#I am...that's why we are
an international community building project connecting spirituality with the “translation of faith values” into actions that fight poverty, support justice, and lay the groundwork for sustainable development as a global church.
Vision
The aim of the "#Iam" project is to create spaces for international encounters, shared learning and solidarity-based action: a holistic approach on poverty, sustainability and theological education with the aim of creating projects in partner churches to provide water, food and light/energy. As those who profess to follow Jesus Christ, it is designed to deepen the contemplation of the mystery of His true humanity and true divinity. The vision is to create a community of activists from the international and national partner churches of the ELM in order to generate adapted projects, based on a reflected theology in the local contexts that positively change the global community of churches and civil society.
Output & outcome for churches
The output for the global church will be a database of knowledge & inspirations, e.g. for small groups, Sunday school, devotions, sermons – as text, video & audio.
Enabling and encouraging transformative encounters between people by facilitating digital and personal connections
Creating a culture and atmosphere of multiplication to grow a movement
Encouraging and empowering "Kingdom of God activists" in the spirit of the "Missio Dei"
Process & timeline
The 3 phases of #I AM:
Phase I (2025) builds the theological and spiritual foundation for Phase II.
Phase II (2026) starts building the “database of knowledge & inspirations”
Phase III (from 2027) translates faith into actions & projects
The project started in June 2025 with an online meeting of the first 8 international participants. More participants from the partner churches in Lower-Saxony / Germany are most welcome!
The work style of the international learning community is a mixture of online meetings (90 minutes each) and in-person workshops in Germany and Malawi.
2025 online: June 14, June 28, September 27, October 11, November 22, December 20.
2025 workshop in Germany: Nov. 30, - Dec. 8, 2025 (Hanstedt & Hamburg)
2026 online: January 14, February 21, April 11, June 13 (further dates for 2026 und 207 still to be agreed)
2027 workshop in Malawi: June 5 – 12, 2027
Target group #I am:
The international and national partner churches in Lower-Saxony / Germany of the ELM are each invited to nominate a delegate for phase 1 who has a particular interest in developing concrete projects in a theologically reflective manner - and thus becoming an activist in their own context. These delegates can be employees or volunteers from churches. Ideally, the delegates should be not (much) older than 28 years of age. Written and spoken English is a prerequisite for participation.
These participants from phase might also participate in phase II (or transfer the role to another delegated person). In addition, they are asked to nominate a second delegate with an activist mindset from their church to be involved in the project.
Background information ELM
The ELM project team - consists of Hannah Rose (ELM Secretary for Povery & Peacework), Rev Waldemar Rausch (ELM Secretary for Sustainable Development) and Rev Bradn Buerkle (ELM Secretary for Theology Education in International Church Partnerships).
Participant created content
Online phase of the #I am project - 2025
The work by Joel Kushunu Iddrisu moved me in several ways. It is an impressive achievement how theological exegesis and lived reality are masterfully intertwined here. The connection of biblical theology with a very specific and often overlooked social group like the Head Porters in Kumasi broadens the perspective far beyond theoretical reflections. This approach makes the writing come alive, as it shows that theology has an immediate relevance for the lives of people living under difficult conditions. This bridge between sacred text and everyday life touched me because it shows that Christian faith—here embodied in the image of the “Light of the World”—does not remain an abstract concept but provides comfort, hope, and dignity where darkness and hardship prevail.
I am impressed by how the image of light is addressed here as a symbol of comprehensive illumination, joy in life, hope, and salvation. Especially for the Kayayie, who endure many hardships—from insecure housing to health problems and exclusion—the metaphor gains a palpable power. It promises not only spiritual illumination but a practical, holistic hope that can change lives. The work hints at the fact that theology must not just take place in the pulpit but must come alive through engagement in social justice, support, and human dignity. This creates a deep resonance for me because it brings faith back to its humane and transformative core.
The choice to apply Bevans’ anthropological model of contextual theology is very successful. It shows a respectful and sensitive handling of the cultural and social reality of the Kayayie. Instead of offering simple answers or missionary programs, the work acknowledges that God is already working among the people and that the church as “light” must primarily focus on empowerment, appreciation, and practical help. This moves me deeply because the work thus dignifies people themselves and restores their self-worth and dignity. It becomes a promising blueprint for how the church can actually be relevant and life-changing on site.
The fact that biblical, historical, and cultural contexts are brought together enriches the reflection in many ways. The embedding of Jesus’ statement in the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles reveals a dimension of the text often hidden, underscoring the deeper meaning of light and guidance in faith life. This adds a historical dimension essential to understanding light as a symbol of orientation in life. For me, this creates a holistic picture that portrays faith as a living, culturally embedded process.
