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God's Design for the Church: A Guide for African Pastors and Ministry Leaders
What Is the Church? Foundational Truths from God’s Word
At the beginning of the twentieth century, Christians in Africa numbered approximately nine million—by the end, that number had grown to more than 380 million. As the number of Christians continues to grow, African pastors are often overwhelmed and in desperate need of guidance.
Drawing from three decades of pastoral experience in Zambia, Conrad Mbewe has written a comprehensive handbook specifically for African pastors and church leaders. Structured around twenty commonly asked questions about God’s design for the church, this helpful resource covers topics ranging from the definition of church and the role of church members to the importance of doctrine. Through this book, Mbewe aims to equip pastors and leaders with biblical principles that will “permeate the landscape of Africa and transform its churches for generations to come.”
Published in partnership with the Gospel Coalition.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, Christians in Africa numbered approximately nine million—by the end, that number had grown to more than 380 million. As the number of Christians continues to grow, African pastors are often overwhelmed and in desperate need of guidance.
Drawing from three decades of pastoral experience in Zambia, Conrad Mbewe has written a comprehensive handbook specifically for African pastors and church leaders. Structured around twenty commonly asked questions about God’s design for the church, this helpful resource covers topics ranging from the definition of church and the role of church members to the importance of doctrine. Through this book, Mbewe aims to equip pastors and leaders with biblical principles that will “permeate the landscape of Africa and transform its churches for generations to come.”
Published in partnership with the Gospel Coalition.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 15, 2020
18 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Conrad Mbewe
46 books21 followersSince 1987 Conrad Mbewe (pronounced em-bay'-way) has been pastor of Kabwata Baptist Church in Lusaka, Zambia. He is widely known as the Spurgeon of Africa for both his preaching and devotion to the ministry. His church is presently overseeing the start of more than twenty Baptist churches in Africa, often reaching out in communities where there is little or no evangelical witness. In recent years he has been in high demand as a conference speaker and missions adviser. He writes two articles every week for national Zambian newspapers, edits the Reformation Zambia magazine, is President of a small Reformed Baptist seminary, and recently spoke at the national conference for The Gospel Coalition in Chicago, IL, USA. As a churchman, he has been interviewed by Tim Challies of challies.com, by Mark Dever of 9Marks ministries, and D.A. Carson of The Gospel Coalition. To this day the influence of his ministry continues to deepen and expand. Conrad Mbewe has a unique ability to convey the truth of God's Word through clear, fresh, and powerful exposition. His pastoral and administrative experience in church matters situates him uniquely among evangelical leaders in the world. You can learn much more about Conrad and his ministry at this website: resources.grantedministries.org/found...
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December 5, 2020
Ecclesiology was perhaps my least favourite subject in Bible college. Maybe it was because all the classes were weekend intensives, but I also did not care much for the content. However, since my first years of Bible college, ecclesiology—the doctrine of the Church—has become of utmost importance to me. Not only is it abundantly rich, but it is also profoundly practical. The questions of what the church looks like, how it ought to function, and how its members posture themselves towards the church and one another is perhaps the most significant issue facing the North American Church, and apparently the Church worldwide. I received a copy of Conrad Mbewe’s God’s Design for the Church as part of the Crossway blog review program. I was eager for the opportunity to learn from a brother across the globe and from the unique challenges facing the churches for whom he writes.
God’s Design is written for the Church in Africa and the challenges they face. Mbewe takes seriously the challenges he perceives, so the word is hard at times, yet he is also confident in God’s good purposes and rightfully acknowledges the profound good God is working in the African continent. With a firm yet wise hand, Mbewe works through many theological and practical issues that face a church that wants to be faithful. He is attempting to help the African church be more Biblical by giving “biblical foundations of what the church is meant to be” (19). He recognizes a need in the African church “for a book that explains God’s design for the church so that those who lead the church can do so in accordance with God’s mind” (19). The issues he addresses are not often those one would encounter in a Western work, such as the appropriate ways to collect money and how ubuntu creates unique strengths and challenges for the church. However, in each area, the Western reader is confronted with just how similar the issues facing the African church are to those we face, and even those that are alien (such as superstition) can give us insight into the challenges we face here. God’s Design for the Church has twenty short chapters that cover a range of issues, moving from general theology of the church (e.g. Ch. 1 “What is the Church, Ch. 2, “Who is the Church’s Founder and Head”; Ch. 3 “What is the Church’s Task in the World?”) to practical issues of faithfully leading a church (e.g. Ch. 10, “How Should the Church Raise Its Money”; Ch. 11 “Should Your Church Be Involved in Missions?”; Ch. 13“What about Church Discipline?”; Ch. 15 “How Should Your Church Grow Spiritually?”).
