I would like to provide a few helpful tips for those seeking to witness to people with Traditional influences. I wish that I had all the answers, but I do not. All that I can give is some helpful pointers, and try to give a starting place. The most important thing a person must learn (who is seeking to bring people to Christ) is that no system has all the answers. Only a dependence on God’s power and guidance is what really makes the difference.
Before I start with the practical, here are a few more quotes to let you understand the importance and seriousness of making sure the African has a true heart conversion.
Glenn J. Schwartz, When Charity Destroys Dignity; pg. 4- “In 1984, I traveled through Africa, going first to West Africa, then across to East Africa and down through Central Africa, ending up on the Southern Coast of South Africa. Everywhere I went I heard pastors lamenting the fact that their church members have a divided loyalty. It is what missiologists call dualism. They hold two worldviews at the same time. They hold the Christian worldview which represents the church they attend and certain aspects of their schooling. However, in times of crisis they often turn to their original paradigm, the traditional worldview… Those pastors and church leaders were saying to me then- and many have done so since- that their people turn to the local traditional practitioner of religion, sometimes called the witchdoctor, in times of real crisis.”
Dr. Aylward Shorter explains dualism: “During the past hundred years African Traditional Religion has been visibly sinking beneath the surface of modern social life in Africa, but what remains above the surface is, in fact, the tip of the iceberg. At Baptism, the African Christian repudiates remarkably little of his former non-Christian outlook. He may be obliged to turn his back upon certain traditional practices which the Church, rightly or wrongly, has condemned in his area, he is not asked to recant a religious philosophy… Consequently, he returns to the forbidden practices as occasion arises with remarkable ease. Conversion to Christianity is for him sheer gain, an ‘extra’ for which he has opted. Apart from the superficial condemnations, Christianity has really had little to say about African Traditional Religion in the way of serious judgments of value. Consequently, the African Christian operates with two thoughts systems at once, and both of them are closed to each other.”
Glen J. Schwartz, When Charity Destroy Dignity; pg. 187-188: “After serving the church for many years, a church leader in Central Africa became terminally ill and was told by the medical doctors that nothing could be done for him. Though he served the church for thirty-five years as an ordained minister, upon learning of his terminal illness he decided to go to the village of a local practitioner of religion. It turned out that his treatment was not from only an herbalist, but from one who practiced “manipulation of the spirits”, to quote others in the church. There he lived out the last few months of his life. Some time later I came across that church leader’s testimony. About ten years before his death he attended a seminar in which an anthropologist was conducting a session on, among other things the nature of Christian conversion. The anthropologist described what authentic Christian conversion should be. In the process this ordained minister, who had served the church for so many years made the following statement: What you say about genuine Christian conversion deeply moves me, because I must confess that I have not been converted that way. My deeper African values have not been changed. I have not learned to listen to the Holy Spirit, but I have been trained to listen very carefully to what the missionary wants.”
The reason that God has called us is to preach the Gospel, and as the Bible says, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” I hope these points are practical and helpful as we seek to give the gospel to people influenced by Traditional religions.
Practical Pointers
#1 Learn the Language
By this I mean the heart language of the people. Most missionaries learn this fact in candidate school. The problem in Africa, though, is that most of them think that this means the national language of their African nation. I know that some missionaries go through great pains to learn French, Portuguese, or Dutch so that they can speak their national language. The truth is that in most African countries this is the language of the elite, the government, and the outsider. It is not the real heart language of the people. Find out what the majority of the people in your area speak, and learn it!
What does this have to do with the gospel? It has a great deal to do with it! You will never understand the way your people think until you understand their language. In African local languages we find the language of religion. This will help to give great insight into the definitions behind the spiritual terms people use. Remember, just because you think a term means something does not mean your people think that term means the same thing. If you really want to understand this concept, try to look up some conservative writing on contextualization.
(Note- For those in a country where the people have no Christian worldview but still speak the same language, spend as much time learning the concepts, definitions, and ideas behind words and religious truths. The problem many people face is that they think the person understands their presentation, “jargon”, or expressions, when in reality the person has at best a fuzzy idea of the meaning. Or, that person may have a totally different definition all together. Words are your tools, but words cannot work if they are not understood or misunderstood!)
#2 Use Questions as the main vehicle for teaching
When most of us present the gospel, we do just that….we present it! We do most of the talking, with the occasional question thrown in, normally seeking a yes or no answer. This is very dangerous in a society that values social harmony and seeks to avoid public conflict. Most Africans will do anything to make sure they do not offend. When a missionary seeks to present the truth with little or no questions, the African will just follow along (most times) even if they totally disagree or do not understand.
Let me give you a personal example. When I first started learning Twi, I would try to speak to people using the language. Many times this would be about spiritual matters. During the whole conversation the African would be nodding and giving physical cues that indicated he was following and understanding. He was even able to answer some basic questions that made me think he understood. After the conversation, the national would turn to the local man with me at the time and start a rapid conversation beyond my ability, and they would both end smiling. After the person would leave, I would ask the national what the person said. After enough pushing, the person would tell me that the person that I was addressing did not understand anything that I was saying, but did not want to be impolite.
In-depth questions are normally the only way that you will find out the real thinking going on inside the African’s head. Africans believe too much in social harmony (this is the norm, but there are exceptions to the rule) to cause major disagreements or conflicts.
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