.
“You go to the Western countries and they have promoted certain things which are killing them. Many homes have been broken and destroyed today because we have wrongly picked up certain values without asking how that is going to help or destroy us’’, he observed.
Homosexuality
Sharing his views on homosexuality, Rev. Dr Ahiagbedey said it was a reproach; a curse, noting that the act was a canker like cancer, and that an offensive position must be taken against it.
‘We should be able to confront it both physically and spiritually. The devil and his cohorts know that we are in the last days, and will do everything possible to destroy.
Those who engage in such acts do not have self fulfillment which they wouldn’t tell you, but lie as though they are fulfilled’’.
“Man is doing everything possible to justify the wrong; and that has been our problem. But the wrong can never be right, no matter the justification.
“Humans have tempered with God’s creation so much such that if we are not careful, we are going to produce some monsters who are going to come after us very soon,” he predicted.
On politics, even though he said it was dicey, he indicated that the time had come for strong Christians to step into the fray and take up the mantle of leadership and change the narrative.
• Despite his busy schedules, Rev Dr Richard Ahiagbedey makes time to share in the special moments of his children
Focus of Adonai International
With branches in Tema, Takoradi, Afienya, Ashaiman Lebanon, and the United Kingdom (Sheffield, Lincoln), the main focus of Adonai International is to emphasise the word of God by impacting the generation with good character in order to help everyone realise their full potentials in Christ.
It teaches members to realise their full potentials no matter where they find themselves in life. Members are made to know that as Christians, they are placed at various places of authority in life to impact their generation.
The church has various arms including school of the word, counselling department, drama ministry, women’s ministry, men’s ministry, media, technical, and children’s ministry, all being handled by pastors, deacons and deaconesses.
Community projects
It has carried out a lot charity activities including financial support for students, and a number of medical outreach programmes within this 30-year period.
It also constantly embarks on educative programmes such as a clean community campaign where members are taught to always keep their environment clean.
“We also want to build a medical centre to look at alternative and orthodox medicine practice to serve those within Afienya and surrounding communities,” Rev. Dr Ahiagbedey added.
The 30-year celebration, which culminated into the Founder’s Day, was held last Sunday, where sons and daughters of Rev. Dr Ahiagbedey, whom he had trained over the years, gathered together with members of the church to give praises and thanksgiving to God for bringing them thus far.
“It was a time to recount the journey made so far; to check the lives and families we have touched and transformed.
“In this 30 years, as a local church, we want communities to realise that the gospel is holistic—Christians must improve their lives and exhibit the character of Christ in whatever they do, influence their environment and society, there should be a social reality to be seen by all.
Who is Rev. Dr Ahiagbedey?
Born in Nsawam in the Eastern Region on May 22, 1962, Rev. Dr Ahiagbedey is the son of Mr Anthony Ahiagbedey of blessed memory and Ms Bridget Normenyo who is now 102 years.
Rev. Dr Ahiagbedey had his primary school education at the Nsawam Experimental. He then proceeded to the Aggrey Memorial A.M.E. Zion Senior High School for his secondary education. He later trained as a teacher and agriculturalist at the Akatsi College of Education in the Volta Region.
He left for the United States of America (USA) in 1998 to continue with his pastoral work where he had a lot of exposure from conferences and workshops.
He also took advantage and furthered his education. And by dint of hard work, while in the US, he was honoured with a Phd in Theology by the Crossroads Theological Seminary and Bible College.
He submits to Rev. William Edward Hiadzi and Rev. Mrs Ernestine Hiadzi of the High Powered Ministries International, but Rev. Enoch Agboyoh of the Ghana Evangelical Society, is his godfather.
Rev. Dr Ahiagbedey is married to Mrs Joana Ahiagbedey and they have five children; four girls and a boy namely Pastor Mrs Richlyn Senyemi, a Marketing Executive at Haks Oil; Ms Excelyn M. Ahiagbedey, final year Law student at GIMPA; Princelyn D. Ahiagbedey, Project Assistant; Angelyn S. Ahiagbedey, a student, and Enoch S. Ahiagbedey, who is pursuing his Masters in Aeronautics at the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in China.
Even though it is his plan for all his children to succeed him in his ministry, he said he has given them the freedom to make their decisions which must be centred on God.
Rev. Dr Ahiagbedey loves to play table tennis. He is conscious about his health so he only eats foods based on his blood type —rice, millet, yam and vegetables.