When considering what is most valuable to Africans, there are 3 main pieces to the pie, and a hardened crust around it that keeps it all together. The three main pieces are 1) The Self, 2) The Community, and 3) The Invisible World, and these are all encapsulated in the necessary presence of harmony amongst all three. For if there is a disruption of this harmony, then that is when things begin to fall apart. However, I want to talk about these three main pieces, so you get a better understanding of what they actually are.

The Self

When one comes to understand African Religions, they come to realize the complex view they have of humanity. What it means for them to be human is the idea of a “multiple self”. Most African religions see themselves made up of a physical element that ceases and another physical element that continues on forever, a spiritual element which is related to their ancestors and connects them to the divinity of the clan, then there is a divine element where the god himself is a part of the self that returns to the god at death, and then there is a destiny element which is lost at birth but remains with them. Now these all vary per religion, but this just goes to show the complexity of their view of humanity.

So for them, the World View question, “what happens when we die?”, takes on a whole new meaning. So while death does entail the end of earthly existence, it does not mean the death of the individual but merely the splitting of the multiple self. So for them, death, although still a negative reality, is understood in some sense as a “journey home”. Mortality only came into play because of some human fault or unhappy rupture of contact with god (the root of this varies for each ethnic group). Thus, when talking about what it means to be human, it means to discuss a lot more than what we typically think of, as it entails a host of other elements.

The Community

A correct understanding of community maybe the hardest to get our minds around, even for those of us who are seeking to live communal lives in the church. Because as Westerners we have been raised up with the famous line, “I think, therefore I am.” So I is the center of everything: my world, my thinking, my life, etc. However, for the African, there is a well known proverb that goes like this, “We are, therefore I am”. The phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child” is not something parents say to get help like here in America, rather it is a basic assumption and actually a shame if you don’t let people come around you and be apart of the child rearing process, it is a communal effort. However, it is ALL of life, not just select portions.

Thus, isolation from the community is one of the greatest evils ever, and is actually understood as a perversion of humanity and its proper nature. CRAZY!! There are multiple layers of community, as there is the nuclear family that consists of multiple families living in the same compound or homestead (as seen in the picture above), then there is the clan which entails certain obligations, and finally there is the ancestors, who although dead and separated physically, still have an active role within the life of the community. Out of this flows a ton of cultural realities such as initiation rites, vows, marriage expectations, etc. But it all is understood within the whole of the communal reality in which they live and think out of.

The Invisible World

The invisible and visible worlds, for the African, are not seen as two separate spheres but as different dimensions of a single indivisible reality, which act and react upon one another. Thus, it brings us right to a big discussion on a Supreme Being, because for Africans, this Being is remote and distant and very rarely intervenes in the history of people. So to classify African religions as monotheism (one God) may be an unhelpful categorization. However, people do come before spiritual beings in order to secure some practical benefit from them. Thus, relationships with the physical world are mediated by spiritual beings, and it is through them that harmony is sought and maintained within their natural environment.

Thus, there is a deep connection to ancestors, but to call it “worship” would be not quite correct, although, their respect and veneration for the Ancestors is definitely present. For it is through these ancestors that sacrifices are made to the Supreme Being. So many have come to understand African religions to be at the core monotheistic, but the way they worship makes it come off as polytheism. Thus, the Supreme Being is the Creator and was active at the time of creation (as demonstrated in this picture of the God, Olodumare), but has decided to share governance of the world with lesser spiritual beings, and thus the nearness of the Supreme god is mediated through these various lesser spiritual divinities to bring about implications for the physical world. However, in it all, this is one indivisible reality, because of the effects that take place in the physical World.

