Togo

The Spiritual Need in Togo

Togo is a small West African country bordered by Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso, and the Gulf of Guinea. It is home to just over eight million people who make up at least 46 unique people groups, including many that are unreached with the saving knowledge of the gospel. Togo’s culture and religious atmosphere reflect the influences of its many ethnic groups. Despite the prominent population of Christians (45%) and growth in followers of Islam (16%), over half of the Togolese syncretize native animistic practices and beliefs along with their primary religion. This region is believed to be the birthplace of voodoo, and its spiritual hold in the Togolese nation persists today. While evangelistic efforts have been successful, new challenges are facing the younger generation. The community of believers in Jesus Christ needs help to advance the gospel.

Church Planting Missions In Togo

ABWE began leading church planting missions in Togo in 1974. Ministry opportunities have since grown tremendously and even created a platform for outreach into neighboring countries. ABWE teammates are impacting lives in this West African region in the following ministries. ABWE medical teams in Togo serve their communities in two hospital settings: The Hospital of Hope (HoH) in northern Togo, which has an impact that reaches into several surrounding countries, and the Hôpital Baptiste Biblique​ (HBB, Karolyn Kempton Memorial Hospital) in southern Togo. Dozens of churches and Christian schools can trace their roots back to HBB’s ministry and its community outreaches. Since 1985, HBB has been so instrumental in regional church-planting efforts that 53 churches have been planted within ministry distance from the hospital, 80% of which are now led by national believers. The hospital itself serves more than 18,000 patients each year, each one of them hearing the gospel while in its care, and on average, 14% of them professing faith in Christ. We are grateful for this environment in which to share both physical and spiritual healing, within and outside the hospital’s walls. HoH was founded in March of 2015 in an unreached area of northern Togo. The 66-bed hospital is a major medical, surgical, and obstetric acute care facility that has grown to treat more than 9,000 patients each year, in addition to the 20,000 seen annually in their busy outpatient clinic. In 2023, the surgery department performed more than 1400 surgeries and their maternity department celebrated more than 1500 births! God is using HoH to reach the unreached people groups in this difficult region with the gospel. Now known as “the hospital that prays,” its patients are exposed to the good news through the love and care that they receive there. For those patients who express interest, it has been a great joy to give out audio Bibles in their heart languages. In partnership with national chaplains, Bible study groups and small churches have sprung up in numerous local villages and we are seeing many come to know Jesus as Savior.

Working alongside national churches, we have an opportunity to evangelize and disciple future generations through education. Two primary focuses for educational ministry in Togo include the operation of Baptist Christian schools throughout the country, and the Village of Light school, which has been a vehicle to bring visually-impaired youth and young adults of Togo to Christ. Our teams also work through many other ministries. The aviation outreach integrates compassionate medical care with the evangelical witness of church planting throughout West Africa. The FM Christian radio station, Hope Radio, provides discipleship material and equips local churches with outreach materials and media. A Christian Resource Center exists to strengthen the church in Togo by providing literature in French and local languages at affordable prices. The aquaponics ministry helps supply and feed Togolese students healthy produce, while opening doors to sharing the gospel. As the Togolese church continues to grow, we see great need for theological educators to help the Christian community begin to train more of its own pastors and missionaries. There is surely a ministry fit for anyone who desires to participate in the growth of the gospel and the church in Togo—is God leading you to join us?