Understanding the influence of traditional healers in Africa
When he met Pastor Chikumba, Prince* was deeply troubled. Trapped in an extra-marital affair, Prince believed that his mistress had given him a love potion to make him her slave. Prince told the pastor that he was on his way to borrow money for his demanding mistress, and begged the pastor to refer him to a witchdoctor who could break the spell.
The traditional African worldview involves spirits and ancestors, and these are believed to influence all aspects of everyday life. African traditional healers are consulted for birth rituals, death rituals, and just about everything in between: illness, relationship problems and bad luck.
Traditional healers believe they are able to access guidance and exert power by calling upon ancestral spirits. And their influence on African people is profound.
Nearly 60% of people in Sub-Saharan Africa consult traditional healers, and our AE teams are all too familiar with the bondage of their spiritual practices. In Africa, many live in constant fear, and a lack of discipleship has often led to syncretism between Christianity and traditional beliefs. But the undiluted truth of the Gospel has the power to set captives free.
In many ways, African people are more aware of spiritual realities than we are. Perhaps that is why they are so open to faith. And for Prince, faith in Christ changed everything.
After being prayed for, Prince no longer felt compelled to give money to his mistress, and went home to his wife, Lynda*. Prince and Lynda have now joined Pastor Chikumba’s church, and are seeing ongoing restoration in their marriage and family. To Prince and Lynda, and to so many believers who call Africa home, the Gospel of Christ means true freedom, from real curses.
Reaching people like Prince and Lynda is our mission, and our privilege, at AE. As our partner, your prayers and generosity are bringing lives from darkness to light. From fear to love. And from captivity to freedom.
*Names changed for privacy
Not just COVID-19 has exponential growth. The Gospel does too.
AE’s home-based evangelism strategy encourages individuals across Africa to make use of their own social networks to share the Gospel. So far, over 2,500 people have been trained to share their personal testimonies via social media.
Nancy from the African Enterprise Kenya team has been so passionate about this opportunity that she’s shared the Gospel with over 300 people!
In Africa, amongst people so passionate for the Gospel, there truly is an exponential impact. Like no other place on earth, this passion has seen our young evangelists preach in buses, hospitals, marketplaces and wherever they find themselves.
This is why, in the past year, we saw 1.3 million people reached with the good news of Jesus in Africa.
Even during lockdown, people are trying to make sense of what is happening, and are still so receptive to the Gospel. Together, we aim to reach 900,000 people and train 6,000 evangelists to reach out in a COVID-safe way. Even during these times, we estimate that for every dollar we receive, we are able to reach at least three people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
This is all through the efforts of 11 small teams based across Africa, who multiply the Gospel’s impact by mobilising churches, volunteers and evangelists to reach into their cities in unity and strength. This is the way that we will grow the Kingdom of Heaven. As yeast makes its way through dough. Or as seed sown in good soil. The potential for growth is boundless.
“May He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness”
(2 Corinthians 9:10)
Reflections on Christianity’s growth in Africa
In 1900, there were less than 10 million Christians in Africa. Today, there are around 631 million. In 1900, only 9% of Africa’s population was Christian. That proportion has increased to nearly 50%.
For the first time in world history, more Christians live in Africa than on any other continent. Africa’s recent Christian growth can be attributed to African evangelism and high birth rates, rather than the influence of Western missionaries.
There is an ongoing need for Africa to steward its spiritual growth. In recent years, indigenous African religions have largely been replaced by, or integrated into, Christianity and Islam. Discipleship is critical to ensure that the Gospel is not distorted by traditional animistic beliefs, and that the continent does not bow to Islam.
In addition, the mobile internet age has not escaped the African continent. Although this provides opportunities for evangelism, it also increases vulnerability to the influence of secular culture.
Africa has the world’s youngest population, and the fastest population growth on the planet. By 2060, it is predicted that Sub-Saharan Africa will be home to more than 4 in 10 Christians. According to David McClendon of the Pew Research Center,
“if demography is destiny, then Christianity’s future lies in Africa”.
Africa’s discipleship is thus critical to the global future of our faith.
“All in all, things are going well. God is on our side and souls are getting saved. Churches are taking responsibility. HBE is a great tool.”
– Dr Cornelius Huwa, AE Malawi Team Leader
AE’s strategic mission to the city of Zomba is not what we expected it to be. The pandemic has forced this mission to take a different approach – that of Home Based Evangelism (HBE). And yet, HBE is proving an exceptionally effective tool for evangelism.
In Zomba, over 500 leaders have been trained in Home Based Evangelism, and AE is partnering with over 150 churches to reach the city with the Gospel. With each local church taking ownership of HBE, the follow-up of new believers is greatly simplified, and the impact thus far has been profound. HBE is gaining momentum in Zomba, as testimonies are encouraging more believers to participate in evangelism.
Pastor Suwedi describes how “before sitting under the home-based evangelism training, I could barely stand in front of a crowd. I was immensely drenched in fear, the best I could do in my church… was to carry chairs and tables”. Subsequently appointed to lead a home church, Pastor Suwedi’s fears soon dissipated. His home church attracted people from a village 10km away, Mdera, and he has since planted a small, but thriving church there.
Miss Saidi is one person whose life was transformed while attending Pastor Suwedi’s home church. Abandoned by her husband and left to fend for her family, her life was filled with bitterness. She describes that “my anger would spiral out of control”, and admits that she became abusive towards her children. Tormented by horrific nightmares, rest was elusive.