Rupture and Restoration of Harmony

Where these above three fall and stand is in whether or not harmony exists amongst these three pieces of the pie. There is a fragile equilibrium that must be sustained, and if a misfortune arises it is an indication that this equilibrium has been disrupted. For Africans, nothing comes about without divine or human ill-will. Something happens because somewhere, somehow, and sometime you have failed to do or do incorrectly, some prayer or sacrifice. Thus, they understand “sin” as an offence committed by an individual that has spiritual consequences for the group as a whole. Thus, sin is defined by reference to its results, and if no harmful consequences are entailed it is therefore probably inaccurate to speak in terms of “offence” or “sin”.

Thus, the only way to deal with this sin is by consulting the divinities by looking backwards at the cause of the problem, and forward to what remedies need to take place to restore the ruptured harmony. So while many Westerners ask “how” did something arise, the African seeks to understand “why” the situation has arisen. Thus, they are offering an explanation of a different type. So for example, it may be quite true that typhus is carried by lice, but who sent the infected house? Why did it bite one man and not another? These are the kinds of questions that the African asks because it is here where one realizes where the disruption came from and where the priests of the African system can find ways to resolve the matter by bring back the necessary restoration of harmony between the self, the community, and the invisible world.

We have 4 trainings in Colorado, and we have to read 13 Books before leaving! Yeah, I just said thirteen! We have already finished reading 1 Book on Support Raising, 2 Books on Communicating your vision for your ministry, 1 Book on the history of Missions, and 4 Books on how to Cross Cultures and minister effectively without falling into cultural frustration or shock, and without damaging the culture you are entering. Now we are heading into the last 5 books that we have to read, 5 books pertaining specifically to the country you are heading to as it pertains to your ministry. So I thought that I would share some thoughts on the book that I am reading right now, so that you can learn with us about what it is exactly that we are heading into.

I am currently reading a book with a long title, The Triumph of Christ in African Perspective: A Study of Demonology and Redemption in the African Context, by Keith Ferdinando. This is one of those books that really gets you thinking as I am about 150 pages into it. The first section deals with understanding the African Religious system, and the second section deals with how a Biblical understanding of Satan and Demons is dealt with in the Triumph of Christ over them.

Now some of you may not see this as all that important, but that is because for most Westerners, the primary concern in Christianity is finding “purpose in life” or “dealing with that sin I can’t seem to shake” or “struggling with a certain teaching of the bible” or “the guilt from my past” or “wondering if truth is able to be known”. However, for many Africans, their primary concern is the constant fear and insecurity about the source and alleviation of human suffering. And thus, religion, defined as, “any coherent philosophical system which attempts to answer the fundamental questions”, must respond to the most fundamental concerns of a people.

However, the concerns of an African are very different from an American, so the questions stands then for the Christian, “How does Christ enter into this situation and redeem it?” For, if this question does not get answered then Christ is of no use to an entire group of people in the world. And this is exactly what missionaries have done for years in Africa. They have dismissed the realities and concerns of the African people, and thus, the Christian faith has left a whole area of reality unredeemed by the Gospel! So then, how Christ redeems these concerns becomes an issue to be reckoned with. So over the course of the next couple of posts I want to explain briefly the African belief system, and then share with you how Christ enters into this situation and redeems it entirely! My hope is that this will draw you deeper into the mission God has called us to and the difficulty that lay ahead, and also, to realize that Christ wants to redeem your entire world as well. So may this cause you to think about places where you have not let God into yet, so that he can redeem and restore you, as well.

WHY THE PICTURE!?: This is Rubens Resurrection, which depicts Jesus’ triumph over death in the center picture, where Christ strides powerfully from his open, rocky tomb. The supernatural radiance of his body contrasts with the darkness that shrouds the astounded soldiers. The panel on the left shows John the baptist, whose sword at his feet is an allusion to his beheading. St Martina, on the right, holds the palm branch that symbolises the martyr. According to her legend, the temple of Apollo collapsed when she made the sign of the cross – an incident recalled by the setting behind. Thus, it is this resurrected Christ who has triumphed over all and who is thus worthy of our following, even to our own death. May the American and African Church come to know Christ in this way!

