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Africans turning to charismatic leaders


Christianity is growing faster in Africa than anywhere else on earth. At current growth rates, in the next decade the number of African Christians will exceed the number of European believers: perhaps 520 million, in contrast to 470 million. This would leave African Christians second only to Christians in Latin America, who number around 700 million. Most of the new growth has not been in the mainstream churches, but in indigenous churches, which use local languages and mix traditional African spiritual beliefs with Pentecostal-style worship and have charismatic preachers. They also address local problems – poverty, drought, corruption – and offer a sense of belonging. Recently, the Ugandan government suspended registration of all new religious organizations and said it would stop all-night services in existing churches.

The terror wrought by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin and years of civil war has made many Ugandans vulnerable to the lure of charismatic leaders:

The Holy Spirit Movement, led by Alice Lakwena, tried to overthrow the government from 1985 to 1996. Believers often died in suicidal attacks, convinced that magic oil would protect them from bullets of government troops. The Lord’s Resistance Army ran according to the Ten Commandments. The group, led by Joseph Kony, is notorious for kidnapping children and using them as soldiers and sex slaves. The World Message Last Warning was an apocalyptic group begun by Wilson Bushara. It was disbanded by Ungandan police last September after its leaders were charged with rape, kidnapping, illegal confinement and murder.

 – Time

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Last modified May 26, 2000.

© 2000 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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