The Gospel is the end of Tribalism

I recently read a book that gripped me and convicted me more than any other theology book I have ever read... Bloodlines by John Piper.

For those who know and love his writings it will not surprise you that he was able to so eloquently bring the matter of race back to the cross of Jesus Christ. And while Piper was clear that he was dealing specifically with the matter of race in America due to the extensive research that would have to take to research race across the globe - I would argue that his research did address the matter of race  and tribalism across the globe.

In summary of his main line of thinking - Just as "Abraham was blessed to be blessing to the nations" and that the twelve were commissioned to "make disciples of all nations"  - it is also true that any form of racism or tribalism is opposed to God's work in spreading the gospel to all nations.

This is also a reason why we must encourage believers from every nation to join the work of missions. For when one goes from their family, people and home to a new nation or tribe to share the gospel to people of another tribe they are joining with God in his mission to reach the nations.

As churches we must strive to be united in one voice as the choirs in heaven who sing out in Revelations 5:9-10:

   “You are worthy to take the scroll
   and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
   and with your blood you purchased for God
   persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
¹⁰ You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
   and they will reign on the earth.” 

If Jesus purchased people from every tribe with his blood, why should we in any way despise the same people whom he loved to the point of death.

Racism and tribalism still exist in every corner of the world... but they should be completely absent from the church!

Christianity Throughout Uganda's Independence

October 9, 1962 is the day that Uganda received Independence from Britain. Milton Obote became Prime Minister and he wrote the common man’s charter with Socialism as the predominant ideology. In this generation Christianity was looked at as the white man’s religion. Christianity was seen as part of colonialism and hence rejected. Missionaries where seen as land grabbers.

Jomo Kenyatta
(1963 - 1978), President of Kenya "When the white man came we had the land and they had the Bible. They taught us to pray with our eyes closed and when we opened them, they had the land and we had the Bible."

Idi Amin became President in 1971. In this generation the rapid expansion of Islam was the greatest threat to Christianity.  It was this time that the foundation of Old Kampala Mosque was established. Many Ugandan Christians were persecuted and ran to exile such as Festo Kivengere, Archbishop of York John Sentamu and Archbishop Janan Luwum was executed by Amin.  This period saw Uganda registered as a member state to the World Islamic League.

From 1979 to 1986, there was  constant change in leadership and no stability in Uganda. There was a vacuum that threatened the faith in this generation. In a period of seven years we had 8 Presidents: Lule, Binaisa, Muwanga, a presidential Commission of 3, Obote 2, Bazilio, Tito Okello and then Museveni. This was reflected in the church that lacked strong leadership. The result was that Christians, like Sheep without a Shepherd, were scattered. Many cults and false doctrines began to creep in during this period.

From 1986 till today there has seemingly been freedom of worship. For the first time in our history, the major threat to Christianity is not governments or leaders, the major threat to Christianity is not external but an internal one - it is the threat of deception.   Ugandan's are faced with two predominant forms of false teaching: the Prosperity Gospel and the Gospel of Moralism. The first falsely promises health and wealth to all true believers while the second teaches obedience as the only path to God's love and the only hope for believers salvation.  The great sadness is that each gives a false picture of God's glory, His love for mankind and the true path to a relationship with him... Notes taken from a sermon given by Dennis Kilama, Academic Registrar, at Lugogo Baptist Church on Independence Day October 9, 2011.