What it means to repent and receive the forgiveness of sins in America is radically different. The cost that an African has to make it cutting ties from a former religion is catastrophic. The lady in the green is the one who is choosing to follow Christ. Here is a little excerpt from the friend who is working there that describes what is happening in the video:

The young woman, Bintou, came to church in Tiepogovogo with all her occult paraphernalia, to have them burned as a confession of her faith in Jesus. Called “fetishes” in local terms, these objects included a white cloth that she wore when doing divination, a pot for making magic potions, a ring and forged metal representations of the spirits which had made her a diviner. Her older sisters are both Jesus-followers already, one for over a decade, the other one a former diviner who came to Jesus just seven months ago. It was after her sister burned her divination tools that Bintou became oppressed by the spirits; they had chosen her now. Life only got worse. Tormented, she also wanted release. Her older brother and elderly mother are not yet ready to follow Jesus, although they both admit that all they have heard about him and his followers is true: he is the Truth and he brings freedom. So they urged her to give up her occult worship and turn to him, and accompanied her to church. Pastor Fuhoton taught on the futility of man-made objects to bring protection to anyone, but warned that it was the spirits operating behind each one of these tools who were the malign forces troubling her. As she affirmed her faith and desire to have them burned, he threw them into the fire, breaking the pot into fragments. The believers surrounded them and sang of Jesus power and the need to turn to him before it is too late. Everyone outside the church is expecting Bintou to die now. Please pray with us all for her protection and spiritual growth.

May we all be in prayer for Bintou, and may God raise up others in the church to continue to spread the same Good News that Bintou has received!

We were looking at the Joshua Project site the other day and we noticed something wild! We noticed that more than half of the country’s people groups are either unexposed to the Gospel, because they have no Christian community to share with them OR they are fragile and in need of sinking their roots deeper into the Gospel so that they don’t get blown away by the harsh realities of living in a Muslim/Animist context.

So for us, this really got us motivated to realize that this year really needs to be Ivory Coast or bust! Ivory Coast does not need the Dodsons, but it does need people who are devoted to the God of this World, and people who are seeking to bring Christ into their world in a way that causes others to see Him for who he is!

I have to admit, it has been a rough last month or so with seeing “results” and in even desiring to pursue the support raising piece, but when I read the realities like this it calls me back up, and it is something else God uses to remind me where he is taking us and the priority he places on sharing with those who do not know Him. So please PRAY for us as we head into January that God would renew our strength, our joy, and our desire to share with people about what God has called us to, and that God would encourage us as we continue to be faithful in what he has set before us.

It reminds me of this because Christ left Heaven to come to our world. Christ left the family of glory that he had with the Father and the Spirit to dwell with us. And Christ gave up everything so that we could gain life with Him. So had he not left and been sent to us, then I would not be going. But then again, had he not been sent I would be in an all together different place. So with that said it points me to the Sending God who is on Mission, and this poem is part of the liturgy that our church will be doing on 1-1-12 to kick off our New Year as a Body who is being sent on mission. May this encourage you as you enter into this time of the year!

Jesus Christ Son of God

Sent to us
As love radiantly visible

Sent to us
Who forget and lose sight
And become so lost

Make us like you
Make beauty of us
Born of hope, faith and love

and then send us

Send us where it is hardest to love
Because there is so much to hate

Send us where the lies deafen
And truth is only a whisper

Send us where the ugly blinds
And beauty is used and discarded

Send us where the pain is deepest
And hope is nearly gone

Send us to love where love is dead
And resurrection is our only hope

When we are afraid
When we are rejected
When we are weak
When we are hurting
When we are like you

Send us
To where you already are

I think that really what happens in education is not a transformation of worldview or redistributing content to help someone understand what they should like or dislike. Rather it has to be a renovation of the heart. One needs their desires educated, not just their brains. They need to have their affections kindled, so that the content they have learned can really be set ablaze. I am reminded of a sermon I heard by Matt Chandler about this. He was recounting how he was catechizing his children and some people kind of made fun of him for it, because they thought it didn’t matter what they knew no matter how well they could recite the Nicene Creed. But he says in response something to this effect,

“My job is to put kindling in a pile and slowly add bigger logs. But after I lay those things on there I just have to pray like crazy for God to set it on fire, so that when they are on fire they will burn for the things God burns for.”

