Ghana Church Trains Youth as Digital Evangelists

A church in northern Ghana just proved that faith and technology don't have to be enemies.

The Association of Northern Ghana Regular Baptist Churches held a four-day youth conference that taught young believers how to become digital evangelists. Instead of rejecting smartphones and AI, church leaders showed participants how to use these tools purposefully to share their faith online.

Rev. Dr. Timothy Seidu, the association's chairman, made it clear that technology isn't the enemy. "Digital technology is not competing with the church. It is another resource, including AI, that God has given the church to do great things," he told the gathered youth at Times Baptist Junior High School.

But the conference didn't shy away from real concerns. Dr. Seidu warned that excessive phone attachment erodes critical thinking and discipline, especially when young people encounter harmful content online.

Youth President Nicodemus Sorikuong explained the practical goal behind the gathering. "We want to train online missionaries—people that will know how to use AI tools to propagate the gospel and teach the Bible," he said, acknowledging both the creativity and the addiction risks present in today's youth culture.

The conference included live demonstrations, multimedia projections, and practical tech training. The hands-on approach helped participants see concrete ways to use platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram for positive purposes.

The Ripple Effect

The training is already changing how young attendees view their digital lives. Yelabaahee Esther arrived at the conference with deep fears that using technology for faith purposes might be sinful. Those doubts vanished as she learned how digital tools can glorify God and help others discover faith rather than just serving as entertainment.

Joseph Sebina, a student participant, now uses ChatGPT for academic research and idea generation while broadcasting sermons on social media. "Social media and AI are not inherently bad; it is our usage that determines their value," he explained, capturing the conference's balanced message perfectly.

The church's approach reflects a growing recognition across faith communities that meeting young people where they already spend their time—online—can expand spiritual reach. Rather than demanding youth abandon their digital lives, the training equipped them to transform those spaces into places of purpose and meaning.

The conference model could inspire other faith communities wrestling with technology's role in spiritual life, showing that embracing innovation and upholding values aren't opposing choices.