Bishop Dag Heward-Mills Reflects on 35 Years of Global Church Building Success

Accra, Ghana – November 3, 2024

In an inspiring message delivered at the Supernatural Convocation at Elaia City Church in Accra, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills, founder and presiding Bishop of the United Denominations Originating from the Lighthouse Group of Churches, formerly known as Lighthouse Chapel International and the United Organization of First Love Churches, reflected on the journey of establishing a network of churches worldwide. 

Speaking to a live congregation and viewers online, Bishop Heward-Mills emphasized the mission’s success in planting and sustaining churches across numerous nations, attributing the accomplishments to divine guidance and a commitment to building God’s church.

Reflecting on the spiritual foundation of his ministry, Heward-Mills shared a verse from Matthew 16:18, where Jesus promises, “Upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” He pointed out that the focus on building the church has been central to his work, saying, “In terms of Jesus Christ having a project, he has only one project on this earth, and that is building the church.”

The bishop recounted his early years of ministry, recalling a transformative moment in June 1988 while he was a medical student. “In the middle of the night… something entered into me,” he said. “I felt it. It was good. It entered into me, and then I heard a voice in the room saying, ‘From today, you can teach.’” This experience set him on the path of establishing what began as a small congregation but has grown into a significant global network.

Throughout the years, Heward-Mills has overseen church planting efforts from Africa to the Caribbean and even the Pacific Islands. “If you travel, and you ever visit some of the churches that are in some of the nations, you’ll be amazed,” he stated, listing places like Belize, St. Lucia, and Vanuatu as locations where vibrant congregations now exist. He described seeing “established members, members that you can even do fundraising… and they’ll be coming, they’ll be giving.”

For Heward-Mills, the success of this church-building mission is not merely measured in numbers but in the resilience and sustainability of each congregation. “I just want you to know by the grace of God it has worked, and the churches exist, and they are there all over the world, wherever you may imagine that we have been successful,” he declared. 

This success, he noted, demands careful management to endure across generations, drawing a parallel to investment banking. “When you are successful, you have to manage the success. If you don’t manage the success, the success will dissipate, and vanish.”

Heward-Mills further emphasized that maintaining these achievements is a priority, with efforts such as Elaia City Church aimed at supporting and managing the growth achieved. He urged other believers and church leaders to take inspiration from the journey, noting that with commitment, the church could withstand challenges. “I will build my church, and the gate of hell will not be able to stop it,” he concluded, affirming that the mission continues, grounded in faith and vision for the future.

In his closing words, Bishop Heward-Mills underscored that this global movement, spanning 35 years, stands as a testament to the power of faith, resilience, and strategic stewardship of resources for the kingdom of God.