Togo, a vibrant country in West Africa with nearly ten million people, is comparable in size to the U.S. state of West Virginia. Though Evangelical Christians make up around 11% of the population, many belong to independent churches influenced by health, wealth, and prosperity teachings. This reality has created an urgent need for biblical discipleship and sound theological training.
Over the past three years, the St. Nazaire Free Will Baptist Church in France has built relationships with believers from Togo and has begun holding annual leadership training seminars. These gatherings revealed both the hunger for God’s Word and a lack of sound doctrinal teaching.
Many pastors expressed gratitude for the training and a strong desire to join and to see Free Will Baptist churches established, further train other pastors and leaders, and support of local missionaries in their nation.
In response, Free Will Baptists from France, Ivory Coast, and IM, Inc. began testing the viability of opening Togo to Free Will Baptist work. These efforts led to an exciting milestone: on October 17, 2025, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was officially signed, marking Togo as a new Free Will Baptist partnership.
Four partners came together to form this new partnership:
- Ivory Coast Association of Free Will Baptists
- St. Nazaire Free Will Baptist Church (France)
- Fleur de Sel, a Free Will Baptist NGO being established in Togo
- IM, Inc.
This partnership also interviewed prospective leaders to join FWBs and decided to work with ten local leaders who minister in approximately ten churches. Under the leadership of Pastor Samuel and Nina Ouattara, Ivorian missionaries to Togo, these leaders will receive further theological and ministry training. They will become the nucleus of a growing Free Will Baptist movement in Togo.
This partnership represents more than a partnership agreement—it’s a shared commitment to advance the Gospel. As these leaders are trained and new churches are planted, Free Will Baptists from around the world will have the opportunity to join in prayer, giving, and service to help make Christ known in Togo and beyond.
