Africa, the forgotten mission

[AllTalkNoAction]

In the 19th & early 20th centuries it was almost a duty & calling of church-goers in the west to support mission in Africa, yet judging by the amount of talk of it on these forums this seems to have almost stopped.

The Regional section doesn't even have a forum for Africa, and apart from South Africa it's hard to find anything in the "Other Regions" section.

Some friends are going to Ndola, Zambia and I'm invited so it got me thinking. I know that we have seen much better response to the gospel in Africa than in the West, so I'd say there's a reason to spend less time discussing on here, and more time with people who won't argue !

 

[Ptilinopus]

Hi ATNA!

Yes, I would like to see more representation from and about Africa here too. I spent 11 years in mission work in Africa (Zaire, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Guinea). I can think of several reasons there is little other than South Africa in the Other Regions section.

One is the general poverty of the African region generally - most Christians would not have much regular and easy access to internet. Those that do often have a lot more to do that go online to chat or discuss. Even in urban areas, poverty dictates that time be spent on survival, and for Christians, spreading the gospel. (One might say that for them, it is All Action No Talk .)

Another factor is that given the high presence of Christianity in most countries (combined with an increasing level of unrest and violence), there are less and less foreign mission workers, who might find fellowship on such a forum as this one.

Which doesn't change the fact that an Africa forum would be a great idea! God bless!

 

[OlegFilimonovich]

Africa? Count me in. Who do I talk to and how do I get there?

 

[Richard]

20 college students from the University I attend are going to Africa next May. It's going to be a humbling experience to see first hand the heartache and troubles that the African People face daily.

 

[Ptilinopus]

Where are they going, Richard? Which country(ies)?

 

[AllTalkNoAction]

I've been advised not to go to Zambia, Europeans are being targetted for mugging.

 

[Richard]

Where are they going, Richard? Which country(ies)?

Right now we don't know any details. It's a faith based trip. We pay 1,700 for a plan ticket into the country and we go from there. We are going with two missionaries that have been serving in Africa for awhile now. It's going to be a humbling experience.

 

[Ptilinopus]

I think you'll have a fantastic experience, not to say a great adventure. Particularly as you will be with more experienced people - they'll help you avoid some of the dangers and pitfalls. I would suggest finding out as soon as possible which countries you'll be going to, and then doing some reading to get an idea of the place. Lonely Planet guides are very helpful for that. A faith-based trip is great - and your faith will be exercised and stretched. But intelligent faith is better than blind faith - knowing as much as possible enables more informed faith! And don't get discouraged by the media. Any problem or disturbance gets blown up as typical of the whole country, if not the whole continent - and from personal experience I know that people in the country are often hardly aware an incident has even happened.

For example, I arrived in Mogadishu, Somalia the day after the "Black Hawk Down" incident there in 1993, and except for some heightened security around the airport, saw nothing of the apparent unrest and violence that was reported in CNN...

I look forward to your posts when you get there!

 

[Richard]

Well, I won't be posting when i'm there because I wont' have access unless my phone gets a connection, which I'm not sure if it will haha. But I will surely keep everyone updated on it.

 

[Jarvo]

Hi ATNA,

Just wondered what your friends who are going out to Ndola are going to be doing out there, and if they are going with any organisation. I myself was out there 2 years ago, based in the African Quest base just outside of the city. Would be interesting to find out if they are going to the same place.

Jarvo

 

[Kriegermädchen]

A church in my area just sent a team on a trip to Africa. They're there now.

I expect some awesome things are happening there.

 

[AllTalkNoAction]

A church in my area just sent a team on a trip to Africa. They're there now.

I expect some awesome things are happening there.

Which church ?
And which country have they gone to ?

 

[Kriegermädchen]

Not sure of the name of their church. They're located in Southern California. They went with an orginization called Global Passion.

They're in Zimbabwe, I believe.

 

[mayfly]

You should google search "father's heart africa" for a Bible-believing ministry that teaches the bornagain gospel and also does massive social work in Africa, saving thousands of lives.

The ministry is NOT social gospel or anything like that. It is solidly Biblical.

There are many others doing a great work on the continent and loyal to the Bible.

 

[HiLaReE320]

Really?? That's all I heard about is missions to Africa. Well, around here in Alabama anyways.

I'm going to disagree and say that both China and especially North Korea are the forgotten missions. And those in the middle east, because it's too "dangerous."

Did that stop Paul or Peter? Or Jesus?

 

[Christian Soldier]

I don't believe that Africa, China and North Korea are "forgotten" missions. I know for a fact that the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board is doing a lot of good in Africa, even though there is MUCH more to be done.

The communist dictatorship in China makes missionary work difficult, though Christianity is spreading rapidly there, thanks in large part to missionary work that was started there long ago.

The North Korean dictatorship makes missionary work virtually impossible, because virtually all foreigners are prevented from entering the country. The government allows a small number of domestic churches to operate, though they are closely monitored.

 

[mayfly]

Yes, I agree with the above two comments. Maybe we all come from Bible-believing church communities, but I have been in several churches and pastored one myself. Missions and evangelism have always been a top priority. In one church we gave 40-55% of our income to missions.

I do know there are old, spiritually dead mainline leftover churches that preach only politics and social work. They have cut back or abandoned missions and evangelism.

They have rejected the Bible and have nothing left to preach. I reject them and will not support them with my presence, work, or wealth.

 

[Melzie]

im pretty sure that God has called me to missions in Africa. i am studying missions next year over in america....cant wait...please pray for me!
some other places that people have forgotten as a place for missions is some of the european countries like russia and yugoslavia etc they are "christian" but only by name alot arent in the heart as its mostly tradition

 

[HiLaReE320]

Yep, I agree..

Also want to add India in there.

 

[Ozarkan]

I'm not sure Africa's been forgotten as much as some churches have been flustered by logistics in recent years. I've been doing mission trips since middle school and believe me, the cost of organizing and undertaking any kind of mission-- for high school students or seasoned missionaries establishing a missionary-- has become much, much, much more expensive than just 5 years ago. Establishing missions in many African regions takes a lot of initiative and, these days, a lot more money in the past, which has admittedly been a deterrent.

That being said, I still think that African countries remain areas of interest, I know for certain for Baptists and for other denominations. A good number of US churches have "sibling churches" in Africa, and the continent is a good place to organized combined aid and mission efforts.

I don't think that safety concerns (or even worse, hostility) have been much of a deterrent in African countries-- in my experience, the local churches tend to be very appreciative there of the assistance.

If fact, India was by far the most hostile place for missions, even worse than the Middle East-- there's a strain of Hindu activists who are vehemently and intensely anti-Christian there, and while they're undoubtedly a minority, they're a very loud one and they make things very miserable. We never encountered this sort of hostility in African countries or in Lebanon, for that matter. (Just one group's experience, take it for what it's worth, i.e. probably not a whole lot more than 2 cents.)