Returning to a Different WorkIt has been said that, “No man ever steps in the same river twice; for it is not the same river, and he is not the same man.” We are returning to Africa and returning to Eswatini in particular; but the river has changed and so have we.

When we left, in October of 2003, the nation was called “the Kingdom of Swaziland.” The name has been changed to “the Kingdom of Eswatini.” The meaning is the same. It is a kingdom, not a republic, and it belongs to the Swazis. But the change in terminology does indicate a different emphasis, even though the meaning is the same. The change indicates the desire of Africans to use their own languages to a greater extent. While most have accepted the idea that knowing a European language is helpful in terms of economic development, Africans are increasingly gaining confidence in their own native ways.

When Eldred Echols and Boyd Reese first visited Nigeria (in 1950), C.A.O. Essien insisted that they visit many different

congregations. To accomplish this, they spoke very briefly at each place. Often, they spoke so briefly that Brother Echols wondered what the purpose of their visit could be. He had no chance to develop a

reasonable and understandable lesson. Brother Essien replied, “You

have to understand Nigerians. They have no confidence in any movement which attracts only Africans. Unless some whites are associated with it, they think there must be something wrong with it. We don’t need you and Brother Reese to preach to Nigerians. We can do that. What we want to do is show as many Nigerians as possible that the Church of Christ is not just some new sect that has sprung up here” (Wings of the Morning, p. 116).

Times have changed. In the 1950s many Africans had little confidence in themselves. They had been taught by the colonial

Eldred Echols 1950

C.A.O. Essien

authorities that Africans were an inferior race that needed to be led by Europeans. That was 70 years ago. Things have changed. Africans are no longer under colonial rule. Most aspects of their lives are now self-determined. Regarding some things, they have chosen to adopt Western ways. They like our technologies. For higher education, they prefer our languages over their own. But in other aspects of their lives, there is a desire to use native ways -- the name change from Swaziland to Eswatini being just one example.

If the church lags behind in allowing Africans to be African, we will have opened the door for apostasy to enter. For a long time, the Muslim have promoted the idea that Islam is more compatible with being African than is Christianity. This is propaganda, not truth. In reality, it is Christianity that spreads its message in everyone native tongue (Acts 2). It is Islam that teaches that one must learn a middle eastern language to speak to God or to read his word. But if we go on using Western teaching aids in our classroom (both in Sunday school classes and in the classrooms where church leaders are trained), we are surrendering something important.

What we will be doing in Eswatini is important. While the general population is growing in self-confidence and is returning to more African ways of doing things, often the church is remaining in a colonial mindset. Imported Sunday School materials and imported textbooks in our Bible colleges are leaving the wrong impression. The impression is sometimes left that the church is associated with colonialism, that it is not compatible with being African.

For the church in Africa to really be “all things to all people” (1 Cor 9:22) the church leaders must be trained in a way that encourages this. Training that uses mostly imported textbooks is not an encouragement in the right direction.

Current TimetableDue to the virus, the border between Eswatini and the Republic of South Africa is still closed. We cannot enter Eswatini without passing through South Africa, so we will have to wait until that

border opens. But things are improving. We are told that the border will open by February, if not sooner. So, we are keeping our target date at mid-January. We may have to delay slightly beyond that, but it appears that early in 2021 we will be able to make the move.

Our property in Indiana required more work than we expected, but we will be able to put it on the market in the next week or so. Pray that we get a fair price.

Since we will not have housing provided for us, as had originally been planned, the budget is extremely tight. Pray that all promised funds will be provided. If you know others who might be willing to help, encourage them to do so.

African Textbook Ministry%Church of Christ

5130 Flanders RoadToledo, OH 43623

flandersroadchurch@toast.net