Rev. Washington Komla Darke was born on 24th of June, 1969. He is the third of six children born to Mr. Emmanuel Q. Bansah and Cecilia A. M. Bansah, all gone to be with the Lord. Rev. Darke is married to Mrs. Miriam Lartekai Darke, and they are blessed with three children, two biological and one foster.
Corporate Background
Rev. Washington Komla Darke is the Senior Pastor-Elect of the Calvary Baptist Church. He was appointed into this office in June 2015 and came to the office with over 30 years’ experience ministry, and other fields, including finance, investment, insurance, pensions management, academia and administration. Prior to this appointment, he was the Vice-President (Administration) of the Ghana Baptist Convention. He has also served in various capacities at different times. He was the Head of the Investment Department of the NHIA. He was a lecturer at the Banking and Finance Department of the Datalink University College, Tema; a Relationship Manager and Head, Government Business Banking Department at the Intercontinental Bank Ghana Limited (now Access Bank Ghana Limited). He was also an Investment Analyst at Investment and Development Division of SSNIT and an Operations Officer at the Operations Division of SSNIT. He also worked as an Operations Assistant at the District Assemblies Common Fund, Accra.
Educational Background
He completed his Secondary Education at the Labone Secondary School in 1989 and proceeded to the University of Ghana, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Statistics and Economics (Combined). Rev. W. Komla Darke holds a Master of Business Administration from the KNUST School of Business, Kumasi. He also holds a Master of Arts in Ministry from the Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon, Accra, and Master of Arts in Ministry from Minnesota Graduate School of Theology. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry at Teleo University (USA) and a Doctor or Philosophy Degree in Public Administration, Governance and Leadership at GIMPA.
Faith, Calling and Ministry
Rev. W. Komla Darke accepted Jesus as his Lord and Saviour in 1985, having been led so to do by Benjamin Sappor, one of his classmates at the Labone Secondary School. Under the leadership and teaching of the Rev. Emmanuel Ala Adjetey, the Pastor of the Living Fountain Baptist Church (LFBC), (then, Harvester Baptist Church), Rev. Darke was baptized in 1991 at the Calvary Baptist Church, Adabraka, by Rev. Philip Lutterodt.
Rev. W. K. Darke received his call into ministry in 1993 when the Rev. Stephen Asante ministered at the University of Ghana, during an evangelistic programme, organized by the University Christian Fellowship (UCF), dubbed, Missions ’93, under the theme “Is It An Illusion or Reality?”. He was initially reluctant in responding to the call, but the Holy Spirit gave him no rest until he yielded in repentance, with much prayer and fastings, to obey the call of God upon him. By observation of his conduct and ministry various servants of God have confirmed the call of God upon him, these include, Rev. Emmanuel Ala-Adjetey, Rev. Dennis Dzobo, Rev. Samuel Otu-Pimpong, Rev. Stephen Asante, Rev. Fred Adokorbidji (D), and Brother Albert Saah of Scripture Union. Rev. Darke was ordained at the 52nd Annual Session of the Ghana Baptist Convention held in Ejurah, Ashanti in 2015.
In 1988, he was elected as the Prayer Secretary of the Scripture Union of the Labone Secondary School. In 1991, he was elected the first President of the LFBC Youth Fellowship. While serving as Youth President and at age 23, he was elected into the Body of Deacons of the Church, which he chaired from 1992 to 2004. He thus was the youngest ever to chair the Body of Deacons of the Church, a duty he discharged effectively and efficiently by God’s grace. In 1992, Rev. Darke became the Prayer Secretary of the Baptist Students Union (BSU) at University of Ghana, Legon and in 1993 he was elected the President of the BSU. In pursuit of his zest for the progress of the Kingdom, Rev. Darke assisted Rev. Ala-Adjetey, with some other brethren of the LFBC, to plant the Living Fountain Baptist Church (Evangel, Tsui Bleo) in 1995. He served as a Deacon in the newly planted church until 2007, when he became the Assistant Pastor of the Church, a capacity in which he remained until June 2015 when he was appointed the Vice-President (Administration) of the Ghana Baptist Convention.
He loves to pray, teach God’s Word, and is passionate about discipleship.