Churches Planting Churches in Africa

By: Phil Knott

I sat outside the house near Kumasi, Ghana where I was staying along with several pastors. This was a daily routine after the sun had gone down. With the power off and no fans, it was certainly too hot to stay inside, and the evening breeze felt good after a long day of conferences and training sessions. 

This is our on-going role in Africa, helping to raise the level of pastoral ministry and train and mobilize churches to plant new churches. I love these times with faithful and dedicated men of God—hearing in their own words the challenges, setbacks, and triumphs of the gospel. And I love to hear their experiences of conversion.

John Nondia shared this: “I was a grown man with a wife and kids by the time Christianity came to my village.” He then described how pagan they were, worshipping ancestors. When they needed a favor or blessing, they would go to the village priest or soothsayer, form a little idol out of the dirt, and pour out libations of water and the blood of fowls and sometimes animals, invoking the spirt-god of their ancestors. When they killed the guinea fowl or chicken, it would flop around, and the position in which the bird died might indicate blessing or curse, favor or no favor from the spirit-god. Herbs and roots, white for some things and dark colored roots for others, were used in potions.

Then a Christian missionary came. “They gave us rice and food, so we all became Christians.” “Rice Christians” he explained, then added, “We built a church building, and after a few months the missionary left and I became the leader of the congregation, but I was really no different than before. 

We still worshipped our idols. At that time, in order to earn some money for my family, I traveled to a distant city and would stay for a few days loading and unloading trucks. They paid us each day, and each day I would get drunk and spend most of my money. I also smoked cigarettes, chewed khat,and slept with prostitutes. Then I would go back home to my family and my church.”

“I was the leader of the church. Because of that, I started reading my Bible and God began to convict me. I knew that what I was doing was not right, something was wrong with me. One night, that conviction was so great I could not sleep. I read the Bible, page after page, and then I came to that place in Corinthians. These words just jumped out at me!”

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

–1 Corinthians 6:9-11

“I fell down on my knees and cried out to God, and I prayed the words of that verse I had just read, ‘Oh, God, wash me, cleanse me in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by your Spirit.’  And he did save me by his grace.”

John concludes his personal testimony: “I was changed from that moment on. I prayed every day, I read the Bible with more understanding, and I preached repentance from sin. I saw the gospel triumph in the lives of many others; we turned from our idols, and from that day on I never drank another drop of liquor, never smoked another cigarette, never chewed, and was never again unfaithful to my wife.”

Good News

Joseph Eniowo is taking those first steps of planting a new church in the city of Ibadan, Nigeria. This is part of the missionary effort of the New Beginnings Baptist Church in Accra, Ghana in partnership with Baptist Missionary Association (BMA) of America Missions. It is just one of many examples of Churches Planting Churches, a plan for starting new churches we are working hard to help implement in West Africa. 

Joseph writes about the new work: First, I wish to inform you about our new converts; the Lord Jesus has opened the hearts of five people to the gospel and they have become part of our fellowship. The number is still growing. Some of the parents of children who attend have shown interest in joining us. Second, let me tell you about Children Evangelism. I have reached out to some parents in my neighborhood introducing them and their children to the Mailbox Explorer Club (ages 5-12), and the response has been so amazing because parents are ever willing to release their kids. I believe the number shall grow within a short time. Third, we are also needing a new Bible study venue. Pray that the Lord will guide us in that.”