The challenges are different, but the Word of God is true across all cultures. Mbewe’s faithful exposition will be a great benefit to his intended audience, pastors on the African continent, and pastors in my own Western context. I would not agree on every detail, and my own current work on ecclesiology looks quite different from Mbewe’s, but there are many riches here for the reader to mine.
God’s Design is written for the Church in Africa and the challenges they face. Mbewe takes seriously the challenges he perceives, so the word is hard at times, yet he is also confident in God’s good purposes and rightfully acknowledges the profound good God is working in the African continent. With a firm yet wise hand, Mbewe works through many theological and practical issues that face a church that wants to be faithful. He is attempting to help the African church be more Biblical by giving “biblical foundations of what the church is meant to be” (19). He recognizes a need in the African church “for a book that explains God’s design for the church so that those who lead the church can do so in accordance with God’s mind” (19). The issues he addresses are not often those one would encounter in a Western work, such as the appropriate ways to collect money and how ubuntu creates unique strengths and challenges for the church. However, in each area, the Western reader is confronted with just how similar the issues facing the African church are to those we face, and even those that are alien (such as superstition) can give us insight into the challenges we face here. God’s Design for the Church has twenty short chapters that cover a range of issues, moving from general theology of the church (e.g. Ch. 1 “What is the Church, Ch. 2, “Who is the Church’s Founder and Head”; Ch. 3 “What is the Church’s Task in the World?”) to practical issues of faithfully leading a church (e.g. Ch. 10, “How Should the Church Raise Its Money”; Ch. 11 “Should Your Church Be Involved in Missions?”; Ch. 13“What about Church Discipline?”; Ch. 15 “How Should Your Church Grow Spiritually?”).
The challenges are different, but the Word of God is true across all cultures. Mbewe’s faithful exposition will be a great benefit to his intended audience, pastors on the African continent, and pastors in my own Western context. I would not agree on every detail, and my own current work on ecclesiology looks quite different from Mbewe’s, but there are many riches here for the reader to mine.
January 7, 2021
***DISCLAIMER – I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM CROSSWAY TO REVIEW***
I have heard many good things about Pastor Conrad Mbewe, but before I did this book review, I had neither listened to any of his sermons nor read any of his books. For that reason, I chose a book of his as the first book I would review for the non-profit ministry Crossway. That book was God’s Design For The Church: A Guide For African Pastors And Ministry Leaders. While I am neither an African Pastor not a ministry leader, I wanted to at least view some of Mbewe’s work. Being able to review his book gave me the opportunity to do just that.
Mbewe writes this book to both give the biblical foundations of what the church is meant to be and address the wrong practices in the African church today (p. 19). By “African church”, Mbewe means the church in Africa, for Mbewe is a pastor in that country (specifically Kabwata Baptist Church in Zambia). Each of the twenty chapters in this book pertains to the church. The questions Mbewe addresses include but are not limited to:
What defines and comprises the church
How the church should grow
Who should lead the church
How the church offends/pleases God
Mbewe most definitely proposes valid questions; Christians should know what defines and comprises the church. They should also know how the church should grow biblically. Finally, they should most definitely be knowledgeable about what offends and pleases God.
Mbewe concludes the book’s introduction and chapters with both a summary of the introduction/chapter and discussion questions. I found both effective. The summary helps reinforce the important points in the chapter. The discussion questions helped me interact with the material in an educational way.
