Impressive numbers, emerging leaders, self-determination set a course for the new millennium

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' ... if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another ...'(I John 1:7a).

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In the new millennium a new day is dawning over the savannahs of Africa, according to veteran missionary Eldred Echols. 'At the close of the century Africa is about to become the world center of Christianity,' he says.

Such a monumental shift is in evidence in churches of Christ in Africa as well. This new day is dramatically indicated by three factors — impressive numerical growth, a new spirit of indigenous leadership and a growing trend toward self-determination.

• Numeric growth

The peoples of Sub-Sahara Africa (the region south of the Sahara Desert) are turning to Christ. Research by missionaries Wendell Broom and Mark Berryman in Africa during 2000 reports a membership of about 800,000 in about 13,000 congregations. Berryman’s data reports approximately 400,000 church members 10 years ago — a number which had doubled by 2000.

Such is impressive growth, especially compared to the size of the church in Africa at the turn of the century. Yet, of the 750 million people in the African world, we have reached only a tiny percent, as missionary Roger Dickson emphasizes in his book, Preaching Through Africa.

• Emerging leaders

More and more African Christians are educated, capable and dedicated to the mission of the church. Some have grown up in schools operated by church members. Others have graduated from universities and hold responsible positions in government, education and business. A sampling of these leaders for the new era are profiled on the following pages.

• Self-determination

The desire of the church to be self-determining while not losing its African identity is reflected in the Africans

Claiming Africa campaign among churches of Christ, one of several indicators of a new spirit.

Church leaders from all of Sub-Sahara Africa meet annually to strategize about evangelizing unreached nations and regions with the Christian message. Such analysis is reflected in the quality of schools and hospitals guided by African church leaders. It is reflected in the spiritual hunger of the masses of village and small town Africans which translates into impressive church growth. Finally, it is reflected in the beginnings of mission efforts by African churches and evangelists in neighboring countries.

Sam Shewmaker, also a veteran missionary to Africa and a son of Africa pioneer J.C. Shewmaker, says, '... more and more Africans are taking responsibility for evangelism and church planting across the continent of Africa, and they are able to do it more effectively than Westerners can. This fact seems to be having a significant impact on growth.'

• Building on the past

When Australian vocational missionaries John Sheriff and W. Seddon arrived in South Africa in 1896, they found two small congregations in all of Sub-Sahara Africa, one in Cape Town and one in Johannesburg (The Harvest Field, 1947).

These two men, helped by others, established a congregation in Capetown, Bulawayo (now Zimbabwe) and other locations. Eventually new missions were established in what are now Zambia and Malawi.

In the half-century following World War II Africa’s map changed dramatically. What were once British, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese colonies became independent nations. By the end of the century, the map of church involvement in Africa had changed dramatically.

• Reporting the signs

On the next two pages we report further on the emergence of the church in Africa today — the numbers, the leaders and their perspectives, the growth of a spirit of self-determination. — GLOVER SHIPP, senior editor

 

The Past
The legacy of the past in the Sub-Sahara region

BY MANUEL DE OLIVEIRA
FOR THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE

The village is in remote northern Mozambique, built at the foot of the Lupi Mountain, but it could have been in many other places in Africa. As you get to the village you are greeted by the church members, all extremely poor, covered in rags and if you look closely, sores. They encircle you, singing loudly and clapping. They are shy but friendly. You are led to the church building, a big hut made with sticks, mud and straw. No seats, reed mats or thin tree trunks are placed near the front. No electricity in the village at all. The building is overcrowded, and all wait for you to speak. You are a foreigner from distant land, an educated missionary. They have many expectations. How do you share Christ with them?

In the past some have moved to the village, built themselves a hut and lived as much a part of the village life as they could. Most often years later they were disheartened and realized that they were never quite able to be like the villagers, neither were they ever accepted as 'one of them.' Others have moved to the nearest city and spoken only through a translator.

What is needed is to understand the culture and language of the target people, being respectful and loving at all times, aware of the gifts that God has given you to serve his people.

There are many church names in Africa and many missionaries have taught that if a church does not have the name 'Church of Christ,' it is not the church. The truth is that there is only one church, those who by faith are baptized (immersed) in Jesus’ name are in the Church of Christ even if they call themselves something else.

In most church meetings in Africa, the men sit on one side and the women on the other. Some missionaries confuse their culture with biblical doctrine and teach that the men must sit together with their wives. There are other 'musts' we have brought into the churches in Africa – attitudes and styles that are western in form. These must not be imposed on the African church.

