"An Inch Deep and a Mile Wide"

Being connected with the Anglican Church of Rwanda and its sister provinces of the Global South of the Anglican Communion, I have a keen interest in how God is moving on the continent of Africa. It is one of the great providential ironies of history that western countries such as the United States, which sent missionaries to the furthest reaches of Africa over a century ago, now stand in desperate need of a re-introduction to the Gospel. That re-introduction is taking place, in large part, through the missionary outreach of African churches which were originally planted by those western missionaries of last century.

But, at the same time, many in Africa are falling victim to the false gospel of "health and wealth," which has been prevalent in America for several decades, as my colleague Greg Goebel observes. Some have described the revival in Africa as being "an inch deep and a mile wide," noting its widespread appeal but often shallow substance. As noted by Isaac Phiri and Joe Maxwell in Christianity Today, the most aberrant form of "health and wealth" in Africa has a distinctively American flavor.

The worst brand of African prosperity teaching is, perhaps unsurprisingly, an American export. Experts cite various reasons for the spread of this kind of renewalism, better known as health-and-wealth, including:

• American lifestyles have led African believers to equate Christian faith with wealth.

• Traditional African values often link material success and spiritual success.

• The African "Big Man" ideal honors rich, powerful leaders such as prosperity preachers.

And then there is television. As Pentecostal-charismatic programming has flooded Africa, renewalist numbers have risen from 17 million in 1970 to 147 million in 2005. The continent's largest religious broadcaster is Santa Ana, California–based Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), followed by Europe's GOD TV.

As TV sets grow common in African cities, these broadcasters are gaining huge audiences. People who lack a TV often watch with neighbors, and viewing options are limited. In Zambia, only three stations click on: MUVI TZ, which airs reruns of U.S. shows and old movies; ZNBC, the Zambian National Broadcasting Company; and TBN. Television is becoming the continent's religious classroom.

It remains commonplace for American television evangelists to talk about the "desperate need" for taking the Gospel to Africa. But such an appeal is becoming an anachronism. Christians in Africa are beginning to see the need for the Gospel is far more "desperate" in America. They know all too well about the abandonment of the faith by mainline churches. Now, as the "health and wealth" message begins to gain a foothold in their land, they are seeing yet another sad example of how the American experience has perverted the message of Christ.