Two years ago, I was invited by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba, to speak at the Joshua Generation International Youth Conference (JGIYC). It was to take place at the National Stadium in Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria.
When I was told 30,000 young people were expected at the five-day event, I had some reservations. To my pleasant surprise, there were about 33,000 young people in attendance, and they were all irrepressible in their response. At least one third committed their lives to serving God’s purpose in their generation.
This event and several similar ones are a confirmation that God is at work in our context in Africa and preparing a new generation to impact our continent with Kingdom values. It is encouraging that our churches are growing and full, not just of older people, but young people passionate about serving God. The rapid growth and embrace of the gospel by our younger generation is however not without challenges.
There are two significant internal challenges. The first is the challenge of ‘other gospels’. The proliferation of preachers and churches has increased diverse understanding and preaching of the gospel. At the heart of church growth is the very content of the gospel. However, some churches offer what one may call ‘buffet theology’ in which Scripture is sampled according to preferred appetite. This has resulted in a new wave of ‘church-hoppers’ who hop from one congregation to another in search of God’s latest move, lacking accountability to any church. The most attractive ‘other gospel’ is the ‘Prosperity Gospel’ which focuses on material possessions, physical wellbeing and success in this life.
The other challenge related to growth is the gap between preaching and lifestyle, often nurtured by a mindset that draws dichotomies between so-called secular and sacred spheres of life. While the verdict is that the church has grown in our context, to reverse Josh MacDowell’s’ Evidence That Demands a Verdict, we have the verdict that demands evidence of growth, not only on Sundays but in everyday life.
There are also external challenges that call for our prayer and engagement. Many parts of Africa are buffeted by increased persecution and religious armed conflicts. On 2 April 2015, gunmen stormed the Garissa University College in Kenya, killing 148 people and injuring 79 or more. Of those killed in a siege that lasted 15 hours, 147 were students. Among those killed were 22 Christian students who had gathered for a 5am prayer meeting. Militant attacks like this are also on the rise in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Nigeria as well as others linked to militant groups like Al-Shabaab, Al-Qaeda and Boko Haram.
Another external challenge is the reality of poverty in our context. Although Africa is believed to be the richest continent in the whole world, significant numbers of our people still live in abject poverty. This has contributed to a growing quest for our young people to seek ‘greener pastures’ by migrating to the West, where they believe life is potentially easier or more comfortable. The unprecedented migration of African youth to Europe across the Mediterranean Sea is what has made some refer to the same as the ‘Mediterranean cemetery’.
Despite these challenges and others, our people are resilient and believe there is hope for the future. With conviction that we are Africans by God’s appointment, we remain committed to mission for a bright Africa.
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The prosperity gospel is rife in the Majority World writes Elizabeth McQuoid. To help church leaders and Christians navigate through the confusion and disillusionment this false teaching causes, Femi Adeleye has written an excellent book, 'Does God Promise me Health, Wealth and Happiness?' He sets out why the prosperity gospel is not Biblical, how God’s desire for our prosperity is far bigger than material possessions, and calls Christians to contentment, gratitude and living generously. For a donation of as little as £3 you can sponsor two copies of the book getting into the hands of people who need it most. Please use this link to donate and join us in helping equip and encourage Majority World believers.
