Pan African Brethren Conference on Missions
8th to 12th November 2004 -, South Africa
POST – CONFERENCE NEWSLETTER
We
would like to give thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ for His help and blessing
that we experienced during the recently held conference for Brethren churches on
Missions in Africa. It was a time of rich fellowship, with new relationships
formed between workers in various countries. It was a time of learning, as we
heard reports of the work in each other’s countries. It was a time of being
envisioned as we saw ways forward in different aspect of God’s work in Africa.
Most of all we left with a sense that this is a very exciting stage in the
development of Brethren assembly work in this continent. A watershed, as we move
from the time when Africa was a major recipient of missionaries, to the present
age where Africa becomes a source of missionaries to reach the continent and the
world for Christ. Now we take the opportunity of this newsletter to not only
encourage those who attended in the things they have learned but to communicate
to all who have a concern for Brethren assemblies throughout Africa, so that we
may be united in progress forwards for His names’ sake.
Who was there?
There
were 103 delegates coming from 18 countries, with a further 20 believers coming
in some days from the Johannesburg area. Countries represented were Angola,
Congo DR, Chad, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda,
Burundi, Madagascar, South Africa, Zimbabwe, UK, Canada, USA and New Zealand. 81
delegates were nationals from throughout Africa, 13 were expatriate
missionaries who are or have worked in Africa, 9 from world-wide Service
groups or individuals with a commitment to the Brethren work in Africa. In total
we represented a variety of ministries such as elders of local churches, church
planters, leaders in Bible schools/colleges, medical missions work, school
education ministries, youth work, HIV/AIDS interventions, orphan care work and
literature printing and distribution.
What went on?
Each
day was based on a theme, opened up by a main speaker and followed by discussion
and workshops which applied the theme to various situations and problems facing
the work.
Day 1 Gaining a world perspective on missions
led by Dr Ian Burness set our minds on the priority of the Great Commission. It
led to considering the role the church in Africa is playing to spread the Gospel
message and how in future this will include the sending of missionaries from
Africa to other continents. The incredible truth was faced that there has been a
reversal in mission terms. In our days the greater evangelistic need is for the
light of the Gospel to penetrate (again) the dark continent of Europe because,
despite many problems, sub-Saharan Africa is shining with the light of Christ.
Afternoon workshops looked at Islam in Africa, the future role for expatriate
missionaries in Africa, and the place of missionaries from Africa and their
commendation and support.
Day 2 Unity and diversity in the Body of Christ led
by Dr P Coates, set before us the problem of divisions that sadly so often
weaken the impact of the Gospel on the communities we try to reach. We saw the
passion of the heart of Christ for his true followers to be one. This lead us to
see the priority for greater respect and tolerance of one another for the sake
of Christ Jesus. Afternoon workshops talked through how autonomy and
interdependence can work together for district or national groups of local
churches. Others looked at how we as Brethren assemblies can relate to the wider
Body of Christ, which is very necessary as the Lord uses many other Evangelical
groups very effectively throughout Africa.
A
workshop on Youth ministries saw the need for prioritising work among young
people, more so in the context of the threat from AIDS. Another on Bible
Training work discussed how countries in Africa with effective teaching and
training facilities can help those who are trying to improve ways of training
leaders in an ever increasing number of local churches.
Day 3 Christianity in African Culture
The thorny issue of contextualising the Gospel message in Africa’s varied
cultures was led off by Felix Muchimba’s comprehensive paper. Helpful
workshops explored the challenge of appropriate styles of worship, handling
traditional healing and witchcraft and how to handle rites of passage (birth,
adolescence, marriage and death) from a Biblical perspective. Despite the 100
years or so history of the Brethren work in Africa and deep appreciation for all
that the early missionaries did, it became clear that there are many things to
be learnt to ensure that it is the Biblical Gospel of Christ we are spreading
and not our own mother cultures. The challenge was given to African missionaries
to not repeat some of the mistakes made in their own countries in the past.
