Page 21 - LD215 History of the Church in Africa A4 final

Introduction to Church History

up the rivers instead of being the channels God has chosen us
to be. (13)

The Congo River stretches for 3,000 miles across Central Africa. It is
the fifth longest river in the world after the Nile, Mississippi, Amazon, and
the Yangtze, and it is also the only river to cross the equator twice. Its
mouth is between 20 and 35 kilometers in width, and it feeds 1.5 million
cubic feet of water per second into the ocean. Geologists describe it as an
immense river that has cut a submarine canyon in the ocean floor more
than 1 kilometer deep for about 150 kilometers into the sea (Forbath, 16).
The Nile River that stretches from Ethiopia and Uganda across Sudan to the
coast of Egypt is a mighty source of power and agricultural productivity.
Many believe that God has released a source of spiritual power like a river
through the African church to bring the glory of God to the nations. With
a host of others we agree: This river must flow.

During our study of African church history, we will observe the
ebb and flow of this river of which God is the Source. From the Day of
Pentecost, God’s church has been a mighty force for spiritual life and
ministry (Acts 2). However, in studying the analogy of a river, we will
note that at times the river was restricted and barriers (dams) were
built. God planned for Africa to be a primary tributary to the worldwide
river of blessing. Sadly, some contributing rivers dried up in places like
North Africa and Nubia (Sudan). At other times, God sent messengers
to help people dig wells to provide life-giving water. At the beginning of
the twentieth century, God sent a mighty river at a place called Azusa. It
began to flow around the world, including Africa. It is the river to which
Evans and many others referred, and we will consider more about it
later in our study.

Why Pneumatology, Missiology, and Ecclesiology?

In an introduction to church history, it is important to understand the
relationship of pneumatology (the study of the Holy Spirit), missiology
(the study of God’s mission), and ecclesiology (the study of the church).
Each of these three deserves a separate course of study. However, to
help us focus during this brief survey of African church history, we will
note a few important points about each of them.

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