STRENGTHS
I found several strengths in this book. I discuss three of them (there were more). First, I found this book to have many clear and well-supported assertions. For example, in the chapter on God’s design for the Church, Mbewe gives a rather biblically-supported explanation for how Jesus died for the elect. While some may not agree with his argument (something I probably would have done years ago), he does support his position with Scripture. Consider the following on page 40:
When Jesus died on the cross, he paid the price for the redemption of his people who make up the church. To the question “Whom did Jesus die for?” we often answer without thinking twice, “Jesus died for the world.” That is true. He is “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). We find similar words in the most famous verse in the Bible, John 3:16. However, the Bible often uses the word “world” to emphasize that the gospel was not for the Jews only but also for the Gentiles. The term “world” does not always mean each and every person who has ever been born since creation. More specifically, the Bible teaches that Jesus died for his elect people, those whom the Father had given him before the foundation of the world. Jesus speaks of having died exclusively for his sheep. He says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. . . . I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:11, 14 –15). Perhaps the passage in the Bible that shows most clearly that Jesus died for his church is Ephesians 5:25–27:
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
I have heard it said that there is no Bible verse that states Jesus died for goats. I’ve heard a pastor ask, “Where in Scripture does it say non-elect get into heaven?” I appreciate the fact Mbewe was not unclear in his position. He states in no uncertain terms that Jesus died for the elect. Moreover, I appreciate his appeals to Scripture in his answer. The texts state what they state. Jesus did die for His church. Jesus did lay down His life for the sheep. No text states He laid down His life for the goats. I do not know of any place in Scripture that states that goats/non-elect (those who remain steadfast in their unbelief until death) go to heaven. In fact, there is a text that states that the goats go to eternal punishment (Matthew 25:31-46). These are most definitely things to consider.
A second strength I found in Mbewe’s book is his love for the Gospel. He uses chapter four to explain why the Gospel is so important to the church (pp. 59-70). Here are a couple noteworthy excerpts from that chapter:
The gospel is also important to the life of the church because of its key role in helping Christians to grow in their most holy faith. We start our spiritual lives as believers by hearing and believing the gospel. We gain a strong assurance of our salvation the more we understand the implications of what Jesus did in order to save us from sin. We grow our spiritual lives as believers also by hearing and believing the gospel. Christians must never move on from the gospel. If they do, they end up wanting to please God by their own efforts instead of through resting in the finished work of Christ on their behalf.
p. 62
Notice that Mbewe states that Christians must never move on from the gospel. The gospel is not just for unbelievers; it is also for Christians. Christians, like unbelievers, sin daily and sin much.
Here is another noteworthy excerpt:
Only the work of the Holy Spirit can truly sanctify God’s people. The raw material that the Holy Spirit uses in order to do this is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is why we must never graduate from the gospel. We need it to grow in holiness. Anything else will simply turn us into self-righteous hypocrites, like the Pharisees in the days of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus described the Pharisees as whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but full of dead men’s bones on the inside! (Matt. 23:27–28). That is what we become without the gospel.
p. 63
I attended a particular seeker-driven church from 2008-2019. In 2017, God opened my eyes via a program called Fighting For The Faith (which debuted in 2007). I learned more from that program in 18 months than I did in nearly a decade at that church. The program, hosted by Pastor Chris Rosebrough of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church in Oslo, Minnesota, places an emphasis on biblical discernment. Moreover, it emphasizes the importance of hearing the Gospel everyday. When I was at that “particular church” I attended, I didn’t recall hearing the Gospel being proclaimed to Christians. I got a lot of sermons that were all law (things to do) and no Gospel (what Christ has done for you). As a result, I remember going through burnout a number of times. Moreover, my attitude on social media was prone to getting very Pharisaical. I say all this because Mbewe is correct that Christians must never graduate from the Gospel. Any church that gives sermons with all law and no Gospel are simply places that have the appearance of godliness but deny its power (see 2 Timothy 3:1-17). Moreover, churches that do this have the potential to turn people into self-righteous Pharisees for a length of time.
The third and final strength I discuss in this book are the insights Mbewe gives. In chapter fourteen (titled Does It Matter What Your Church Believes?), Mbewe has a subsection titled, “Your Church Should Be A School Of Doctrine” (pp. 196-198). Technically, such a phrase should not have been foreign to me, for I had been going to Sunday School at the church of which I am a member at prior to COVID-19’s impact on the world in early 2020. I suppose the church I now attend has always been a school of doctrine, but that phrase was never at the forefront of my mind. Nevertheless, Mbewe makes a good point about the importance of a church’s being a school of doctrine. There are two excerpts worthy of consideration:
Since it matters what your church believes, you must ensure that your church is intentionally turned into a school of Christian doctrine. That was the first observable trait of the early church. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42). This was because the apostles knew that these new believers would live what they believed. They wanted them to believe the truth. We should emulate them. The sermons that are preached regularly in the life of our churches should not only be devotionally inspiring, helping people to live energetically for Christ. They should also be doctrinally rich, bringing out the truths of Scripture to help Christians grow in their understanding of God and his ways. Our churches should also hold Bible studies and seminars where Christian doctrine is taught with greater depth and where believers have the opportunity to ask and to receive answers to their pertinent questions. Devotional sermons alone are like trying to cook a meal on a fire where the firewood consists of nothing but twigs. They burn quickly and make a lot of noise, but you will soon discover that your meal is not well cooked. Get logs instead. They take longer to catch the fire, but they burn longer too and result in a well-cooked meal. As we have seen, doctrinally rich teachings are what will produce strong Christians who will in turn lead their families and communities into godly living.
