Sometimes when we minister cross-culturally, we hear the best (and funniest) stories. This one happened recently, during a meeting with a local group of pastors at our monthly church leadership gathering.
Mike was sitting with 3 other church leaders just sharing about life and specifically about what they were learning in regards to discipleship. One of the pastors shared how lately he has been struggling in his faith as he has not been able to get a job and so he can't provide for his family (most pastors here are not employed by the church). Responding to him, one of the others (Let's call him Pastor A. for the purpose of this story) shared a bit of his life story.
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| Pastor Vukile |
Pastor A. said he had been following the Lord for over 20 years, and during this time he has had countless trials. He has experienced tremendous family pain, including having his father commit suicide, having family members lying and attacking each other and persecution for his decision to follow Christ. On top of this, there were many times of not having enough to eat and many challenges that come with living in poverty.
However throughout this Pastor A.'s faith remained strong. But about 10 years ago, there was a fight in his church as the woman he wanted to marry was not the one that the church wanted him to marry. He had gone back to his home province and community and had picked a Christian woman there he wanted to marry, but the church wanted him to marry one of their members.
[Marriages here involve a whole lot more than just 2 people!]
Being attacked by people inside the church left Pastor A. disillusioned, and even after years of trials that he had overcome in his faith, this became overwhelming for him to the point of him walking away from the church and his faith.
After spending some time not walking with the Lord, pastor A. was looking for some guidance about what to do next in life. He turned to the local songoma (witch doctor) and asked what kind of a job he should pursue. The songoma looked at him and said, "You have the Holy Spirit, there is nothing I can do for you. You must go back to the Church to find guidance." Slightly annoyed at this advice the former pastor went to get a 2nd opinion from a different songoma. However this 2nd songoma repeated "You have the Spirit of Christ, you need to search the Bible not ask me for guidance." Pastor A. however still wasn't convinced so he went to a 3rd songoma who said to him, "You are a coward, you have already received your answer, go back to the Church!"
However throughout this Pastor A.'s faith remained strong. But about 10 years ago, there was a fight in his church as the woman he wanted to marry was not the one that the church wanted him to marry. He had gone back to his home province and community and had picked a Christian woman there he wanted to marry, but the church wanted him to marry one of their members.
[Marriages here involve a whole lot more than just 2 people!]
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| Typical Xhosa wedding |
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| Songoma (witch doctor) |
So he humbled himself, repented of his ways, turned to the Word, committed himself back to the Lord and went back to the church. The pastor used his story to just encourage the other to trust in God, that even in the hard times the Holy Spirit is ALWAYS faithful and He is with us!
