M201 Gospel in Cultural Context ’Äî 9^th December 2003 ’Äî David Rowbory ’Äî 2703 Words

Case Study

To what extent is the ’Äòhealth and wealth’Äô gospel prevalent in Nigeria
an authentic contextualisation of the Christian faith?

 

I spent most of 2001 in northern Nigeria living mostly in a small town helping the C’ÄôLela Bible Translation project, with periods staying in rural villages, and in relatively large cities such as Jos and Kaduna. During that time, I experienced first-hand for an extended period the life and teaching of some of the Nigerian church, through working with many Christians including several pastors, and through going to a variety of churches.

Differences from my own UK mainstream evangelical church background quickly became apparent. Having lived in Africa before, I was ready for (and eagerly anticipating) significant cultural differences, but what was less expected and less welcome was the distinctive focus on prosperity in health and wealth which seemed regularly to pervade preaching in a number of different churches. I faced the question of how to respond to such preaching, especially in view of my youth and lack of formal theological training compared with the preachers. After two months in one of the largest and most contemporary churches to which we had some formal connection, we decided to look for another church. Eventually we found a Baptist church which seemed to teach the Bible fairly faithfully.

While we could leave and choose another church however, the Nigerian church has to decide whether the prosperity gospel really is an authentic contextualisation of the message and lifestyle of the Christian faith. As an outside observer, my understanding of the complex situation in the Nigerian church is clearly limited, by my cultural difference and the limited extent to which I have been immersed in and exposed to teaching within different Nigerian contexts. However, the outsider may provide a helpful perspective to see things which an insider will not notice, since they seem familiar and normative. So here, I discuss my own impressions of current teaching and practice in (mostly northern) Nigeria, the relation to similar North American teaching, and then an assessment of the appropriateness of such teaching in the light of the Bible, world church tradition, sociology and anthropology. Absolute rejection or acceptance seems inappropriate: some aspects seem damaging, others healthy, and others are just different to traditional Western theology.

 

The ’Äòprosperity’Äô or ’Äòhealth and wealth’Äô teachings (sometimes called ’ÄòWord of Faith’Äô and ’ÄòPositive Confession’Äô theologies[1]) are relatively hard to define, and seem to vary from context to context. So here, we examine the teaching evident in northern Nigeria, and relate it to teaching available in many books, tapes, videos and on the internet from the USA. My primary sources from Nigeria are the formal teaching in churches, informal discussions with Nigerian Christians and longstanding expatriate missionaries, and observations of Christian and non-Christian book shops, media, posters and advertising for Christian events and churches. Even the bold church names are revealing.

’ÄúThis is the year you will get your car!’Äù shouted our pastor[2]. ’ÄúNo more taking taxis into church. We want to see the car park full of cars!’Äù. ’ÄúWe are taking the kingdom by force!’Äù[3] he urged the church to declare. Shaken by recent news ’Äì sadly not unusual in Nigeria ’Äì of another tragic road accident claiming the lives of several young people, he called for the church to fast and pray for a week against premature death, because Christians should not die prematurely. ’ÄúName it and claim it’Äù seemed his watchword, and it was certainly exciting and impressive to be among a congregation who lapped it up. But very few were actually coming to the frequent all-night prayer meetings; often not even the pastor himself. He extolled the virtues of riches to his large, fairly young and ambitious, well-dressed congregation, and was frequently talking about his travels and exhorting people to give for his pilgrimmage to Israel. Cars seemed the ultimate status symbol in northern Nigeria, despite being expensive (usually illegal) imports, costly to maintain and a cause of a great deal of hassle largely due to the state of the roads where we lived.

The music of the church was distinctly Nigerian, but with a distinct affinity to Western pop music. ’ÄúJesus Power’Äù pastor and congregation chanted victoriously. With jubilant singing and dancing through several collections/offerings, the congregation clearly seemed to be enthusiastic about giving to the church and pastor. But when counted and reported to the church by the treasurer, the amount given seemed quite small, even catering for relative income. So to what extent did people actually believe or act on what was being taught?

In another church[4], the preacher declared ’Äúwe don’Äôt preach the prosperity gospel here’Äù and proceeded to claim healing for all who had faith. One or two other churches condemned and eschewed the ’Äòprosperity gospel’Äô, concentrated on other teaching: about Christian living and self-discipline, holiness, giving and doing good to the poor, evangelism etc. The Bible translator, also a pastor of a small village church near where I lived, was similarly scathing about the populist preaching of the big prosperity church preachers. But it was clearly hard not to envy their wealth and esteemed position among Christians. Prosperity teaching may be wrong, but it seems to generate popularity and wealth for those peddling it.

Christian book shops in cities and even in small towns contain a great range of books with a very large American Pentecostal influence, it seems. In the typical way that Nigerians are significantly less embarrassed about religion than Westerners are, many ordinary book shops bristle with bold, exciting Christian books too. Many shiny books stir readers to claim God’Äôs material blessings due to Christians, to believe him for instant healing and to expect many miracles, signs and wonders in their lives. Few books seemed devoted to Bible study or evangelism, though the United Bible Societies shop in Jos had a good range.

