Exposing the Evil Deeds of Darkness

By Feumba Samen

Exposing the Evil Deeds of Darkness investigates the prosperity churches in Africa and proposes ways to counter their influence. This book was inspired by the biblical admonition to expose the evil deeds of darkness (Ephesians 5:11).

• Language: English
• Publisher: Draft2Digital
• Release date: Apr 8, 2016
• ISBN: 9781533752789

Book preview

Dr. Feumba Samen is a missiologist, economist, and statistician, as well as a multilingual and multi-continental journalist in various African newspapers and magazines.

Exposing the Evil Deeds of Darkness explores an area of missions long underreported and overlooked—witchcraft and its pervasive influence on Christianity in Africa. Whereas missionaries may have been aware of its existence, they were unprepared by their training to deal with it. Thus witchcraft was relegated to the category of superstition. This allowed the evil practices to freely penetrate Christian lives, weakening their testimony and keeping them from a true awareness of God’s rich promises to His children. This book not only provides the history of witchcraft since Christianity was introduced into Africa, it reveals a rich biblical approach on how Christians can be taught to withstand the diabolical influences which surround them daily. Samen’s prayer is that this book will educate and inspire changes in how much of African Christianity is perceived and practiced.

Reviews

Few people are more qualified to write an analysis of the church in Africa than Samen. He is both a native of Africa and a graduate of Grace Theological Seminary in the United States, allowing him to evaluate the African church both through an understanding of cultural diversity and biblical revelation. The rise of the prosperity churches in Africa provides the background of the book, in which Samen focuses mainly on two themes: first, Africa’s widespread witchcraft and its effect on the African churches, and second, a thorough presentation, interspersed with hundreds of scriptural references, concerning how the believer and the church must respond to Satan’s challenge. The book is remarkable for its extensive research, with a bibliography of hundreds of sources which provide a veritable treasure for those wishing to pursue the state of the church in Africa. I highly recommend a careful reading of this book by all serving the African churches. Dr. Tom Julien, Executive Director Emeritus of Encompass World Partners

Exposing the Evil Deeds of Darkness is a great resource for Western evangelical pastors who desire to minister effectively to those of African descent but also a cautionary work for our own consumptive times. A Western pastor or missionary will find a supernatural humbling as past colonial greed and present day predatory practices of pastors and missionaries are exposed. Rev. Dr. Daniel Lute, Chinese Faith Baptist Church, Tigard, OR

The problem of witchcraft has not abated on the continent of Africa. Early Bible school curriculums did not speak to this phenomenon because it was considered superstition by expatriate missionaries and therefore not a subject of theological discussions. Even though underground in most situations, the problem has been brewing and growing in the churches in most countries. The fear it breeds has a stranglehold on people and causes a great deal of stress and anguish. When prosperity gospel preachers use this fear of witchcraft to get money from their church attenders instead of giving them the biblical answers and tools for dealing with it, it is a most heinous crime against God’s people. Samen seeks to expose these evil deeds of darkness, and his book could not be better named. The prosperity gospel of these preachers is not the biblical Gospel to begin with, and using the fear of witchcraft to promote their scam makes it a satanic tool of darkness to defeat God’s plan and purpose. In the end it will not succeed, but it will cause many casualties and incalculable damage to the name of Christ along the way just as Satan intends. Unless Christians take both the evil of witchcraft and the scam of the prosperity gospel seriously, we will not see a strong church in these areas of Africa. Dr. Thomas M. Stallter, Professor of Intercultural Studies, Executive Director, GTS Center for Korean Studies, Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, IN

Table of Contents

Preface 

Introduction

Part 1 – What Is the Prosperity Gospel?      

1 A Closer Look

Where It All Started

Incestuous Relationship

Prosperity Gospel Strategy

Church Without a Theological Foundation

Intellectuals’ Attraction to the Prosperity Gospel

2 Witchcraft

Witchcraft’s Place in Africa

Witchcraft in Politics

Westerners Should Be Aware

Christian Ignorance and Satanic Manipulation

Can Christians Be Attacked by Witches?

Psychological Manipulation

Pastor-Fetishists

Crooks for God

The Occult and Fetishism

From Storefront Churches to Megachurches

3 Theology of the Belly

African Christianity: Precursors and Politics

Tumultuous Relationship

Theology of the Belly

4 Nihilism and Insecurities

Politics: Valuable Forms of Charity vs. Unbridled Love of Money and Hypocrisy

Gospel of Capitalism

Dual Identity

Part 2 – Missionaries, Take Heart!

5 Missionary Strategies

Revisionism of History

Colonial Administration and Missionaries’ Misreading of Witchcraft

Sin and Sacrificial Blood

6 Recognize Your Ability in Christ

Identity and Authority of the Christian

Reminder of the Past: A Spiritual Trap

Promises That God Will Not Break

7 Shaking Strongholds with Prayer and Fasting  

A Window on the Strategies of Satan

The Key to Destroying Satan’s Strongholds

Fasting—The Biblical Prayer Partner

Christians Have the Word of God

Reflection

Conclusion

Notes

Bibliography

Websites

Names and Places

Scriptures

Dedication

One of the greatest blessings God can give us is the gift of a friend who cares. This book is dedicated to people who have been encouraging me in numerous ways to accomplish some of my goals and whose lives are a great mirror for me.

