Africa is What it is, because of What Africa Worships

Just recently I was speaking with a new friend after the worship service. In the course of getting to know one another better he spoke of having just arrived after a visit back to his former native country in Africa. I was amazed at his openness about the situation there and his candid evaluation of it. He knows firsthand the problems of Africa. He told me that Africa is in a mess. He then said, "Africa is what it is, because of what Africa worships." I questioned him further and he elaborated. He said that most of the people only dabble in Christianity, but they never fully give up their worship and fear of the devil or the worship of pagan gods, which is also worship of the devil in disguise. So, they have generational sins that are never broken. They live in fear of the devil and try to appease him. Many never fully give up their former ways of worship. Situations in these countries from almost every standpoint never really improve enough. In essence, we are what we worship and based on that there are consequences.

I shared with him that we saw it similarly working in Europe, but on a different level. Although the countries of Europe are more stable than in Africa, the same problem of sin and worship are there. To the degree that people forsake their former objects of worship and depend on, worship and cling by faith to the Lord, to that degree they begin to grow and are fruitful in their new life in Christ. My friend said when he visits there his walk of faith is strengthened and his resolve to worship the Lord is greater, but his heart is saddened and breaks over what he sees.

Our short visit to South Africa last August was the same. South Africa is what it is because of what the people of South Africa worship. Sure it may be one of the most stable on the continent in a lot of respects, but what does "stable" really mean. South Africa has been dubbed "The Rainbow Nation" due to the new hope that was birthed when Nelson Mandela began as the leader in 1994. Has it really been able to live up to that nickname? Or, as is so often the case, is it just a fleeting symbol that represents worship of something other than the God of the Bible? The world worships things like diversity, plurality, tolerance, personal pride and self-esteem, etc. In this day and age, those who are most visible and admired are those who promote and exemplify the worst possible character traits. These are the trappings that keep mankind bound up in their worship of something other than Jesus Christ.

South Africa is a unique country. Many different ethnic and hidden people groups are represented in South Africa. Many nationalities have moved south and ended up in this diverse country “down under”. The largest Indian population outside of India is in South Africa as a result of bringing “indentured servants” to work 5 years in the sugar cane fields of South Africa from 1860 to 1920. Many worked for their freedom and then remained in South Africa.

South Africa has well over 55 different false religions, cults and Christian sects that are influencing the people. One can add into that the worship and attention given to materialism and many other “isms”. Many try to pick and choose parts of many religious beliefs and meld them together for something personal. The idea is they want to create their own god to worship as they wish. This is an “ism” too. It is called “syncretism”, which means, “the action, process or result of combining or uniting different religions or objects of worship”. I looked for a synonym for this and there were many big ones, but the synonym that stood out to me most was “blend”. Mankind is always trying to blend the best (worship of our Creator), with the inferior or subordinate (worship of any thing else). The Lord knew this when He gave us the 10 commandments. The first two commandments have to do with worship of Him alone. It’s really an important issue!

What can possibly bring about a change in South Africa and the other African nations? It seems that many are searching in all the wrong places to find truth and life and objects of worship. It reminds me of the book of Amos, when he warned of a famine that was coming in the land of Israel. Amos 8:11-12 says, “11 "The days are coming," declares the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine through the land—not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD. 12 Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east,.searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it.” Many are still searching for truth. Some think they have found it separate from God’s revealed truth in the Bible. It is our intention to work and help to satisfy those who are searching and to challenge those who have not yet begun to search for the Word of the Lord. By equipping and training a new generation of South African nationals to proclaim the truths of God’s Word many will no longer hunger and thirst. The Word of God must be taught and proclaimed in order for men to be satisfied and turn their worship to the only true God.

The picture in this post shows a baton that Kim and I both received upon our commissioning by ABWE to serve in South Africa. It’s being passed to the hand of another. We signed our individual batons. They represent our goal to pass on to “faithful” men and women our vision, heart and life. We will work to help prepare them to teach and preach the Word of truth and life. We are even praying now that the Lord will go before us and eventually bring us into contact with specific South Africans to whom we can give these batons, as a symbol of their faithfulness to go further and deeper in ministry in South Africa than we can. They will sign the baton and then pray and work to pass that baton on to another.

An extremely challenging verse is found in Romans 10: 11-15, 11As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."12For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!".

This concept of beautiful feet seems a little strange. I’ve seen my feet and they are not beautiful. I won’t even give you a description because I don’t want to put that picture in your head. But the idea here is one of purity. Those who bring the good news must do so with pure motives and not for selfish gain. They bring the pure gospel message of the free gift of salvation. Those who hear this pure, good news and take hold of it by faith see the messenger of the truth of salvation as “beautiful”, since their faith in Christ as their substitute on the cross, has given them forgiveness and life in Christ. That is a beautiful thought.

Belief, hearing, preaching can only happen when one is sent. We desire to be sent to do this important work. When we are in South Africa we will work hard to prepare, entrust and send those who prove to be faithful, so that they will impact others to give attention, allegiance and worship to the Lord. We are what we worship. Pray that Africa, and specifically South Africa, will become what it should be by worshiping the Lord Jesus. Please ask the Lord to lead us to those South Africans He wants us to pass our batons of ministry to? Will you ask the Lord to send us? Will you prayerfully consider joining our Team 200 Project of financial support for $25 or more per month to send us there? We are seeking to answer this calling on our lives to entrust faithful men. Are you called to support and send faithful men to do this work? Thank you for praying and giving to send us.