Vague Idea of Who God Is, 1959

This article entitled “People in Northern Ghana Have Only Vague Idea of Who God Is” by Dr. George M. Faile, Jr was published in the March 1959 issue of the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board’s Commission magazine vol.22

The Nalerigu Baptist Church has developed a program of regular preaching services in nine stations, some as far away as fourteen miles. Baptized members visit these stations regularly, using the two cycles provided by the church.

As acting pastor, I have the privilege of going to these stations from time to time. This afternoon I went with a member of the church and his interpreter to Gbongu – a village twelve miles away where services are conducted.

After visiting compounds in the village we went to the chief’s house, where we were cordially received. The chief and his elders sat on skins on the ground. A contingent of about fifty naked children sat to our right. About twenty-five men sat on our left, and another thirty or forty men stood behind the children. About twenty-five women arranged themselves near the walls of the compound. Numerous pigs, goats, and sheep ran about in our midst.

The people who had gathered sang vigorously the two hymns they had learned. Then the chief quoted John 3:16 in Mampruli, and all the people recited it in unison. After the service we were urged to come again soon. The villagers have requested that we let someone come to stay in their town, to live with them and teach them more about Jesus.

Several villages have asked if they could send one or two persons to us to be taught more thoroughly so that they could return to help their people worship God. As you can imagine, we are encouraged by this interest; but the recurring problem for us is how best to present the gospel to people with absolutely no background in the Scriptures, people who have only a vague idea of God, people who are dominated by a strong animistic spirit. We stand in need of prayer always.