Familiar Pentecostal churches and associations from the West are very evident such as the Assemblies of God, the Full Gospel Business Men’Äôs Fellowship and Four-Square Gospel Church. But independent churches are springing up throughout Nigeria, with names such as ’ÄúMountains of Fire and Miracles Ministries’Äù and ’ÄúGospel Faith Mission International’Äù, incorporating exciting words like New, Life, Holy Spirit, Prophets, Apostles, Cherubim and Seraphim, Miracles, Deeper Life, Rock of Ages etc. Older, more traditional Anglican, Baptist, Presbyterian and Mennonite churches are significantly touched by charismatic ’Äòworship’Äô style and prosperity teaching.

In summary the teaching seems to be: ’ÄúGod wants you rich and healthy ’Äì that is why Jesus died[5]. You should pray in faith and expect many miraculous answers, speaking in tongues etc[6]. Your material prosperity and success will show the world you are truly a child of his.’Äù

 

The Nigerian context is tumultuous. Political, and to some extent religious and social tensions abound between Christian and Muslim communities, with Muslims in the north appearing more prosperous and powerful. People are abandoning traditional religion in favour of these more successful modern religions. Christians and Muslims noisily compete for converts. Missionaries have been active in Nigeria, mainly in the south, for at least two hundred years. Big-name Western evangelists and miracle workers, such as Reinhard Bonnke[7] have held many large rallies in recent years, and audio tapes and videos have been popular. Media, oil exploitation and imports from the Western world have opened this populous country up to capitalism and materialism. Nigerians are often very entrepreneurial and ambitious, and are proud of themselves as the political and economic leaders of West Africa. Exceptional charisma, boldness and vision are essential for a successful leader[8]. Healthcare and social security are relatively poor, and with a traditional religious background people expect tangible results from religion, not just a personal spiritual experience.

’ÄúNigeria has proved especially fertile ground for prosperity teaching’Äù ’Äì the teaching has successfully been indigenised and Nigerians have in turn impacted churches worldwide[9]. The teaching is popular and is readily accepted by a wide range of Nigerians, from the wealthy to the destitute, in contrast perhaps to other areas where prosperity teaching has grown mainly amongst the affluent. As opposed to other poor contexts, South-American-style liberation theology ’Äì elevating the status of the poor ’Äì is relatively unpopular in Nigeria, though one community espouses prosperity as a theology of liberation from poverty and illness[10].

Sociologically, the prosperity teaching seems to fulfil similar purposes as liberation theology[11] ’Äì providing the poor in Nigeria with hope for the future (if only they accept and have enough faith in Christ) ’Äì while providing a comfortable religious environment for rich Nigerians. Historically missionaries first brought civilisation, trade and European culture[12], making their religion attractive even to those not primarily interested in the atonement and the lordship of Christ (as happened in India[13]). The perceived material benefits guaranteed may attract many. The Europeans’Äô God seemed more powerful than local deities to some, and now an indigenised prosperity God can seem even more useful and attractive. Prosperity theology escapes the secular-spiritual division which prevents much Western religion touching the heart of Africans[14].

Authentic contextualisation, however, must mean more than popularity and fulfilment of people’Äôs desires. It must have a sound biblical basis, be helpful for building the church and must have some sense of continuity with the worldwide expression of the Christian faith. We also need to check the fruit of this teaching, for ’Äúby their fruit you will know’Äù[15] whether a teacher or teaching is authentic.

Superficially these criteria may seem to be met. Numerous Bible verses are cited in support of ’ÄòFaith’Äô teachings. But is the Bible being interpreted and used correctly? The greatest criticism levelled is that ’ÄòFaith’Äô teachers pull verses out of context, ignore the real meanings of words and build false doctrines from scriptures isolated from their immediate context and the context of the whole Christian message[16]. Dangerously, they reject scholarship and reduce the Bible to a storehouse of promises for individuals, rather than God’Äôs life-giving message of salvation spoken through and to many different people, as the church has generally understood it. By focussing on individual proof-texts, the powerful message of the whole Bible as God intended it to be understood is obscured. Faith teachers must not forget that most biblical references to wealth are negative: warnings and condemnations of dishonest gain and the selfish rich. Can declaring something (’ÄòI am wealthy’Äô) mean automatically God will honour it? Jesus’Äô model prayers[17] prioritise God’Äôs will have no place for such ’Äòpositive confession’Äô. Solid biblical criticisms of prosperity theology are numerous.

