Lausanne World Pulse – Perspectives Articles – Movement for African National Initiatives 2006: Uniting African Church Leaders
By Chacko Thomas
May 2006
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Many people are sceptical of Africa. The growing and large number of believers in Africa, though it does boost world Christian statistics, is seen by many as an inch deep and a mile wide. As for mission potential, some expect little from Africa. The Christian and secular media has influenced many of us in forming our image of Africa.
We may ask, “Can anything good come Africa? Can these dry bones live?” The answer to both these questions is yes and the second gathering of the Continental Consultation of the Movement for African National Initiatives 2006 (MANI 2006) provided the answer to how and why the African Church is so important to global Christianity. The MANI 2006 consultation convinced African church leaders that the Church in Africa is emerging as a viable, strong alternative leader of the continent. Already some Christians in the West have begun to look to Africa for leadership and one Anglican Bishop assured me that they “are ready to give it.” One example of how the African Church has stepped up is the Global Day of Prayer. An event initiated in Africa, Global Day of Prayer now includes over 150 countries joined together in prayer.
African Church Leaders Gather in Nairobi
MANI 2006 was held at the Kenya College of Communication and Technology in Nairobi 27 February to 3 March. During the consultation, Ross Campbell, the MANI continental coordinator said, “You are among five hundred leaders of influence assembled at MANI 2006 from across the continent and around the globe. Delegates have arrived from forty-nine African nations and are joined by global leaders from eighteen countries beyond our shores. Together we exert leadership influence over hundreds of denominations and organizations, thousands of churches, tens of thousands of Christian workers and many millions of believers.”
Suddenly I was aware that I was among world class Christian leaders. Each came at their own expense because they realized that Africa must stop looking elsewhere for resources and start being a giving church, especially one that gives to missions. Participants became aware that resources were accessible right there in Africa. Dr. Uzodinma Obed, one of the pastors at the conference, shared that his church, The Glory Tabernacle Ministry, in Ibadan, Nigeria, already supports three hundred missionaries. Two of the missionaries are leaders of large African missions, one of which, Calvary Ministries, has more than three hundred missionaries in twenty-seven countries in Africa and beyond.
MANI 2006 Showcases God’s Work in Africa
Most sessions were led and presented by competent and passionate African men and women. The sessions opened with singing and a time of honouring the Lord. The Africans’ passion to serve the Lord and the spirit of prayer are second to none. The courage they have shown in the midst of persecution in many of their countries makes one feel they are ready to face the world for Christ.
One thing that was not African was keeping to a relatively rigid time schedule for each session. Although this was helpful, there was one session where I felt they should have been a little more flexible. The speaker was Dr. Tokunboh Adeyemo, general secretary of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa. During his exposition from Revelation 2:8-11 called “The Beatitudes of Persecution,” he had his listeners hanging onto every word he said. When Dr. Adeyemo was made aware that he was running out of time, he quickly concluded his speech. “Persecution is a blessing,” he told the delegates. He quoted a Jewish church leader as saying, “Fifty percent of the Bible is made of suffering and the other fifty percent the glory that follows it.” All the devotional speakers sharing about the seven churches of Revelation alluded to persecution. The churches the Lord commended in Revelation were under some form of persecution.
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Chacko Thomas is coordinator of Missions Mobilisation Network (MMN). He is also a missionary with Operation Mobilisation, having served in India, and on three of OM’s ships, the Logos, Doulos and the Logos ll, in various ministry and leadership roles. |
