JITW Crusades Facts – 2011 to 2015

JITW stands for Jesus Is The Way. The name comes from John 14:6. At a meeting in March, 2012 to decide the theme for the second crusade a member drew attention of the group to a picture hanging in the auditorium of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Anglican Church. It was a portrait of Jesus Christ with the inscription “Jesus is The way”. It was adopted as the theme and two years later it became the name of the group.

JITW crusades was inspired into existence by the National Union of Anglican Students’ (NUAS) annual evangelism organised by branches. Thus it adopts the one week residential evangelism characteristic of the NUAS evangelism.

The first evangelism and crusade was held in 2011 at Amasaman. That crusade was attended by 12 people excluding volunteers. There was no altar call.

25 persons volunteered for the first evangelism. This was not residential so volunteers moved from their homes to Amasaman daily. Volunteers arrived at 5am and left at 8pm each day.

JITW crusades initially started as an outreach to grow the Sacred Heart of Jesus Anglican Church, Amasaman. Seeing the remarkable positive effect the camp had on volunteers the outreach was immediately absorbed as an Annual activity of the AYPA of the church.

In 2013, Jehoshaphat Calys-Tagoe, had a vision and in that vision the Lord called the mission to extend beyond Amasaman. This gave birth to Obeye Yie edition in 2014. It must be noted that the mission was in Medie in 2013 but that was only in response to the call by the priest in charge to assist with the church in Medie after it was closed down in 2012.

In 2012 the group was partnered by NUAS, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital Branch, to reach out, for the second time, to Amasaman.

In 2013 the outreach had the first Non – Anglican volunteers and partners. It is worth noting that Gideon’s International was involved at the planning stage until they backed out at the start of the outreach (for various reasons). Not withstanding the outreach had volunteers from the Deeper Life, Methodist and Light House Churches. In the same year The Anglican Gospel Bands Association (AGOSBA) joined JITW crusades.

In 2014 the outreach suffered the first financial deficit and debt to the tune of more than ghs 4,000.00. No honorarium was paid to speakers of that crusade. This necessitated partners to contribute monthly towards the outreach to avert the repetition of such an incidence in the future.

In 2015 an eight member executive body was constituted to serve for a period of 5 years. This separated the administration of JITW crusades from the administration of the Sacred Heart AYPA.

The 5 fact series is a summary of the major highlights in the history of JITW crusades. This third part focuses on the number of volunteers, crusade attendance and expenditure of the entire program.

The first outreach was held in Amasaman with a budget of ghs 600.00. 25 persons volunteered for the week-long outreach. The 2 day crusade was attended by 12 people on both days.

In 2012 the outreach was held for the second time in Amasaman. 29 persons volunteered. The 6-day outdoor crusade was attended by a little over 100 people daily. Expenditure was ghs 4,200.00.

In 2013 the outreach went to Medie. 84 persons volunteered and the 2-day crusade was attended by more than 350 people each day. Expenditure stood at ghs 7,017.00 .

*crusade attendance was estimated from the number of persons seated. Ushers did a head count during the crusades. Volunteers and those standing around the crusade grounds were not included in the count.