Though writing for a North American context, Baron’Äôs warning about displacement of serious Bible study is vital for Nigeria: ’ÄúNowhere in contemporary Christianity is sound biblical interpretation so desperately needed as within charismatic circles’Ķoften, especially in the independent and nondenominational churches, their valid concern for a religion of the heart has unseated reliable teaching and Bible study from its central position in any body of believers.’Äù[18]

Non-Christians may be attracted to a prosperous ideology, but Jesus counsels his followers to ’Äúseek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness’Äù and needs will be met. The danger is twofold: that ’Äòrice-Christians’Äô will never seek eternal life, because a prosperous life now is all that is taught, or that people will just align themselves with whatever religion seems most useful. In the northern Nigerian context, if Muslims become more successful, should we interpret that as God’Äôs blessing on them? It would imply all ’Äòprosperity’Äô Christians become Muslims. Real faith is based not on bribery into the kingdom, but acceptance of God’Äôs grace in salvation, and a focus on future glory so that losing one’Äôs life now[19] seems worthwhile. Fair-weather Christians are no Christians at all. A church built on the froth and bubble of prosperity teaching, may simply fade into oblivion.

Prosperity theology currently prospers around the world, and especially in North America, but it is not universally accepted as orthodox in any country. Certainly the African church is disconnected from the possibly harmful extreme Western ascetic tradition[20]. That may not be a problem. Perhaps this is a case of recovering a valid lost emphasis, that body and soul are a union which together matter to God. Western Christendom linked Christianity, wealth and power, but thoughtful church tradition has always been uneasy about wealth, possibly because the Bible warns so strongly against it. For most of the history of the church, genuine Christians have not been obviously successful. Instead, following Jesus’Äô and the apostles example, Christians have been needy, sick, persecuted, ’ÄúAs it is written: ’ÄòFor your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’Äô’Äù (Romans 8:36) There is no Christianity if such ’Äòfailure’Äô is against God’Äôs will and shows Jesus and the apostles did not understand true doctrine.

Prosperity preachers often seem to benefit greatly from their teaching, often guilty of manipulating others to give beyond their means. Does prosperity teaching encourage greed or generosity, gratefulness or presumption, reality or unreality? ’ÄúFreeman’Äôs very definition of faith could sometimes encourage his followers to ignore reality. Faith, he insisted, is actually more real and accurate than the world our senses perceive.’Äù[21].

 

The Nigerian church is generally aware of the need for Christians to deepen in their Christian life. They need to ask hard questions about prosperity teaching, test the spirits and sift the good from the bad. Christians must affirm that God meets all our physical as well as spiritual needs ’Äì the old religion must go[22] ’Äì but a balance must be struck. It seems dangerous to link salvation and miraculous healing as Bonnke does, and insincerely to insist their focus is evangelism when all they talk about is miracles, healings and prosperity[23]. In practice, due to peoples’Äô natural self-centredness, an undue focus on temporal prosperity of church members seems to replace most evangelistic vision with a desire to be seen as ’Äòbetter than the Muslims’Äô or more powerful. There seems some discontinuity between what is preached and what is really believed ’Äì shown up in the lack of sacrificial giving, perhaps in the big popular churches, contrasted with some at non-prosperity churches who were giving sacrificially to mission work. Even the names of many fellowships often claim special revelation and extra-biblical authority, as has often been the case with the more extreme Faith teachers[24]. A healthy church needs every member to understand and submit themselves to God’Äôs word, so they may be truly transformed into Christ’Äôs likeness. That is why Bible translation in Nigeria is of such crucial importance.

Paul clearly knew the fatal distraction of prosperity when he instructed a young leader: ’ÄúGodliness with contentment is great gain. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.’Äù[25] Prosperity teaching has many of the marks of authentic contextualisation but has the potential to contextualise like a cancer to ruin the Nigerian church if not constrained.

 

Bibliography

Ajayi JFA,           Christian Missions in Nigeria 1841-1891, London: Longmans, 1965

Baron B,              The Health and Wealth Gospel: What’Äôs going on today in a movement that has shaped the faith of millions?, Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP, 1987

Cadorette, Giblin, Legge and Snyder, Liberation Theology: An introductory reader , Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 1992

Essien A M,         Liberative Practices of the GoodNews Community in Nigeria, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, Online: http://www.theo.kuleuven.ac.be/clt/essien_text_0.htm

Grimley J & Robinson G, Church Growth in Central and Southern Nigeria, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1966

Hesselgrave,         Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991

James J,               Unique Women Seminars, Basis of Faith: Dominion Faith International Church, Douala Cameroon, Online: http://www.dominionfaithinternational.org/africa/unique_women/what_we_believe.htm

Perriman A (ed),    Faith Health & Prosperity: A report on ’ÄòWord of Faith’Äô and ’ÄòPositive Confession’Äô Theologies by the Evangelical Alliance (UK) Commission on Unity and Truth among Evangelicals, Carlisle: Paternoster, 2003

Tomazsewski Siegfried, report on [Reinhard Bonnke] Gospel Crusade in Ikare-Akoko, Nigeria (October 2003) Online: http://www.cfan.org/%7BEnglish-Intl%7D/%5BUK_Site%5D/content.asp?id=0000414&page=01