pp. 196-197
I have heard it stated that the sermons at seeker-driven “churches” give beef sprinkles to the congregations, not meals. It is true; their pasta-stringed sermons (featuring various verses ripped out of context and strung together like pasta strings) won’t feed the sheep. The sheep deserve a meal; they deserve large swaths of in-context Scriptures. Or, as Mbewe puts it, they deserve logs, not twigs.
Mbewe concludes the “school of doctrine” section (in addition to the chapter) with the following paragraph:
One tragic consequence of our failure to emphasize doctrinal instruction has been the proliferation of “Christian” cults on the continent of Africa. Almost every day a new “church” starts and soon draws large crowds. Usually, these are not new converts. They are church members who are abandoning their old churches for new ones. The vulnerability of the people is soon exploited by wolves in sheep’s clothing. They are financially defrauded and sexually abused. Despite the fact that their leaders are doing what is patently wrong, they still give them the honor that should be given only to Jesus Christ. Some of the victims are real Christians who had not learned to discern truth from error because they lived on a perennial diet of devotional sermons. The only way to reverse this trend is when church leaders start taking seriously the need to turn their churches into schools of sound Christian doctrine.
p. 198
Mbewe’s explanation above of what is happening in Africa also describes what is also happening in America (albeit with “pastors”, not church members). Think of disgraced “pastors” Perry Noble, Mark Driscoll and James MacDonald (website hyperlinks not necessarily an endorsement). All three of these individuals either have started churches elsewhere or (in the case of MacDonald) have preached from behind a pulpit after public fallouts (said public fallouts, among other things, making them biblcially unqualified to be pastors or preachers). Sadly, hirelings like Ray Johnston (in the case of Driscoll) and Steven Furtick (in the case of Noble) have encouraged this type of nonsense to happen. These wolves in sheep’s clothing are both exploiting folk and encouraging said exploitation of folk. What do they all have in common? The places where they “pastor” (none of the five people I mentioned are biblical pastors) are not schools of doctrine. They are, simply put, something else. Mbewe is correct when he states that the “only way to reverse this trend is when church leaders start taking seriously the need to turn their churches into schools of sound Christian doctrine.” I would like to add that another way to reverse this trend is if people stop heaping for themselves teachers to suit their own passions (see 2 Timothy 4:1-5). The audiences of these hirelings are just as guilty as the hirelings themselves (like I was when I continued to heap for myself sermons with all law and no Gospel). Oh would we all both become more biblically literate and turn our churches into schools of sound doctrine!
CONCLUSION
Mbewe is a straight shooter, and I like that. Moreover, he backs his positions with Scripture. While one may not necessarily agree with everything he says (as I’m sure some will find disagreement with him on the area of the elect as I did with him somewhat on baptism), he at least gives the reader something to ponder. Mbewe’s book is an important read that helps the reader dig into the Scriptures to learn more about God’s design for the church He so loves. I recommend this as both a good read and a solid addition for the Christian’s library.
I have heard many good things about Pastor Conrad Mbewe, but before I did this book review, I had neither listened to any of his sermons nor read any of his books. For that reason, I chose a book of his as the first book I would review for the non-profit ministry Crossway. That book was God’s Design For The Church: A Guide For African Pastors And Ministry Leaders. While I am neither an African Pastor not a ministry leader, I wanted to at least view some of Mbewe’s work. Being able to review his book gave me the opportunity to do just that.
Mbewe writes this book to both give the biblical foundations of what the church is meant to be and address the wrong practices in the African church today (p. 19). By “African church”, Mbewe means the church in Africa, for Mbewe is a pastor in that country (specifically Kabwata Baptist Church in Zambia). Each of the twenty chapters in this book pertains to the church. The questions Mbewe addresses include but are not limited to:
What defines and comprises the church
How the church should grow
Who should lead the church
How the church offends/pleases God
Mbewe most definitely proposes valid questions; Christians should know what defines and comprises the church. They should also know how the church should grow biblically. Finally, they should most definitely be knowledgeable about what offends and pleases God.
