Fetishes to Flames

I could see the colorful gathering from afar. Against the red African dirt, bright patterns of yellow, navy, and orange fabric make a beautiful contrast on dark brown skin, and everyone was packed as tightly as possible under the shade of the hangar.

Even from afar, I could see the color and I could hear the sound. Patrice's voice, vibrant and passionate for the work of the Lord, brought an Easter message to the attentive crowd. After he explained the meaning of the resurrection, the significance of baptism, and the importance of abandoning fetishes and idols to follow Jesus, everyone rose to their feet and began a procession into the village.

This was no ordinary procession! We first went into a family's courtyard and stopped in front of one house, where some women began to lead the crowd in singing and dancing. A man went inside with an empty burlap sack, but it didn't come out that way. And when he came out of the house, the crowd erupted into wild celebration. 

Inside the sack were all the household idols and fetishes. This family had decided to follow Jesus, and they were demonstrating their faith by destroying their animistic past. 

The man with the burlap sack lifted the sack high above his head and then smacked it against the ground. I could hear the sound of things breaking inside, but only barely above the cheering of the people. Everyone started to gather sticks and straw, and they took turns throwing them on top of the fetishes until they were completely covered. Everyone kept singing and dancing as someone lit a match and we all watched the idols go up in flames. 

As the black smoke rose into the sky, the people began to sing a particular song. With the lyrics, they would throw their hands up in the air, like they were shooing something away. Curious, I asked Stanislas what they were saying since the song was in Dagara. "They are telling the spirits and fetishes that they have no power and that they don't need them anymore." 

After the idols and fetishes had been successfully transformed into a pile of ashes, we went inside the house to pray with the family. The house seemed so empty without the fetishes hanging from every corner, but at the same time, the house felt fuller than ever before. The presence of the Sprit of the Lord does that - he fills every corner of our empty lives with light and love and peace and joy and hope. 

"London, are you taking pictures?" Geoffrey asked his daughter at one point when we were standing around the fire. I loved her response as she left the camera hanging around her neck. "I kind of just want to be in the moment," she said. 

How do I describe that moment, the moment she was talking about? That moment was so real that it made all my other experiences seem one shade fainter. It was like you could feel the kingdoms warring against each other in heavenly realms. The fire was reminding our enemy of his final destination and defeat. And you could sense the darkness scattering, trying to find a place to hide as light burst forth. Light always overcomes darkness, and that's what made that moment to real, so spectacular, so breathtaking. Jesus was there, filling the hearts of his people, bringing his kingdom to the remote villages of Africa. 

Please join me in praying for these families. Such a sacrifice is not easy to make, and they will continue to experience pressure from around them and within them to return to their traditional ways. Such a sacrifice requires a high price, but also comes with a great reward. 

Also join me in praying for the church in America. We have idols, too, you know. We just don't smash our idols; we hide them. Pray for a kingdom revolution in our churches where we give God our whole lives and abandon our old selves. 

When I studied missions, we talked a lot of the cultural contextualization of church planting, which is a fancy way of saying that we need to make the gospel culturally relevant. Churches need to be indigenous, meaning that African churches need to look African, not American. Because of this, I find myself asking, "What would our western church practices look like in an African setting?" Today, I am asking the exact opposite. When I watch these people literally burn their idols, I ask, "What would these African practices look like in a western setting?" What would it look like for our American churches to have an idol burning ceremony?  

Sometimes, we bring our American church traditions and practices to Africa. And sometimes, I think we need to take some African practices back home to America. 

When I experienced the burning of fetishes, the smashing of idols, and the worshipful procession of the believers who were there, I was reminded of 2 Corinthians 2:14. 

"Praise be to God, who in Christ constantly leads us in triumphant procession and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him."

And 1 Corinthians 15:57...

"But thanks be to God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ!"