God is primarily interested in the heart of the worshipper. Not in the form (Luke 18:10-14). He cares very little. for instance, if you are sitting with your wife or not as long as you love her.

In an age where Muslims are building mosques and colleges in places where they don’t have a single member or where denominations are attracting thousands by the power of their money, we need to think about the implications of Paul’s statement to the Corinthians: 'At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need.

Then there will be equality, as it is written: ‘He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.’' (2 Cor. 8:14,15 NIV). Our arguments over whether to help beginning and young churches in Africa have little value in relation to their need.

MANUEL DE OLIVEIRA, who is Portuguese, was born in South Africa. Sponsored by the Richland Hills church, Fort Worth, Texas, he is a currently a pioneering missionary in Maputo, Mozambique.

 

The Present
The status of the church in the Sub-Sahara region

BY GEORGE FUNK
FOR THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE

In many countries in Africa the church has been established. The pioneers are coming to the end of their work and the Africans are taking over. So many are capable and competent to turn Africa upside-down for the Lord and that is exactly what I see for the future in Africa.

I see partnerships with American churches where African churches send African missionaries into un-evangelized countries with the U.S. churches helping to finance their work.

In the southern part of Africa something exciting is happening. It is about mass evangelism. It is about distribution of tons and tons of literature. It is about pushcart trailers on street corners with Bibles and literature. It is about book rooms on streets, once again with literature and Bible correspondence courses. It is about an 18-wheel Gospel Cha-riot, complete with a meeting tent, literature and living quarters, ready to travel the length and breadth of African countries. It is about having Gospel meetings in cities, towns, villages, highways and byways. It is about church plantings.

The work is about putting the church where the people are in big cities and saturating the religious world with good sound Bible-based books.

There is a great return to the Bible church in Africa and ministries such as World Bible School, Truth for Today, One Nation Under God, World Evangelism and others are seeing the need to sow the seed.

Africa is ready! The pioneers are going home, the baton is being handed over to the Africans. Let them run with it. They are capable.

GEORGE FUNK is a South African who evangelizes in nine countries of southern Africa through World Bible School, literature distribution and a school. He is sponsored by the Lamar, Colo., church.

 

The Future
The outlook for the church in the Sub-Sahara region

BY BEHAILU ABEBE
FOR THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE

There are nearly 185 million persons in the countries I know well – Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia. It is hard to see this many people living in hardship and without the message of God’s grace though Christ. There is urgency in getting the Gospel message to these people. Who is going to do it? It will not be easy as it requires a commitment of people, money and time.

Without a doubt, the same situation exists in the rest of the countries of Africa. Where there are problems and hardships, there are also windows of opportunity.

My experience in spreading the Gospel among my people has been that when we do good things they see God in what we do more than what we say. The humanitarian projects of feeding the starving, giving medicine to the sick, drilling water wells and teaching them better ways to grow food has opened their hearts to Christ. I believe the compassion we show is exactly like Jesus’ ministry. I also believe this is the way for the future of ministry to an impoverished continent.

Without training the national people to dream, to lead and to teach, there is a limited future for the church in Africa. Those who know the language, the culture and the people will face fewer difficulties when they use humanitarian efforts. All those who are trained in Bible teaching and leadership in Ethiopia are cross-trained in these practical ways to assist people to help themselves.

There are many difficulties to be faced for the future. Many African countries are experiencing political unrest. The corruption of the officials creates unbelievable hardships on their people. Some countries, particularly those predominately Muslim, are very hostile toward Christians.

Perhaps by meeting the physical and spiritual needs of refugees, the Gospel will be powerful in their country when they return to it.

There are language, customs and cultural obstacles to overcome as well. None of these is impossible to triumph over.

BEHAILU ABEBE is an Ethiopian who has pioneered the work in that country, in Kenya and among Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia. He is sponsored by the Woodland Park church, Fresno, Calif.

 

Emerging church leaders

'Heroes are made, not born,' was the frequent theme of J.R. Williams’ cartoons. His point is true also for leaders. Heroes are forged in the fires of preparation, experience, heartache, adversity and recognition of their leadership.

Few African church leaders are known by American churches, so we asked various missionaries to name some of these. The list submitted is not exhaustive, but represents the quality of men and women serving in their own and neighboring nations:

• George Akpabli, Cotonou, Benin. Akpabli is a Ghanaian who became a pioneer missionary to Benin. He is the director of a preacher training school in Cotonou and is an evangelist and church planter.

• Douglas Boateng, Accra, Ghana. Boateng is the missions elder for the Msawam Road church in Accra. He is a successful businessman, leading his own international company. He is one of founders of the Africans Claiming Africa conference.

