Fortsätter något på gårdagens ämne. Jag var ju i Tyskland för några veckor sedan och mötte alla ledare för Willow Creek Association runtom i världen. En av de afrikanska ledarna var sammanlagt ett par veckor i Europa. När han kom hem skickade han ett brev till sitt nätverk om sina upplevelser. Jag har fått tillåtelse att publicera det, så jag gör det rakt av bara. Som kristen finner jag detta vara lite omskakande och ögonöppnande läsning faktiskt. Läs speciellt sista meningarna där Temfwe frågar sig om de afrikanska ledarna är beredda att lyssna på ett Europa som ropar. Perspektiven vrids till.

Political Correctness in Europe

It is nice to be back in Zambia after two weeks that saw me travel to Germany, Denmark, England and Ireland. Snow, gray clouds, darkness and short nights in Europe have been replaced by bright sun, rain and uncontrolled floods because of lack of drainage system in Zambia. Carpets, gas heated rooms, warm showers, smooth roads and time-keeping public transport has been replaced by mud, reed mats, plastic litter, pot-holed roads, well fetched bathing and drinking water, the smell of charcoal and public buses that stop anywhere along the way. Men and women who have so much food, clothing and perfumes but prefer to dress so little and think there is no God has given way to families headed by children, men and women out of employment without social benefits, people living with HIV and AIDS and the poor without soap or toiletries or change of clothes. It is nice to be back with a people who are hungry and thirsty for the word of God as their hope for the situation.

Europe is caught in a drought and famine of the word of God. The age of political correctness has gone too far. School nativity plays are considered inappropriate. Yet, in our Zambian schools teachers are pleading for the church to come and share plays and teachings that impart virtue to children. In Europe, parliaments are passing laws that are reducing traditional religious liberties, but here it is our government that calls for days of national prayers. In Europe, Christian Unions are being expelled from Universities; in Zambia, University Christian students spend more time in Christian fellowship than in studies. Christian freedom in Europe is diminishing so quickly that unless European Christians begin to act together they will be facing persecution within our lifetime. Recently, in UK parliament voted on a legislation that would have forced for churches and Christian organization to employ non-Christians. Thankfully, it was narrowly defeated.

It is so different here. The ground is moist for revival. Sadly, most of our preachers are preaching a version of the gospel that focuses on establishing individual material blessing without taking into account the purpose of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The apostles’ mission of spreading the gospel was the major reason the Holy Spirit empowered them. Europe needs missionaries that have come to grips that the purpose of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is missions. Unfortunately, because the version of the gospel that is being preached in Zambia and sub-Saharan Africa focuses on establishing individual material blessing, it cannot communicate in Europe.

In Europe today we need an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as was the case at Pentecostal when “Parthians and the Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea … Egypt and the parts of Libya … “ heard the message in their own language. (Acts 2:9ff). Europe is now subdivided into areas suitable for Christians mission and others that are too ‘sensitive and are no go areas for Christian mission.’ The future of evangelism in Europe lies in a church and Christians who are rooted in Acts 1-2. Are you that church? Are you ready to face persecution? Europe is a new Macedonian call. Are African Christians ready to respond to the call?

- Lawrence Temfwe, Zambia