About IAB
Origins of the Vision
The history of “I AM BLACK” Ministry (IAB) cannot be told without recognizing the long and personal journey that preceded its formal establishment. Though IAB was officially launched in January 2024, its spiritual and theological roots stretch back to the early 2000s, shaped by a series of profound experiences that formed the heart and call of its founder, Nathan Adu-Gyamfi.
Nathan’s first encounter with divine calling took place in 2002 at the YMCA in Adabraka, Accra, where a providential meeting with Amy Chin, a Chinese-American YMCA volunteer, opened the door for him to return to school after a period of hardship. That act of grace, followed by life-giving Bible studies on the Book of Esther, would later inspire Nathan to form youth groups rooted in faith, service, and Scripture in his home village.
During his time at Theocracy Senior High School in 2008, Nathan founded the Jewish Association of Young People (JAYP)—and later the Messianic Young Jews Association (MYJA)—which became known for vibrant evangelism and community outreach. These early movements, though not formally connected to IAB, were seeds of something greater. They nurtured a deep concern for spiritual formation, cultural identity, and social justice—concerns that would one day find fuller expression in IAB.
Even as these ministries evolved, dissolved, or reformed (as with Reformed MYJAINS in 2022), they all pointed toward a deeper calling: to reconcile African spirituality, Black identity, and Christian witness in a world marked by fragmentation, colonization, and loss of memory.
The Birth of I AM BLACK (IAB)
By January 2024, sensing a divine urgency and a deeper call, the vision shifted once again—this time toward a bold focus on the liberation and stewardship of Black and African identity. This shift gave birth to “I AM BLACK” Ministry.
The conviction for this new focus was ignited during the Fall 2023 semester at Luther Seminary, where Nathan took Thinking Theologically with Professor Amy Marga. Through that course, he encountered the writings of James H. Cone, especially the groundbreaking work Black Theology and Black Power, which deeply moved him. That text, paired with the ongoing political unrest in Africa—particularly the military coups in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso—resonated with his own longing to see Africans reclaim their dignity and agency.
At the same time, Nathan had already been dreaming of launching a Cultural Exchange Club at Luther Seminary, inspired by his private moments of reflection at George Floyd Square, often guided by his mentor, Rev. Jon Anderson. Though the club never materialized on campus, its vision took form as an International Students Association. Rather than limiting the dream to a seminary context, Nathan discerned God’s call to establish a broader platform that could unite Africans and the African diaspora in a journey of reconnection, reconciliation, and renewal.
That’s how “I AM BLACK” Ministry was born—not just as an idea, but as a Spirit-led response to the cry for dignity, belonging, and liberation echoing across continents. From a sketchbook in Accra to the classrooms of Saint Paul, from local youth ministries to global theological movements, IAB continues to evolve as a prophetic witness to who we are and whose we are.
