Why We Are Here
Christianity is under attack here, but it is not by overt government persecution, academic condescension, or popular opinion. To the casual observer it may seem like this region of this country is altogether faring very well as far as the spread of the Gospel is concerned. There certainly is no shortage of churches, many bearing the name Christian. Christianity, it seems, has been entrenched in the culture even. You can find representations of Christ in public transportation vehicles, Bible passages on display in local shops, and everyone and their uncle has a biblical name.
Satan sows confusion and tries to lead people away from the Kingdom of God at all times and in all places. The means which he is using here is dangerous because it receives little notice. Judging by the outward appearance, one might think that all is well here, there is no more opportunity to tell people what they don’t already know. There is baptism without discipling. There is preaching with no Biblical depth. There is little instruction in the Word. The following comes from a former principal of one of Nairobi’s Theological Institutions, Dr. Benjamin Musyoka..
“In the last 25 years, NIST has made impressive strides in training leaders who are holding key leadership positions in the African Church and society. But this is only like a drop of water in the ocean. We continue to hear the same old story that African Christianity is a mile wide in terms of its numbers and an inch deep in terms of its spiritual quality. African Christianity lacks spiritual depth and as such it has had minimal impact on lives of the African people. Corruption, poverty, injustice, crime, moral and social decay that we see in Africa today are evils perpetuated by many people who often identify themselves with Christianity and some of whom attend church services regularly.”
Even in just the short time that I have been here in Matunda, I can hardly count all the tragic examples of this playing out in the lives of the people here. One man that has done much repair work on this house shared his experiences. Several years ago he had been in the Catholic church. He was faithfully attending each Sunday and was enlisted as an acolyte. He wanted to pursue this path even further and signed up to be a catechist, receiving instruction on the church’s teachings directly from the priest. Proceeding through the instruction, one thing became very clear. He was to receive the instruction, make no argument, and ask no questions. When frustration over unresolved issues became too much and finding no one willing to answer, he simply left. He discontinued his lessons, left the church, and proceeded to find a Christian church that was in many respects different from the one he left. This new church received him with great joy as it did with all newcomers. Their worship was vibrant and there was no fear of asking questions. But sadly, when a new person is added to this church their tithe is automatically figured into the church’s budget. Once a person misses a Sunday or several Sundays for any reason, it affects what they have budgeted for. Instead of explaining how their funding operates or how their budget is affected when someone does not give they hold midweek meetings. In these meetings they have a list of the names of people who were missing or did not give their offering and they proceed to pronounce curses upon them. They call upon God to even bring an end to the person’s life for their “betrayal.” They will throw things on the ground, breaking them, asking that God would finish this person just like the object being broken. Needless to say, he’s had little to no interest in finding a new church. As usual, the reason for my being here comes up in conversation and I had the opportunity to tell him about another former Catholic who was searching for some answers. I’ve given him a catechism and we’ve had a few conversations here and there. “It’s good to know the truth,” he shared with me.
Another example comes from a shop owner here in Matunda who has been a part of more churches than I can even recall. He went from one to the next, being sorely disappointed. He says it is a rare thing to find a pastor that is not in his position for money. When someone brings an offering or a gift they are treated with praise and favoritism, but as soon as it dries up, it is as if they do not exist. When visiting members’ homes they make demands about which food should be served. This is not meant to be a broad generalization, but this is not uncommon. One conned his people into contributing to several of his trips to the U.S. When asked what exactly he was going for, he did not provide a clear explanation. In some congregations children are discouraged from attending, taking up valuable space that could be used for those who can contribute. And the accounts continue in this way. Are there churches that are faithful to the Word of God and pastors that serve Him and His people instead of their own agendas? Of course. The reason in bringing this up is the reaction that sometimes comes up in response to the mission work here. This comes from people locally and back home. Why concentrate on an area that is predominantly Christian?
The short answer is that there is a great need for the Gospel everywhere, but here is especially an open opportunity. There are many who are tired of the abuse of power, the corruption, the misuse of church funds. There has been an overwhelming reception to going deeper into the Bible, in being built up in the faith so that the spirits can be tested and each can know for themselves whether it is from God. There is an eagerness to have a foundation that is more solid than simply “Amen, Jesus, Amen, Jesus, Hallelujah!” There are many who, along with the apostle, say “I want to know Christ.” Many want to cast off the burden that an institution or a pastor or church leader has wrongfully laid on them. They are worn out, needing to come to their Savior and find rest for their souls, to instead take up His burden, which is easy and light. Already seven young ones have been brought to be baptized in our Sunday services, coming at the invitation of their Savior to let these little ones come to Him, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Several adults are waiting to learn more about the blessings of baptism before they receive this gift from God. Apart from the church, many parents are glad that there is finally an affordable school in the area where previously there was no school close enough. Parents of some of the children have naturally come to join us in worship on Sundays. Sounds familiar, no? Several adults are taking part in a group instruction class on Fridays, we are having time for prayer and fellowship on Thursdays after the school lets out and the church building is available again. The opportunities abound
But again I want to be very clear this was not intended to slander the churches and certain people here. The same kinds of problems can and do exist in many places. This was merely painting the picture of what the “spiritual landscape” looks like, at least from the experiences of many who have lived here for several years. There is much work to do, many opportunities continue to open up, let us pray that we are able to respond to the challenges fulfill the work that God has set before us here.