Acts 1:8—A Paradigm for Mission in West-Central Africa

Adventist mission in West Central Africa has been plagued by issues such as dual allegiance and syncretism which in certain ways have resulted in retarded growth (in comparison with other younger Christian denominations) and dwarfed the faith experiences among church members. In contrast, the book of Acts showcases a mission template with unparalleled growth and pristine faith. The task of this paper is to demonstrate how Christ’s promise and commission in Acts 1:8 can serve as a mandate and model for modern mission strategy in the sub-Saharan region of West Africa. Evangelization in this sub-region will be more productive when ministers seek to appropriate the limitless power provided by the Lord, witness in relevant and relational ways, and take the gospel message right into the urban centers of today, as they meet needs where the gospel is preached. These implications are contained in the concise command issued by the Lord in Acts 1:8. The book of Acts, perhaps more than any other book in the entire Bible, is a book on missions; the mission of God and that of the church. It begins by detailing the background of the birth of the church, showing how Christ before his ascension had given the apostles their commission to take the gospel into the entire world. Jesus did not only tell them what to do, but He told them how to accomplish the task through the agency of the Holy Spirit, allowing him to lead and direct. Furthermore, Jesus went on to tell his disciples where they were to begin their ministry; first in Jerusalem, then in Judea and Samaria, and finally to the ends of the earth. Christ did not stop there, for he also described the when of their mission; they were Kelvin Onongha is the Deputy VicePresident of Student Affairs and a lecturer in the Religious Studies Department of Babcock University in Nigeria.