I am exceedingly grateful to God for your support, my brothers, sisters, and friends in Christ: Richard, Marti, Stratton, and Leslie Alt, Rob and Rachelle Denning, Phil and Nancy Gegner, Chuck and Lucy Hamilton, George and Muriel Martin, Aliratou Moho, Charlie Nichols, Rosalie Ouédraogo, Larry and Deborah Pfahler, Dorr and Lisa Phelps, Connie Sheridan, Stefan and Savi Sperl, Don Streibig, Sandy and Barbara Wood, Paul and Suzanne Younger, and Tony and Françoise Takenaka.

Steve and Lana Weber, over our regular Wednesday lunches, we discussed various topics—politics, nature, science, Scripture—and we would always somehow link those topics to Africa. The topic of this book we never discussed. It will introduce you to another face of the Africa you visited years ago.

Pastor Jim Custer, I am indebted to your attention to me. You have made decisions that continue to advance my goal. I express my appreciation. Beyond this, your smiling face brings light to each of our conversations.

Tom Julien, though you were sick, you did not hesitate for a moment to read this book and write the preface. This shows the interest you have for Africa. I’m grateful for the time you devoted to talking and praying with me.

Tom Stallter, I know I can always count on you for your wise advice as I follow the path of research and writing. God bless you.

Tom and Donna Miller, you welcomed me like kind parents. You took me under your wings and you have accompanied me for many years. Find in this book the expression of my affection for you. May God surround you with His infinite love.

Gary and Jane Martin, while I was writing this book, you advised me about a book on baptism that turned out to be an instructive document. I am grateful to you for your good leadership of our discipleship group and prayer times. Brother Gary, your advice is invaluable. I thank God for your leadership and giftedness.

Tante Joan Tsibouris, you approached me with the idea of writing this book. Then you put in untold hours of editing it. My heartfelt thanks to you; you are a gift of God to my son and me.

My son, Chafi Samen, grabbed this vision and encouraged me with wise suggestions; I say thanks for making this vision your vision. May God watch over you, make your projects His own projects, and help you accomplish them.

Finally, I wish to acknowledge and honor God. This book would not have been completed without the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus, who graciously illuminated my path.

Preface

During one of my visits to the Central African Republic, I was asked by a pastor to give a message in his church. His request was that I speak on 1 Peter 5:8: Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. At the close of the message, a woman in the back jumped up and ran out of the church, screaming at the top of her voice. The pastor informed me that she was a practicing witch and was putting curses on people in the church. But that is not all—she was also the president of the women’s ministry group. 

For those of us who have prayed for the African churches for years and rejoiced in God’s blessing on them, this sounds inconceivable. As you read the following pages of Samen’s penetrating book, however, you will realize that this tragic situation is more widespread than we might imagine. 

The missionaries who have gone to Africa throughout the years have been extraordinary servants of God, manifesting a level of dedication and perseverance known by few people. Until recent years, however, many of these missionaries had little initiation into the culture and worldview of the African people. 

On the one hand, many of them had not knowingly experienced spiritual activity personally and treated the animistic practices of the people as superstitions, not recognizing the intense activity of demonic powers in their midst. I became close friends with an outstanding African leader who was working on his doctorate. After a Bible study from Ephesians 6 concerning our spiritual warfare, he asked me, Do you really believe in spiritual powers? I said, Certainly; don’t you?  His reply, Of course. But look at my face. I am black. We black people know all about these things. Generally, you white people don’t. When he realized I was willing to learn, he literally lifted the veil on the influence of spiritual powers on many of the things that had occurred in our churches, even concerning the death of the mission’s founder.

Another area, quite different, relates to the African concept of leadership. Most missionaries would see leadership as a means of serving, but for most Africans leadership means power. The combination of African tribalism and European colonialism has created leaders who see their position as the opportunity to exploit others for their own benefit rather than to serve. The first converts to the faith were personally discipled by the missionaries and were totally dedicated to the Lord and to ministry. However, as these leaders were progressively replaced by a new generation of leaders trained in institutions, diplomas and positions gradually replaced spiritual competency and dedication for too many. Rather than being dedicated to equipping the saints for ministry, too many leaders chose to use the saints for the fulfillment of their personal wants.

After churches began to be planted in Africa, church growth has been nothing less than phenomenal. Once I mentioned to a missionary my pleasure that so many of the people of the villages were a part of the church. His response: That’s not hard to figure out. The church is the only show in town. Consequently, hundreds of those who became a part of the church did so through conformity rather than genuine conversion. Too many of the same believers who would seek to pray in the churches in the morning worship would return to their amulets in the evening. 

