TB Joshua In Israel: How Africans Are Exporting Christianity To The West

His visit to Israel was one of a kind, people from different continents and creed ensured they made it down to Mount Precipice in Nazareth, the birthplace of Jesus. Only that this time, it was a man proclaiming that same Jesus who people really wanted to see or perhaps, experience the supernatural power of Christ through him – TB Joshua. The visit of the founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations had caused many in Israel to protest, calling for a ban. It didn’t happen. What is of significant Interest herein, lies the amount of export of preachers and religious movements from the African continent to Europe, Australia, North America.

The missionaries brought Christianity to Africa with such passion and vigor that many of them gave their lives as the ultimate price in a hostile, difficult terrain. Although, under the cover of slave trade and colonialism, missionaries were kind enough to help Africa come out of inhumane and absurd practices such as killing of twins, sacrifice and helped introduce education despite the fact that it provided them with middle men.

Nowadays, the number of churches owned by Africans in western countries is subsuming. This is partly due to the fact that secularism has taken over the West and rather than attend church services on a Sunday morning, folks are ready to go catch the latest football game. The West simply gave Africa Christianity and left it here. It has decided to hold on to advancement in technology and prides itself with innovation which it now sends back as import.

Since you can only give what you have, I guess, African preachers are filling the vacuum caused by secularism over there. In the UK for instance, Churches founded by individuals of African descent are more than double that owned by the Church of England and Roman Catholics.

Ironically, despite boasting of mega televangelists and their exploits overseas, African Christianity with all Its wealth and splendor has not given back to its own. It exports it’s fame and the showcase of the miraculous but has not done enough to empower its people. It is the anti-thesis of the gospel of Christ it preaches. Perhaps, one important factor why TB Joshua stands out is his welfarism. 

Header Image Credit: thenationonline.ng