Questions and Answers – 15

How receptive are the people to Christ?

“When people in the north [of Ghana] hear about Jesus, they want to receive Him,” Saka said one morning when we were out evangelizing. “It’s only that they are concerned about what their families or communities might say, so that’s why they will hesitate.”

Africans are far more dependent on each another than are Americans. This is one of their great strengths in so many areas: but it does deter some of them from making an individual decision for Christ when those around them are all rejecting Him. Taking a stand alone is much harder for an African than it is for an independent Westerner. How new Christians here need our prayers!

Nevertheless, Ghanaians are much more open to hearing the gospel than are Americans. These days, whenever I’m walking and someone asks to join me, I figure God must want me to present the gospel to him or her, and start praying and watching for an opportunity. I’m amazed at how easily it always comes, and at how conversions are now such a frequent occurrence.

Just last night, for example, a man started walking with me; I was praying for an opening, when he observed that he’s a Muslim and thinks I’m a Christian, but it’s OK: even in his family there are people who are Muslims and people who are Christians. “Maybe you will join them one day,” I suggested. “You know, it’s not about being a Christian or about being a Muslim: all religions are about man reaching out to God, but the amazing thing is that God actually reached out to us,” and from there I presented the whole gospel as he patiently listened and asked questions. “You are making me think,” he said at the end. “I will have to see you again to talk about it more.” So I invited him to visit me at my workplace if he’d like.

This is a fairly common experience now. Part of me is sad that I didn’t realize earlier on how easy it is to introduce Jesus into conversation; but part of me realizes that God was preparing me with an understanding of African culture and – through the example of Daniel and others – with words and methods to present the gospel to Africans, and address the FAQs of local Muslims.

So in answer to the question posed above, people are VERY receptive to Christ. All they need is someone to tell them. God’s harvest is so ripe…He is only looking for laborers to enter into that harvest!