• Sunday Peter Ekanam, Upkom, Nigeria. Ekanam is the provost of Nigerian Christian Bible College. He has preached for approximately 50 years and is the former first vice president for the Association of Secondary Schools in Nigeria.

• Washington Mhlanga, Harare, Zimbabwe. Mhlanga is an elder of the Avondale church in Harare and is the son of one of the pioneers of the church in that nation. He is a director of Zimbabwe Minerals Marketing Corporation and is on the board of trustees for the Mutare Bible School.

• Dominic Moonga, Kalomo, Zambia. Moonga is a longtime teacher both at Nhowe Mission in Zambia and Namwianga Christian Schools in Kalomo. He is an elder for the Namwianga church.

• Dennis Okoth, Nairobi, Kenya. Okoth is a church planter with the Komo Rock church, Nairobi. He is an educator at Daystar University in Nairobi and is chairman of the board of the Nairobi Great Commission School.

Other names mentioned were:

Botswana, Dennis Malepa; Cameroon, David Nassa; Ethiopia, Demera Chernet; Gambia, Francis Fuo; Ghana, Samuel Obeng, John Tamakloe; Ivory Coast, Touré; Nigeria, Timothy Akpakpan, Monday John Akpakpan, Nelson Isonguyo, Etim Asukuo, Okon Mkpong, Jacob Achinefu, Solomon Awka, Steven Okoronkwo, Solomon Aguh, Nkereuwem Udoakah, Nkereuwem Udoakah, Biodun Owolabi, Dan Ojey, Moses Enilololbo, C.A.O. Essien (deceased initiator of the work in Nigeria), Edu Okorie, Nelson D. Isongayo; Liberia, Topko; Madagascar, John Ratopo-hery; Malawi, John Katete; Senegal, David Kapau; South Africa, Al Horne; Swaziland, Kurt Platt; Togo, Adjaye; Zambia, Roy Merritt, Reuben Kapaale, Rabson M’hango, Leonard Mujala, Dominic Moonga.

Women nominated were: Nigeria, Ima Akpakpan; Zambia, Martha Moomba; and Zimbabwe, Elizabeth Harare.

 

A Sense of Self-Determination

Three developments illustrate the emerging sense of self-determination among churches of Christ in Africa. One is Africans Claiming Africa for Christ. The second is the plan initiated by the Nsawam Road church, Accra, Ghana, to place three missionary families in an unreached country. The third is a trend toward placing Africans in leadership roles in Christian colleges and schools.

Sam Shewmaker, son of veteran missionaries to Africa, most recently a missionary to Kenya and currently missionary in residence at Harding University, says that Africans Claiming Africa is a movement to build responsibility on the part of national churches and leaders to take the Gospel to the entire continent.

Church leaders from all over Africa meet yearly at an ACA conference to look at unreached regions and strategize methods of planting churches. The 2000 conference convened May 24-28 at Esselen Park, South Africa.

Related to this concept is the plan developed by the Nsawam Road church in Accra, Ghana, to prepare and send three African families to essentially unreached Mali with the Gospel. (See www.christianchronicle. org February 2001 archive for an article on this plan.)

This is the first example of an African church taking the initiative to select and send workers to another country, says Philip Slate, missions minister for the North Boulevard church, Murfreesboro, Tenn. The church is partnering financially and morally with Nsawam Road, but the oversight is in the hands of the African elders.

The third indication of self-determination in Africa is indigenous leadership of institutions such as Christian schools and colleges. Nigeria Christian College, for instance, is administered totally by Nigerians, according to John Beckloff, African Christian Schools Foundation, Nashville, Tenn.

Several positive factors are at work in this transition period. One is that Africa is in a state of rapid change and with this change is a move from traditional African religions toward Christianity, said Gailyn Van Rheenen, professor of missions at Abilene Christian University.

A widespread belief in a divine Creator dominates Africa, according to Beckloff. Added to this is the fact that Africans are worshipful and evangelistic, he noted.

Resource people: Mark Berryman, Harding University, former missionary to Africa; Wendell Broom, Abilene Christian University, former missionary to Nigeria; John Beckloff, Nigeria Christian Schools Foundation, Nash-ville, Tenn., former missionary to Nigeria; Roger Dickson, missionary in Cape Town, South Africa; Eldred Echols, Fort Worth, Texas, veteran missionary to South Africa; Gailyn Van Rheenen, Abilene Christian University, former missionary to Kenya; and Phil Watson, Edmond, Okla., former missionary to Zambia.

CONTACT GLOVER SHIPP at glover.shipp@oc.edu