African American Missions

Overcoming Obstacles

There are many obstacles to overcome in spreading and sustaining the message of Jesus Christ in West Africa. Some of these include:

• The negative perception of missionaries

• The idea that Christianity is the White man’s religion
• Perceived barriers
• Resources to support foundation and growth

Missionaries

To Christians, the term missionary is admirable and to some point conjures up an even more righteous appointment than “just a believer.” A missionary is seen as someone who believes so strongly that they are willing to give up the comfortable to become uncomfortable — driven by the compassion for the souls of the people they are sharing with.

That seems to be a very bias view. We tend to forget the sins of those missionaries that went on before us. Africa still remembers as she suffers from the results of the European missionaries’ ethnocentrism and colonization. The slave forts stand even today in memory of the atrocities of the slave trade. Looking through the eyes of the African person, the missionary has a long way to go in regaining their trust. They don’t plan to make the same mistakes again.

It is important that, as we assist in the process of sharing the Gospel in this land, we remember to whom this land belongs. We are merely pointing the way to salvation. It is God who gives it.

Christianity: The White Man’s Religion?

We can trace from Acts 8:27-39, that Christianity entered Africa long before Islam was established as a religion. Because of Muslim Arab merchants and traders that passed through West Africa, Islam has been prevalent there for a long time. While Europe took from Africa, the Arab world traded with them, lived among them and evangelized. Because of the close and consistent contact, almost all of the countries in West Africa are Muslim.

Most Christians with whom Africans have come in contact have been White missionaries. One need only think back to what happened the first time White Christian missionaries came to West Africa. Over the past three centuries there has been only a little healing of the hearts of the African people. Much animosity still exits forming an observable barrier that keeps White missionaries at a distance. There is still a limit to African acceptance of White missionaries. It is still easy for Africans to separate themselves on the basis of “our” religion and “theirs.”

African American: The Joseph of Africa

The story of African Americans in history is no different from Joseph’s journey to greatness. (Genesis 37:18-36; Chapters 42-43)

I believe that if Joseph had been promised greatness by agreeing to be a slave, helping build a great nation by hard labor, and suffering and mistreatment, he would have declined the offer. The lashes he took must have left deep scars on his back, not to mention the strain on his body from the lifting, tugging, and pulling of the physical work. What an awful road to take for greatness. Why would God, who loved Joseph so much, allow such a terrible tragedy to happen to him? Many theologians have their own conclusions. The bottom line is this: at the end of the day, God causes things to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8-28 NLT) He doesn’t say that everything that happens will be good. Joseph loved God. He kept God’s commands and, even though it took him a while to respond to his brother’s need, he eventually forgave and even saved his brothers from sure starvation.

Brothers and sisters, there is a drought in the land of our fathers — not just of food and supplies, but from a lack of Jesus. This is the most urgent need. I heard Bishop Tutu from South Africa being interviewed on a news program. He was asked about his ailment. He spoke so gently, with a smile on his face to the interviewer, “Sir, we all have the same terminal illness — mortality.” What we do with this time between birth and death is left up to our will. Bishop Tutu then explained how we should spend our lives doing what pleases God.

“I can choose not to recognize my brothers, or choose to take them the bread of life.” By the way, Bishop is still alive more than five years later.

Perceived Barriers

The question was asked of me while I was in The Gambia, “Why don’t more African Americans come and share the Gospel.” Caught off guard and somewhat convicted, I began assessing the basis of the question. My first response was that most African Americans don’t have the money to go. I found it very difficult to verbalize that at the time, in the midst of true economic poverty. After careful thought, I explained to the young pastor, “I really believe it is because we are blinded by the wealth of the United States. All we can see is what is available to us and our right to the “American Dream.” The continual struggle to keep up with those around us (Caucasian Americans) has distracted us from what the Lord has mandated of us. I was then convicted. If we only knew. If we could only see all we have here and realize, through using our resources in the way the Lord has commanded us, we lose nothing, but gain as a whole. And what mighty large gains!

Do we really think that the Lord would allow us to enjoy His blessings when we continually are wanting more of this material gain, knowing that our brothers and sisters need Him too while we chose to turn a blind eye and deaf ear simply because we are discontent with the treasures we have to the point that we fail to acknowledge His abundant life.  I am convicted. Now I know that I can go. When I can’t go, I can help send someone else. I have seen my “little” become much. There is so much joy in seeing God work through the most unlikely of people. That includes me! That is when you know it is God who is accomplishing it.

Resources

Now what? What can we render unto God for all His mercies? Those that are new every morning. Do we really believe that He is faithful when we sing in our churches on Sunday morning that great hymn — Great is Thy Faithfulness? And when we sing I Surrender All? When we say so fervently, I trust in God. How real are we? I struggle with this question every day. Are we living a lie? As we truly examine ourselves, we cannot allow our own self-serving biases absorb the truth.

What are our resources? Time? Abilities? Finances? I really didn’t believe that I had anything to offer until I went to this small country and came back to the United States — “Land of Plenty and More.”