Dag Heward-Mills

Dag Heward-Mills (born 14 May 1963) is a Ghanaian religious leader based in Accra, Ghana. He is the founder and presiding Bishop of the United Denominations Originating from the Lighthouse Group of Churches (UD-OLGC), formerly known as Lighthouse Chapel International (LCI) and the United Organization of FirstLove Churches (UO-FLC).[1] He is also the founder of the Anagkazo Bible and Ministry Training Center in the Eastern Region of Ghana.[2] A retired medical practitioner by profession, Dag has served on the board of directors of Church Growth International[3] and the executive committee of the Pentecostal World Fellowship.[4]

Heward-Mills in 2006

Early life

Dag Heward-Mills was born on May 14, 1963, in London to his parents, Elizabeth and Nathaniel Heward-Mills, with his mother being of Swiss origin. They moved to Ghana where he attended Achimota School.[5]

Education

Dag Heward-Mills attended University of Ghana Medical School and graduated in 1989.

Controversy

There has been significant public commentary about a cult of personality built around Dag Heward-Mills by his Church members.[6] [7] He requires absolute loyalty from his members; with publications on loyalty and curses for not being involved.[8] In 2021, Dag publicly responded to allegations of a personality cult by saying that his Church was a family and not a cult. [9] His church was sued by former pastors for non-payment of social security contributions. [10] He promotes a patronage system of spiritual fathers and sons. [11]

Career

His church started as a fellowship of 5 people in 1985 in a canteen. In 1988, Heward-Mills started Lighthouse Chapel International. By 1991, the church had bought a local theater in Korle-Gonno.[12]

Anagkazo Bible School

He founded the Anagkazo Bible and Ministry Training Center (ABMTC) to train men and women[13] in the practical work of the ministry. The Bible School campus is located in the Akuapem mountains, and is one of the largest privately-owned campuses in the country.

The First Love Church

In 2011, Heward-Mills became pastor of First Love Church, which was later renamed by Heward-Mills in 2020 to the United Organization of First Love Churches in 190 nations (UO-FLC 190).[14]

UD-OLGC

List of churches in the denomination: [15]

Books
  • The Loyalty and Disloyalty series of ten titles[16]
  • The Mega Church.
  • The Art of Leadership
  • The Art of Hearing
  • The Model Marriage
  • Forgiveness Made Easy
  • Know your Invisible Enemies and Defeat them [17]

Recognition

In January 2023, Dag Heward-Mills was recognized and listed among the 100 most reputable Africans.[18][19] He has been described by many pastors such as Matthew Ashimolowo as 'one of the greatest voices of our time'.

See also

References
  1. "Dag Heward-Mills is an African Evangelist and a mega church pastor". Dag Heward-Mills. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  2. "Dag Heward-Mills Heads Anagkazo Bible and Ministry Training Centre". Yahoo Finance. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  3. "Directors of Board – CGI". Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-12.
  4. "24th Pentecostal World Conference". Archived from the original on 2015-09-25. Retrieved 2015-09-24.
  5. "Dag Heward-Mills | University of Ghana Alumni Relations Office". ar.ug.edu.gh.
  6. "Cult". Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  7. "Reddit Discussions on Dag". Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  8. "RLoyalty and Disloyalty Paperback – March 22, 2013". Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  9. "Dag Heward-Mills: My church is not a cult… it is a FAMILY". Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  10. "Darkness in a lighthouse: Pastors recount abuse and trauma (Pt.1)". Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  11. "FATHERS IN MINISTRY - BISHOP DAG HEWARD MILLS". Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  12. "History of Lighthouse Chapel International 1988-2011" – via www.youtube.com.
  13. "Home". Pastorshepherd.org. Retrieved 2014-01-20.
  14. "First Love Church". www.firstlovecenter.com. Retrieved 2019-10-04.
  15. "SHOMCOM 2021 -DAY 3 -SESSION 1" – via www.facebook.com.
  16. Heward-Mills, Bishop Dag (2013). Loyalty & disloyalty. [Place of publication not identified]: Christlight Books. ISBN 978-1-909278-98-1. OCLC 935984679.
  17. Heward-Mills, Dag (2006). Model marriage : a marriage counselling handbook. [Place of publication not identified]: Parchment House. ISBN 9988-596-50-2. OCLC 946879258.
  18. AfricaNews (2023-01-03). "'100 Most Reputable Africans' in 2023 announced". Africanews. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
  19. "2023 100 Most Reputable Africans: Naana Jane, Heward-Mills, Sam Jonah, others listed". GhanaWeb. 2023-01-03. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
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