All the above provides background for the success of the prosperity gospel churches, which is the underlying theme of Samen’s treatise. These churches, usually Pentecostal in background, focus attention on the spirit world, appealing to the worldview of the Africans. Furthermore, the leaders of these churches become true tribal chiefs of the congregation, using their positions to be served rather than serve. Those coming into their congregations seemingly sense a false security in a leader who subjugates rather than delegates spiritual responsibility to the flock.

Much of the above presents a very negative picture of the African church, which has been characterized as being a mile wide and an inch thick. However, anyone who knows Africa knows about the hundreds who have not succumbed either to an animistic culture or to a domineering concept of leadership. The African churches contain outstanding saints who, against daunting odds, have not lost their vision of the glory of the Church, the body and bride of the Lord. These leaders fully understand that through the death of our Lord, who came not to be served, but to serve, they have been raised spiritually with Him and are seated in Him at the right hand of God. They lead not from their own self sufficiency but as covered by the authority of Christ.

Further, these leaders understand that when Jesus died he stripped Satan of his authority as prince of this world, and made a public spectacle of him, so that the lowliest saint can resist him, and he has no recourse but to flee. They fully understand that their ministry is not one of self exaltation but of seeing significance in every child of God and of equipping all the saints for ministry. These are the hope of the African churches, and should be the object of committed intercession by all those who can fathom the potential of this great continent if the Spirit moves across Africa, bringing spiritual awakening and destroying the works of the devil.

As you turn the pages of this book and delve into Samen’s insights, painstakingly researched from an amazing variety of sources, may you join the army of intercessors who have the ability to rise above the problems to see the potential of the African church and its influence in the world.

Dr. Tom Julien

Introduction

Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. (Ephesians 5:11 NLT)

Although in Africa there are differences from one country to another, substantial similarities exist both in cultural values and religious understanding.¹ In addition religion in Africa is Western as well as traditional.²

African Western religions have adapted the values and objectives of the West by making the church a melting pot of materialism and pseudo-capitalism. They subtly put together concepts and religious values from African religion. Therefore, it is not uncommon for Africans who attend these African Western churches to accommodate Christianity and African religion, especially in times of crisis, whether the nature of this crisis be moral, psychological, mental, or physical.

One branch of this African Western religion preaches the Gospel as presented in the Bible. These religions are in exile, to borrow Walter Brueggemann’s metaphor.³ Whether Western or African traditional religion, these religions are similar and do not act outside their surrounding cultures.

This amalgam has introduced confusion in the minds of Africans. It is an open door, especially to raptor pastors ready to take advantage of any fault in evangelism to bring under their control naive Christians and those genuinely seeking God. Grouped into cults they call revivalist churches, these pastors of a truncated Gospel take advantage of political and economic crises to attract those who are looking for an emergency exit from an almost unbearable environment. Mercenaries of the Gospel, they violate the Word of God, ruin their followers, disrupt families, and see witches and the devil everywhere.

Witchcraft, sin, ancestral ties, and customs constitute the business of these vultures of the prosperity gospel, who shamelessly dismember those who follow them in their adventures. On this basis their sermons are a sham without limits, a masterpiece of manipulation. With dexterity they impose their authority over their flocks and position themselves as the only ones to get them out of life’s turmoil. Paternalistically, they engage with their followers in a relationship of master and slaves.

Ignorance of the Word of God holds these supposed Christians in the bonds of subordination to their pastors. Knowing that keeping them away from the knowledge of divine truth or teaching them a false doctrine of salvation, these people will forever remain easy prey. So pastors of the cults of the prosperity gospel do not teach that when God is with us, no one can be against us. Likewise, they do not mention that the time of crossing the desert helps to experience the favor of God as He has promised through His prophet Isaiah that: When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze (Isa. 43:2). These people, who are thirsting for the Word of God, instead are fed with words of encouragement based on psychoanalytic methods.

What can missionaries do in an environment full of false pastors who utilize witchcraft as a means of pressure on their followers to better cheat them? Should they follow the path traced by colonial missionaries who with the colonial administration established a Christianity that has not taken root in the African culture destroyed by the settlers, or should they get rid of this cumbersome guardianship for the advancement of the Gospel?

History is the record of the conflict between God and His forces on the one hand and the devil and his forces on the other; and the great controlling principle is of vast importance, not only to an understanding of past history, but to an understanding of what is happening in the world today. Similarly it is the only way in which we can understand our own individual experiences. These are the aspects of the question we must now begin to consider.⁴

Through this analysis D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones provides useful instructions to missionaries. Knowledge of the past to better understand the present, having knowledge of oneself and therefore the knowledge of one’s own culture, comparing it with other cultures, and looking for contradictions and similarity points between one’s culture and that of others are indicators that missionaries should take into account in their evangelization policy of other peoples.

Missions have all too frequently exported with the gospel an alien culture and churches have sometimes been in bondage to culture rather than to Scripture. Christ’s evangelists must humbly seek to empty themselves of all but their personal authenticity in order to become the servants of others.⁵

In Africa the Gospel must be served in an African cup.⁶ Contextualization is central to an attempt to weave together biblical principles with individual cultures, and the Gospel cannot be presented as counter-culture. The Gospel should be communicated both in the language of those hearing and clothed in symbols