There are many other imitations of their culture seen. Women and children are often oppressed or given little consideration in many churches. In this matrilineal culture that is a severe handicap to the formation of a future Christian society. Many pastors were chosen hastily after a week long evangelism campaign, merely because of their small degree of literacy or family ties with the evangelist. They are feeling an inability to realize what they have been led to believe should be the outcome of their lives and their ministries. However, because they have been placed in a position of authority, they mimic the authoritative styles of their culture. This causes them to experience the stress of impotence in some cases or leads them to use Christian religion as a means of controlling their small community. Both effects contribute to a tendency for the pastor to only influence his own clan with a corrupt religion. The multitudes under the influence of these new cultural leaders are feeling the weight of their pharisaical burdens.
As this "Christian" movement stands on the brink of spreading into the Makua (the above mentioned un-reached group) it is becoming more apparent how empty their religion is. Their attempts at reaching these animists (including many Muslims and Catholics) are emptied of the power of holiness and transformation. They are limited to preaching a "gospel" of prohibition and ritual. And the results are either total rejection or syncretism.
These are obviously generalizations about the church movement in the north of Mozambique. However, we do feel that this is a critical time in the formation of the Kingdom among our Makua brothers and sisters. If Christ's united body does not get involved in this under-discipled community, then inoculation or regression may pose a new, complex immunity to Kingdom life for the future here. There are some faithful apprentices that the Lord is raising up from among this frenzy. They need our help to come into Christ's abundant life. And if we will be humble enough to see it, we need their help too to escape our imprisonment to our culture. They, like the disciples that were drawn to John the Baptist and Jesus, are looking for the real truth. They need to see our commitment to the truth in how we pursue cross-cultural fellowship with them.
Good News for Africa has a training Center in Nampula, Mozambique, a Makua city that is the gateway to the north of the country. Our work is administrated in cooperation with an indigenous association called the Mustard Seed. They also own our facility. At this center we receive the weary, the disenchanted, the curious, and the sincere groping for truth. In one-on-one discipleship, seminars, regular classes, visitations, and collaborative church-planting efforts we seek to realize Christian transformation as a community. I, Shawn Gardner, together with my colleague, Daniel Been, are currently the only two teachers.
We have a clear vision of forming an internship program for select apprentices and forming them into a community that can co-labor with us until they are equipped to continue without us (2 Timothy 2:2). Within this community we intend to raise up missionaries and teachers (singles and couples) that will continue all of our activities including the very apprenticeship program in which they were equipped. We already have an economic strategy that will empower the national association to sustain the ministry through being wise stewards of the capital God has given them.
The acceptance and appeal for our presence and help has been more than we are capable of handling. Both Daniel and I often turn away groups or walk-ins because we are too busy. The situation is compounded with us having alternating furloughs. In order for us to reach a place where we can produce the first generation of co-laboring apprentices we need at least one more teacher.
Once one or two nationals have been integrated into our team of teachers, one of the missionaries may venture forth into new territory. There are a vast number of marginalized and un-reached people left in Mozambique. Even if one were to come and not work with the Mustard Seed Association in Nampula there would be ample opportunity and need for a person to fulfill our Lord’s commission in many ways and places. As one of our colleagues likes to say, “You could throw a dart at a map of Mozambique, go there, and have a successful, needed ministry.”
The Maddux family’s commitment to the Lord and their experience as parents, servants and teachers are very needed in Mozambique.
The Spiritual Need
of the Makua
of Mozambique
By Shawn Gardner
(Nampula Team Leader)
for Daniel Maddux
In the north of Mozambique there is an indigenous evangelistic explosion. One of the largest un-reached people groups in Africa (the Makua) sits at the frontier of this movement. The movement has been gaining momentum ever since the civil war.
Upon visitation and examination, however, it becomes apparent that much of the activity is devoid of a genuine gospel understanding and experience. The accumulative stress of historical oppression (spiritual and socio-political) has stimulated much of this hyper-expansion. This is seen in the resultant syncretism in the church. When people are sick, desperate or ambitious they regularly and approvingly use every means possible (witchcraft, church going, prayer, ancestral veneration, etc.) to obtain relief.
The Makua People
○ 4 million in northern Mozambique
○ Largest unreached animistic group in
the world (Operation World report)
○ One of 10 poorest nations in the world
○ Average income is $30-50/monthly
primarily subsistence farming
○ 77% illiteracy outside cities
○ Church leaders only have grade-school ed
○ Malnourishment and diseases cause:
◦ Average life expectancy of 40 years old
◦ High infant mortality rate
○ Youth expected to be sexually active
○ Ancestor spirit worship via sacrifices
○ Witch-doctor is answer for health and $
○ Growing false religions
The Vision
† Participate in maturing the
Leadership Training Program
† Spur on church planting by mentoring
church leaders in how to share the
Gospel from Genesis to Christ. 1 2 3 4 5 6
† Literacy training for nourishment in Word
† Teach inductive Bible study (precept.org)
† Provide basic health-care education
† Instill God’s vision for family and
church, founding them on Christ and His
transformation in every area of life...
“...Stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel”
and for the One “for whose sake I have lost all things.” Php 1:27; 3:8
“May the Lamb who was slain receive the reward for His suffering.” (Moravian Cry)
Rev 12:11
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