Pastor Elvis Agyemang: The Chief Alpharian

Introduction
One of the great shortcomings of our age is that many believe they can achieve everything without God. People often see themselves as the captains of their souls and the drivers of their destinies.

This mindset, rooted in self-sufficiency, leads people to think they do not need any supernatural being to fulfill their agenda on earth. Pastor Elvis Agyemang of Grace Mountain Church is one of those called to restore man's pursuit of God as central to his existence.

Since the start of Alpha Hour, which gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become a permanent fixture. Even before Alpha Hour, various prayer movements helped people keep their spiritual fire burning.

In this write-up, I want to share a few lessons from the life and ministry of Pastor Elvis Agyemang that can inspire us to stay passionate and take our God-given assignments seriously.

Lessons from the Chief Alpharian:
1. Use your gifts or ideas for God.
There is a saying in Ghana that the child who will grow up to buy a car goes about asking for the price of a car tyre. Pastor Elvis' interest and commitment to prayer have always been evident. According to my research, while in primary class 6, he organized prayer meetings and continued to do so through high school. At Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), he organized devotions for his hostel colleagues.

We learn here not to despise our small beginnings, as the Bible teaches. If Pastor Elvis had abandoned his interest in prayer, his story might have been different. We must remain committed to our early passions, as they may be clues to our ultimate purpose in God's kingdom.

2. Take risks for God.
In his 20s, in 2015, Pastor Elvis took the daring step of starting Grace Mountain Ministry, now located at Ofankor, Accra. He felt the urge to start a church with 32 members on Saturday mornings and Sunday evenings. For two years, it operated as a fellowship before becoming a full-fledged church. Today, the ministry has grown to include branches in Accra and Kumasi.

This teaches us that taking risks for God involves a process that builds our capacity to meet increasing demands. Growth doesn't happen overnight. We must take risks with the ideas or gifts God has given us, understanding that results will take time, following the principle of seedtime and harvest.

3. Do big things for God.
Pastor Elvis Agyemang has also shown us how to do big things for God. In 2022, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he started Alpha Hour, an online streaming prayer meeting that began with 300 participants on Zoom. It has since grown to one of the most patronized online prayer meetings in Ghana, with over 50,000 attendees.

We learn that the small gifts or ideas God gives us can be scaled up to impact many more lives. As the writer of Proverbs says, a person skilled in their work will serve before kings. Faithfulness in small things leads to greater opportunities.

4. God uses both the young and the old for His work.

I must confess, when I discovered that Pastor Elvis is in his mid-30s, I was surprised and praised God for His works in the life of a young man in our generation. This is my favorite lesson because it shows that age is not a barrier to doing great things for God. Society or religion might suggest we need extensive experience, education, or training before serving God significantly, but we can magnify our service to God at any stage in life if we are faithful to Him.

5. Keep focused and consistent for God.

Pastor Elvis is one of the most consistent young ministers of our time. Leading people to pray for answers from God at midnight for over two years is remarkable. Despite facing false accusations, he has remained focused.

In Africa, it is said that the best mango tree always gets the most sticks thrown at it. Starting something for God is exciting, but consistently pursuing it requires stamina and innovation, possible only with the Holy Spirit's assistance. If we fail the test of focus and consistency, we may not outlast our detractors.

Conclusion
The life of Pastor Elvis Agyemang demonstrates that God still uses young people to bring revival to nations. Just as He used David, Jeremiah, and Josiah, He is using Pastor Elvis before our eyes. We should learn from such individuals and pursue our own callings.

Eric Otchere is a blogger at www.livingourbible.com and www.inspiringnet.com. You can connect with him via [email protected].