Verify Podcast

In this week’s episode, we will be building on a few points raised from last week. So if you haven’t listened to the African Christian part 1, this is a good time to do so.

The relationship between Africa and the Bible did not start with colonialism, but is as old as the bible itself. Africans lived among the Israelites in bible times and were some of Christianity’s earliest worshippers and theologians. Interestingly, the bible contains over a thousand references to Africa or Africans! For example, Simon of Cyrene who helped Jesus to carry his cross in Matthew 27:32, was from present day Libya. Apollos in Acts 18:24, was Egyptian. The Eunuch in Acts 8:26-40, and Prophet Zephaniah, were from the region around present day Sudan (See Zeph 1:1). Acts 2:10 lets us know that some of those who witnessed what happened in the upper room on the day of Pentecost, were Africans! And there are so many more examples like these, scattered across scripture.

Unfortunately, 1500 years after Christ, the missionary activity that came with colonialism in Africa, sometimes appeared to camouflage the inhumane exploitation which was unleashed almost concurrently on the indigenous people. Of course, I could never belittle the sterling foundations laid by Christian missionaries in the areas of healthcare and education, or the work of heroic missionaries like Mary Slessor, who is still remembered and respected in Nigeria and across the world today. Sadly however, there were areas where for monetary gain, the missionary activity on ground, tolerated, supported and even benefitted from the mistreatment of the indigenous people.

But this should not come as a shock to us, or turn our hearts away from the gospel. Apostle Paul kind of prepares us for this when he lets us know in Phillipians 1:15-17, that the gospel can be preached with selfish ambitions, and just as the gospel can be preached in truth, it can also be preached in pretence. We must realise that not everything that has ever been done in the name of God, was sanctioned by God.

About Africans having their indigenous religions before taking up Christianity, guess what? Joshua 24:2b lets us know that the Jews also had their own indigenous religion before God spoke to Abraham to come out of it. But upon calling Abraham out of idolatry, God makes it clear that even though His message comes to and through the nation of Israel, His target is ALL THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD (See Gen 12:3b and Gen 22:18). The message of the bible therefore, is not European, it is universal. Christ died to save all of mankind (1 John 2:2) and as long as you and I are part of mankind, then we qualify! So yes, I am African, but Christ says He died for me as well, He says I’m included, and that’s good enough for me!

May the understanding from Rev 5:9, that Christ is called to every tribe, tongue and nation, be impressed in our hearts, today and always, amen.