West Africa Update #4 - Liberia

Everywhere you look, Liberia shows the sad affects of fourteen years of civil war. The buildings that have been destroyed by fire and the others with bullet holes in them are only the most obvious evidences that this beautiful country has been through a very difficult time. You see it also in the lack of infrastructure: the electrical grid is largely gone, roads and structures are deteriorating, vehicles (except those of the very rich) are old and unsafe, fuel is sold by the gallon using pickle jars and a funnel, and access to the internet (a key element for me!) is difficult to find. Agriculture is sporadic and, despite very fertile soil and an excellent climate, Liberia still must import food to feed its people. Thankfully, the country is peaceful (although United Nations peacekeepers are everywhere), and the people themselves are welcoming and optimistic. The rebuilding has begun under the leadership of the new President, Mrs. Helen Johnson (who is a strong Christian), and the projections for the future are good.

We arrived in Monrovia on Sunday afternoon and waited for nearly an hour for someone to pick us up. It turned out that the President was scheduled to arrive soon after we landed so, for security reasons, U.N. troops had blocked traffic coming from the city. As we stood waiting for our ride, the view from the airport was not encouraging: the few crumbling buildings, the mostly dirt roads, the occasional dilapidated taxi wheezing by and the ubiquitous security guards yelling incomprehensible commands through megaphones. But eventually Rev. Richard Ballinger was able to thread his way through the tight security and pick us up. We drove through the outskirts of Monrovia, dodging potholes and the U.N. armored personnel vehicles, and headed out of town, eventually arriving at The Farmer’s Paradise in Careysburg. This was where we were to stay; and it was a surprisingly modern and functional situation. The guest house had air conditioning and electricity from 7 pm – 7 am, courtesy of a large generator on the premises. We also had running water in the bathroom most of the time. We ate our evening meals at the little restaurant on the premises – a restaurant that caters largely to the U.N. and aid agency personnel in the area. So, we were set!

Then we sat. Don had been informed while we were in Nigeria that the conference would not begin until Wednesday due to transportation problems – infrastructure again. So, we had two days to wait. Understand that waiting is an everyday reality in Africa, and for many Africans it has been elevated to the level of an art form. But for us Americans, waiting is difficult. We worked on our updates and polished the curriculum – we taught on Biblical Leadership from 1 Timothy. We sat in front of the guest house and watched the horses gambol about.
We watched the termites swarming around every light after dark; and we talked about future plans for EPI and West Africa. Finally, on Tuesday afternoon, we met with the Executive Committee of the Presbyterian Church of Liberia (PCL). These were the brethren we had come to teach and they wanted to know something about us and about our theological position. Their curiosity was understandable once you learn something of their history as a church.

There has been a Presbyterian church in Liberia since 1833. In more recent years, they had been in association with the PCUSA, but severed that connection when the liberalism of the American church became too obvious to bear. They then affiliated with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, but over the last 20 years or so the same issue of liberalism has cropped up again. So, several months ago, the PCL declared its independence and is now trying to find its way alone. Providentially, God brought several of the key denominational leaders into contact with EPI, and Don Mountan has been working with them, even teaching an EPI conference in Liberia last year. This trip, he and I arrived at a critical juncture since, with its recent declaration of indepence, the PCL is seeking to clearly define itself and its direction. The key leaders are evangelicals and committed to the absolute authority of the Scriptures, but there are a number of influential (i.e. wealthy) ruling elders who, along with several pastors, are inclined toward the more liberal views of their former American mentors. The leaders wanted to know where Don and I stood on several critical issues before we began the conference. Once they realized that we were strong evangelicals and totally committed to the authority of the Word of God, they welcomed us with open arms and throughout the week supported us and our teaching at every opportunity.

The conference began on Wednesday and we strongly emphasized the authority of Apostolic doctrine (i.e. the Bible), the necessity of a heart changed by the gospel, and the importance of leaders leading by example. We had a good group of about 50 leaders, but many of the key ruling elders were not on hand. On Thursday, our teaching touched a nerve when we came to chapters 2 and 3, which speak of the role of women and the qualifications of elders. As you would expect from their background, the PCL has had a history of ordaining women to the eldership and, in the past, has had women as pastors. With great gentleness and firmness, Don outlined the Biblical position on the role of women in the church: that they ought to be used to the fullest extent of their giftedness, but not ordained to positions of authority over men. This truth was reinforced when I taught on the qualifications of elders from chapter 3 (the Biblical language clearly stipulates that an overseer be a “one-woman man”). Of course, this teaching provoked a huge number of questions and it served to clearly separate those who were committed to the Bible as the sole authority from those who interpreted the Bible through the lens of church tradition and cultural teachings. We stated openly that this was not an issue over which to divide the church, but it was an issue on which the Bible was quite clear. We also said that whatever they decided on this issue, we would continue to love them and work with them for the building of Christ’s Kingdom. We wrapped up the conference on Friday with Paul’s teaching on personal godliness among church leaders and his guidelines for enforcing accountability among church leaders. The conference was well-received and challenged the PCL leaders particularly on the pivotal issue of the authority of the Scripture.

On Saturday, we traveled to see some of the PCL churches in the Monrovia area and then attended a meeting of the Elder’s Circle, a gathering of the teaching and ruling elders from the area. These elders have a great concern for the advancement of the PCL and are working to rebuild buildings and provide support for the denomination – often from their own pockets. Obviously, they aren’t all in agreement about priorities and funding and, in an African culture, this made for some interesting “discussion” (To my ears, it sometimes sounded more like a shouting match!). But they ended the meeting smiling and ate a big meal together: still friends and co-workers for Christ’s Kingdom. Sunday found Don and me preaching in separate churches in Monrovia. I spoke at the Evangelical Presbyterian Church near the U.N. headquarters. Many of the elders from that church had attended the conference and they stood up to give testimony of how God had blessed them through His Word. They had a very liturgical service with hymns and confession of sin, the Lord’s Prayer and the Apostles Creed – it seemed very Western. But right in the middle of the service African culture prevailed as the choir led in a time of praise and worship, during which everyone clapped, sang and danced to the glory of God. Afterwards, some of the congregation gathered outside for a picture.

EPI has been given a unique opportunity to assist this fledgling denomination at a critical juncture in its history. Many, perhaps most, of the leaders are seeking to push it in the direction of becoming a Bible-believing Reformed denomination. However, their history and some of their key leaders are pressing for a continuation of a more liberal faith and practice. Don and I have committed to assisting the PCL by providing good books (most of their libraries were confiscated during the war), by providing Biblical instruction (there is no Reformed Bible college or seminary in Liberia) and by linking the PCL with churches in the U.S. who will be able to help rebuild this denomination. We will be returning to Liberia frequently as the Lord provides the means and the time. It is an historic opportunity to come to the aid of fellow believers as they seek a Biblical Reformation of their denomination. It is also an incredible chance to help rebuild an entire country, beginning with its spiritual foundation. The PCL is strategically placed to have tremendous influence in Liberia. The President of Liberia is a member of the PCL, as are many of those who are influential in politics, in education, and in the economic sector. Pray for our brethren there and, as the Lord leads you, do what you can to make this opportunity known to your church. I will be happy to provide more information to anyone who would like to have it.

This month in West Africa has been incredibly fruitful. It’s good to be home, but I am already making plans for the next trip. There are so many opportunities! I thank God for the blessing of being used to teach His people. I also thank you for your on-going prayers and financial support.