Mbewe concludes the book’s introduction and chapters with both a summary of the introduction/chapter and discussion questions. I found both effective. The summary helps reinforce the important points in the chapter. The discussion questions helped me interact with the material in an educational way.
STRENGTHS
I found several strengths in this book. I discuss three of them (there were more). First, I found this book to have many clear and well-supported assertions. For example, in the chapter on God’s design for the Church, Mbewe gives a rather biblically-supported explanation for how Jesus died for the elect. While some may not agree with his argument (something I probably would have done years ago), he does support his position with Scripture. Consider the following on page 40:
When Jesus died on the cross, he paid the price for the redemption of his people who make up the church. To the question “Whom did Jesus die for?” we often answer without thinking twice, “Jesus died for the world.” That is true. He is “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). We find similar words in the most famous verse in the Bible, John 3:16. However, the Bible often uses the word “world” to emphasize that the gospel was not for the Jews only but also for the Gentiles. The term “world” does not always mean each and every person who has ever been born since creation. More specifically, the Bible teaches that Jesus died for his elect people, those whom the Father had given him before the foundation of the world. Jesus speaks of having died exclusively for his sheep. He says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. . . . I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:11, 14 –15). Perhaps the passage in the Bible that shows most clearly that Jesus died for his church is Ephesians 5:25–27:
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
I have heard it said that there is no Bible verse that states Jesus died for goats. I’ve heard a pastor ask, “Where in Scripture does it say non-elect get into heaven?” I appreciate the fact Mbewe was not unclear in his position. He states in no uncertain terms that Jesus died for the elect. Moreover, I appreciate his appeals to Scripture in his answer. The texts state what they state. Jesus did die for His church. Jesus did lay down His life for the sheep. No text states He laid down His life for the goats. I do not know of any place in Scripture that states that goats/non-elect (those who remain steadfast in their unbelief until death) go to heaven. In fact, there is a text that states that the goats go to eternal punishment (Matthew 25:31-46). These are most definitely things to consider.
A second strength I found in Mbewe’s book is his love for the Gospel. He uses chapter four to explain why the Gospel is so important to the church (pp. 59-70). Here are a couple noteworthy excerpts from that chapter:
The gospel is also important to the life of the church because of its key role in helping Christians to grow in their most holy faith. We start our spiritual lives as believers by hearing and believing the gospel. We gain a strong assurance of our salvation the more we understand the implications of what Jesus did in order to save us from sin. We grow our spiritual lives as believers also by hearing and believing the gospel. Christians must never move on from the gospel. If they do, they end up wanting to please God by their own efforts instead of through resting in the finished work of Christ on their behalf.
p. 62
Notice that Mbewe states that Christians must never move on from the gospel. The gospel is not just for unbelievers; it is also for Christians. Christians, like unbelievers, sin daily and sin much.
Here is another noteworthy excerpt:
Only the work of the Holy Spirit can truly sanctify God’s people. The raw material that the Holy Spirit uses in order to do this is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is why we must never graduate from the gospel. We need it to grow in holiness. Anything else will simply turn us into self-righteous hypocrites, like the Pharisees in the days of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus described the Pharisees as whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but full of dead men’s bones on the inside! (Matt. 23:27–28). That is what we become without the gospel.
p. 63
I attended a particular seeker-driven church from 2008-2019. In 2017, God opened my eyes via a program called Fighting For The Faith (which debuted in 2007). I learned more from that program in 18 months than I did in nearly a decade at that church. The program, hosted by Pastor Chris Rosebrough of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church in Oslo, Minnesota, places an emphasis on biblical discernment. Moreover, it emphasizes the importance of hearing the Gospel everyday. When I was at that “particular church” I attended, I didn’t recall hearing the Gospel being proclaimed to Christians. I got a lot of sermons that were all law (things to do) and no Gospel (what Christ has done for you). As a result, I remember going through burnout a number of times. Moreover, my attitude on social media was prone to getting very Pharisaical. I say all this because Mbewe is correct that Christians must never graduate from the Gospel. Any church that gives sermons with all law and no Gospel are simply places that have the appearance of godliness but deny its power (see 2 Timothy 3:1-17). Moreover, churches that do this have the potential to turn people into self-righteous Pharisees for a length of time.