An other moving point is the honesty and sensitivity with which the author describes the difficult world of the Kayayie. The sober facts about poverty, exclusion, violence, and hopelessness create a sense of concern without sentimentality or pity. This clear and realistic depiction makes the hope arising from the image of light so powerful and credible. It reminds us that hope shines brightest precisely where darkness is deepest.
Ultimately, this work calls me to understand theology as life-near, responsible, and people-friendly. It shows how important it is to see faith not as pure dogma but as a source of strength for social justice and societal empowerment. This interplay of spiritual insight and practical action opens a space where spiritual hope and lived assistance can unite.
I would like to conclude with appreciation that Joel Kushunu Iddrisu’s work sees not just the text but above all the people—their dignity, their sufferings, and their yearning for light in the darkness. That touched me deeply and encouraged me.
What I understand is this: there is no barrier that can block the light from shining into the very depths of human problems. The challenges faced by victims may differ in scope and severity, but a solution—like light breaking into darkness—can always be found if the church, as the follower and representative of Jesus, is willing to let that light shine into the lives of the head porters through genuine, heartfelt support.
It is true that the church’s primary mission is to advance the Kingdom by preaching the gospel to all people. Yet a heart weighed down by the struggles of daily life often cannot hear the good news unless it first receives healing and relief through practical, compassionate care.
As the paper shows, the problems of head porters are complex and multifaceted. Still, they can be overcome by a single remedy—the light. Light always triumphs over darkness. In this case, darkness represents poverty, marginalization, and despair, while light points to dignity, love, and hope.
Head porters live under deep social and economic marginalization. They are denied dignity and often treated as less than human, which leaves them burdened with sorrow and fighting for survival. Yet research, as depicted in the paper, shows that they still hold strong desires and positive hopes to change their lives for the better—if only they can access support and experience the love of Christ through the church.
The church not only has the ability but also the responsibility to address these challenges. It is a moral duty of every believer to honour human dignity, for each person is created in the image of God.
When the church ministers holistically—meeting basic needs, affirming dignity, and offering respect—the true light of Jesus shines into their lives. That light brings hope, courage, and the strength to face tomorrow with boldness.
Reaction to the Paper “I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD”: THE ILLUMINATING ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN THE LIVES OF HEAD PORTERS (KAYAYIE) IN KUMASI, GHANA WEST AFRICA, by JOEL KUSHUNU IDDRISU
I was truly delighted to read this paper. It is always a source of encouragement to see theology being placed in dialogue with the concrete realities of society. This work is an excellent example of how Scripture, history, and context can come together to shed light, literally and spiritually, on the lives of marginalized people.
What I Learned
➢ The paper provides a rich analysis of the Greek text, highlighting the emphatic force of ego eimi (“I am”), the covered meanings of phos (light), and kosmos (world). This demonstrates how Jesus’ claim was both universal and deeply personal.
➢ I appreciated the way the essay connected Jesus’ statement with the Feast of Tabernacles, linking His words to Israel’s memory of the pillar of fire in the wilderness. This grounding in Jewish tradition adds depth to understanding the text.
➢ Darkness is presented not only as sin, but also as ignorance, hopelessness, and social destitution, showing why Christ’s light is so necessary.
➢ I learned that these head porters are mostly young women from Northern Ghana, driven to Kumasi by poverty, forced marriage, or lack of opportunity. Many are under-educated and trapped in unsafe, exploitative conditions.
➢ The essay vividly portrays the challenges of the Kayayie, lack of accommodation, health problems, limited access to education, inadequate medical care, exposure to sexual violence, and the daily humiliation of verbal abuse.
➢ Most striking was the call for the church to embody Christ’s light in practical ways, providing shelter, facilitating healthcare, supporting education, and speaking against stigma and abuse. The examples from Kumasi churches offering accommodation or vocational training were particularly encouraging.
For Further Reflection
➢ The paper emphasizes the contrast of light versus darkness. This is powerful, but it could be further nuanced, since darkness in some biblical and cultural senses also conveys rest, mystery, or protection.
➢ While the church’s role is presented strongly, it might also be valuable to highlight the agency of the Kayayie themselves. Despite their struggles, these women show remarkable resilience, and their voices could be understood as bearers of light within their own communities.
➢ A final question for future thought: how can churches ensure that these interventions are not just charitable acts, but part of a long-term, systemic response to poverty and injustice?
Conclusion
This paper demonstrates how theology can be both contextual and transformative. It shows that proclaiming Christ as the light of the world must go hand-in-hand with concrete action to brighten the dark realities of those living on the margins. The essay is a strong reminder that the church’s witness is most authentic when it becomes illumination in places of pain and struggle.
