African leapfrogging

The Jesus Agenda had its first showing in Nigeria last week, as Micah Challenge re-visited two of the ministries highlighted on the DVD.  The trip was a challenging reminder of the entrepreneurial Africa we sometimes fail to credit...

The RCCG City of David, and Daystar Christian Centre - both large, vibrant churches in Lagos - are fully committed to community engagement and are beginning to push into advocacy focussed on changing issues such as the national power supply and prison facilities.

Around 100 RCCG pastors watched a number of the 10min sessions before considering how best to roll out the resource as a training tool across the denomination.  On Sunday a trip back to Daystar to meet Pastor Sam Adeyemi confirmed that the people are already grappling with matters of social justice.

These Lagos meetings followed a trip east to Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, for the 12th International Pastors' Conference, hosted by Pastor Ukafia.  Over 1000 pastors from all over West Africa came together to learn and strategise.  A fantastically holistic event - from HIV testing to internet evangelism - it was clear that these pastors were serious about leadership training, study, servanthood and an increasing desire to place issues of justice at the heart of church planting and growth.  Africans are natural 'leapfroggers' - using resources, technologies and training models that work for them, ignoring the linear paths of progress that much of the world tend to follow.  This was evident in their programming, their conversations and their adaptability to new ideas - some of which were presented in The Jesus Agenda.

Africa's problems still loom large on the world stage, but here in Nigeria there are significant signs that not only are African Christians willing and able to think about advocacy for the vulnerable, but they are busy raising models for the world to follow.  

Our prayers for Africa should include God's protection following disasters and peace in war-torn countries, but maybe more importantly they should ask for wisdom and courage for the Christian leaders already working hard to forge a better future.