Campus News: Across Africa... Who Will Reach Africa
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Across Africa CABC August 08
Asante sana.“Thank You Very Much!” “I count myself as one highly blessed of the Lord to be able to remain at least within my continent and receive such high quality education. I have had the honor of sitting under Dr. Minnick, Dr. Horn, Dr. Muri, Dr. Patterson, Dr. Straub, and now Dr. Hankins. What impresses me most is not their titles (which are important) or even their reputation stateside, but what God has done in my life through their ministry of teaching. My view of the Holy Scriptures has been profoundly elevated along with my appreciation for its depth and the level of diligence called for in my dealings with it (which is what you my lecturers are equipping me with). I walk away from the recent class with such a grand view of my calling and the charge/call to be the man of God out of the pulpit so as to enable me to preach in the first person. I am truly grateful to all who are sacrificing to expose me to these men, and all who are enabling my lecturers to stay here and serve me. These men have been used by God to help transform me. It is for them that I am most thankful!
I type this letter from the building that supporters have helped build. We often thank God for these faceless saints. My prayer is that God will complete the work that He is doing through them by making me a fruitful man of God back home and allow me to enjoy this eternal fruit with them.”
Yours thankfully, Ken Mbugua (Kenyan student at Central Africa Baptist College).
Who Will Reach Africa? The training of men called to preach remains one of the greatest needs of Africa. African men separated unto the Gospel of God are already on the continent, but they need precise theological training and living examples of what the Bible teaches. If we are not aggressive about training our men on the continent this present opportunity may soon pass. Charismatics promised more and “un-grounded” preacher boys easily drifted and bought in to their movement because they offered training that was accessible. Other men became disillusioned by the all encompassing white man who taught by example to be content with programs and statistics while the “reality” of the Gospel – the power of God unto salvation was eclipsed by the hollow methods of men. A circus is impotent to stem the tide of false teaching.
“If ” CABC can accomplish that which the Lord has postured it to do - then the next generation of African evangelists, pastors, and teachers will rise up and prayerfully begin a necessary African reformation. A reform away from the white man pastoring a foreign people long term. A reform against the “big bwana” mentality focusing attention and power on one man who stands at the top simply because he holds the key to western resources and opportunities. A reform towards national leadership carrying the responsibility for the work of the ministry. A reform towards the replacement of the missionary who for too long has maintained control by creating, often unintentionally, a debilatating dependency. The African man can and must be equipped and empowered to accomplish that which we have for the most part failed to do thoroughly in the last one hundred years - reach Africa with the Gospel. Prayer and strength must be given to equip Africans to go and preach Christ in the remotest parts of this great continent. The emphasis being twofold: (1) the vehicle - national men, and (2) the activity - preaching the Gospel and discipling converts. This makes all other outreaches secondary. The battle cry, stemming from a sufficiency in Scripture, must be “Evangelize, baptize converts, disciple and train national leadership, and establish churches for the sake of Christ’s name on African soil.” Whether desert, jungle, savanna, or city – the African must be the one to reach the every nation, tribe, tongue, and people on his continent. Just as God separated western missionaries for the Gospel ministry and enabled them to leave a comfortable home for a third world country He can, by His same Spirit, continue to call African men to reach their own continent with less difficulty in language and cultural adaptation, lower living expenses, and a natural immune system against many of the diseases that ravage this continent. These men however need training, accountability, and encouragement. It is not enough to simply send monthly support to a national man in lieu of supporting an American missionary. We err on the other side if we simply throw finances at this present opportunity. If we stop at just resources and cut out the western mission movement entirely we will again fail miserably down a different line. We still have much work to do as we provide training with long-term accountability (which must exceed mere academics and short-term instruction). We must train faithful men who will be able to train others also (2 Timothy 2:2).
Steve Hafler
Executive Vice President
Central Africa Baptist College
www.cabcollege.org
Across Africa CABC August 08
Asante sana.“Thank You Very Much!” “I count myself as one highly blessed of the Lord to be able to remain at least within my continent and receive such high quality education. I have had the honor of sitting under Dr. Minnick, Dr. Horn, Dr. Muri, Dr. Patterson, Dr. Straub, and now Dr. Hankins. What impresses me most is not their titles (which are important) or even their reputation stateside, but what God has done in my life through their ministry of teaching. My view of the Holy Scriptures has been profoundly elevated along with my appreciation for its depth and the level of diligence called for in my dealings with it (which is what you my lecturers are equipping me with). I walk away from the recent class with such a grand view of my calling and the charge/call to be the man of God out of the pulpit so as to enable me to preach in the first person. I am truly grateful to all who are sacrificing to expose me to these men, and all who are enabling my lecturers to stay here and serve me. These men have been used by God to help transform me. It is for them that I am most thankful!
I type this letter from the building that supporters have helped build. We often thank God for these faceless saints. My prayer is that God will complete the work that He is doing through them by making me a fruitful man of God back home and allow me to enjoy this eternal fruit with them.”
Yours thankfully, Ken Mbugua (Kenyan student at Central Africa Baptist College).
Who Will Reach Africa? The training of men called to preach remains one of the greatest needs of Africa. African men separated unto the Gospel of God are already on the continent, but they need precise theological training and living examples of what the Bible teaches. If we are not aggressive about training our men on the continent this present opportunity may soon pass. Charismatics promised more and “un-grounded” preacher boys easily drifted and bought in to their movement because they offered training that was accessible. Other men became disillusioned by the all encompassing white man who taught by example to be content with programs and statistics while the “reality” of the Gospel – the power of God unto salvation was eclipsed by the hollow methods of men. A circus is impotent to stem the tide of false teaching.
“If ” CABC can accomplish that which the Lord has postured it to do - then the next generation of African evangelists, pastors, and teachers will rise up and prayerfully begin a necessary African reformation. A reform away from the white man pastoring a foreign people long term. A reform against the “big bwana” mentality focusing attention and power on one man who stands at the top simply because he holds the key to western resources and opportunities. A reform towards national leadership carrying the responsibility for the work of the ministry. A reform towards the replacement of the missionary who for too long has maintained control by creating, often unintentionally, a debilatating dependency. The African man can and must be equipped and empowered to accomplish that which we have for the most part failed to do thoroughly in the last one hundred years - reach Africa with the Gospel. Prayer and strength must be given to equip Africans to go and preach Christ in the remotest parts of this great continent. The emphasis being twofold: (1) the vehicle - national men, and (2) the activity - preaching the Gospel and discipling converts. This makes all other outreaches secondary. The battle cry, stemming from a sufficiency in Scripture, must be “Evangelize, baptize converts, disciple and train national leadership, and establish churches for the sake of Christ’s name on African soil.” Whether desert, jungle, savanna, or city – the African must be the one to reach the every nation, tribe, tongue, and people on his continent. Just as God separated western missionaries for the Gospel ministry and enabled them to leave a comfortable home for a third world country He can, by His same Spirit, continue to call African men to reach their own continent with less difficulty in language and cultural adaptation, lower living expenses, and a natural immune system against many of the diseases that ravage this continent. These men however need training, accountability, and encouragement. It is not enough to simply send monthly support to a national man in lieu of supporting an American missionary. We err on the other side if we simply throw finances at this present opportunity. If we stop at just resources and cut out the western mission movement entirely we will again fail miserably down a different line. We still have much work to do as we provide training with long-term accountability (which must exceed mere academics and short-term instruction). We must train faithful men who will be able to train others also (2 Timothy 2:2).
Steve Hafler
Executive Vice President
Central Africa Baptist College
www.cabcollege.org