Breaking news from NewsDaily, updated every 15 minutes.Top Best Entertainment news stories. Current Best ... Register or log in using your account on these websites. You may choose news, top news, world news, politics, business, science, entertainment, sports etc.


Thursday, 24 July 2014

African Ministries; An In-Depth Analysis

By Sharron Cantu


Africa as a continent has currently 54 nations and is acknowledged as the most densely inhabited continent. Its status also includes a couple of countries at war, massive unemployment, poverty including problems linked with low development elsewhere in this world. However its inhabitants being very religious due to years of evangelism activity reflected in the large number of Clerical African Ministries in the continent that play huge roles in solving some of the said problems.

There are two broad types of ministries in Africa, government and church ministries for example the Presbyterian Mission Agency among other denominational based agencies. Both have the chief role of offering service to the people. They are both seen to work hand in hand in the community and in so doing supplement each other in different areas where the other is inadequate.

The two types of ministries differ in a number of ways. These variances are such as leadership structures where a church ministry are led by clergy men while government type are led by elected leaders and while the structure of church allows for direct involvement with the society the government ministry structure is more disconnected from the community. Individually they perform different roles.

Governmental based ones play only legally stipulated and accepted roles formed after consensus is made by the citizen representatives. Is could feature responsibilities such as, distribution of national resources evenly geographically, running of beneficial projects, ensuring security of the people within their borders and the protection of human rights. It is of key concern that governmental bodies serving the people ensure that they are free and fair.

Church oriented evangelism have diverse roles they assign themselves depending chiefly on what aim the church and its congregation agree on. Commonly this includes acting as the voice of the community by airing their views, linking with external donors, management of aid accorded to locals as well as assisting in development projects in areas they are based. The activities undertaken however must in accordance with the law.

The types of church ministries in operation differ geographically. The majority of the northern part of the continent being predominantly Islamic has very few Christian holy organizations but operate on Islamic law, eastern and western Africa have protestant holy orders and the catholic church as well as in the southern regions of the continent. The different ministry perform different work where they are based.

They are based along religious ties do work that can be either based on religious reasons or development reasons. Religiously this can be spreading of Christianity and preparation of local religious clergies. Development wise it involves building academic institutions, hospitals, provision of professionals such as teachers and providing sponsorship for needy children to universities. Ministry therefore complement government initiatives.

A couple of challenges hinder activities of both kinds of holy orders in service to locals. Problems present include persistent warfare and conflicts in some regions creating constant fear, traditions and cultures intolerant to change and outsiders, language barriers, inaccessibility of regions due to poor infrastructure and misuse of funds by corrupt leaders. However, with a will there is always a way and evangelism will always find a way of providing services to people in need.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment