The Presiding Bishop of the Victory Bible Church International (VBCI), Right Reverend Nii Nabi Nii Apiakai Tackie-Yarboi, has announced a year-long programme of activities to celebrate the Church’s 40th anniversary.
The 40th-anniversary celebrations will be marked by a series of events, including a conference featuring renowned international speakers, outdoor crusades/street evangelism, a musical concert showcasing gospel artists from VBCI and other ministries, community outreach programmes and charity events, a
health walk, and a health screening.
There will also be church commemorative projects whereby specific communities with Branch Churches would be identified for specific projects like classroom blocks, with all the necessary supporting facilities, boreholes, and clinic renovations as needed.
Others include Youth-centric events which will also be organised to create a unique platform for young people to know their worth, receive guidance to prepare for leadership and thrive, create a safe space to address their challenges, and know their contribution is appreciated.
The 40th anniversary will be climaxed with a week-long international gathering known as the “Wonderful Jesus Conference” in October 2025.
VBCI, under the leadership of the founder and Presiding Bishop, Right Reverend Tackie-Yarboi, began on June 2, 1985, at Kokomlemle, a suburb of Accra, and has expanded to six countries in four continents (Africa, Asia, Americas, and Europe) over the last 40 years.
The Church currently has over 175 branches in Ghana alone, and its administrative office employs 25 permanent staff members and several hundreds of nonpermanent staff members. The ministry has 30 consecrated Bishops globally who preside over the churches in 39 global provinces. In all, VBCI has 250 local branches known as sanctuaries.
The mission of VBCI is “Raising the Foundations of Many Generations,” anchored on the verse of scripture in the book of Isaiah chapter 58:12, which states, “And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.”
Colourful Launch
Several hundreds of VBCI members who gathered for the anniversary launch praised and worshipped God for what the church says is the goodness of Good over the last forty years of the church’s existence and impact on society.
Two senior bishops of the church, Bishops Emmanuel Ackun, and Cornelius Adjah-Cofie took turns to recount the ups and downs, highs and lows of the 40-year journey they have had with the Founder and Presiding Bishop, Nii Apiakai Tackie-Yarboi.
During the unveiling of the 40th-anniversary logo and t-shirt, Bishop Tackie-Yarboi indicated that the journey had been tough, but through it all, the unseen hand of God had been ever-present and directed his path to lead the church into pleasant places.
Speaking to journalists after the ceremony, he said that over the last 40 years and under his leadership, VBCI had been able to sustain the ministry by the Grace of God and by ensuring that it does not only focus on the spiritual needs of its members but also their physical well-being.
He noted that the church is both an organisation and an organism, pointing out that while the organism focuses on spiritual things, the organisation has paid attention to the material and physical needs of the members, and that has gone a long way in keeping the church united and vibrant.
“One of the things we do not play with is the organisational dimension. If you see churches that are struggling, it means that they have underrated the organisational dimension, which deals with putting soul and body together. If you teach people how to go to heaven and you don’t teach them how to survive here on earth, it is going to be tough for them,” Bishop Tackie-Yarboi remarked.