Day 4 Integrity in handling resources:
This critical subject was opened up by Martin Solomon who emphasised the need
for faithful stewardship with all the things that God entrusts to us. We
examined practical ways in which as church we can set the standard for dealing
with finance and other resources, in the face of corruption that so infects
public life throughout the world. In the workshops we explored how to
effectively manage shared resources such as church and mission property, some
ideas on accountability in handling finances and the problems of running
projects as means of sustaining aspects of the church work.
An
additional workshop looked at the critical need for cooperation to provide a
steady flow of quality but affordable literature to meet the evangelistic and
teaching needs of church growth through Africa. One key outcome highlighted was
the need for those involved in publishing, printing and distributing literature
in and for Africa to begin to work more closely together to avoid wastage
through duplication of efforts.
Day 5 Social Concern- How far?
Led off by Peter Andrews, we finally we looked head on at Africa’s current
greatest threat, that of HIV/AIDS. In the wider context of the responsibility of
the church to be at the forefront of community care work, we examined the
advantages and dangers of being involved in social care ministries. Helpful
workshops also looked at the future of medical missionary work, the role of
education and schools work in missions and dealing with Africa’s perpetual
refugee problems.
The
conference was closed by two messages on “World
Missions – The Challenge to Africa!” The increasing hostility from the Muslim block
makes it difficult for the traditional Western missionary force to penetrate.
This is not to suggest that the church in the West should stop doing
missions in the Muslim block, but that the whole church must be more innovative
in reaching these peoples with the love of Christ. The Church in Africa can play
a mayor part in these areas. The whole Church should be looking at strategic
partnerships in order for us to be more effective.
In addition to the above, there were country reports each day and
presentations from various service groups as to the resources they are making
available to the church for mission work in Africa. Details of all these will be
in the full conference report book.
What is going to happen now?
There
were really too many issues touched upon to cover in this newsletter. Also time
at the conference prevented extended in-depth study of problems raised. For
these reasons and to spread the usefulness of the conference, a book will be
published shortly. This will give a detailed account of each paper presented,
each message given and the discussions and findings from the workshops. We
encourage you all to purchase this book and see for yourself the value of
meeting for times of fellowship and mutual learning, and why this conference was
a blessing to all of us who attended. We hope that the book can also be used as
a discussion starter on many issues, so that in the coming years we can work
through to solutions in our specific countries and situations of service. We
believe the book will also be a useful resource to any organisations, local
church or individual outside Africa, who want to increase their effectiveness to
partner with the Lord’s servants working in Africa.
One
of the biggest blessings of the conference will undoubtedly be the relationships
and lines of communication that have now been established or extended between
believers of each country present. There was no intention that this conference
or those organising it should exercise any control over the work in Africa, and
so it will be a joy simply to see these informal and at times more formal
connections directly between countries each developing and working in the
various ways that the Lord will guide them in. One example is the arrangement
that those in Central & Eastern Africa have made to meet in November 2005
for a regional conference, and any who are in these regions and want more
details should get in touch directly with the brothers there.
As
to a future conference, the unanimous opinion was that we should not leave such
a long gap between this one and the last one, which was in 1932!! Recognising
that such a conference is a costly affair and that there are other International
conference for Brethren Mission work being held in other parts of the world, the
majority felt the need to hold such conferences every four years or so and at
alternative years to other conferences.
Perhaps
the over riding thought on our hearts as we left was that this was a singularly
strategic and beneficial time for the work of the Lord through the Brethren
movement in Africa. Our prayer is that it has been a watershed point in terms of
seeing clearly what has been going on for some years. We must recognise that in
many countries the Brethren
assemblies have come of age and national leadership has been effective in taking
up its responsibilities. Now is the time for effective cooperation and
participation together between the believers in Africa and overseas brothers and
sisters, so that together the rich people-potential of the church in Africa can
be fully utilised for the work Christ throughout the continent and world wide.
In all of this we pray that the Lord has been and will be glorified through our
meeting together.