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President Julius Maada Bio has urged Christian leaders and believers to renew their commitment to discipleship, leadership, and service, as he officially opened the International General Conference of Harvest Intercontinental Ministries Unlimited (HIM-U) in Freetown on Tuesday.
Speaking under the theme “Igniting Passion for the Great Commission: Every Soul Reached, Every Saint Equipped,” President Bio described the six-day gathering as a timely moment of spiritual renewal for both the church and the wider society .
The conference, which runs from 10 to 15 February at the Harvest Intercontinental Cathedral, Destiny City, Dworzarck Junction, has drawn over 500 international and local delegates, including bishops, pastors, missionaries, and church leaders from six continents.
President Bio welcomed delegates and commended the leadership of HIM-U, particularly Founder and Presiding Bishop Darlingston G. Johnson, as well as National Overseer Bishop Julius Laggah and Reverend Olayinka Laggah, praising their spiritual leadership and consistent prayers for the nation.
Bishop Johnson, recalling his first meeting with President Bio in 2018, commended him as a leader who acknowledges God and upholds Christian values.
The President emphasised that evangelism must go hand in hand with teaching, discipleship, and leadership development. He highlighted the vital role of faith institutions in promoting peace, social cohesion, and national development, describing churches as pillars of hope, moral guidance, and community support.
In a personal reflection, President Bio shared that his Christian faith continues to guide his values and leadership. He noted that he begins each week with prayers and regularly receives spiritual counsel . He underscored the importance of women and young people in ministry and nation-building, and reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s proud tradition of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
The President’s remarks come amid broader government efforts to safeguard interfaith harmony. The Ministry of Social Welfare is currently developing a National Policy on Religious Tolerance and Practice, designed to enshrine Sierra Leone’s tradition of peaceful coexistence within a legal framework . Bishop John Hassan Koroma of the Catholic Diocese of Makeni recently described the nation as “a beacon of hope in a world fractured by religious extremism,” calling on citizens to jealously guard its legacy of Muslim-Christian harmony.
Harvest Ministries has established a significant footprint in Sierra Leone, operating over 150 churches nationwide, 23 primary and secondary schools, and The Harvest Christian College, which offers theological and management programmes. The church also runs Destiny Radio FM 94.1 and conducts medical outreaches and food relief programmes.
Local Organising Conference Chairman Rev. Jonathan N.T. Cobna-Davies noted that the conference is expected to have a positive economic impact, with hundreds of delegates spending on accommodation, transportation, and services during their stay. “If each delegate spends even $100, the impact on the economy will be significant. This conference is not just for the church, but for the nation,” he said .
President Bio encouraged faith-based organisations to partner with government and other stakeholders in youth mentorship and community development. He concluded by calling for continued prayers for the nation and expressed hope that the conference would ignite renewed passion for the Great Commission, “to the glory of God and the advancement of Sierra Leone.”