The third and final strength I discuss in this book are the insights Mbewe gives. In chapter fourteen (titled Does It Matter What Your Church Believes?), Mbewe has a subsection titled, “Your Church Should Be A School Of Doctrine” (pp. 196-198). Technically, such a phrase should not have been foreign to me, for I had been going to Sunday School at the church of which I am a member at prior to COVID-19’s impact on the world in early 2020. I suppose the church I now attend has always been a school of doctrine, but that phrase was never at the forefront of my mind. Nevertheless, Mbewe makes a good point about the importance of a church’s being a school of doctrine. There are two excerpts worthy of consideration:
Since it matters what your church believes, you must ensure that your church is intentionally turned into a school of Christian doctrine. That was the first observable trait of the early church. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42). This was because the apostles knew that these new believers would live what they believed. They wanted them to believe the truth. We should emulate them. The sermons that are preached regularly in the life of our churches should not only be devotionally inspiring, helping people to live energetically for Christ. They should also be doctrinally rich, bringing out the truths of Scripture to help Christians grow in their understanding of God and his ways. Our churches should also hold Bible studies and seminars where Christian doctrine is taught with greater depth and where believers have the opportunity to ask and to receive answers to their pertinent questions. Devotional sermons alone are like trying to cook a meal on a fire where the firewood consists of nothing but twigs. They burn quickly and make a lot of noise, but you will soon discover that your meal is not well cooked. Get logs instead. They take longer to catch the fire, but they burn longer too and result in a well-cooked meal. As we have seen, doctrinally rich teachings are what will produce strong Christians who will in turn lead their families and communities into godly living.
pp. 196-197
I have heard it stated that the sermons at seeker-driven “churches” give beef sprinkles to the congregations, not meals. It is true; their pasta-stringed sermons (featuring various verses ripped out of context and strung together like pasta strings) won’t feed the sheep. The sheep deserve a meal; they deserve large swaths of in-context Scriptures. Or, as Mbewe puts it, they deserve logs, not twigs.
Mbewe concludes the “school of doctrine” section (in addition to the chapter) with the following paragraph:
One tragic consequence of our failure to emphasize doctrinal instruction has been the proliferation of “Christian” cults on the continent of Africa. Almost every day a new “church” starts and soon draws large crowds. Usually, these are not new converts. They are church members who are abandoning their old churches for new ones. The vulnerability of the people is soon exploited by wolves in sheep’s clothing. They are financially defrauded and sexually abused. Despite the fact that their leaders are doing what is patently wrong, they still give them the honor that should be given only to Jesus Christ. Some of the victims are real Christians who had not learned to discern truth from error because they lived on a perennial diet of devotional sermons. The only way to reverse this trend is when church leaders start taking seriously the need to turn their churches into schools of sound Christian doctrine.
p. 198
Mbewe’s explanation above of what is happening in Africa also describes what is also happening in America (albeit with “pastors”, not church members). Think of disgraced “pastors” Perry Noble, Mark Driscoll and James MacDonald (website hyperlinks not necessarily an endorsement). All three of these individuals either have started churches elsewhere or (in the case of MacDonald) have preached from behind a pulpit after public fallouts (said public fallouts, among other things, making them biblcially unqualified to be pastors or preachers). Sadly, hirelings like Ray Johnston (in the case of Driscoll) and Steven Furtick (in the case of Noble) have encouraged this type of nonsense to happen. These wolves in sheep’s clothing are both exploiting folk and encouraging said exploitation of folk. What do they all have in common? The places where they “pastor” (none of the five people I mentioned are biblical pastors) are not schools of doctrine. They are, simply put, something else. Mbewe is correct when he states that the “only way to reverse this trend is when church leaders start taking seriously the need to turn their churches into schools of sound Christian doctrine.” I would like to add that another way to reverse this trend is if people stop heaping for themselves teachers to suit their own passions (see 2 Timothy 4:1-5). The audiences of these hirelings are just as guilty as the hirelings themselves (like I was when I continued to heap for myself sermons with all law and no Gospel). Oh would we all both become more biblically literate and turn our churches into schools of sound doctrine!
CONCLUSION
Mbewe is a straight shooter, and I like that. Moreover, he backs his positions with Scripture. While one may not necessarily agree with everything he says (as I’m sure some will find disagreement with him on the area of the elect as I did with him somewhat on baptism), he at least gives the reader something to ponder. Mbewe’s book is an important read that helps the reader dig into the Scriptures to learn more about God’s design for the church He so loves. I recommend this as both a good read and a solid addition for the Christian’s library.
