Evangelism and African Culture

Other than the guy who just shouted from his couch and never opened the door, we were usually welcomed into homes or at least given time to say our piece. As we’ve been visiting people in their homes this week to share the gospel, they have been much more accommodating than you’d find in the States, I think partly because house visits are much more common here. In America you don’t just drop by someone’s house to visit them. You usually make an appointment or meet over lunch or something. But the only people knocking on your door in the States are salesmen, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and kids in Halloween costumes.

People are also much more respectful to their guests, especially concerning religious conversation. They graciously listened as we shared and explained a few verses from Romans that briefly summarize God’s redemptive plan. This is less surprising when one considers the polytheistic spiritual history of the continent, the increased number of regular church goers, that almost every house has a Bible, and how clergy are often held in high regard (regardless of what they actually teach). Even if they didn’t give us the time to share, they would always let us pray for them. It’s interesting how everyone wants a blessing on their own terms.

And in the end the response was quite overwhelming, almost too much in fact. As some of our hosts have shared with us in the past, when we share the gospel here and proceed to ask if anyone would like to ‘receive Jesus’ or ‘become born again’ then many people will say yes not because they understand but simply to be polite. But we would always pray with them nonetheless, because we don’t know their hearts and this may actually be the time God is moving their hearts to believe.

At youth group tonight we shared about our experiences from the week and many of our youth were greatly touched and encouraged. They were excited by the boldness and passion in the team members from Windhoek. By going along in the different small groups they gained valuable experience on how to explain the gospel and what kinds of things they can say. And they were quite fired up to keep doing it even now that the team has gone. So even if that’s the only lasting effect (which it’s not), I think it’s been a productive week.