Calvary Baptist Church holds retirement service for Rev. Fred Deegbe
The Calvary Baptist Church held a retirement service over the weekend in Accra for Reverend, Dr Fred Deegbe, for his 41 years distinguished service to the church.
The ceremony, which coincided with his 70th birthday, was held at the Calvary Baptist Church, Shiashie, in Accra.
Representatives from Tesano Baptist Church, All Souls Baptist Church, Greater Works Baptist Church, Legon Baptist Church, Grace Baptist Church, Tema Baptist Church, and other Christian organisations were present during the ceremony.
Other notable individuals who also joined members of the church to witness the retirement and thanksgiving service included the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare; a former Commissioner of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Anna Bossman; Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission, George Sarpong; General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Ghana, Rev. Stephen Wengam and Spokesperson of the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu.
The President of the Ghana Baptist Convention, Rev. Enoch Thompson, led the officiating ministers, praised Rev. Deegbe for his modest leadership, administrative prowess, teaching abilities, and contribution to the church’s expansion and change.
After being called as a gospel minister in 1983, Rev. Deegbe spent 34 years as the lead pastor of Calvary Baptist Church until retiring from active duty in 2024.
Some his accomplishments as the church’s senior pastor include the founding and growth of Calvary Baptist Church, which subsequently led to the formation of church groups and the planting of multiple Baptist churches across the nation through evangelism and missions.
Rev. Deegbe, who graduated from the University of Ghana with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and the Ghana School of Law as a licensed attorney, also studied theology at Christian Service College, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and Baylor University Medical Centre in the United States.
He also holds a Doctorate in Ministry (DM) from Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Kentucky, and a Master of Divinity (M.Div) from Southwestern Baptist Seminary, and has served in various capacities in many local and International Christian organisations.
Moreover, Rev. Deegbe served in the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), Ghana AIDS Commission, National Media Commission (NMC) and the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC).
In a sermon, Rev. Eastwood Anaba, the founder and head pastor of Fountain Gate Chapel, stated that after leaving active service, people especially pastors sometimes turn over the work of God to others.
However, using the biblical example of Caleb, who was given the power to carry out God’s work even in his old age, he urged Rev. Deegbe to view retirement as a new stage of life that would allow him to complete his ministerial vocation and carry out other duties for the advancement of God’s kingdom.
Rev. Dr Deegbe also expressed gratitude to the church for the various forms of assistance that he and his family had received as church ministers, and he promised to keep teaching, mentoring pastors, and encouraging young people to be dedicated to God’s mission.
Apart from citations and goodwill messages read in his honour from various branches, the church also presented a car and assorted gifts to him for his dedicated service.
BY CECILIA YADA LAGBA