December 2, 2020
Summary thoughts:
Conrad Mbewe speaks with biblical clarity and cultural authenticity to matters related to the African church. This jewel of pastoral wisdom, however, will minister to churches in every context. Each short chapter is suitable for discussion with church leaders and concludes with study questions and a summary of the main ideas. A Scripture index at the end of the book allows the reader to reference specific passages.
Mbewe has written primarily to church leaders and provides helpful counsel in the final chapter (ch. 20) regarding how to reform the church according to God’s Word. I am using this book to mentor a fellow pastor who desires to plant a church in Ethiopia. Mbewe’s insights have helped us to pray more effectively for the African church and to feel a closer bond to our brothers and sisters abroad.
Strengths of the book:
Mbewe presents biblical principles applicable to every church, while also including specific examples for the African church. By doing so, he shows how to distinguish universal biblical principles from practical application in a specific cultural context.
Although written for church leaders, these introductory concepts are accessible for those without extensive doctrinal training. I was greatly encouraged by the foundational emphases on the gospel (ch. 4) and church membership (chs. 5-6). I was also intrigued by Mbewe’s discussion about the African approach to giving (ch. 10) and missions (ch. 11).
Mbewe’s cultural insights challenged our thinking on how we would handle various issues such as churches dividing based on tribal languages instead of using the common language of the community (31). Other cultural distinctives included tribal chiefhood (99, 108), witchdoctors (113-14), and deliverance sessions (131). Observing Mbewe’s application of God’s Word to reform these African practices brought the biblical principles into even clearer focus.
Suggestions for improvement:
By nature, this book was extensive, but not comprehensive. Mbewe could not address many areas of church ministry for the sake of space. Readers should be aware that this is only an introduction to further study and discipleship. For example, Mbewe distills the marks of a health church to three essentials: preaching, ordinances, and church discipline. Such an approach may appear simplistic to some. Again, the reader should understand that this book goes more broad than deep on matters related to church ministry. It is best used as a discipleship tool rather than an academic textbook.
Mbewe also addresses unbiblical practices in the African context and might not be immediately applicable for Western Christians. It might also engender a sense of pride if we do not recognize how we have our own culturally-conditioned problems.
Finally, not every reader will agree with Mbewe’s Baptist perspective. Others might also object to his claim that tithing is a biblical requirement of Christians today (142-43). Overall, however, his congenial approach will serve to strengthen the church instead of causing division. I pray that this will become a discipleship manual for church leaders throughout the African continent and beyond.
* Crossway has provided a complimentary copy of this book through the Blog Review Program.
Conrad Mbewe speaks with biblical clarity and cultural authenticity to matters related to the African church. This jewel of pastoral wisdom, however, will minister to churches in every context. Each short chapter is suitable for discussion with church leaders and concludes with study questions and a summary of the main ideas. A Scripture index at the end of the book allows the reader to reference specific passages.
Mbewe has written primarily to church leaders and provides helpful counsel in the final chapter (ch. 20) regarding how to reform the church according to God’s Word. I am using this book to mentor a fellow pastor who desires to plant a church in Ethiopia. Mbewe’s insights have helped us to pray more effectively for the African church and to feel a closer bond to our brothers and sisters abroad.
Strengths of the book:
Mbewe presents biblical principles applicable to every church, while also including specific examples for the African church. By doing so, he shows how to distinguish universal biblical principles from practical application in a specific cultural context.
Although written for church leaders, these introductory concepts are accessible for those without extensive doctrinal training. I was greatly encouraged by the foundational emphases on the gospel (ch. 4) and church membership (chs. 5-6). I was also intrigued by Mbewe’s discussion about the African approach to giving (ch. 10) and missions (ch. 11).
Mbewe’s cultural insights challenged our thinking on how we would handle various issues such as churches dividing based on tribal languages instead of using the common language of the community (31). Other cultural distinctives included tribal chiefhood (99, 108), witchdoctors (113-14), and deliverance sessions (131). Observing Mbewe’s application of God’s Word to reform these African practices brought the biblical principles into even clearer focus.
Suggestions for improvement:
By nature, this book was extensive, but not comprehensive. Mbewe could not address many areas of church ministry for the sake of space. Readers should be aware that this is only an introduction to further study and discipleship. For example, Mbewe distills the marks of a health church to three essentials: preaching, ordinances, and church discipline. Such an approach may appear simplistic to some. Again, the reader should understand that this book goes more broad than deep on matters related to church ministry. It is best used as a discipleship tool rather than an academic textbook.