After accepting Christ, Miss Saidi is surprised by the peace that she has discovered. She mentions how the Lord has used her as a peacemaker in her family: “my brother and parents were not talking to each other due to an argument… the peace I found in Christ helped me mediate their conflict towards resolution”.
And so this great message of reconciliation is spreading, one life at a time. Replacing turmoil with tranquility, and leaving restoration in its wake.
“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” – 2 Corinthians 5:18
Missions in a COVID-19 world.
Our teams have refused to give up on the Great Commission, despite incredibly challenging circumstances in Africa.
Evangelism is the heartbeat of African Enterprise. We exist to share the eternal hope of the Gospel, and this hasn’t changed. In 2020, AE has developed a home-based evangelism (HBE) approach to share the Good News of Jesus, in spite of COVID restrictions.
The HBE model equips believers to share the Gospel with their families and neighbours, in a structured and effective way. The approach focuses on personal evangelism, on a large scale. Mission volunteers facilitate home gatherings, where a pre-recorded or live Gospel message is shared using television, radio, mobile phone or social media platforms. The Gospel broadcast is followed by a personal testimony and an invitation to follow Christ, extended by the HBE facilitator.
Between mid-April and July 2020, our AE teams trained 2,590 pastors and volunteers in the HBE approach, and have found the approach holds enormous potential for evangelism, as well as discipleship. For example, one church in Lukunga, DRC, was able to share Christ with at least 945 people, in multiple homes, on a single Sunday.
One mission volunteer in Kenya, Nancy, has shared the Gospel with over 300 people since the HBE approach was implemented there in May. When she shared the Gospel with a Facebook acquaintance, the 24-year old Margaret, Nancy had no idea that Margaret was suicidal. Nancy describes:
“I shared the Gospel and she made a commitment for salvation during one of our phone calls. The following day we met and from that time, we have created a relationship that is exceptional. It is wonderful to see the great transformation Christ has brought to this sister. She is now happy in the Lord. Today, as I see her smiling, I often have the sobering thought that, if the Gospel had not come her way, she would possibly not be alive!”
Our brothers and sisters in Africa are passionate for the cause of Christ, and our support means so much as they choose to “preach the word of God” and “be prepared, whether the time is favourable or not” (2 Timothy 4:2).
Ministry Update – May – July 2020
We look back at May, June and July with awe and wonder as God has enabled African Enterprise to do so much in our communities.
Your support, prayers and gifts have changed the lives of many. Thank you for being a part of African Enterprise.
Highlights:
- Trained 2,590 church leaders, pastors, associates and mission volunteers on HBE all across Africa.
- All of our teams have been able to donate food and facemasks to vulnerable people in their communities.
- Our sewing projects in Kenya (Mathare Women Empowerment Project) and South Africa (Ngezandla Zethu Sewing Project) has made hundreds of reusable cloth facemasks for distribution.
- Our PTC program has seen massive growth all over Africa during the pandemic with students enrolling and completing courses online and in small groups.
- Malawi’s Health Programs Offices, Mrs Tamandani Nazimera has facilitated training sessions with Foxfire Teams on “Youth Response to COVID-19”, equipping them with the correct knowledge about the pandemic and how they can raise awareness in their communities.
- AEDRC partnered with television and radio stations for public awareness and sensitisation campaigns as there was confusing messages on social media about the pandemic causing panic and reckless behaviour in the community. They also started a kids a Bible Study at home, using the opportunity to share the gospel with children while schools were closed.
- AE Ghana was able to donate hospital beds, hand washing stations, sanitizer and soap to the Mother and Child Hospital.
Another highlight is the following story from AE Kenya, a heartwarming story of how we can inspire and uplift others through the gospel:
GOSPEL CHALLENGE BEARS FRUIT
AE Kenya challenged its members and associates to share the gospel with at least five people each during the month of May. Unable to gather people for outreach in schools, hospitals, offices etc. as usual, they were encouraged to share the gospel with those within their reach. Nancy Kuria took her gospel campaign online. “I have been hosting online sermons, sending short messages on WhatsApp among my contacts, especially those that I know are not born again. I have been sharing my testimony whenever I get an opportunity. This far I have spoken the word of God to 306 people, out of which 11 have made commitments to salvation.”
Margaret Wambui, who is 24, watched Nancy’s testimony on Facebook. She got in touch and the two ladies started a conversation online and via phone calls. According to Margaret, she was desperate and had come to her 
end. She had been frustrated in life to a point of being suicidal. She had lost her job and even meeting her basic needs was impossible. After listening to Nancy’s testimony, she thought of turning to God. Nancy says: “I shared the Gospel and she made a commitment for salvation during one of our phone calls. The following day we met and from that time, we have created a relationship that is exceptional. It is wonderful to see the great transformation Christ has brought to this sister. She is now happy in the Lord. Today, as I see her smiling, I often have the sobering thought that, if the Gospel had not came her way, she would possibly not be alive!”
Prayer Points:
- Pray that many will hear the gospel through different channels and that as many will turn to the Lord during this challenging season.
- Pray for the ongoing mobilisation and training on Home Based Evangelism (HBE), and that those trained will remain motivated and committed to implementing the strategy.
- Pray for the AE staff members and volunteers in Africa’s frontlines carrying out Covid-19 community response across all teams.
- Pray for all AE friends and supporters during these challenging times of Covid-19 pandemic, for providence, protection and healing.
