But, to the glory of God, they are slowly receiving it and finding out for the first time how relevant the Word of God is to their daily lives. Harry and I have recently been given the incredible privilege of being involved in something that s making this come true for a growing number of African Christians. As you know, many Africans suffer from horrors caused by war, ethnic conflict, famine, AIDS, and persecution of Christians. African pastors can find themselves overwhelmed with the enormous psychological, emotional, and spiritual devastation of their people, who have suffered unspeakable traumas. These pastors faithfully pray and work in many ways to relieve the pain of their flocks, but bringing Scripture to bear on these daily realities is something with which many of them have little or no training or experience.
Many African pastors have no formal training at all.
Plus, many of them have only a few portions of the New Testament in their own language. And even when they do have a Bible, pastors have often not been taught how to study or use it. This is very hard to imagine in our own Bible saturated and educationally affluent culture, but it s true. These new study materials are designed to teach African Christians what the Word of God says about his limitless resources available for healing from trauma, how to receive these resources, and how to forgive and move on in rebuilding relationships and growing in Christ. But even the most fundamental truths about God s power to heal us and how to receive that healing from him are little understood by many African Christians.