The General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Ghana, Rev. Stephen Yenusom Wengam, says the country’s relative peace and political stability were among the factors that influenced its selection to host the 2026 World Assemblies of God Congress.
The congress, scheduled for October 14 to 16, will bring together church leaders from across the world and mark the first time the event is held on African soil. It will also commemorate 115 years of the Assemblies of God movement globally.
Rev. Wengam said the executive of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship weighed several considerations before choosing a host country. These included infrastructure, economic conditions and the strength of the local church.
The leadership capacity of Assemblies of God, Ghana, was assessed, he said, to determine whether it could organise an event of that scale. The criteria show that the Fellowship assessed the country, the church and its leaders as a single package.
According to Rev. Wengam, Ghana’s standing on peace and stability counted in its favour, alongside signs of economic recovery and the longevity of the church in the country.
“The relative peace in Ghana, the political stability, and the economy is beginning to pick up. All of that was factored into the decision.”
General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Ghana, Rev. Stephen Yenusom Wengam
He said the Fellowship looked at the strength of the Ghanaian church, which has been in the country for almost 95 years, and its impact on the continent and beyond. In his words, the Ghana Assemblies of God is very strong.
For an international gathering of this size, host conditions matter. Delegates travelling from different continents need secure surroundings, reliable infrastructure and a stable operating environment. The Fellowship’s criteria reflect these practical requirements.
A Host Chosen Years in Advance
Rev. Wengam said the decision to select Ghana was taken about three to four years ago, at a time when President John Dramani Mahama was in opposition.
He said the timing is significant because the congress will take place while a member of the Assemblies of God occupies Ghana’s highest political office. In his view, the timing carries spiritual meaning.
“It’s prophetic and divine. Because how could the congress come to Ghana when our member is a sitting president?”
General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Ghana, Rev. Stephen Yenusom Wengam
He described Ghana’s hosting of the congress during the President’s tenure as prophetic and divine. The selection was therefore made well before the political circumstances that now surround the congress.
A Biblical Reading of the Timing
Rev. Wengam likened the development to the biblical account of Abraham, saying it shows how God can make provision ahead of time. In that account, a lamb for the sacrifice was already in place before Abraham reached Moriah. For Rev. Wengam, the choice of Ghana years before the present political circumstances is a similar example of advance provision.
The selection panel’s attention to leadership underlines the role of the local church in the decision. Rev. Wengam said leadership capacity was considered in assessing whether Assemblies of God, Ghana, could organise an event of this scale.
Responsibility for preparing the congress falls to the local leadership. Its record over nearly 95 years in Ghana was part of the case made for the country. The executive weighed all of these factors together.
What the Congress Will Do
The congress will bring international church leaders to Ghana to discuss the growth of the Assemblies of God movement and to strengthen the country’s place within the global church.
Taking place on African soil for the first time, the gathering also carries symbolic weight for the continent. It places Ghana, and the African church, at the centre of the Fellowship’s gathering.
The 115-year commemoration adds to the occasion. It gives delegates a chance to reflect on the history of the movement worldwide while setting priorities for its next phase.
Attention now turns to the congress itself, which opens on October 14 and runs through October 16. Delegates from across the world are expected in Ghana, and the discussions will centre on the growth of the movement and the strengthening of Ghana’s place within the global church.
For Ghana, the congress is a spiritual and a national occasion. For the host church, the event is an opportunity to show that the factors that earned it the selection, including peace, stability and strong local leadership, can deliver a successful international gathering
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