They Are Here Again Camouflaged in Sheepskin

Commentary

by

Special to United Methodist Insight | Dec. 3, 2024

Not long ago, we saw them regrouping on the continent of Africa with a sole purpose of destroying The United Methodist Church on the continent. Their actions are a great testimony to what they did. Our eyes saw and our ears heard of their great lamentations and plans to disintegrate The United Methodist Church in Africa. They were camouflaged in sheepskins as messiahs carrying the torch of the Wesleyan Covenant Association's Africa Initiative, organizing meetings to fish from UMC ponds and persuade its faithful and loyal members to leave.

Like the question which trips everyone posed in Jeremiah 13:23 ‘‘'Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots?' Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil." (NKJV). This question was raised to address Judah’s habituation of sin which leads to slavery that is irredeemable. Due to Judah’s sin an indelible stain and her evil habits held her fast like bands of steel.

Consider the gravity of campaigns to disintegrate the UMC in Africa either through autonomous churches or disaffiliation to Global Methodist Church (GMC). Can they be trusted for episcopal leadership? Of course, no. It’s a trick and a dangerous move because they may be here just to gain power and authority and the old self is activated.

Their voices were like the roaring of the king of the jungle ready to smash any intruder within its proximity. Labeling the UMC an "LGBTQ church" was one of their powerful spears used to silence every divergent view or lone voices calling in the jungle. Amidst such hostile environment United Methodist Africa Forum (UMAF) was born with a very small and lone voice like that of a rabbit in the jungle calling on all the faithful and loyal UMC members on the continent to STAY UMC regardless of the General Conference outcome.

With a soft and tender voice of a despised stranger in the street UMAF was busy advocating for unity, to stay UMC and say no to disaffiliation. I would be failing in my duty if I can fail to mention the names of our gallant leaders who welcomed UMAF, a despised stranger in the UMC highways. We thank Bishop Dr. Eben Nhiwatiwa the immediate past president for Africa Colleges of Bishops and Bishop Dr. Mande Muyombo current president for Africa Colleges of Bishops for their parental guidance and acceptance accorded to us as UMAF during our low and infant days. We also lift up our mother and only woman bishop in UMC Africa, Bishop Joaquina Nhanala, Mozambique episcopal area. As UMAF we are always indebted by her gesture to host our inaugural UMAF physical meeting in her episcopal area of South Africa Annual Conference in Johannesburg. It wasn't easy for our leaders. They are always in our prayers.

In a nutshell, there’s no leadership vacuum in the United Methodist Church in Africa. We have faithful and loyal UMC members who are capable to paddle the boat to shores of the lake by the help of the great pilot Jesus Christ. We are not in a billionaires’ competition club nor think tank geniuses. No, we are in the ministry of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, where honesty, integrity and sincerity are among the requirements.

Just like John received the revelation messages or letters to the seven churches which were in Asia, I am quoting specifically the message to the angel of the church of Laodiceans in Revelation 3: 15 -16 and it reads, ‘‘I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth." (NKJV). We are also reminded by our Lord Jesus Christ in the gospel of Mathew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (NKJV).

What assurance do we have of the trustworthiness of those who belittled the UMC for greener pastures in the GMC, whose voices were louder than thunder on social and print media labeling the UMC as a gay church here in Africa? They spent dollars convening meetings to persuade us to support paragraph 2553 to extend disaffiliation to the central conferences so that their plans of disintegrating the church occurred. They campaigned against regionalization in the strongest terms. Today when we see them speak our languages, walk in our streets, dine with us, be alert all those plastic and fake loyalties. The aim is to have our votes to open an access to the instrument of power and the blink of an eye – boom! – we will have Nigeria episode 2 with violent disaffiliation. To our central conference delegates, listen and listen attentively, don’t allow the enemy use you to auction God’s church to the betrayers and the Judah Iscariots of our days over a cent or a dollar. Your God is bigger and greater to sustain you.

To our dearly beloved in the Lord in the West Africa Central Conference, I am sending to you a word of encouragement as well as a caution. Starting from Nigeria you have gone through a lot; it’s time to choose a "stay UMC" bishop and rest from those church politics and battles. Don’t give room to any GMC proxy; please flash them out of the system.

Liberia, your bishop has set an example on what it means to stand with a denomination under difficult circumstances. You yourselves are the witness of the battles that almost injured or took the life of your bishop. I salute Bishop Samuel Jerome Quire for standing firm despite the pressure, violence and life-threatening situations of wanting to eliminate his life. We give God the glory for preserving his life and leading the church to the episcopal elections.

Sierra Leone, you require a lot of introspection, deliberations, discernment and above all God’s intervention in knowing who’s a true "stay UMC" clergy to be the next episcopal leader. Do your aspirants reflect cold nor warm (stay UMC or proxy GMC); are they lukewarm?

All in all, in the West Africa Central Conference prayers and actions are really needed. Not a one-sided thing; prayer minus actions is equal to zero. Pray and act to serve God’s church on the continent.

To the faithful and loyal UMC members in the Africa Central Conference as well as the Congo Central Conference. You know the game well, the code is "no" to GMC. Its supporters and promoters of autonomous churches and disaffiliation shouldn’t see the corridors of leadership, for in so doing we will betray the faithful members on the continent.

This is not the time to ask what Africa can do for you but what can you do for Africa. It’s the time to check what have you done to the church on the continent of Africa, when it was at the crossroad and on its knees.

The Rev. Gabriel Banga Mususwa is United Methodist Africa Forum (UMAF) General Secretary, Regionalization Strategic Communicator and 21st Century Pastor in Luanshya, Zambia.