Are You Still on African Time?

     The church we attend is mostly African. Admittedly there are some cultural challenges. Many members, being event-oriented rather than time-oriented, run on what they somewhat jokingly call “African time.” A meeting that is supposed to last from 3:00 to 4:00 in the afternoon may begin at 4:30. Just last week a wedding that was supposed to begin at 1:00 p.m. didn’t actually start until 2:30. The Americans, the only ones naïve enough to show up at 12:45 p.m., wondered if the bride or groom had gotten cold feet. When it’s time for Sunday worship service to begin, maybe a fourth of the congregation will have arrived. No wonder we collect the offering at the end of the service.

      The Bible does not say, “Thou shalt start and end meetings on time.” Of course Americans could find scriptures that would back up “our” way of thinking. And Africans could find scriptures illustrating the superiority of fellowship over timeliness. I’m sure they often think Americans are rude, cutting conversations short in order to get to another appointment on time. And they certainly don’t understand why anyone would dismiss a service just because the clock said it was time. They would be more concerned about quenching the moving of the Holy Spirit.
Nonetheless, our church desires to minister to all cultures, not just African. Realizing most Americans will not tolerate the time issue, the leadership is attempting to change their ways. It has not been easy. The concept is contrary to their way of thinking. They would be more comfortable fellowshipping and worshiping the way they did “back home.” But they care about all people – not just those who are like them.

      Jack Hayford, President of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, sums up
1 Corinthians 9:22 by saying, “If you would ‘reach the world,’ communicate in ways it can understand.” Though I would never want our African friends to become totally “American,” I have noticed we have been getting more American families recently. Their efforts are paying off.

      What are we, as churches, willing to do to reach the culture around us? Or do we assume everyone else should become just like us? The Holy Spirit will use any willing vessel, culturally-challenged or not, but think how much more effective we could be if we would pay attention to the needs in our community.

      Inside this issue you will be introduced to some churches that have strategically identified the type of people to whom they want to minister. They focus their music, dress, and communication-style to reach that audience. Yet, Solomon Wyatt, one of the pastors, advises, “Make sure the Spirit is in what you do ‘cause if the Spirit’s not there, there is no point in even coming.”

      Jack Hayford agrees. He says, “I may adopt a style to reach my culture, but it will be the Spirit, not my style, that will penetrate it.”

      Any change must be Holy Spirit-led. Otherwise we are merely competing for people’s attention. Nonetheless, if we are “doing church” the same way we have for years, reaching the same people, are we truly doing all we can to reach those God has called us to reach?

Andrea Johnson,
Managing Editor