Page 43 - LD215 History of the Church in Africa A4 final

CH A P T E R 3

African

Christian

Heritage

s noted above, African Christianity did not begin when mission-
aries arrived during the colonial period. Christianity flourished
A in parts of Africa long before the gospel message was first taken
to Great Britain and long before it was declared in North America. One
of the objectives of this course is to demonstrate that Christianity is a
worldwide movement and that Africa was a key player in the movement
from the church’s beginnings.

Africa in Old Testament Times

Africa was in the heart of God before the birth of Jesus Christ and
the beginning of the church, and it is mentioned in the earliest history
of mankind. Genesis 2:13 notes that a river winds through the entire
land of Cush or the Upper Nile region of Africa. Esther 1:1 indicates that
King Xerxes ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush.
Numbers 12:1 reveals that Moses had taken an African wife: “for he had
married a Cushite.” Psalm 68:31 reads “Envoys will come from Egypt;
Cush will submit herself to God.”

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