Mbewe also addresses unbiblical practices in the African context and might not be immediately applicable for Western Christians. It might also engender a sense of pride if we do not recognize how we have our own culturally-conditioned problems.
Finally, not every reader will agree with Mbewe’s Baptist perspective. Others might also object to his claim that tithing is a biblical requirement of Christians today (142-43). Overall, however, his congenial approach will serve to strengthen the church instead of causing division. I pray that this will become a discipleship manual for church leaders throughout the African continent and beyond.
* Crossway has provided a complimentary copy of this book through the Blog Review Program.
February 19, 2021
This book fulfills the author’s intent to convey the Biblical purpose and character of the flock of God gathered together in the local Church. God’s design tops our own notions, opinions, ideas, and traditions.
The author, Conrad Mbewe, speaks freely (as a son of the African soil) of the many pitfalls he has seen specifically in the context of local churches across the African continent. I have witnessed much of what he describes.
I’m grateful he does not stop there. Conrad focuses on prayer, humility, and right steps moving forward from where we are to where we desire to be—ultimately, in step with the holy Scriptures.
I love his emphasis on glorifying God, the way he supports his statements with chapter and verse in right context, and how his love of God, Truth, and people are clearly maintained through each chapter.
Each illustration is helpful. The chapters are clear and the study guide questions provoke thought and discussion.
This is a book needed in Africa, yet will benefit the church in America as well, as so much is transferrable (while examples are tailored specifically for African context).
The author, Conrad Mbewe, speaks freely (as a son of the African soil) of the many pitfalls he has seen specifically in the context of local churches across the African continent. I have witnessed much of what he describes.
I’m grateful he does not stop there. Conrad focuses on prayer, humility, and right steps moving forward from where we are to where we desire to be—ultimately, in step with the holy Scriptures.
I love his emphasis on glorifying God, the way he supports his statements with chapter and verse in right context, and how his love of God, Truth, and people are clearly maintained through each chapter.
Each illustration is helpful. The chapters are clear and the study guide questions provoke thought and discussion.
This is a book needed in Africa, yet will benefit the church in America as well, as so much is transferrable (while examples are tailored specifically for African context).
October 30, 2022
Such an insightful book about the state of the church in Africa and what sound doctrine and Biblical faithfulness demand it should be. Conrad Mbewe is a countryman of mine, pastoring a church in Lusaka, Zambia. He is also the current president of TGC Africa and a regional leader and significant voice for the gospel and the church on the continent.
At times the book was fairly basic and parochial, and yet I think it is well positioned for its primary audience, church leaders in Africa. I share Mbewe’s enthusiasm for the growth of Christianity and the church in Africa, and likewise his concern that much of that growth is not true Christianity or, at best, a mile wide and an inch deep theologically. This book is a wonderful corrective for the issues the church in Africa faces and a solid reminder to us all, wherever we live.
At times the book was fairly basic and parochial, and yet I think it is well positioned for its primary audience, church leaders in Africa. I share Mbewe’s enthusiasm for the growth of Christianity and the church in Africa, and likewise his concern that much of that growth is not true Christianity or, at best, a mile wide and an inch deep theologically. This book is a wonderful corrective for the issues the church in Africa faces and a solid reminder to us all, wherever we live.
December 31, 2022
We did this as a book group discussion book with the men from our churches. It was a good book in as far as it said many true things, but it was not by and large very insightful. We basically talked about the discussion questions at the end of each chapter. I thought though, he promoted the idea too much, even as can be seen on the back description of the book, that Africa is largely Christian. He assumes that most of pastors are sincere but just need to be taught. This is clearly not a valid stance to take, especially in the villages as a missionary. Unless something very drastic changes do not ever believe or use the statistic that says there are 380,000,000 Christians in Africa except to show how deceitful sociology and statistics can be.
January 3, 2023
A faithful introduction to the most important theological and practical questions facing the church, but the author does not treat false Christianity with NT firmness. He should have raised the question of whether the religion of southern Africa is in fact Christian, rather than assuming it is.
April 30, 2021
This book is for the African church yet it’s basic truths are for all churches desiring to emulate what Christ wants from His Church.
February 25, 2022
This is a very helpful treatment of the doctrine of the Church, with the local African church context in view.
May 8, 2025
Readable, rich, and enjoyable exposition of the basics of biblical ecclesiology, applied to the unique African context. Couldn’t recommend this enough.
November 17, 2024
Really good solid biblical principles for the African context.
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