When someone first said church planting in Ghana, we thought they meant gardening. You know, like planting a church-shaped bush or something. But no, turns out it’s much cooler—and a lot more eternal.
Thanks to the faithful ministry of The Hope of Africa and the wild obedience of folks like the Ruckman family, church planting in Ghana is less about mulch and more about missions. And spoiler alert: the Consford family and Central Baptist Church of Center TX are totally on board.
So buckle up, buttercup. You’re about to hear how a hardware store family from East Texas ended up supporting a gospel explosion across the ocean.
2. How Did We Get Involved? Blame the Holy Spirit (and the Coffee)
If you’ve ever stopped by our place, you know we do more than sell nuts and bolts. We also serve up hot lattes, cold brew, and even hotter spiritual conversations. (Shameless plug: check out our blog for proof.)
Somewhere between restocking paint brushes and frothing oat milk, the Lord started stirring our hearts for missions. Then, along came The Hope of Africa—a ministry as bold as it is biblical, with a heartbeat for church planting in Ghana. We said, “Yes, Lord!” before we even found Ghana on a map. (It’s in West Africa. We googled.)
3. What Is The Hope of Africa?
If you haven’t visited ruckmans2africa.com, stop reading this and go check it out. Seriously, we’ll wait. (Okay, fine, we’ll summarize.)
The Hope of Africa is a church planting ministry led by the Ruckman family. These missionaries aren’t playing games—they’re establishing Bible-believing churches, training national pastors, and spreading the gospel like peanut butter on hot toast.
The vision? A self-sustaining, gospel-rooted network of churches across Ghana. The method? Faith, prayer, and a whole lot of boots-on-the-red-African-dirt action. Honestly, we couldn’t think of a better place for our prayers, finances, and faith to go to work.
4. Central Baptist Church of Center TX: Missions with a Heartbeat
We’re not in this alone. Our home church, Central Baptist Church in Center, TX, is absolutely missions-minded. (Their slogan is literally “A Church with a Heart for Missions.” They weren’t joking.)
From revivals to rabbit shows (long story), Central Baptist is always looking for opportunities to spread the gospel, both here in Texas and far beyond. So when we shared what God was doing through The Hope of Africa, our church didn’t blink—they got behind it like it was a brisket fundraiser.
Together, we’ve been able to support the Ruckmans through prayer, encouragement, and even some good ol’ East Texas dollars.
5. Want to Get Involved? Here’s How (No Plane Ticket Required)
Not everyone is called to hop a flight, wrestle with foreign power adapters, and preach in a different language. (Although, if that’s you—let us know. We know a guy.) But everyone can be part of church planting in Ghana. Here’s how:
- Pray for the Ruckmans and the churches they’re planting. The spiritual battles are real—and your prayers matter.
- Give if you can. Ministries like The Hope of Africa need financial support to do what they do best.
- Share this story. Post it, email it, or read it dramatically at family dinner. You never know who might get inspired.
And if you’re just in it for the jokes, that’s okay too. But don’t leave without checking out our Consfords Blog for more encouragement, updates, and probably a few more bad puns.
Final Thoughts: The Gospel Isn’t Bound by Geography
Sure, Ghana may be thousands of miles from Center, TX, but we serve a God who’s not limited by distance, time zones, or Wi-Fi signals. What He’s doing in Ghana through the Ruckmans and The Hope of Africa is just one more reminder that the gospel is global, powerful, and totally worth investing in.
So whether you’re drinking a cup of our famous coffee at Hardware on the Square, attending worship at Central Baptist, or binge-reading missionary blogs in your pajamas—remember this:
You’ve got a part to play in what God’s doing around the world.
Even if you thought “church planting” involved a shovel.