I was truly delighted to read this paper. It is always a source of hope to see theology being used as a force for life in the midst of a broken world. Until now, I had little knowledge about the situation of head porters in Kumasi, let alone the harsh realities of their daily lives. For this reason, I cannot thank the author enough.
I would like to offer a humble contribution in two parts: what I learned and what I would suggest for further reflection.
What I Learned
• The existence of head porters as a social group, composed mainly of under-educated and economically vulnerable young women.
• The author’s courageous mention of female genital mutilation as an example of cultural practices that must not go unchallenged in the light of Christian theology.
• The stark social and economic divide between the more developed, wealthier South of Ghana and the poorer, less developed North.
• The creative use of an anthropological lens within the broader framework of contextual theology, in a successful effort to make theology respond to concrete, local problems.
• The wise use of dichotomic language: if the absence of decent living conditions is a sign of darkness, the church can serve as light.
• The church’s potential to embody this “light” in tangible ways: providing accommodation (“I am the door”), supporting education (“I am the light”), promoting health insurance (“I am the life of the world”), and proclaiming a narrative of dignity (“We are made in God’s image”).
For Further Reflection
• The dualism of darkness versus light may not always be helpful in contexts involving race and racism. Not everything dark is bad; not everything light is good. The darkness of the womb is life-giving; too much light can blind.
• All theologies are contextual. There is no such thing as a theology detached from context—whether it is born in response to suffering and death or shaped within the comfort of air-conditioned offices.
• When theology and culture interact, which exerts more influence? Are there criteria for discerning when one must yield to the other? As theology seeks to evolve, can culture also evolve? What does genuine mutual respect between theology and culture look like?
Conclusion
More than simply presenting light as inherently good, this paper points to the need for illumination that guides. That insight is crucial: no one can walk safely in darkness without direction. Christ has given us that direction, revealing what the Kingdom of God looks like.
When reading Joel's essay, I was reminded again of the importance of understanding the contextual background of a text. The fact that Jesus said the statement during the festival of lights gives it an even richer meaning for his listeners. As Joel mentioned, Jesus' saying that he is the light of the world implied so many things.
I really appreciated his various explanations of the meaning of light. Light refers to illumination, meaning Jesus illuminates the way for all His followers. The second point is that light refers to knowledge. So when Jesus claims that he was the light of the world, he also makes clear that he is the source of all knowledge. Lastly, he shared that in Jesus not condemning the woman, he came to show that his light also refers to the salvation of humankind.
It was extremely gripping to learn about the head porters, their work, and the context in which their everyday lives take place. This was all new information for me. As interesting as this was, it was also crazy to read about the circumstances in which they have to work, taking into account the challenges that they face with accommodation, health, education, and violence.
Initially, I was quite unsure how Joel was going to connect the “I am the light of the world” saying to the context of these head porters. But as he explained, this anthropological model seeks to appreciate and understand how God is already within that specific context. I'm often sceptical about how theological frameworks are used to bend theology. However, I truly appreciated, and was inspired by how this anthropological model encourages dialogue between the context and theology.
The section that spoke to me the most was when he said: “Most of these girls have higher ambitions like continuing their education or learning a skill or trade. All they need is a light bearer to empower them so that they also can be light bearers.” This just reminded me again of how our faith in Jesus is always opening our hearts and our eyes to the communities that we find ourselves in, and to see as well as to address the needs.
While I appreciate the emphasis placed on the church’s contributions, I do find myself reflecting on whether this represents the full scope of the church’s role in society. In many ways, financial support is certainly important and should be stewarded with discernment, but I believe the church’s contribution extends far beyond the financial sphere. Much depends on the character and calling of the people within a congregation, and ideally, the impact of the church should be expressed in relational, spiritual, and communal ways, where financial giving is only one of many aspects.
A related concern arises for me regarding the use of the pulpit. In my view, the pulpit has a unique and sacred role: to proclaim the gospel message of Christ. When the pulpit is employed in ways that lean toward political alignment, it risks becoming a source of division rather than
unity. If a congregation hears only one political perspective expressed from the pulpit, those holding a different view may feel excluded, and this can undermine the church’s broader witness.
In the same way, I also want to affirm that the Church should not remain silent in the face of visible human need. I do not believe that the Church is ever called to passivity when people are suffering or when needs are evident in the community. Rather, the Church has been entrusted with the responsibility of noticing and responding to such realities. For this reason, I see the pulpit as the place where the gospel is faithfully proclaimed, while recognizing that the mission of the Church extends far beyond the pulpit. The body of believers is called to embody the gospel in many forms—through teaching, through mission, through empowerment, and through acts of service. All these spheres need to be nurtured and activated as vital dimensions of church life.
I appreciate the opportunity we have had to read and interact with Joel's essay. And I'm excited to see what it brings for our discussions.
testing another time
