Ryan and Joy Owens
Church Planting in Ghana
Having completed their first term in Ghana they are looking forward to returning to Ghana in July of 2018 and starting a church plant in the area where Legon University is. This will allow them to continue the relationships they have made with students on the campus as well as develop a church in that community as well.
Over the years, the Lord brought many African missionaries across Ryan and Joy’s paths, shaping their desire to be used by God on that continent. In college, as they prayed with their friends Matt and Krista Decker and Charlie and Carol Ann Sellers,, God united all their hearts toward Africa.
A survey trip to Ghana by all three couples cemented their call to serve there. Ryan and Joy saw that the people were religious but often did not know God at all. God showed the Owens they could be used to train up Christian leadership to stand firm in the face of doctrinal confusion. The Ghanaian pastors themselves encouraged the couples to return as missionaries.
Lives Offered Up
As a camp counselor, Joy found that she wouldn’t trade for anything the satisfaction of teaching the other girls, who picked up her enthusiasm for living out the Christian faith. Ryan was saved in high school and led several friends to Christ. He had the humbling privilege to be an influence on several who went into ministry. Blinded and deceived. These two words accurately describe my life before Christ. I was a young drug addict living in the city of Rome, Georgia. I had heard about Christ and His death on the cross, but I never understood what it meant to have a relationship with God. On December 28, 2001 I accepted Christ’s payment for my sin and asked Him to be my Lord and my Savior. Shortly after I accepted Christ, a missionary, who was home in the states, asked if he could disciple me. Through his teaching and witness the Lord began to burden my heart for the lost. After a short-term trip to Moldova I knew God wanted me in missions. Through the wise counsel of faithful men I was encouraged to attend Piedmont Baptist College.
Ryan’s Testimony:Joy’s Testimony: For as long as I can remember I have known that I was a sinner and Jesus paid the price for my sin. When I was a young girl I accepted Christ’s payment for my sin and placed my trust in Him alone to save me. I attended Christian schools for most of my education and continued to grow in my knowledge of God through His Word. God used a high school chapel presentation to speak to my heart about full-time missions. I surrendered to Him that day and, by His grace, have not looked back.