The question is, what are you putting on the fire for your kids to burn for? And is God’s mission in the world one of those things? Jenna and I have realized as we have been making our journey forward that the reason we are heading into missions is because someone educated desire. I didn’t know the big picture story line of the Bible and that at the core of it was God’s heart to see all nations worship Him! But what I did see was a desire. So how can parents instill in their children a desire for the mission of God.

1) Invite missionaries and/or national believers from other countries to stay with you. This is what God used in my life to kindle my affections for people outside of the U.S. We had Haitian pastors stay with us, and we had a close connection with some missionaries there, and God used those a lot in our lives to give us a world perspective on what he was up to.

2) Give support to missionaries and talk freely as a family about them, and pray frequently for them. We also did this in my family growing up. We were often talking about the news letters from the missionaries from Haiti that we had forged relationships with, and I saw my parents send money to them as well, which showed that they valued it.

3) Be involved in getting overseas with certain missionaries. I never actually had the chance to go to Haiti with my parents, but my sister did. However, my parents went over almost every summer for 7 years, and they gave up time and lost money because they valued it. So whether you take your kids or not, you are showing them you value what God is up to overseas.

4) Connect your children with a Missionary Kid their age to write back and forth to. How awesome for a kid to get inside knowledge on another culture through the first hand knowledge of someone their age and who speaks at their level! Jenna was instilled with a passion for missions through engagement with an MK in South America as Pen Pals, and this has led to her desire to serve God overseas.

5) Have you kids support a missionary with their own finances. I don’t know where your family lays in relationship to the whole idea of chores and receiving allowance. But why not give your kids $2 a week or $5 a week and have them use it to support a missionary monthly. Allow them the opportunity to build a relationship and take personal ownership of supporting a missionary, maybe the one the child is writing to. Not only would the missionary benefit, but the child would, as well because they have begun to have this desire to give something away that everyone else is wanting to keep, money!

So I don’t know what this looks like for your family, but the question is, are you entrusting the mission of God to your children? Are you educating desire, and not just mere rote memory of Matthew 28? Help your kids to want the Great Commission as you explain it to them, and pray that your child will get in on the mission of God, even if it costs you. So in the end, I guess it all comes around to where we, as the adults are. Do we have a burning passion for God’s mission in the world, if not, then why? Maybe this video above will help put things in perspective.

What I am suggesting is that as we give this year, what if we gave our family and friends something that presents Christ to people in their name? It could look like this:

What if you helped build the Church in Ivory Coast through the Dodsons?

What if you adopted the city the Dodsons will be living in?

What if you helped a young adult figure out their role in God’s mission in the world?

What if you helped train the Pastors that Justin will be equipping?

What if you helped meet the health care needs of the people Jenna will be treating?

These and many other images capture the kind of transformational giving that Christmas recalls! The kind of giving that God requires is that which draws others deeper into who He is. So may your giving this year present the kind that God desires, the kind that transforms the lives of others. So as you go about your Christmas shopping may you consider how you can not only give through us to meet the needs of the mission that God has called us to, but also give to the person you give the gift to so that it calls them to the true meaning of Christmas, participating in the presence and proclamation of Christ in the World!

If God burdens your heart to give to us, then you can give One Time Gifts HERE and Monthly Commitments HERE.

There are many other great places to give as well: World Vision, Operation Christmas Child, Check Missions Websites you or your church supports and find a country that burdens you, and give to someone who lives with the people. So please, seek God in this, and ask Him how you can give in transformational ways this Christmas.